I'm starting to look for an internship for the summer and would like to see some resumes of others in my position. I am in my first year of a 3.5 years masters program and while I have plenty of experience in my former industry, I don't really have any in architecture. I'd be very grateful to see some resumes of others as examples. I'm mostly just looking at what information to include (coursework, computer skills, etc.) and possibly formatting. I haven't developed much of an architectural protfolio yet, though I still have my portfolio that I used to get into school. I also thought the statement of purpose which I wrote for my application might provide some material for my resume. Any examples, tips, etc would be greatly appreciated.
if you load up any aia affiliated website (sfo , boston, chicago, etc) there are uploaded resumes. most are really bad, though there are some tasty nuggets.
mostly, i would say they are an example of what not to do - the fonts are usually all horrendous.
yes, serifs gone wild - not a good idea.
country blueprint is not an advisable font - gets tossed right into the rubbish bin.
also, all caps looks awful.
i don't feel comfortable parading other's resumes.
though you can look for yourself here. just as a heads up, i only thought a few were legible/decent and got more than a 10 second look, even though some of the job seekers have good experience.
hmmm the person who wrote that is an obvious mac user...blatantly so. Nice read though. Always like to see people defend there craft. That said what do you think "this" font is.
I'm sure you can't tell the difference. One of the reasons for arial, despite cheapness etc, was its ease of reproduction. Thats physcial as well as financial.
hi architechnophilia
r u referring to me? if so, im not a mac user.
its just that since there is an issue that arial is preferred to be tossed out, made me wonder why. i just would like to know. may have been a somewhat ignorant question but at least i knew why.
cheers ;)
all of this talk about font selection is totally off the mark ... i cannot imagine anything more shallow than the viewer of a resume tossing it into the can simply because of the font used.
resumes are about clearly presenting a body of facts in a manner that tells a story about what a person has done in the past and can do now. font selection represents maybe 1% of the value (at most) inherent in the resume presentation.
there was a parallel discussion about this lately, but i am surprised most of the resumes at the aiany.org link were graphically laid out...they all seemed like a text format, where creativity is bound to font choices. although i understand the need for simplicity and clear presentation of your information, none of the resumes i saw jumped out at me...
tis true quizzical. the most important thing about your resume is to lay the information out in a clear manner. black type on a nice white sheet with a non-offensive font will be just fine. let your work and your accomplishments do the talking.
"I often have difficulting taking architects who use serifs, esp times new roman, serious"
Aside from the times new roman bit (warranted, as it shows a lack of thought), I wish you'd reconsider this. Why on earth would you prefer a resume which you have a harder time reading? Those serifs are there to help your eye flow along through the text easily, so somebody using serifs is being considerate of you, the reader.
good point rationalist. i admit i am partial to the sans, but serifs are easier on the eyes. you could always use a sans for headers, etc, and use a serifed font for the bodies. i like to mix and match from time to time.
sorry quizzical. i know i am continuing the discussion and still stand by my previous statement, but i like type. i can't help myself.
I am also partial to sans-serif in my own work (love Kabel Book for architecture stuff especially because of the geometric letterforms), but I find that the work of others which I admire the most is that which successfully uses both serifs and sans-serifs. That's probably a concious respect of their skill though which overrides the visual preference I have for sans-serif fonts.
weAREtheSTONES, is it really warranted to list all the releases of AutoCAD you have used down to R13? Part two, if a company offered you a job and was delighted you have worked with their newest platform, R13, do you think that would be a good job?
the reason i put all versions of every program i used is that i am very young very experienced in the field for my age - and was trying to explain that i am not the typical person coming out of architecture school these days - DOOD - i was making architeture before i even knew i going to architecture school - most interviews ive had - the interviewer was pretty impressed w/ the amount of field experience i had coming straight out of school.
most architects i meet that have just graduated dont have a clue of how to operate ACAD -
-most interviewers look at the year graduated from college and if its not what they want they toss it in the trash...that said- never put year graduated on you resume!!! or your age-play out all your experiences and it will seem that you are alot older than you actually are.
one interview i went on the architect thought i was in my early thirties-when actually i was 25 and still in school
: few things piss me off more than receiving a resume without dates - it's deceptive and leads me to think the candidate either is hiding something or thinks i'm stupid. either way, for me it's a bad first impression.
honesty is more important than other qualities sometimes. hiding info through ommision is a sign that something is up.
it is entirely possible you are super cool and totally ready for anything as architect, wearethestones, but also agree with chilidavis that redundant info on resume is annoying as hell. feels again like padding intended to cover up lack of experience rather than other way round...
btw, that honesty thing is very important to the business. The more I get into the architecture gig, the more i understand this is a fundamental truth of how to run a business with as little stress as possible.
