Resume / CV tips: examples of good and bad styling
Good example:
May 1995 - Jun 1997
Researcher for Star TV, Hong Kong
- Providing research for commentators
- Writing and producing news segments, features
Jun 1994 - Feb 1995
Sub-editor for Commercial Radio, Hong Kong
- Writing and sub-editing news for radio broadcasts
Jan 1994 - Apr 1994
Company Manager for Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong
- Supervising production of a large-scale opera staged at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre
- Point of contact between the contracted company and the festival office
Sep 1991 - Dec 1993
Stage Manager for Pimlico Opera, London and around UK
- Stage managing musicals in Wormwood Scrubs and Wandsworth Prison, and operas in a tour of stately homes around the UK
- Overseeing all aspects of production
Bad example:
May 1995 - Jun 1997
Researcher for Star TV, Hong Kong
- Providing research for commentators.
- Writing and producing news segments, features
Jun 1994 - Feb 1995
Writing and sub-editing news for radio broadcasts
- Sub-editor for Commercial Radio, HK.
Jan 1994 - Apr 1994
HKAF, Hong Kong
- Supervising production of a large-scale opera staged at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre
- Point of contact between the contracted company and the festival office.
September 1991-93
Pimlico Opera’s Stage Manager, UK
Stage managing musicals in Wormwood Scrubs and Wandsworth Prison, and operas in a tour of stately homes around the UK. Overseeing all aspects of production
What is wrong with the bad example?
- Inconsistent date format.
- Inconsistent lay-out of job title and duties.
- Inconsistent punctuation.
- Inconsistent use of bullets.
- Inconsistent spacing between sections.
- Inconsistent use of italics, bolding and underlining.
- No at-a-glance readability. This slows down your reader and creates reasons to lose their focus.
- It’s messy.
Article published 30/10/06