Creating a Resume from Nothing, Part Two:
Formatting a Resume That Will Land You That Proofreading Job
Now that you have gathered all of the sections necessary to present on your resume, it is important to pay attention to the formatting of your resume through revision and the proper allocation of sections. A simple, easy-to-read resume can take you a long way when applying to any job, not just proofreading jobs. Your resume should convey a professionally elegant simplicity that is highly readable and accessible.
The following is a step-by-step guide to formatting your resume so that it is pristine once it lands in the hands of the hiring manager.
The Design
The number-one rule of a resume is to have a clean, sharp, easy-on-the-eyes format that will let hiring managers give a quick skim and get a fairly good idea as to who you are. In short, a successful proofreader’s resume should be organized, spaced out, and consistently formatted. Below are some basic points that can guarantee you a properly designed resume:
- Harmonic fonts are the only fonts you want to be using. Typefaces that are clear, easy- to read, and aesthetically pleasing
- Stray from anything too CRAZY or weird or goofy
- Always use 12-point font
- Use little to no color
- Headings should be in bold or use fonts such as the BOLDFACE SANS SERIF FONT where the body of your text should be a font such as serif font
- Each heading should be identical in size and all indents must line up precisely
- In-person resumes should always be handed in on a high-quality paper that reflects the quality of your work
- Make sure to be concise by leaving more white space than crammed-together text
Fixing Mistakes
The most common reason why resumes get tossed before even being considered are the small mistakes that make their way to the final resume copy. Ironically enough, proofreading your resume is crucial to the resume-building process. You wouldn’t want all of that hard work going to waste because of the misuse of “there” instead of “their.” It doesn’t hurt to proofread it a couple of times before sending it in. Have someone else take a second look at it if you can. As Sue Gilad writes in her book Paid to Proofread, “And after all, everyone needs a proofreader. And that’s good news for you.”
Resume Samples: For Free
Aside from the resume samples shown in Sue Gilad’s Paid to Proofread book, there are many sites where you can check out real resumes from real people. Keywords to search with when opening these sites include, but are not limited, to proofreading, publishing, editing, copyediting, writing, revision, and copywriting. Use the resume that appeals to you the most as a guide to building your own resume. Websites such as mediabistro.com, canva.com, and cakeresume.com provide countless templates for building your resume.
Following this two-part blog guide for building the perfect resume for proofreading gigs gives you the necessary tools and resources to build a successful professional resume. It takes time, effort, and proper word choice to create a form-fitting proofreading resume. Once you hit every single section on your resume and buff them up to present yourself as a unique, full-rounded professional individual, you’ll be able to land your proofreading gigs in a heartbeat.
In part three of Creating a Resume from Nothing, we discuss the cover letter and the basics used when creating it. Click here or check out Sue Gilad’s Paid to Proofread.
By Karla M. Cortes
www.karlamarianacortes.com
