How to Format a Resume, Cover & Thank You Letters
97Would You Put Clip Art or Photos on a Resume?
![Performance artist with mushroom cloud, 1953. [Public domain.]](http://s1.hubimg.com/u/3415532_f496.jpg "Performance artist with mushroom cloud, 1953. [Public domain.]")
NEW FOR THE 2010s
It is permissible and often advisable to include in your CONTACT INFORMATION at the head of your resume:
- Your LinkedIn address, and
- Your pertinent BLOG title and address, if your blog contributes to your chosen industry or employment, or contains a high quality set of writing, fine arts, graphic arts, cartooning, or other examples for your career enhancement.
Entry Level and First Resumes
- How to Structure Your First Resume
Meet Larry the Leprechaun and take a humorous look at resume building. - Mini Resumes
A resume on a Business Card. - Video Resumes
RESUMES
© P. Inglish 1995 - 2009
There are a growing number of resumes appearing in recent decades and I have included some samples of some of the most useful and eye-catching formats I have used in teaching Resume Preparation Classes.
One recent year, one of my creative GED students attending a usually boring Job Fair used a cream colored paper and a golden paper (a usual no-no), included her volunteer work (good) and special skills (great), her two previous jobs, her GED graduation projection date, her planned course of study in college...and included matching clip art along the edges of each section! This is usually a definite no-no unless you are applying for a graphic arts position and drew the clipart yourself.
She was hired on the spot by an employer that was tired of people coming in with no resumes after being asked to bring some, tired of hand written resumes on folded up paper torn from a spiral notebook, and tired of Job Fairs. It was a success for them both.
WHICH FORMAT?
Keep a work portfolio containing work samples, certificates, etc. and a comprehensive general resume in it with several copies.
Next, have a resume, with copies, targeting each line of work you may wish to pursue. That may be two or three different resumes, such as Education and History.
Finally, you may need to target a version of your resume toward a specific job description advertises, so keep your resume on a flash drive so it is readily available for adjustment. HR Representatives want to read a resume that matches the job requirements of the posted opening.
Some basic resume tips and instructions are contained below.
Much success to you!
.
RESUME MISTAKES
How to correct them at : Resume Mistakes - Resume Format Part II
.
Resume with One Job
Chronological Resume & Sample
- Chronological Resumes
This is a standard resume format that many employers and HR representatives want to see. It is standard business practice and in keeping with EEO regulations to leave dates off these resumes.
FUNCTIONAL RESUMES
Notice how the Functional Resume below is different from the other resumes I have shown you.
This is a good resume if you have 20 years' work history or more that you want to include, if you are changing careers, or if you have had many clients or bosses as a freelancer, actor, etc.
The OBJECTIVE is very important if you are changing careers, especially to a line of work in which you have no experience, but into which you can transfer your skills. The Objective makes clear what kind of work you want.
See how the Skills are grouped together in table boxes. Also see how the Employers are simply listed by name. The specifics of which skills were learned and applied where is left to the interview discussion, which is very important as well.
Functional Resume- Page One
Functional Resume - Page Two
COMBINATION RESUMES
Combination Resumes are a cross between Chronological and Functional versions. Look at the following examples for some excellent formatting.
Writing a Combination Resume
- Combination Resumes
Tips on how to write them and when to use them, whith an example.
Combination Resume
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Cover Letter & Combination/Executive Resume
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Cover and Thank You Letters
Below are some good examples of the Cover Letter (to help you recieve an interview) and the Thank You Letter (after an interview).
Cover Letter for Accounting
Thank You Letter for Accounting
Give Accurate References
- How to Verify Employment
This is how emploers and HR reps will check out youre references. Don't include them in your resume, nbut put them on a separate sheet and submit them when you are asked.
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Good straight forward information.
great HUB Patty as always
regards Zsuzsy
Ya'll would be suprised how many people put their picture on the right upper corner of their resume. lol lol
Maybe you could put a picture, if the ads requires it - like applying as a model. How about using a perfumed colored paper for your resume? has anybody tried it? like in Legally Blonde---(lol) but she did get the job.....
Another great hub Patty !! -
I understand all that information too as I used to compile resumes and cv for clients.
It used to amaze me the rubbish that people put into resumes. This article has covered everything I think. Well done.
MM D R - I think you are right! That could work.
Eilenn - thanks for hte comments. I get bogged down in the Functional Format myself.
Terrific information for someone who is looking to put together a modern resume. I struggled for a long time with how to perfect mine so this is definitely advice that people can use. Do you have any opinion on using a virtual resume (such as a blog-as-resume) in place of or in addition to the paper resume / portfolio?
Hi K V! - I think a virtual resume can save an HR rep a lot of time - no sifting through paper on the desk. The virtual resume usually has a separate place for work samples as well. Very handly.
Great Hub Patty.
You talk about some of things you've seen people submit. Once I received a cover letter from a prospective interviewee seeking employment as a programmer. He started off much like this (I kid you not!):
(ahem)
"On the battlefield of the information age, with many a firm torn asunder, I am your knight in shining armor. I alone remain standing with my sword and shield at the ready to defend the honor of your firm and do battle on the information super highway..." and it went on for 3 pages.
