Posts in Resumes

Put your best face forward

Having a professional photo makes your page 14 times more likely to pop up in search results. Fortunately, most people have the common sense to avoid unprofessional selfies and dog face filters. If you really want to step up your profile picture game, we recommend taking a simple headshot against a neutral background.

Keep your profile picture recent: If you’re rocking a Jennifer Anniston hairstyle from Friend’s, it’s time for a new picture.

Not all industries have the same dress code, so be sure to choose an outfit that reflects the position you’re looking for. Searching for a position as a lawyer or a CPA? Wear a suit! Designers, programmers, and creative job seekers can typically keep it casual.

Not sure about the dress code? Dressier is always better.

Create an attention grabbing headline

Most recruiters are going to scroll past a boring headline.

Sell yourself and entice people into visiting your page by using creative and descriptive headlines. Simply listing “Freelance Designer” doesn’t tell people what you do or why they should connect with you.

Before you create your headline ask yourself a few questions:
What do you do?
What is your specialty?
Why should a recruiter hire you?
What do you bring to the table?
Do you have any certifications or professional accomplishments?

After considering what you bring to the table, incorporate it into your headline. “Innovative Digital Freelance Artist | Specializes in Comprehensive Logo Design and Personalized Branding” is much more descriptive and packs more of a punch than “Freelance Designer."

Quality over Quantity

Before you start looking for new leads and connections, try building up your contacts with friends and coworkers.

Like most people on LinkedIn, you’ve probably received a random request from someone halfway across the world. Some people are under the impression that a huge LinkedIn network equals networking success.

The reality is, a few genuine and meaningful connections are better than a list of hundreds of random strangers you’ll never meet (or probably even talk to). Don’t worry about the amount of contacts you have. Instead, focus on making genuine connections with past coworkers, managers, and recruiters.

Show Interest

Have a dream company? Follow them! This will keep you up to date on any big news, business successes, and job openings. Having a bank of knowledge about your top companies keeps you in the loop and prepared for interview questions when they arise.

Show off your Skills

Endorsements are an excellent way to be recognized for your strengths. Much like on a resume, list your most relevant and important skills towards the top.

If you’re starting out in a new industry or have recently changed career paths, make sure to keep your skills and endorsements updated regularly. Don’t be afraid to delete old skills that are no longer necessary to the jobs you’re applying for.

For those curious about what skills employers are looking for, take a look at the Top LinkedIn Skills of 2016.

Customize your URL

Make it easier for employers to find you. LinkedIn automatically assigns a series of numbers to each member’s URL when they sign up.

You can easily edit your existing URL in your Public Profile settings. Just be sure to keep it simple. Linkedin.com/yourname is as complicated as you need to get. This little change can also make it easier for you to add your LinkedIn profile URL to your resume.

Use LinkedIn Pulse

For more detailed tips on how to use LinkedIn Pulse, be sure to check out this guide from HubSpot.

In 2014, LinkedIn introduced Pulse and gave its members a way to share custom content instantly.

Posting on LinkedIn Pulse allows other members and recruiters to discover you organically. It gives you a platform to show off your skills, get exposure, and share your perspective on a variety of professional topics.

Hue & Tone Creative: Your job search partner

Are you a recent graduate, in the middle of a career switch, or just looking for a more fulfilling position? Hue & Tone is here to help you achieve your career goals. From resume design to revamping your LinkedIn, Hue & Tone can help you get noticed and make a lasting impression. Contact us today to learn more about our personal marketing services.

Social Media, Resumes, ResourcesHannah PomphreyFebruary 8, 2017LinkedIn, Social Media, Job Searching, job interviews, Marketing Job Prep Comment

Resume Design: Get noticed

Last week we went over all the basics of writing a killer resume. Now that your resume is written to impress, it's time to work on a knockout design.

Selecting the right font, color, and composition can be an intimidating task, especially when your dream job is on the line. To help relieve some resume-design stress, we’ve compiled some tips and examples to help you get started.

Personal brand

Before you begin designing your resume, you need to do some thinking about your personal brand. Your resume is more than just a piece of paper, it’s a glimpse into who you are as an employee. Are you neat and organized? Expressive and creative? Show it off! Create a strong, well-organized resume that showcases your personality and sets you apart from the competition.

Fonts

When selecting a font, it’s crucial to choose something that’s professional and easy to read. Some fonts that seem fine at first glance may be difficult to read when they're used for a full page of text.

Best Fonts: Garamond, Helvetica, Garamond, Proxima Nova, Georgia, Gill Sans MT, and Calibri are all great choices.

Stay Away from: Zapfino, Brush Script, Trajan Pro, Courier (looks like you typed up your resume on a typewriter), Comic Sans (Never use Comic Sans!)

Arial & Times New Roman aren’t bad, they’re just overused. We recommended choosing something less predictable. It’s best to stick to 9 - 12pt. font for the body of your resume, but feel free to go bigger for headings and subheadings.

