This video offers some resume tips and resume layout tips to write a professional resume that works.

So now that you’ve chosen the resume format or resume type that is right for you, your next vital consideration with regards to your professional resume is its appearance. Remember, your professional resume is your Ultimate Calling Card, and precedes you at any interview. Step into an interviewer’s shoes for just a minute: you wouldn’t hire someone who showed up for an interview in a crumpled shirt that they pulled from last week’s undone laundry hamper, all a-glow with ketchup and mustard stains – or a nice big ink stain at the base of the breast pocket from an over-eager writing implement, now would you? Certainly not. Once again, the appearance of your resume says volumes about you – even before you walk in the door. It’s like your emissary or agent – and it’s your Ultimate Professional Calling Card. If your resume is sloppy, it’s the first thing anyone notices. And if it’s sloppy, an interviewer will assume that you are too, as well as your company – and the way you work. Definitely not a good first impression.

Here’s a few resume tips and resume layout tips: the quality of paper your resume is printed on is important. It should not be printed on white stock: instead choose an off gray or a light buff to help differentiate it from others. If your printer is mediocre, by all means, invest the pennies it costs to take it to a print shop: it’s important that the resume reviewer be able to actually read what’s printed on your resume easily, and not be thinking in their mind about what a horrible print copy it is they’re holding in their hand. Choose an ‘easy on the eye font’ – “Chiller”, though great for Halloween, is not going to get the type of attention you’re after. A good rule to follow is that resume fonts should be Serif or Sans-Serif fonts, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and no smaller than 11pt or larger than 12pt. Ensure the layout is properly arranged: if in doubt, check some On-line sources for resume guidelines.

The internet is ripe to bursting with this kind of detailed information, which makes it all the more unforgivable if someone ignores the opportunity to take advantage of it and makes silly, commonplace mistakes. After all, I know you have a computer – and I know you know how to use it! This is definitely one occasion where you should! Here’s another tip: make proper use of ’white space’: it’s like the silence between notes in music- without the proper balance of silence, music is reduced to nothing more than noise. And always use your spell-checker: never assume your spelling is correct, and always read and re-read before printing – you may have wanted to write the word ’an’ and wrote ’on’ instead.

Spell-checker won’t catch that kind of a typo: some things still require a human eye and intellect to detect. Last but not least, check your punctuation: there’s nothing worse than a run-away sentence that could have been bridled by the occasional colon or semi-colon, and nothing more irritating than unnecessary punctuation that obscures the flow of language in any kind of document. In short, be thorough. Leave no stone unturned, no turn-of-phrase benign. A word to you very welcome new Canadians: if English isn’t your first language, welcome to a whole new world! Languages have a life of their own: thought constructs, syntax and exact meaning will, I guarantee you, differ tremendously from your native tongue. If this is the case, I urge you, most whole-heartedly, to engage the assistance of a native North American for the purpose of proofing your resume. But choose wisely: you’ll want an English grad over your next door neighbour, who may or may not have finished high school. A co-worker is your best bet, preferably one who is well acquainted with your particular line of work and won’t be overwhelmed by your specific type of business jargon.

To view other videos in the “Marketing You” Video Series about marketing yourself to employers and recruiters please view Introduction to Marketing You, Success and Creative Visualization, 60 Second Pitch,  Job Interview Tips, Resume Writing and Resume Cover Letters videos. The next video in this series is Resume Action Words and Resume Power for Professional Resumes Video 5.

You may also want to download one of our Marketing You FREE E-books or visit our vast Resources Section including Tax Tip Videos and the Interview Coach articles.