Q: What are some dos and don'ts that you hold sacred when approaching resume design?

A: Inconsistent formatting tops my list of resume "don'ts." Headings, subheadings, and body text should be consistent throughout the document across font families, point size, bolding/italics, kerning, and placement on the page. Consistency is also crucial in design elements like the use of vertical/horizontal lines, shading, and bullets. (I never use more than two different bullet types in a resume, and if I do use two, I make one a "hollow" version of the former. For example, solid circle bullets and "hollow" circle bullets).

I also make sure only one space follows every period or colon (vs. the "old rule" of two spaces back in the bygone days of the typewriter).

Margin settings should be equal all around or formatted so that the user's printer prints them evenly. There should also be plenty of space in the margins for hiring managers to write comments.

As for font point size, I use everything from 9.5 up to 12 for the body of the resume, depending on the "fatness" of the font. Some fonts are very readable at 9.5 (such as Book Antiqua), while other fonts need a larger point size. I like to set heading point sizes at least 2.5 points larger than the text (and preferably 3 to 5 points larger). I make the client's name the largest point size of all (anywhere between 18 and 24 points, depending on the font I'm using).

Q: What types of formats do you use?

A: We use a variety of resume formats, from a traditional style with centered headings to a columned style with headings or even entire resume sections broken out in a left-hand column. For some professions (such as consulting) we use a brochure-style resume.

Q: Do you use tables to create resumes? What is the advantage of using tables?

A: Yes! I use tables for almost all resumes that I design. Tables allow you to align columns of text precisely to ensure that spacing between rows is even. They hold the formatting much more consistently than if you use the tab key, and it is very easy to add or delete text once they are in place.

Q: What are some of your favorite font combinations?

A: There are lots of great fonts out there, but be aware that employers may have different font packages loaded on their systems than you do. If the user's system substitutes an alternate font for the one used on your resume, this will cause the formatting and page breaks to be off-kilter. Generally speaking, Garamond, Book Antiqua, Goudy, Bookman Old Style, Arial, Tahoma, Verdana, Century Gothic, Century Schoolbook, and Franklin Gothic are "safe" to use. I never use more than two different fonts in one resume, and usually stick with one font (but use different point sizes, bolding, italics, etc. for headings and sub-headings).

If I'm going to use two different fonts in a document, I'll often stick with the same font family (such as Franklin Gothic Book for the text and Franklin Gothic Medium for headings). Other font combinations that I think are attractive are to use a serif font for the text (such as Garamond or Book Antiqua) and a sans serif font for the headings (such as Arial Black or Century Gothic).

Q: Do you change font combinations based on the personality or profession of the client?

A: Yes. If a client is in a conservative profession (such as finance or accounting) or is a senior executive, I'll often select a serif font for its "traditional" feel. If a client is in a high-tech or creative field, I like to use a sans serif font, which has a more "cutting-edge" feel to it.

Q: Do you use any of the following when designing resumes for creative professionals: text effects, color, graphics/logos, text boxes, borders, shading?

A: Yes, I've used all of these elements for various resume projects (though not all in one document!) if it makes sense to do so based on the client's field or job target. These design enhancements can really help a resume to stand out from the crowd, but they should be used judiciously. The resume still needs to look absolutely professional (not garish).

When using graphics, I steer clear of "cartoony" type drawings. I prefer something more elegant and professional looking. I've used photos, watermarked photos, color and B&W images, antique maps, and even blueprints for graphics in certain resume projects. If the client is a designer, I'll sometimes ask him or her to design a logo or monogram that I'll incorporate as part of the resume design.

Q: What types of resume files do you provide for clients?

A: We offer resumes in multiple formats including .doc, .txt, .pdf, and .html. The .pdf files retain the resume's formatting features. We make the plain-text (ASCII) resume as attractive as possible by adding spacing between bullets, decorative section dividers, and carefully reviewing to ensure a clean conversion. The .html resumes we offer are multi-page portfolios that allow clients to present more of their credentials for Web viewing.

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Karen's Bio: Karen is senior resume writer at ExecResumes. Her goal is to prepare clients for career advancement through powerful resumes and career coaching services. Karen is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), demonstrating advanced proficiency in the creation of winning resumes and cover letters. She has served as the Resume Advisor on Monster.com's Resume Tips message board and writes informative articles on how to write a winning resume. She provides advice on how to develop a resume that does more than just chronicle job experience, but sells as an effective executive marketing piece. Her passion for helping her clients achieve their dreams is evident in every resume she produces. Karen's dynamic personality and unwavering support help drive her clients to achieve their goals.

Karen coauthored The Career Change Resume: How to Reinvent Your Resume and Land Your Dream Job (McGraw-Hill, April 2003). She was the featured resume expert on Mark Larsen's Morning Magazine radio show in August 2003. Karen won high praise for sharing her creative approach to resume design as a speaker for the National Resume Writers' Association's interactive chat.

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