Improve the Look of Your Resume: Tips from a Graphic Designer

By Angela Cooley

No matter what field you’re going into, attention to the visual details of your resume are important. The resume is often the first thing an employer sees when considering a candidate and creates a lasting first impression before you even set foot in an interview. Now, a spruced-up design won’t magically make a sub-par resume more impressive, but it will reflect how you present yourself and the pride you take in your work. With just a few simple tweaks, you can set yourself apart from similarly-qualified competitors—all without leaving the conservative “comfort zone” most industries demand.

This week's tip:  Create a visual hierarchy.

Good organization should be the backbone of any resume design; it's extremely important that the reader be able to easily find specific information at a glance (employers don't exactly spend hours poring over each applicant's qualifications). What this means for us is that we need to establish headings and sub-headings that clearly distinguish each section of your resume from each other. You have a whole arsenal of tricks at your disposal!

• Font choice
• Font size
• ALL CAPS
• Bold
• Italic
• Underline
• Color
• Spacing/indentation

 Mix and match these elements to create the effect you need, but don't pile them all on at once! The most important information on the page should be your name; therefore, it should carry the most visual weight; that is, it should draw the eye the most. Your category headers (e.g. "Education," "Professional Experience," etc.) should have the second most visual weight, followed by any sub-headers you may have, like your list of job titles.

Sound simple enough? Good! Work on polishing that resume and stay tuned for more little tips that can make a big difference!