Last updated: January 3rd, 2024
A quick web image search for the word “resume” reveals ample resume examples that are based on a ubiquitous design language, which has not seen much evolution since the 1990s. What should a resume look like?
Well, apparently, like this:
You don’t need to be a professional designer to notice glaring problems with this resume’s design.
It will struggle to get its message across because:
- Excess of text on the page.
- Insufficient white space.
- No sense of priority and logic.
A resume like this looks intimidating, too long, and overwhelms the reader with its information, all at once.
Important!
Some Australian resume writers believe this archaic resume design reduces the risk of rejection by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). I debunk this myth in this article.
Your Australian Resume Must Not Look Like It Belongs In The 1990s.
The traditional resume design refers to an era when the abundance of text on a page was considered a feature, not a flaw.
In the 1990s, people weren’t drowning in information as they are now. Consequently, they had the patience for cumbersome, intimidating, overloaded-with-text resumes.
All user interfaces, including those on the Internet, followed that trend.
The concept of UX/UI (User Experience/User Interface) design wasn’t yet born, so as users, we didn’t know that we could expect a high level of usability from our interfaces.
We accepted that documents and computer applications were clunky.
(Related: What’s The Correct Font Size For An Australian Resume?)
What A Modern Australian Resume Should Look Like.
Your resume needs to conform to contemporary Web design rules. It has to flow. Like this:
Much like a well-designed personal website, it has to clearly communicate the priority of detail through smart, effective design.
Most importantly, it has to pull a reader in – one bit of information at a time.
(Related: 45 Resume Writing Tips To Get You Hired).
Why You Need To Make Your Resume Look Good.
Odds are, the recruiter who receives your resume will be a digital native, in their late 20s or mid-30s.
It means they’ll be a time-pressed Australian millennial who has never seen a 1990s version of the Internet, but has spent the last 10 years of their life skimming through web content at warp speed.
They’ll be used to interfaces being intuitive and easy to internalise.
(Related: How Often Should You Update Your Resume?)
It’s also likely that the first time they’ll see your resume will be on their mobile device, while they’re rushing to/from work or waiting for a client.
(By the way, did you know that you can have a great-looking resume by hiring us to revamp it for you?)
A Great-Looking Resume Is Just The Beginning.
An effective design simply gets you in the door; it takes away one of the key reasons why Australian recruiters stop reading your resume.
Your next challenge is to include all of the essential elements on your resume, while removing any that may distract the recruiter.
I wish you all the best in your upcoming job search.
– Irene
