Now that I’ve completed my final resume I feel like I’ve learned a great deal through the process. Firstly, I’ve learned about the importance of little details and the effects that they can have on your final product. Although you may have impressive experience and qualities to bring to the job, if there are small inconsistencies in your resume the employer is going to notice them. When the little things like capitalization and punctuation aren’t done properly they stick out like a sore thumb and make you look as if you’re not really interested or qualified for the position. Paying special attention to consistency is super important, whether that be using a consistent font style and size throughout your entire resume, or using a consistent tense when writing about your past employment. At first these details can seem very small and insignificant, but once your paper is finalized you will want it to look as polished as possible, and small mistakes will drive you crazy.
After working through my resume I have also learned about the importance of readability and how it plays into the application process. Although you may have pages and pages of work and educational experience, none of it matters if the resume isn’t easily scannable for the most important information. Creating a resume that looks clean but it is also concise and specific, while not being overly detailed is key. Make sure that the most important and relevant information about the job you’re applying for is presented clearly and visibly on the page. Scanning your resume for a brief minute and noting what you can pull out and remember is a good way to test this and get a sense of what the employer will soon pick up about you.
