After reviewing thousands of resumes at Exponent, we’ve compiled a definitive checklist for what the best of them have in common. Run through this brief checklist to be sure you’re putting your best foot forward.
Overall Design
Notes on the overall design of your resume.
- One-page. This is by far the most common blunder. As a product manager, you need to know how to prioritize, and that, unfortunately for many, includes your resume. Be sure your resume fits into one page and only shows the highlights.
- 11pt+ font and 1 inch Margins. After reading the above checklist item, you may think to yourself – OK, but I can at least reduce the margins, right? Or maybe shrink the font? The answer is no. Above all else, your resume should be easily skimmable and readable. Most recruiters don’t have the time to look through dense copy. Think of it like a product: cramming a bunch more features into a dialog box won’t be an attractive feature!
- Consistent formatting. Be sure to have consistent styling across your resume. Attention to detail is critical for an effective product and resume. Even slight formatting errors show a lack of care and consideration for crafting your resume.
- No photos. As of this era, photos aren’t common on resumes, and they detract from the “meat” of your content. If you really want to visually display something, put it in a hyperlink.
