Page 40 - The Editors of VGM Career Books - Resumes for Computer Careers, Second Edition (2002)

Assembly and Layout 31

• Avoid the use of dashes.

• Avoid the use of brackets.
• If you use any punctuation in an unusual way in your resume, be
consistent in its use.
• Whenever you are uncertain, consult a style manual.

Putting Your Resume in Print

You will need to buy high-quality paper for your printer before you print
your finished resume. Regular office paper is not good enough for resumes;
the reviewer will probably think it looks flimsy and cheap. Go to an office
supply store or copy shop and select a high-quality bond paper that will
make a good first impression. Select colors like white, off-white, or possi-
bly a light gray. In some industries, a pastel may be acceptable, but be sure
the color and feel of the paper make a subtle, positive statement about you.
Nothing in the choice of paper should be loud or unprofessional.
If your computer printer does not reproduce your resume properly and
produces smudged or stuttered type, either ask to borrow a friend’s or take
your disk (or a clean original) to a printer or copy shop for high-quality
copying. If you anticipate needing a large number of copies, taking your
resume to a copy shop or a printer is probably the best choice.
Hold a sheet of your unprinted bond paper up to the light. If it has a
watermark, you will want to point this out to the person helping you with
copies; the printing should be done so that the reader can read the print
and see the watermark the right way up. Check each copy for smudges or
streaks. This is the time to be a perfectionist—the results of your careful
preparation will be well worth it.