By Michael J. Smith

Most new graduates should put a lot of time, effort and thought into their resumes. For those who do, and do it correctly, it's obvious for employers. And, in some cases, that can be the difference between your resume being read or thrown out.

And, as you know, you can't be considered for a position if your resume is not read.

To ensure that your resume is read, make sure that you present yourself professionally. I should be able to glance at your resume and tell, by the formatting, if it is something I want to read. Formatting and presentation can be as important as the information on the resume.

With the visual presentation of your resume influencing my first impression, it should be as professional as possible, which means no typos and no strange formatting.

Typos

To address typos, wait at least 24 hours after you've written your cover letter and resume to review them. You could also have someone else review it for typos and inconsistencies. And, lastly, run a spell check.

One thing that will certainly make me eliminate someone from consideration is a typo. A typo in your resume tells me that you don't pay attention to details. A resume is probably going to be one of the most important documents you'll ever create in your working life. If you don't put the time and effort into getting it right, what does that say about you?

Formatting

As for formatting, keep your resume simple and well-spaced. I do not recommend using Microsoft Word's resume template. It's pretty obvious that you took the simplest route when thinking about your resume. Also, a lot of new graduates do that. So, while the information is different, essentially, they can all look the same. I thought the goal was to stand out.

Don't use a strange format that borders on unprofessional. One time I received a resume with fighting dogs on it. No joke! It went immediately to the recycle bin.

A color heading, if used subtly enough, can set you apart. Subtle blues for your resume heading can set you apart, but it is risky. Some employers may like it, while others may not. In this case, it would be the hiring manager's personal preference. Reds, pinks and yellows will be distracting and should be avoided at all costs.

Use a resume format that includes bullet points. Each bullet point should be short and to the point. One to two sentences per bullet point. That guarantees a quickly, easy, and flowing read.

I do not recommend using a paragraph format. If there is a big block of text, I'm likely to gloss over it. If I do read it, I would read the first sentence and move on. The key is to use white space properly. White space makes the information on your resume easier to digest.

How can you be considered for a position if I don't even read your resume?