Interview - Resume' coloring choices

[radicaldog]

Use a font like Garamond: much more elegant than Times New Roman, but not too obviously different. I expand the spacing by 0.3 pt on my typescripts.

 

[Master-Classter]

I use Garamond too for all my Cover Letters and Resume

 

[greekonomist]

Originally Posted by srivats

I use LaTeX myself for typesetting,

+1

Originally Posted by srivats

but MS-Word is crap.

FTFW

 

[Archivist]

..

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by Archivist

I do not agree with the one page rule, not all resumes can or should fit on a single page. That said, keep it concise. Involved descriptions of past duties and accomplishments get difficult to read and looks as if you don't know how to edit.

The one-page rule, as I see it, generally applies to the stage you're in with your career. For most professions, I see no reason to exceeed one page if you've got fewer than 10 years of work experience. Seriously, it can be condensed. Maybe for some professions there is a need or reason to exceed a page before 8-10 years of work experience. But for most of the big professions -- finance, consulting, law, marketing, corporate strategy, etc. -- there is really no need for more than one page until you've gotten to a certain age or tier.

The one thing I will absolutely do is toss the resume of a kid straight out of college if it exceeds a page. To me, someone with little to no work experience who can't discipline himself enough to keep it under a page does not have a solid work ethic, and/or does not understand how to organize his thoughts.

There's maybe a fuzzy grey area around years 7 and 8 of your working life. But really, a page ought to do it well until then.

 

[srivats]

Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard

The one-page rule, as I see it, generally applies to the stage you're in with your career. For most professions, I see no reason to exceeed one page if you've got fewer than 10 years of work experience. Seriously, it can be condensed. Maybe for some professions there is a need or reason to exceed a page before 8-10 years of work experience. But for most of the big professions -- finance, consulting, law, marketing, corporate strategy, etc. -- there is really no need for more than one page until you've gotten to a certain age or tier.

The one thing I will absolutely do is toss the resume of a kid straight out of college if it exceeds a page. To me, someone with little to no work experience who can't discipline himself enough to keep it under a page does not have a solid work ethic, and/or does not understand how to organize his thoughts.

There's maybe a fuzzy grey area around years 7 and 8 of your working life. But really, a page ought to do it well until then.

My professor back in grad school was an Intel fellow with over 15 years of outstanding work experience. His resume was 1 page. His CV was more detailed and much more longer, but that's what CVs are for.

 

[dv3]

Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard

To me, someone with little to no work experience who can't discipline himself enough to keep it under a page does not have a solid work ethic, and/or does not understand how to organize his thoughts.

I am taking this advice!

I have to go through about 150 in the next week...

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I'm with everyone on the one-page comments. One page is enough until you're interviewing for a senior position and its debatable then.

I appreciate the advice regardless, lots of awesome tips in this thread, I appreciate it.

Honestly not what I was expecting from a crowd that recommends $1500 shoes for an interview, but I expect that its candid advice.

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

I'm with everyone on the one-page comments. One page is enough until you're interviewing for a senior position and its debatable then.

I appreciate the advice regardless, lots of awesome tips in this thread, I appreciate it.

Honestly not what I was expecting from a crowd that recommends $1500 shoes for an interview, but I expect that its candid advice.

Yeah. When you get to a truly senior position in your career, you're not really going to be using a resume at all. You are going to be getting jobs because an executive search firm or committee brought you in, or because you have contacts or clients at the firm who recommended you.

As for the $1500-shoes-to-an-interview advice, honestly, screw that. Wear some halfway decent black balmorals in good condition and well polished. The time to buy really expensive shoes is after landing the job.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard

Yeah. When you get to a truly senior position in your career, you're not really going to be using a resume at all. You are going to be getting jobs because an executive search firm or committee brought you in, or because you have contacts or clients at the firm who recommended you.

As for the $1500-shoes-to-an-interview advice, honestly, screw that. Wear some halfway decent black balmorals in good condition and well polished. The time to buy really expensive shoes is after landing the job.

It wasnt advice, but thats the kind of things I expect from this forum

I'm working now, been working, but I want to move to a company which has more room for me to grow.

 

[CDFS]

Originally Posted by Archivist

I've been involved with interviewing and hiring several people recently, and had to wade through a number of resumes. I agree 100% with the white paper/laser printing consensus here. Much more importantly, as has been said, proofread, proofread it again, and then have someone else proofread it.People laser in on typos, cut and paste errors, and inconsistent or logically untenable statements. We've been hiring QA engineers, and seeing, for example, a statement that their testing achieved 100% bug free code simply looks ridiculous. I can see the intent was to emphasize strengths, but it comes across as misleading at best. I do not agree with the one page rule, not all resumes can or should fit on a single page. That said, keep it concise. Involved descriptions of past duties and accomplishments get difficult to read and looks as if you don't know how to edit.
Sound advice, methinks.

 

[Christofuh]

Are you looking for a postition of assistant florist or junior interior decorator ?

Who cares as long as the flip side of white paper is blank, spot-free and the text appears legible.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Originally Posted by Christofuh

Are you looking for a postition of assistant florist or junior interior decorator ?

How did you know?

 

[JammieDodger]

Originally Posted by gdl203

Yes. Cheap printer paper. No fancy fonts (Times is fine), no fancy borders or decorations - all about content.

Times New Roman isn't easy to read for everyone. I'd recommend Arial.

The rest, paper discussion etc. seems moot. I've never applied for a "proper" job without sending my CV electronically. And they'd only print it out on normal paper, so...

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Originally Posted by JammieDodger

Times New Roman isn't easy to read for everyone. I'd recommend Arial.

The rest, paper discussion etc. seems moot. I've never applied for a "proper" job without sending my CV electronically. And they'd only print it out on normal paper, so...

I feel that part of being prepared for an interview includes bringing a couple versions of your resume'.