"Packaging" for Resumes and Cover Letters

Resumes are one of the fundamental tools of job-hunting, and while most of your time and effort should be focused on the content, it’s also important to discuss format issues. Remember that the entire goal of a resume is to generate enough interest from the employer to grant you a job interview.

But before I get to the format issues, let’s just hit the highlights of resume content.

• Resumes should be specifically focused to the job you are seeking; there is no such thing as a “general purpose” resume.
• Resumes need to focus on your key accomplishments, not on duties and responsibilities; employers want to see that you can produce results.
• Resumes must have zero errors; one typo or misspelling can easily be the difference between getting an interview and having the resume tossed in the trash.
• Resumes are statements of fact; do not lie or stretch the truth when writing your resume.

Back to your question about resume format. The vast majority of resumes today are submitted electronically, but a “print” resume can still be useful for networking and taking to an interview. A few employers still want print resumes submitted via postal mail. It’s also not a bad idea to mail your resume even when you’re also submitting it electronically — to help you stand out. Here are some general guidelines for print resumes:

• Paper: plain white is perfectly acceptable. If you want to go with a color, choose muted colors, such as gray, ivory, beige, slate, etc.
• Printing: ideal is still a laser printer, but ink jets are fine — as long as you let the ink dry so that the ink does not smear.
• Mailing: sending your resume in a standard-size business envelope is fine, though ob-seekers sometimes use larger envelopes so that the resume does not need to be folded.
• Style: your resume and cover letter should match — in letterhead, in type style (font), and in paper color. And never, ever send a cover letter on company letterhead.

One final comment about resumes: Whenever possible, it’s always best to see if the employer has a preferred resume style. Some elements of resume design are very subjective. Many employers now list these requirements on the corporate career Websites. I have a client who has an amazing functional resume (organized around skills clusters), but a recent prospective employer asked her to totally rewrite and reformat her resume into a standard chronological resume because that format was preferred.

Looking for more resume help? Quintessential Careers has resume quizzes and an article on creating Web-ready resumes. Go to: Quintessential Careers.