Take the time to research the various resume styles and templates to find one that best suits your situation. The biggest mistake people make is using generic templates that are usually outdated, difficult to format, and do not transfer well to online job applications.

Search the Internet for samples of resumes within your own industry. You will also find many great online resources in almost every online job website. Remember, you only have a few seconds to make a lasting impression and the design of your resume is the first thing your prospective employer or client sees.

Formatting Your Own Resume

Here are some basic formatting tips to create your own printed resume:

• Limit the length of the resume to one or two pages.

• The page should have one-inch margins, top and bottom, right and left.

• Use left justification only and never center the content of your resume.

• The font type and size should be consistently applied.

• Bullet points should be basic circles or squares.

• Headlines can be bolded and capitalized. The remaining text should not have special formatting.

• Do not underline any of the information in your resume.

• The font size for headlines should not be larger than 14 points and the text should not be more than 12 points.

• Use the Tab key instead of the Space bar to create spaces between the text in your resume.

• Send the resume file to yourself and friends and print it out to review and make sure nothing seems out of place.

Your research will tell you if it's ok to use photos or some color and/or graphics in your particular job field. It is safer to be conservative about this. Make sure to test a photocopy version first to make sure the black and white copy doesn't look strange.

There have been examples of completely innovative, off-the-wall designed resumes that worked, but unless you are a market-savvy designer, it's best to stick to the proven methods.

Create Your Electronic Resume

Make sure these points are followed if asked to provide plain text files:

• Create a plain text (.txt) file version of your resume.

• Do not try to making portions of your resume bold, or change the font size or type.

• Make sure you check for uniform spacing and adjust any lines of text that seem out of place.

• Follow the exact instructions of your potential employer. Some want the resume copied into the body of the email, while others want it sent as an attachment. Others ask you to directly upload the file from your desktop.

• Test your electronic resume by sending it to yourself and to a few friends via email.

• Sometimes companies will want you to upload a PDF file. If that is the case, you want to convert your printed version to PDF format to upload it. Most word processing programs, like Word, have that capability.

Companies often circulate resumes among several individuals in the decision making process however, always have several high quality printed versions of your resume handy for distribution when you do arrive for your interview.

Remember, your resume is your living document, reflecting you. By creating clean, clear and consistent formats throughout your resume, you stand out as polished and professional to your perspective employers and clients.