How to Properly Format a Resume
The Devil Wears Prada, 2006
I remember when I was a sophomore in College, and getting ready to apply for my first internship that summer, my resume was awful. It was cluttered with activities I had participated in when I was in High School, none of which were relevant or mattered anymore. So, in an attempt to salvage my weak resume, I went to the learning center at my College to revamp and resuscitate my resume to try and land an internship. So, in the hopes of helping you land an internship, or even a job, here is how you should properly format your resume.
Most importantly, keep things simple, clean, crisp, and concise. The more white space the better because it will make your resume easier to look at. An employer will probably spend about thirty seconds looking at your resume so it’s important to make sure their eyes know where to go. Practice by looking at your current resume and seeing where your eyes goes first. Even practice this with a friend, give them a copy of your resume and ask them where they look first. Does their eye go to your most important experience? Or does their eye get lost in a clutter of bullet points? Keeping things clean and simple will guarantee your employer can easily make their way around your resume and get a sense of who you really are. When listing every experience you’ve had I would limit yourself to maybe three or four bullet points under each one. There is no need to write a novel, that will just waste your space and make your resume look messy. These bullet points should just give your employer a taste of your experience; the full meal should come once you land an interview.
When it comes to the length of your resume, it should NOT be over one page!!! When you’re starting out editing your resume down to one page makes it easier to look at and plus, how much experience could you really have at eighteen? Unless you are a director or editor-in-chief I would always keep your resume at one page. So with my above points in mind, you are ready to actually start writing your resume!
To Begin:
Start with your name at the top centered in a larger bold font. Underneath put your email address, phone number, and actual address. Keep the font of your entire resume consistent, and choose one that is classic. I don’t suggest Comic Sans MS (even though it’s fun); rather I’d stick to Times New Roman or Arial.
Next:
I would put a section called "Relevant Experience" here you should put any experience you have that relates to the job or internship you are applying for. So, for example, if you're applying for an internship with a fashion magazine, I would list any other internships you've had, as well as any writing experience you’ve had whether for your own blog or others. I would also list your school’s fashion club/magazine if you are an active member. When starting out, your resume is probably going to feel a bit bare- I know mine did. Especially when I was applying for my very first internship, I felt like I didn’t have anything to put on my resume. So I ended up listing my college’s fashion club and magazine and talking about them a bit. I also listed a job I had at a small boutique as a sales associate, anything helps!!!
After That:
I would include a section with any other work experience you have or college activities that you are involved in but that might not necessarily be related to fashion. I would call this section “Campus and Community Involvement.” In this section I used to list the sorority I was in, any charities I volunteer for, the cross country and track team I ran for in college, as well as other jobs I’ve had, like the time I was a lifeguard. Though this job isn’t related to fashion in anyway, it shows that you are responsible and can be trusted with important tasks.
At The Bottom:
You can feel free to list your education either at the very top right under your name, or at the bottom. When starting out I used to list it at the top but have since moved it to the bottom. I would call this section “Education” and in it I would list your college and your expected degree and graduation year. I don’t feel it is necessary to list your GPA unless you really would like to.
Have a resume you would like someone to look over? Need some honest feedback about a cover letter? Feel free to email me!