What recruiters look for in a resume design...

A Resume that uses a cookie-cutter design based on an overused resume template. One of the most important factors in getting your resume noticed is a great design. Don’t let your resume go unnoticed because you use a generic template.

You MUST be able to show your personality with your resume. At Right Foot Resume we take this concept one step further and create a “Personal Identity” for our clients. We design a “logo” for them along with matching professional business cards. My clients have had great success using these techniques.

Click here for free resume examples!


Now, I’m not saying you should go all out and get crazy with your design – just the opposite in fact. When I design a client’s resume I think about these 3 questions: How can I give this resume an identity? Is this resume easy to read? How can I draw the reader in and grab their attention?

Here is a BAD example:

Bad design/layout-

 Boring design, very cookie cutter template.
 Does nothing to sell the job seeker, no action words.
 No personal identity or personality.
 Bad use of margins/space.
 Education on top.
 Skills hidden on the bottom.
 No key words.
 Does not match job posting – generic.
 This resume is GUARANTEED to get tossed aside – avoid at all costs!!


Here is a GOOD example:

Good design/layout-

 Nice interesting design, NOT a generic template, good use of color.
 Sells the job seeker well, plenty of action words.
 Creates a personal identity and personality.
 Nice use of space – draws the reader in with good use of white space.
 Achievements and skills on top.
 Key words through-out.
 Matches job posting exactly.
 This resume GUARANTEED to get noticed – Yours should look like this!!


See how Right Foot Resume can help with your resume design and resume writing needs!!

Common resume mistakes....

It is very important to avoid these common pitfalls when crafting your resume.

1. It is a common mistake to think of your resume as a history of your past, as a personal statement or as some sort of self expression. Sure, most of the content of any resume is focused on your job history. But make sure to write from the intention to create interest (Think of any highly successful advertisement campaign, they create new and exciting ways to CONNECT buyers emotionally to their product, you must do the same.), to persuade the employer to call you. If you write with that in mind, your final product will be very different than if you write to inform or catalog your job history.

2. A Resume that is duties-driven instead of accomplishments-driven. I see this in almost every resume that gets sent to us. It’s an easy mistake to make; almost no one has ever taken a proper resume writing class – because there is none.

Don’t use words or phrases like “duties include” or “responsible for”. Those will simply not cut it; an employer wants to see that you can go above and beyond basic job duties. You need to show your achievements and skills. Explain how you are different and how you set yourself apart at each job.

How did you overcome a problem? What were the results? How have you helped your employers:

make money
save money
save time
make work easier
solve a specific problem
be more competitive
build relationships
expand the business
attract new customers
retain existing customers

These are the issues you must be able to get across in an effective and creative way.

How you can get recruiter's to notice you!

It's hard to get a recruiter's attention these days, with more and more resumes being sent for each job posting. So let's see if we can come up with some ways for YOU to stand out from the crowd!

First things first, we need to define what a resume is and the difference between the good, the bad and the ugly.

Definition: A resume is a written document that lists your work experience, skills, and educational background. It is used as a marketing tool for job seekers.

The resume is a tool with one specific purpose: to win an interview. A resume is an advertisement, nothing more, nothing less. It sells you for the job at hand and if you can do that successfully you are on your way to the interview.

The definition of a resume and what it is used for is well known and is probably nothing new to you. But over the years the basic resume has changed, the days of being able to submit a basic text resume that lists your skills in chronological order is no longer acceptable. Rest assured you will get lost in the shuffle unless you understand how to create a resume that IS different than the rest.

The job recruiter gets many, many resumes for every job opening (recent studies have shown for every one job opening 100 to 1000 resumes are sent). The competition is fierce. That’s the bad news – the good news is that, with a little extra effort, you can create a resume that makes you stand out as the best candidate for a job you are seeking. So, even though you face great competition, with a well written/designed resume you should be invited to interview more often than many people more qualified than you. This is a KEY point; most resumes that are sent out to get reviewed are so average and boring that they stand almost no chance of getting called for the interview.

You MUST be able to show your personality with your resume. At Right Foot Resume we take this concept one step further and create a “Personal Identity” for our clients. We design a “logo” for them along with matching professional business cards. My clients have had great success using these techniques. Visit http://www.rightfootresume.com/resume_examples.html for examples of what we can do for you!

A great resume doesn't just tell them what you have done but makes the same assertion that all good ads do: If you buy this product, you will get these specific, direct benefits. It convinces the employer that you have what it takes to be successful in this new position or career.

It is so pleasing to the eye that the reader is enticed to pick it up and read it. It invites the prospective employer to pick up the phone and ask you to come in for an interview. That is the end result of a great resume – and with the help of this guide you will soon be on your way!