As college graduation season approaches, budding PR pros everywhere are reaching out to connections, updating portfolios and polishing resumes.Second only to knowing someone at your prospective employer, your resume is often what gets you in the door, so you're going to need a good one. Content is the most important thing here, and the most difficult to create. Competition for communications internships is stiffer than ever, so earning your experience bullets is no easy feat.The good news is that everything else about making a stellar resume is easy. But, shockingly, people get it wrong all the time. As our Kathleen Anthony once said, "If it's not easy on the eyes, I'm not reading it." Do yourself a favor and get the simple part right with these tips for making sure your resume is eye-catching and professional.
Formatting FolliesFormatting should be neat, uniform and clean. Tabs in Microsoft Word are your friend here. If you can't make sure the size of all of your resume bullets are the same, what will you be able to handle on the job? Attention to detail is incredibly important in PR, so creating a resume that reflects this skill is crucial.
Submission Slip-upsAlways pay attention to what file format the employer requests. Oftentimes, a Word doc or PDF is specified. If not, make it a PDF. This type of file allows all people with computers to view your resume in exactly the way you created it, without any funky formatting changes.
Also, always include your own name in the file name. Do not just save it as "Resume." "JaneDoeResume" or "JDResume" will make the file much easier to track.
Design Dos and Don'tsWhile you shouldn't get too creative with design on your resume in order to keep attention on the content itself, showing a little personality is always encouraged. You can do this by using one or two accent colors in your headers and choosing a modern font. Just be sure the typefaces you choose are easy to read!
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