I hope I'm not a typeface elitist, but I have a deep hatred of Comic Sans. Practically everyone in my middle school back in '98 used that font on their science fair project poster board. I will forever view that font as childish. I see that on a resume and think, "did this person have their kid do their resume for them? IS this a kid?"
i never put what software i know on my resume. ever. and not that i'm hiding anything. i guess i'm one who assumes that the work will speak for itself and that small details like that can be covered in an interview. the approach has not failed me yet.
do architects honestly put the year they graduated college on there resume? or how old they are? im not hiding anything, i simply laid it all out there ...every program ive interfaced w/
-if your stupid if you cant figure out how old i am - putting my age or grad year on my resume is redundant information
-i think everyone has a way of doing things
-you want my opinion....cause everyone has one...just like assholes - everyone has one and everyone thinks everyone elses stinks!
i don't put my age on my resume, but i do attach dates to all major accomplishments, jobs, competitions, awards, etc. i guess i see no problem with creating a informative timeline of my professional career for a potential employer or client.
STONES don't get so butt-hurt over it - people on this forum have raised some concerns. if i were you i would try to take some criticism since some of the firms you want to work for might be the lurking in the depths of this forum. i find it surprising that you went into so much detail on certain parts of your resume, but left other areas slightly vague. and calling people stupid is just plain mean.
i don't put my age on resume (do inlcude age in CV for PR though). i absolutely put all other dates.
making potential employers work out the math is annoying. the idea of resume is to communicate quickly and efficiently.
have not needed resume for a few years now, but when i did my own was 2 pages, going back to 1990, and very very simple . i did not use the standard format, and refuse to do anything ever just in black and white (then again i have no interest in working in corporate offices, where such an approach might be more expected). instead i made the resume something like a chipperfield minimalist deal, but with color...i also sent images of built work. has so far worked for me.
Anyways...i thought this thread was suppose to be about giving this person example resumes...and i didnt ask for anyones criticizm, expecially from someone who just put their first post on the board.
rationalist, I can't buy that serifs are easier to read. I've found I have to typically hold them closer to my face, simply because the letters seem to meld one into the other.
no age on my resume, I date my completion of my degrees, simple font, not background image, I usually have a single page resume & a multiple version (cV) sent usually a few days before my interview (oh yes they will call me in for the interview) - oh wait I'm retired from this...my_practice here i come
u havent put any software in your resume? but sometimes they advertise specific needs for software knowledge, so how would they decide to get u into an interview or not? do you attach sample prjects sheet? just wondering.. cos i thought twas kinda standard to include at least software knowledge..
cj w., apologies but describing the approach is about as far as i am comfy with (kudos to wearethestones for making the leap he did)...
the idea for making it simple came from letters i had from dutch starchitects. very nice and neat and really clear. but not black and white, and not business-school type at ALL. just fresh.
basically i put name and address on side bar (horizontally aligned and fixed to side with orange stripey thing and using text as design sortathing). Text describing jobs, education and awards floated in lots of white space to the right. not enough room for thorough job description so i paired it down to the minimum (incredibly difficult). Just enough to describe the size of notable projects i had worked on, the timeframe, and my title with each firm. i ended up leaving out schooltime experience and a few scholarships, but otherwise all the pertinent info was there. no lists of software, etc. such things are easy to address in the cover-letter as required...
last time i was looking for work and using resume was 2002 in london. was asked to interview with a range of offices, including pawson and Starck, a few others you probably never heard of, and the place i eventually worked at ... so was versatile enough to be accepted by both the slightly flamboyant and the more or less reserved...
not suggesting this is best way to go, but worked for me at the time.
cjw, you are correct that people ask for specific software qualifications. i guess i figure that the first thing people are interested in is can this guy/gal think? [at least in the places that i apply to] that is best exhibited by ones work and work history. if they don't like the work, then they won't hire me unless they just need a warm body to fill a chair. i really don't want to work at a place that just need someone to pump cad or whatever software. and if they can't tell via my work that i have some idea of how to turn a computer on, then i don't want to work there either.
as always, i think you need to create a resume that speaks to your own goals and to your potential employer needs. it may be necesssary to describe all of your software knowledge for the type of job that you are applying for, and if so, then certainly do it. that just hasn't been the case for me.
nobody cares about your font unless it interferes with the legibility of the information.
