Resume Templates

What’s Appropriate to the Industry or Position?

Make sure you have a good understanding of the industry or position before selecting a resume template.

When to Use Two Pages

Certain industries, such as education, information technology, science/engineering and medicine expect a two-page resume.

Particular positions do as well. For example, middle-level executives, project managers, quality or safety directors, government placements, career professionals with more than 10 years experience and even some sales positions are often better detailed on two-page resumes.

Also, a two-page resume may help those changing careers market themselves effectively by featuring skills and accomplishments in a cross-applicable way.

When to Use One Page

Having just stated that two page resumes may be expected, applicants entering a new field may be better off using a one-page resume to demonstrate a stable job history and specify the intent to change direction through the resume objective.

A one-page resume works well for job seekers still climbing the professional ladder or those in positions where reliability and acquisition of skills mean a lot to an employer, such as those in the customer service industry, restaurant/hospitality, administration and transportation/shipping.

The use of more extensive resumes are reserved for those with a long list of accomplishments, leadership qualifications, publications, speaking engagements or technical ability to demonstrate.

Understand the Application Process

Often an industry or position will have a very specific application process, and this process may dictate what type of resume you submit. For example, if a position with the government requires you to fill out a detailed application, a resume may not be necessary at all; or an employer may want to use their application for the general job details and still provide a one-page summary of qualifications, salary history and references.

Remember, creating a resume is only one part of what’s necessary for successful job-hunting. Research done ahead of time about the company, position and industry will be valuable information with which to tailor your resume content and prepare you for the interview.

Quick and Easy Resume Templates

It’s safe to assume that the majority of people use a form of Microsoft Word to do most word processing. This makes working up a resume from a template very simple.

• Open Word.
• Click on “File,” then “New.”
• Click the “Other Documents” tab.
• In most versions of Word, that window will contain three resumes templates: contemporary, elegant and professional, as well as a resume wizard.
• Select a style, and a page will appear that is already formatted and aligned with headers, bullets and proper spacing.
• Click on any area to replace the template information with your data.
• The bullet points provide an example as to how to write your accomplishments in a more marketable way.

If you decide to use the resume wizard, you’ll start by choosing a style, and then have the option to personalize the document even more with additional headers. A few clicks through the wizard and the revised template document is ready for your content.

Other Microsoft ready-made resume templates are available for download. These templates provide a variation in layout to help personalize the look of the resume even more.

A Few Tips to Remember

LoveToKnow Business interviewed an HR director about the particular points all resumes writers should know. A good resume has less to do with the paper it’s on (white professional bond is just fine) and more to do with:

• Highlight key specific skills and accomplishments as a benefit to the employer.
• Show an interest and understanding of the position and the company.
• Making the layout easy to read. So it doesn't really matter what resume template you choose as long as it's easy for the HR deparment and the hiring manager to scan.

And always have someone else review your resume to check for typos and clarify achievements points. A good resume with a few typos won’t necessarily be thrown out, but it’s often considered an indicator as to how well you'll approach other professional aspects.