However, a cv does not always need to be unoriginal in order to be clear. There are certain layout changes that can have a positive impact on getting your CV noticed.
Highlight Your Name
Instead of listing your name in your contact information, along with your other personal details, find a way to draw more attention to it.
Increasing its size, capitalizing, or underlining it are all ways to emphasize your name without making your cv less neat. The placement of your name can also make a difference. What you can do, for instance, is involve your name into your resume’s header, or using your name as a title for the cv. Maybe you could even find a way to place it in the center of the page.
It might be a slight difference, but leaving your potential employer with a lasting image of your name can encourage him or her to keep you in mind, and remember who turned in that cv that caught their attention.
Creative Sectioning
A lot of importance lies in the way you structure the information in your cv. The general arrangement of your cv is one of the first things that will get noticed, and it needs to encourage a closer look. It’s important that you avoid presenting your professional and educational background in long paragraphs, or run-on text. Doing so would increase the chances that your cv wouldn’t be read in its entirety.
There are many alternatives to structuring your resume as one long list. Columns, for instance, are great. These can be used to place the organization at which you worked on the left hand side of the page, and place a more detailed explanation of your responsibilities at said organization on the right. Such a structure makes it easier for your employer to get a quick overview of your background.
To make your cv more easily readable, do also make sure you clearly separate sections, with noticeable headers. This way a potential employer can more easily navigate his or her way through your experiences. If you want to, you can use bullet points as a more unique way to create a concise layout.
Using Colours
The main text of your cv should be a black font. This creates a professional appearance. However, your cv can still be diversified with a slight use of colours. As long as you don’t use too large a variety of them, and you make sure that they aren’t too bright, these can be used to draw attention to certain parts of your cv. Such as your name in the header, for example. Or to the titles of sections.
Ultimately, the content of your cv will be most important when it comes to your chances of getting an interview, or getting hired. But diversifying your cv’s appearance with these methods can help present this content in a more effective manner, and help your cv make a stronger impact.
By: Barbara Haenen