Resume tips (was: Adding Color to Resume)

[Gorilla]

I noticed a few resume templates that have a little color added. A few years ago this was considered a major No No. Have things changed now? Does adding color possibly give you that edge?

[R-Audi]

Depends, are you getting a job to make things look pretty?

If not, then NO.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Kloubek]

I'd use colour very, very sparingly. Ie: A stripe of colour between your information at the top and the rest of the information below, but that's it. That might be enough to make it stand out without looking stupid.

[ercchry]

i heard using pink scented paper is a good enough reason to let someone into Harvard Law!

[gretz]

Originally posted by ercchry
i heard using pink scented paper is a good enough reason to let someone into Harvard Law!

fag.... wait, I know that reference... double fag lol

[ercchry]

Originally posted by gretz


fag.... wait, I know that reference... double fag lol

/married life

[SKR]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
If it is done in a tasteful manor it can be good, particularly if you are competing for a job where a lot of other people are applying as well.

What if you don't live in a tasteful manor? My place is a shithole. Am I limited to black and white?

[speedog]

Simple fonts and bullet form as well - colors, don't really want to see them as they will distract me from the important information I want to see. As a small business owner, anything that goes over 2 pages is a big no-no - my resume from 26.5 years at TELUS was 2 pages and I had moved around a lot in that company and had taken a ton of training, both internal and external. Don't care about training courses from 10+ years ago as they probably aren't relevant anymore especially technology related courses.

Short and simple as my time is valuable and best advice I can give, do not hand me a Block Buster job application with Block Buster scratched out and my company's name scribbled in.

[dj_patm]

OMG I wish I had pics of some of the resumes I saw working in retail.

Some highlights:
- A few that were hand written

- Printed on bordered paper (Sunflowers really make a resume pop!)

- Having the ability to add and subtract as a "skill"

- Ridiculously over qualified forigeners (Dr's applying for a job a jersey store)

- Strippers

[ExtraSlow]

I agree with the 2 page resume. Unless you are a Ph.D. and need to list the papers you've written for a research job, two pages is lots.
Anything over two pages tells me that you don't have the ability to prioritize. To me, that's the most important skill in business.

Colour? I wouldn't suggest it.

[M.alex]

Originally posted by speedog
do not hand me a Block Buster job application with Block Buster scratched out and my company's name scribbled in.

That would be awesome; then list 'resource management' as a skill

[Mar]

Originally posted by speedog
anything that goes over 2 pages is a big no-no

Are you mad?

cover page = 1 page
header / skills / qualifications / first job experience = 1 page
3 more projects of experience = 1 page
1 more project / education / certifications = 1 page

I do contract work so 3 years experience is like 10 jobs for me. I only list the last 5-6 and that's tough to narrow down based on relevance to the project I'm applying for.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Mar

Are you mad?

cover page = 1 page
header / skills / qualifications / first job experience = 1 page
3 more projects of experience = 1 page
1 more project / education / certifications = 1 page

I do contract work so 3 years experience is like 10 jobs for me. I only list the last 5-6 and that's tough to narrow down based on relevance to the project I'm applying for.

From what you described, that's actually a CV or curriculum vitae. A resume has to be 2 pages MAX.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[HomespunLobster]

The only color I use on my resume is a bit of blue for my name (which is bolded). Looks pretty sharp. And take off useless shit. I've had quite a few jobs over the last few years, i'm not putting all of them on there. Just the ones that would have key skills which I list on the resume.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by Mar

Are you mad?

cover page = 1 page
header / skills / qualifications / first job experience = 1 page
3 more projects of experience = 1 page
1 more project / education / certifications = 1 page

I do contract work so 3 years experience is like 10 jobs for me. I only list the last 5-6 and that's tough to narrow down based on relevance to the project I'm applying for.

I don't count the cover page, but yeah, if you handed me a three page resume, plus a cover page, I would be unimpressed.
I guess it depends on the industry. In mine, two pages covers what I need to know, even for people with decades of experience.

[Thaco]

do whatever it takes to make your resume unique and "jump" out at the employer... they'll usually have 100, of which they will pick 5... if you don't make the 5 you're wasting your time.

[msommers]

Colour on a resume sounds tacky as hell.

1 page cover letter + 2 page resume. Done.

[scboss]

When i was in about to start university i did the unthinkable. I bought extremely light grey paper that was high quality and thick and printed my resume on it. I literally got 7 interviews that week and had a job within days. Just remember if an employer has a stack of 50 resumes there is no way they are going to look at every one.

You gotta have
High quality paper
Zero Spelling mistakes
Nothing from more then 5 years ago(except education)
Cover page or Intro must have to do with the job and bettering your future
No useless skills (only put what you can do not what u think you are)

IMO anything more then 2 pages is retarded unless you are going into a special industry and have to showcase your skills, but even then I would just bring that stuff to the interview.

Business Class 101