People do care that you make them read a 3 page resume. WeAREtheSTONES, you listed under the 'skills' heading that you have experience with digital cameras.
Listing every release of a program that you have worked with is a decision that you have a reason for. The problem I have with it is that none of the versions you list are current. ACAD 2006: we are on 2007 now, ADT 2005 is at 2006 at least. The adobe suite is up to CS2. Jesus, even your windows is out of date. You would be so much better off, here, to lose the additional information. Especially remove the digital camera bit.
If you have a professional recruiter review your resume/letter you need to make sure they have a remote understanding of the field.
OH MY ARGH I just read the first few posts wherein people smack-talk serif fonts, and I'm like, NO, funk dat. I am glad rationalist and e stepped up to the defense of the serif. Did you ever know that you're my heeeee-ro?
I used serifs alllllll throughout my portfolio. Nyaaaah. Nyaaaaaaah!!!
Also I am 100% in agreement with OutsideDream86 about Comic Sans. I have a personal vendetta against that font.
I used to work for a name-brand firm that gets huge piles of resumes for summer internships and entry-level jobs. At that firm the only people who saw any of the original resumes for those types of positions were the office managers who opened the mail. They had a spreadsheet with a page for each candidate and then a matrix that compared them all in one big chart. Everytime they got a resume from someone remotely qualified for these positions they'd go through the resume and put the info into the fields - names of firms, months or years of experience at each, names of schools, degrees earned, lives locally or not, ties to community or not, software titles, other skills (like model building, photography, whatever), certifications/accreditations (LEED, CSI, etc.), awards, available start date, etc. Then the original went into the file cabinet behind the reception desk.
In that situation the fonts and graphic design don't matter (provided that the thing is at all legible). All that matters is how your facts stack up against other applicants'.
This was a large firm that dealt with an endless supply of applicants. Intern decisions were made in much the way that schools conduct admissions - there would be a few rounds of hiring each year, with a meeting of a bunch of the managers to look at the applicants and decide which ones to interview and then a meeting to decide who to make offers to.
Of course this kind of situation won't happen in a smaller firm or one with a more manageable number of applicants. It also won't usually happen even in a larger firm if you're applying to a position with a higher experience level, as those are much more individualized hiring processes.
But my point is that while the visual design of your resume is important and shouldn't be overlooked, it may not be seen at all in some situations so you need to make sure your content is presented thoroughly and clearly so that it can carry you alone.
Make sure to include your available start date in your cover letter - and if it's a summer job then include your available weeks/months. If you're not local then make it clear that you can be available to travel for an interview (if in fact you can). If you have any particular ties to the area - like you lived there before or went to school there or have worked on projects located there before, and also if you have any personal connection to anyone currently working in the firm - you might mention that in your letter.
I understand the reluctance of some to list software on their resumes - for fear of being slotted into a CAD job. But for entry-level people this is often a basic screening point. Even in hiring for a small firm, when I have resumes of a few people at the same experience level I'm going to look to these skills to pick which to interview first or at all. It doesn't mean I'm looking to fill a chair with a CAD monkey, but it does mean I'm thinking about how long training is going to take and how much of other staff's time will be eaten up with helping someone with more or less computer and architecture literacy. If there is no indication at all that the person has computer skills then they're not going to make it to the interview, regardless of how much I love their mini-portfolio.
I wouldn't list release numbers of software. I know that many classified ads for jobs in firms often say things like "must be fluent in ObscureCAD Release 3.14" - but in reality they're usually expecting to consider applicants with similar-but-not-identical qualifications.
can we slow down for a moment and get very basic - anybody preparing a resume needs to ask a very simple question: other than my mom or spouse, why would anybody want to read this thing?
my answers:
1. they're looking to fill a vacant position;
2. they want to learn quickly some basic facts about your education, work experience, skills, aspirations - i.e. they want to quickly size you up to see if further investment of time might be warranted;
3. they want to know where you're located, so they can anticipate whether relocation expenses may be involved;
4. they would appreciate gaining some basic sense of your design and drawing capabilities.
I believe it's not possible to learn "how a person thinks" or "how talented a candidate may be" from a resume. all it really provides is a "first impression" - most of the more subtle stuff comes from interviews and reference checks.
in short, the purpose of the resume is to obtain an interview.
as busy as everybody is today, if you make it hard for the reviewer to "get you" all you're doing is hurting yourself. we simply don't have time for complexity or bs.
I know it's really hard to hear this, but the resumes really is not about you - it's about what you can do for the employer. ignore that warning at your peril
Need sample resumes!
