Resume Samples Provide Suggestions, Not Laws?

Answer 1

Many people turn to resume samples when they are designing their own resumes. These samples can be very helpful because they can give you new ideas, they can show you what not to do, and they can help to get you thinking creatively about the document. In this way, they can act as a catalyst so that you start designing your own resume. You may want to look at a number of them before you start working so that you get a broad range of ideas.

While doing this, make sure that you understand that the samples are only giving you suggestions. They are not providing you with laws, with hard and fast rules that have to be followed regardless of your situation. It is wise to use them to help create your resume, but do not feel like you cannot alter things in any way that you desire. The end product is yours alone, and it can be as unique as you want it to be. You just have to use your own judgement regarding what will make the best document.

To be fair, there are a few rules that should be followed, all of which pertain to what should be included in the resume. You need to put in your name and your contact information. Provide a phone number and not just an email address. If you went to college, you need to provide the name of your school and the type of degree that you got while you were there. You can be creative, but do not be so creative that you leave out these types of important details.

For the most part, though, the rules are defined by your potential employers and not by the resume samples. If an employer says that he does not care where you went to school, you can leave that out. If he says that he will only contact you via email, you can leave our your phone number. You should always alter the resume samples, even if you are copying the style exactly, so that the final document sticks to the guidelines that the employer has created.