From the Employment and Learning
Computer Lab:
Last time we discussed how when
it comes to cover letters and resumes, two important and overlooked techniques
in looking for a job are simplicity and consistency. Since we covered simplicity, let’s talk about
consistency.
Much like colors that can either
blend or contrast, the same is true for the look of your resume and cover
letter. It is important to keep the
letter and resume in the same typeface, or, font. Mixing up various fonts is
both hard on the eyes and shows a possible lack of focus on the potential
employee.
Have everything in a row. If you
are using bullet points, make sure all the points line up on the page. Similarly, keep the previous job’s dates
written consistently. For example, do not have some of them say just the years
(2010-2011) and others more detailed dates (July 2010-May 2011). This is
especially true if you mix them up (2010-May 2011). This could give the
impression that you are not detail-oriented. If you know all the months you
started a job, than use the July 2010-May 2011 format. If there is even one you
are not sure of, use the simpler 2010-2011 on all of them.
It is important to keep the page
looking as realistically symmetrical as possible, so it looks like a complete
document, rather than a hodgepodge of information.