He never got a call from us, but we had a good chuckle. -M.
That was certainly going overboard, wasn't it M. Beck?? Perhaps he should have been an actor or a writer. Thanks for sharing that story; it is one that has never happened to me.
Great job! thanks for your info, Patty..
nice hub!
I would like to know when one should send the "thank you" letter.
Should it be sent just after the interview and whether one should send the letter even if he/she expects that employer won't hire him/her?
does thank you letter increase the chances of getting job?
how about sending a tank you email instead of sending the thank you letter?
I always send the Thank You letter later on, the same day as the interview. Thank You letters have helped me to secure jobs against other candidates when our qualifications were equal and they did NOT send a letter.
If you know you will not get the job, send the letter anyway in order to increase your business network contacts. They may remember that letter-writer.
Thank You email is OK, but I'd back it up with an actual snail mail. Y'know -- What if their mail server lost your email??
ok thanks. thank you very much.
Muchas gracias!
Thanks Patty! This is really informative.
The cover letter is informative and yet not present an 'over-promise' to the potential employer.
Good Job!
I used to HATE writing cover letters, so I started reading samples far and wide. Once I saw the variety and that some of them really made sense, it was much easier for me to write them.
Patty,
As always another great HUB with tons of valuable information. I have bookmarked all these informative "job" Hubs as a reference for my recent college graduate! lol
I just came across Hubpages and found your hub. This is excellent! I've recently started a similar resource at http://bestaccountingresume.com that will help those looking to prepare an accounting resume.
For an accountant, I'd strongly discourage the use of gimicks such as a picture. However, with the proliferation of blogs and whatnot on the Internet, there are ways to allow people to dig for more personal information if they want it. To that front, the resume should be a "splash page" with one objective: get the hiring manager to schedule an interview.
Again, this was a great article! Glad I found it.
Interesting bit about resumes. i am currently trying to write mine and I write a more cusomt blurb at the top to tailor it to the job. Is that a good idea?
Thanks for the comments;
automates, et.al. -- customizing a resume for a specific job often works very well. Most of the resume packages I write are requested to be customized in this way. best of success to you.
How did you get all those resume formats ?
I have been writing resumes and teaching resume writing classes for over 15 years. After reading and studying over 50 resume writing books and using online instruction and workforce advice and forecasting sites, I selected the most eye-catching and practical resume styles that work for the people that need my help.
I must say that I do not like today's "executive" level resume format that is taught in resume certification courses - it crams too many words onto a single sheet of paper in too small a font size.
Thanks for the question, jknight,
Great informative hub for school leavers especially. In my resume, I include a small photo on the top left hand corner, but that is because most international schools require that you submit a photo and its easiest to include it on your resume.
Thanks for telling us about that and explaining about the personal photo. I have noticed that international people desire a photo on their resumes for jobs as well.
Thank you so much for this information. You've helped me reorganize my resume - some great tips! I do think some good images would help - because we are such a visual society today -
Thanks
I'm just about to produce a "new" resume after being out of the workforce for the last 10 years and suddenly needing to re-enter (not great timing, but what can i do) Your hub is useful as it was suggested that I produce a functional resume in lieu of a chronological one. Thanks!!
This is also very helpful to all the people why because nobody known perfect preparation of reusme but it is very helpful to know the Resume format of all people.
how'd i get a resume format
this is good variation of resume and cover letter. really help to newcomer
This is pretty good stuff ... I do agree though that all resumes need not follow the formal style and a little bit of innovation and creativity could go a long way in making the resume stand out. Nice hub.
beautifully done.
Very good and informative hub.
Valuable Hub!!!!!
The hub is very useful for various job aspirants. The hub has explicitly depicted the eye catching formats for the hub. Thanks a lot for sharing such a valuable information.
straight information for new comers. I hope they learn a lot from this hub. It was well executed and worth to read, gud job!!
This Hub is very informative! Hopefully people attempting to enter the workforce will stumble upon this and learn a thing or two.
Patty great this straight information for new comers. This hub is very informative and useful.You tell good tips in this hub about the letter.So thanks a lot for this interesting and wonderful information.
Wonderful! This is exactly what I have been looking for. Awesome job, thank you.
Awesome tips there, many will need to read this one.
I just stumbled across this hub and thought it was great. I love that you provided examples for each type of resume. Thanks for sharing and I hope to continue to follow your work as a learning tool.
Great tips patty. Thanks for sharing
HI, you are right it is a great idea to send a thank you letter but i think it must be genuine , cause being honest and professional about thanking someone for his time would not grantee having the job but it will may lead to new business contact.
A LinkedIn and a blog address is definitely something we did not see in resumes just half a decade back. A virtual platform like a blog or a resume cum work profile like LinkedIn should be on every job seekers agenda. I hope this useful hub reaches out to job seekers and fresh graduates alike.
Princesswithapen
Resumes and their elements change quickly nowadays!
Hey it is informative hub. Well done thanks for sharing.
That's a nice peace of information. Thanks for sharing
MrMarmalade 4 years ago
Probably not. I could imagine that the people today, sending their resumes would send them.