Resume Help: Showing Skills & Education

Today’s candidate has the skills and education required to excel in a graphic design career.  His resume is holding him back for several reasons.   All of the items can be easily corrected.

1.)  Always use the actual name of the certificate or degree.  Instead of saying vocational certificate, state the actual program, such as “Certificate:  Graphic Design.”   For degrees, it is better to spell out the degree so that it is a hit for keyword searches.    Instead of “AA,” write “Associate of Arts:  Graphic Design.”

2.) Consistency is important on a resume.  It helps the reader navigate the documents quickly and it shows that you are an organized thinker.  This resume could be improved by presenting information in a consistent manner, such as order of data and capitalization.

3.) Resumes must be error-free.  Not all hiring employers will eliminate you, but if an employer has a surplus of candidates, errors could take you out of the running.   In this resume there were capitalization errors.

4.) Categorize your data.  This candidate has an array of artistic and technical skills, all of which are valuable in his field.   By separating the long list of skills into three sub-categories, it makes it easier for the reader to quickly scan the document and identify his skills.

On a resume it is the little things that matter a lot.  If a resume is not formatted properly and consistently, and if the resume contains simple errors , that can eliminate a candidate before the bigger things are considered.  Take time to create a logically-organized, error free, and consistent.  If you struggle with your resume, please contact me.  I would be happy to help you.