I'm starting to look for an internship for the summer and would like to see some resumes of others in my position. I am in my first year of a 3.5 years masters program and while I have plenty of experience in my former industry, I don't really have any in architecture. I'd be very grateful to see some resumes of others as examples. I'm mostly just looking at what information to include (coursework, computer skills, etc.) and possibly formatting. I haven't developed much of an architectural protfolio yet, though I still have my portfolio that I used to get into school. I also thought the statement of purpose which I wrote for my application might provide some material for my resume. Any examples, tips, etc would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
if you load up any aia affiliated website (sfo , boston, chicago, etc) there are uploaded resumes. most are really bad, though there are some tasty nuggets.
mostly, i would say they are an example of what not to do - the fonts are usually all horrendous.
hi holz.box,
when u said that the fonts are horrendous.. any sneak peek or information as to what they look like for them to warrant a label as 'horrendous'
thanks!
probably a bunch of serifs gone wild
yes, serifs gone wild - not a good idea.
country blueprint is not an advisable font - gets tossed right into the rubbish bin.
also, all caps looks awful.
i don't feel comfortable parading other's resumes.
though you can look for yourself here. just as a heads up, i only thought a few were legible/decent and got more than a 10 second look, even though some of the job seekers have good experience.
holz, I often have difficulting taking architects who use serifs, esp times new roman, serious. I mean really now why would use that...
the three fonts i will toss:
country blueprint
times new roman
arial
why arial? it aint serif anyway.. too common already?
cos it's a poor helvetica wanna be.
every firm i've worked at has used arial as the standard font.
i'd rather see trade gothic or helvetica. they look better.
i see
do u mind if u have a look at mind and see if you'll toss it at first glance? ;)
sure.
hmmm the person who wrote that is an obvious mac user...blatantly so. Nice read though. Always like to see people defend there craft. That said what do you think "this" font is.
I'm sure you can't tell the difference. One of the reasons for arial, despite cheapness etc, was its ease of reproduction. Thats physcial as well as financial.
hi architechnophilia
r u referring to me? if so, im not a mac user.
its just that since there is an issue that arial is preferred to be tossed out, made me wonder why. i just would like to know. may have been a somewhat ignorant question but at least i knew why.
cheers ;)
no I was referring to the person that wrote the article from holz. link.
all of this talk about font selection is totally off the mark ... i cannot imagine anything more shallow than the viewer of a resume tossing it into the can simply because of the font used.
resumes are about clearly presenting a body of facts in a manner that tells a story about what a person has done in the past and can do now. font selection represents maybe 1% of the value (at most) inherent in the resume presentation.
there was a parallel discussion about this lately, but i am surprised most of the resumes at the aiany.org link were graphically laid out...they all seemed like a text format, where creativity is bound to font choices. although i understand the need for simplicity and clear presentation of your information, none of the resumes i saw jumped out at me...
tis true quizzical. the most important thing about your resume is to lay the information out in a clear manner. black type on a nice white sheet with a non-offensive font will be just fine. let your work and your accomplishments do the talking.
Aside from the times new roman bit (warranted, as it shows a lack of thought), I wish you'd reconsider this. Why on earth would you prefer a resume which you have a harder time reading? Those serifs are there to help your eye flow along through the text easily, so somebody using serifs is being considerate of you, the reader.
good point rationalist. i admit i am partial to the sans, but serifs are easier on the eyes. you could always use a sans for headers, etc, and use a serifed font for the bodies. i like to mix and match from time to time.
sorry quizzical. i know i am continuing the discussion and still stand by my previous statement, but i like type. i can't help myself.
I am also partial to sans-serif in my own work (love Kabel Book for architecture stuff especially because of the geometric letterforms), but I find that the work of others which I admire the most is that which successfully uses both serifs and sans-serifs. That's probably a concious respect of their skill though which overrides the visual preference I have for sans-serif fonts.
