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Contributors:Allen Brizee.
Summary:
This handout provides information on visual rsum design.
Rsum Design
This handout offers advice for making informed design choices in creating a rsum.
We also have a sample rsum that uses these design principles available in the media
section above.
Why is the design of my resume so important?

Employers will usually take, at most, only thirty-five seconds to look at this one-page
representation of yourself before deciding whether to keep or discard it. To ensure that
you will make it past that initial screening, you should design your rsum in such a
way that employers can read the document easily and process information quickly.
One way to do this is to conform to the conventional format of a rsum, since
employers know how resumes work and where to locate certain information. In
addition, you should keep certain design principles in mind that will increase your
chances of getting your rsum into the "keep" pile. Designing your rsum can be a
challenge and requires you to take a closer look at how readers read. Here are some
tips to help you make your rsum a winning experience.
The quadrant test

Readers typically read from left to right and from top to bottom when information is
"balanced" (about an equal amount of text and white space) on the page. Being able to
anticipate the reader's response to a rsum in this way will allow you to manipulate
information according to the quadrant test. First, divide your rsum into four
quadrants, as seen in the example below.
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Image Caption: Rsum split into

quadrants.
Each one of your quadrants should have an equal amount of text and white space
(empty space where there is no text). When your page is balanced, the reader will
typically read anything in quadrant 1 first. So, you should put your most important
informationanything you want the employer to see firstin this quadrant.
Using columns to lay out your rsum

One way to create a balanced page is by using columns to format your text. However,
keep in mind that since employers spend so little time reading a rsum, you want
them to read through it with few stops. The reader's eye will stop when it reaches the
end of each column. Although you might want to use columns to create a balanced
page, you wouldn't want your reader to have to make too many stops and miss
important information.Therefore, you should use no more than three columns on your
rsum. Remember that the first place your reader looks at will be located in quadrants
1 and 2, so the most important information should go here. Also keep in mind that
when indenting information you might create extra columns, so be aware of your
column count.
Here is an example of a rsum section with three distinct columns. The first example
has the columns marked in red so that you can see their placement.
Purdue University
Graduation:
W. Lafayette, IN
B.A Professional Writing
12/99
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Purdue University
Graduation:
W. Lafayette, IN
B.A Professional Writing
12/99
To create columns of text, you can use the table function in Microsoft Word to create
vertical and horizontal placements for your information.
Serif and sans-serif fonts

By manipulating the fonts used in your rsum, you can easily create a hierarchy of
information. In general, fonts are divided into two categories: serif and sans-serif.
Serifs are the short stems on the ends of the strokes of a letter, as in T of the Times
New Roman font. Sans-serif fonts are fonts without stemssans means without. Here
are some examples of the two kinds of fonts.
Image Caption: San

serif fonts.
Image Caption: Serif

fonts
How you use these two font types depends upon how you want your reader to read
certain sections of your rsum. American audiences are used to reading serif fonts, so
these fonts tend to keep the eye reading along the text. sans-serif fonts, on the other
hand, make the eye stop. Therefore, sans-serif fonts are typically used for headings
and titles, allowing the reader to quickly locate information, while serif fonts are used
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for descriptions.
The key to using fonts in your rsum is to be consistent. For example, if you decide
to use a sans-serif font for a main heading, do so for all your headings, and use the
same sans-serif font each time. Generally, you should use no more than two fonts in
your rsum. Remember that you want to keep the reader reading; you do not want to
create too many "tricks" for the reader's eye.
Other types of emphasis

By using more than one font type in a way that is consistent throughout your rsum
(using, for example, a sans serif font for all headings, and a serif font for all text), you
create emphasis. Another way to create emphasis is by using bold,
CAPITALIZATION, italics, and underlining. Your choice for emphasis depends upon
your personal taste. However, you should not mix methods, nor overuse them. You
would not, for example, want to CAPITALIZE, ITALICIZE, AND UNDERLINE pieces
of text; doing so would only make the text less visually pleasing for the reader. In
addition, overusing these tools makes the reader ignore the items you wish to
emphasize, thus limiting effectiveness. So, be sure to carefully choose which
information should be emphasized.
The 20-second Test

How do you know when you have successfully created an easily read rsum that
allows employers to process information quickly? Try having someone perform the
20-second test on your rsum. Simply time your reader for twenty seconds as he or
she reads your rsum. What all did he or she learn about you? If your reader noticed
within twenty seconds what you want employers to learn about you, then most likely
you have created an effective rsum. If not, try moving important information to the
first quadrant, checking that you have used sans serif and serif fonts consistently, and
limiting the tools for emphasis you use in your document.
Job seekers at Purdue University may find value in the Purdue career Wiki here.
For more information about how to develop a rsum, visit these OWL resources:
Rsum Workshop
Rsum Design
Rsum Workshop Presentation
Job Search Documents for Working Class Positions
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Purdue OWL

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

Why is the design of my resume so important?

The quadrant test

Image Caption: Rsum split into

Using columns to lay out your rsum

Serif and sans-serif fonts

Image Caption: San

Image Caption: Serif

Other types of emphasis

The 20-second Test

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