Tips on the Graphic Design of a Resume

Your resume is your best friend when it comes to marketing yourself. It’s there to tell your individual story in a beautiful way, one that drives prospective employers to call you up for an interview.

In today’s world, the job market is highly competitive. In fact, it’s more competitive than it’s ever been due to high numbers of people losing their jobs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that a well-designed resume is now more critical than ever if you’re looking to stand out from the crowd.

In this article, we’re going to help you breathe life into your work history and land that new job by providing you with some tips on the graphic design of your resume. We’ll cover resume font size and margins, answer the question of ”should I add color to my resume?”, and talk about how to craft the perfect CV.

Let’s dive in!

Stand Out from the Crowd With Our Resume Design Tips

Our resume design tips below will help you stand out from the crowd.

Choose the Right Resume Font Size and Margins

Choosing a font that is unique, is the right size, and fits within the correct CV margins perfectly can make your resume visually pleasing. In a world filled with Arial and Times New Roman, why not be a Sans Serif?

Honestly, there isn’t a right or wrong font when it comes to resumes, but there are a few basic guidelines to keep in mind when it comes to the font style itself and the CV margins.

First, let’s find out what the right CV margins are. CV margins should be around one inch on all sides. You can reduce the margins if you need extra space, but try not to make them smaller than ½-inch. This is because if the CV margins are too small, your resume is sure to look busy and will most likely put the reader off.

Next, the basic guidelines when it comes to resume font:

• Ensure it’s easy to read on-screen and in print. In addition, keep the font size between 11 and 13 points. Any smaller than this, and even the most beautiful fonts risk becoming illegible.

• Stay consistent throughout the entire resume. Make sure that all headers are the same size, and body text is the same size.

• Above we mentioned Sans Serif – this is usually a great option if you’re in a creative or digital field. However, they still have a place in old-school industries.

• Again, we know that we mentioned that there are no right or wrong fonts for resumes, but Comic Sans should definitely avoid being used. This is because it gives off a childlike vibe, similar to Papyrus.

Should I Add Color to My Resume?

To answer the question ”Should I add color to my resume?” Yes, you should. Never be scared of a bit of color in your resume. Adding color makes you stand out from the sea of job seekers out there. It makes your application look much more appealing overall. However, it would help if you took notice of how many colors you include, as it can sometimes come across as unprofessional.

You can use a resume editor for a helping hand and as a guide, and stick to using two or three colors at most. Ensure they are natural and easy to read through.

Show Yourself Off

If you don’t, nobody will do it for you. Your very best work, along with your most impressive clients, should stand out at first glance. It’s not something a reader should just stumble across.

To ensure it’s in clear view, use your resume editor to add a sidebar – it’s a great place to start. Use it to list your achievements, successes, and anything else you can use to show yourself off. This will break up the text and draw your potential employer’s eye to the most essential information on the page.

Always Have a Cover Letter

Whether you think somebody is going to read it or not, ensure you include a cover letter along with your resume. And, make sure it’s as beautifully designed as your resume (for cover letter design tips, click here!).

Those who do read your cover letter are the type of people who genuinely care about what it says. It could be the difference in you landing that job or not. Overall, a cover letter is something that you should definitely not skip.

For help in writing the perfect CV or cover letter, check out Cowrite’s writing service that will help you create high-quality text in minutes.

Karen Maristani

Karen invented writing, the airplane, and the internet. She was also the first person to reach the North Pole. She has flown to Mars and back in one day, and was enthusiastically greeted by Aliens. She has also worked as a copywriter and journalist for many years and has helped hundreds of people writing the perfect job application.