Don’t be afraid to use more than one font! It adds interest and helps highlight different sections of your resume. Just make sure to use no more than 2 (3 max) and keep it consistent. Use the same font for the body, headings, and subheadings, respectively.

Layout

Regardless of the style and design you choose, keep your resume to one page!

Constantly looking at screens has changed the way people read. People tend to scan the entire page rather than read top to bottom. Use bolded text to make important aspects of the resume stand out.

To maintain your one page resume format, you can use columns to save on space and keep your content organized. We also recommend staggering your font sizing help highlight different aspects. Try using 12 pts. for headings, 11 pts. for the subheadings, and 9 pts. for the body text.

Color

A pop of color is a great way to make your resume standout. While we don’t recommend one color over another, we do recommend that you chose a hue that isn’t distracting or unprofessional. A hot pink resume worked for Elle Woods, but it probably won’t work out well if you’re applying for an accounting position.

Icons

Depending on the position you’re applying for, you may want to use icons to add some interest to your resume. Social media icons can help give your resume a contemporary look and highlight your contact information. Check out our Big List of Icons for some free downloads.

If you need a little help to get your design jumpstarted, check out this slideshow of resumes we've done for inspiration!

Once you’ve crafted the perfect resume, make sure that you have alternative files available. You don't want to risk having your resume tossed aside because no one can open the file!

Now that we’ve broken down some resume-design tips, it’s time for you to get started! Play around with different layouts and styles until you find what works best to express your personality as a candidate.

Looking for further reading?

Resumes, Resume Design, Tips & Tricks, Type/FontsHannah PomphreyDecember 13, 2016resume, resume designComment

Do's + Don'ts of Resume Writing

Does the thought of drafting or updating your resume give you an instant headache and fill you with anxiety? Fear not! We’re breaking down the top do’s and don’ts to save you a little stress and help your resume stand out!

DO list relevant experience: Employers typically scan resumes quickly, so make sure to list your most relevant and recent experience at the top. Provide a few brief sentences on where you worked, what you did, and how long you were employed.

The more relevant a position is to what you're applying for the more detail you should include.

DON'T include everything: It’s great if you have a lot of experience, however your part-time barista job isn’t relevant if you’re applying to a position in advertising. Keep it basic and list what’s most important.

If you need to include regular work experience to pad your resume, keep your description of the positions brief OR just list the positions with no description. Any employer can imagine what you did during your tenure at Burger King -- there's no need to try to tell them or make it sound more impressive then it was.

DO list your skills: Including your skills helps set you apart from other candidates. Depending on the position you’re applying for, here are some basic skill sets to consider including:

Communication: public speaking, persuasion, negotiation
Interpersonal: responsible, works well with others, positive attitude
Management: leadership, team building, delegation
Planning: forecasting, problem solving, analyzing
Organization: goal setting, budgeting, punctuality

DON'T be too text heavy: Keep your content clean and easy to read. Employers typically scan for the important stuff, don’t give them giant paragraphs to sift through. You'll have time to elaborate on your experience and skills in the cover letter -- and, hopefully, in the interview.

Make your resume stand out by writing a customized cover letter for the position. Check out some helpful tips on how to craft the perfect cover letter here.

DO create a separate list of references: Although you don’t want to include your references in the résumé itself, you want to make sure that you have a list readily available.

DON'T have multiple pages: Your potential employer’s time is valuable, don’t waste it with a novel of a resume. Everyone tries to tell us why their the exception to this rule, but unless you have over 10-20 years of applicable experience, one page is all you need! And, even if you have over 20+ years of experience chances are that you should still stick to one page!

DO include transferable skills: Transferable skills are the skills you’ve collected throughout your work history. Some skills include: multitasking, planning, delegating, and being a team player. They also include hard skills like using software (be specific), public speaking, and writing. If you’re applying for a job that might be a great fit even though you're underqualified, listing transferable skills can help a potential employer see your potential.

Include some awesome action words like: renegotiated, integrated, drove, and accelerated. LinkedIn created a great list of potential words to use here.

DON'T forget about typo’s!: Nothing will ruin an amazing resume faster than typos. This might seem like a no-brainer, but spellcheck saves lives (and jobs)!

DO quantify your accomplishments: “Increased sales by 100%” sounds a lot more impressive than “Increased sales”. Be specific and show what you bring to the table!

DON'T include an objective statement: Expert opinions vary on this subject, but the majority rule that objective statements are outdated.

DO list internships: If you have limited work history, listing relevant internships can help show that you have experience.

So, there you have it. Get working on the content of your resume, because next week we'll be covering how to design it! You’ll have an awesome resume in no time!

Have any questions? Ask us know in the comments ↓

Tips & Tricks, Resumes, ResourcesHannah PomphreyDecember 7, 2016Resumes, resume design, Job Searching, job interviews Comment