I HAVENT INCLUDED MY MOST RECENT POSITION HERE IN BERKELEY
- I DID HAVE MY RESUME EDITED BY A PROFESSIONAL RECRUITER(FAMILY FRIEND) - ENJOY!
speaking of font:
i like totally love curlz font!!!!!!! yay!!!!!!! lol!!!!!!! like sooooooooo cute!!!!!!!!! rotflmao!!!!!!!!!!
excuse me, i'll never outburst like that again.
weAREtheSTONES, is it really warranted to list all the releases of AutoCAD you have used down to R13? Part two, if a company offered you a job and was delighted you have worked with their newest platform, R13, do you think that would be a good job?
the reason i put all versions of every program i used is that i am very young very experienced in the field for my age - and was trying to explain that i am not the typical person coming out of architecture school these days - DOOD - i was making architeture before i even knew i going to architecture school - most interviews ive had - the interviewer was pretty impressed w/ the amount of field experience i had coming straight out of school.
most architects i meet that have just graduated dont have a clue of how to operate ACAD -
-most interviewers look at the year graduated from college and if its not what they want they toss it in the trash...that said- never put year graduated on you resume!!! or your age-play out all your experiences and it will seem that you are alot older than you actually are.
one interview i went on the architect thought i was in my early thirties-when actually i was 25 and still in school
: few things piss me off more than receiving a resume without dates - it's deceptive and leads me to think the candidate either is hiding something or thinks i'm stupid. either way, for me it's a bad first impression.
too right.
that one would have gone in bin for me too.
honesty is more important than other qualities sometimes. hiding info through ommision is a sign that something is up.
it is entirely possible you are super cool and totally ready for anything as architect, wearethestones, but also agree with chilidavis that redundant info on resume is annoying as hell. feels again like padding intended to cover up lack of experience rather than other way round...
btw, that honesty thing is very important to the business. The more I get into the architecture gig, the more i understand this is a fundamental truth of how to run a business with as little stress as possible.
I hope I'm not a typeface elitist, but I have a deep hatred of Comic Sans. Practically everyone in my middle school back in '98 used that font on their science fair project poster board. I will forever view that font as childish. I see that on a resume and think, "did this person have their kid do their resume for them? IS this a kid?"
Middle school? 98? Is this a kid???
i never put what software i know on my resume. ever. and not that i'm hiding anything. i guess i'm one who assumes that the work will speak for itself and that small details like that can be covered in an interview. the approach has not failed me yet.
do architects honestly put the year they graduated college on there resume? or how old they are? im not hiding anything, i simply laid it all out there ...every program ive interfaced w/
-if your stupid if you cant figure out how old i am - putting my age or grad year on my resume is redundant information
-i think everyone has a way of doing things
-you want my opinion....cause everyone has one...just like assholes - everyone has one and everyone thinks everyone elses stinks!
i don't put my age on my resume, but i do attach dates to all major accomplishments, jobs, competitions, awards, etc. i guess i see no problem with creating a informative timeline of my professional career for a potential employer or client.
as you say, to each his/her own.
Middle school? 98? Is this a kid???
Ok, yes, I guess 20 is still pretty young :)
i meant you are stupid if you cant figure out how old i am
STONES don't get so butt-hurt over it - people on this forum have raised some concerns. if i were you i would try to take some criticism since some of the firms you want to work for might be the lurking in the depths of this forum. i find it surprising that you went into so much detail on certain parts of your resume, but left other areas slightly vague. and calling people stupid is just plain mean.
you wanted criticism, so please dont be offended by the information that you receive here. but if this came across my desk......
3 pages? trash! come on, keep it short and sweet. and yes, dates DO matter that much.
just sayin.
smoke
i don't put my age on resume (do inlcude age in CV for PR though). i absolutely put all other dates.
making potential employers work out the math is annoying. the idea of resume is to communicate quickly and efficiently.
have not needed resume for a few years now, but when i did my own was 2 pages, going back to 1990, and very very simple . i did not use the standard format, and refuse to do anything ever just in black and white (then again i have no interest in working in corporate offices, where such an approach might be more expected). instead i made the resume something like a chipperfield minimalist deal, but with color...i also sent images of built work. has so far worked for me.
Anyways...i thought this thread was suppose to be about giving this person example resumes...and i didnt ask for anyones criticizm, expecially from someone who just put their first post on the board.
BTW i think everyones asshole stinks!!!LOL!!!
rationalist, I can't buy that serifs are easier to read. I've found I have to typically hold them closer to my face, simply because the letters seem to meld one into the other.
no age on my resume, I date my completion of my degrees, simple font, not background image, I usually have a single page resume & a multiple version (cV) sent usually a few days before my interview (oh yes they will call me in for the interview) - oh wait I'm retired from this...my_practice here i come
hi e
u havent put any software in your resume? but sometimes they advertise specific needs for software knowledge, so how would they decide to get u into an interview or not? do you attach sample prjects sheet? just wondering.. cos i thought twas kinda standard to include at least software knowledge..
thanks!
jump
your approach seems interesting. mind if i have a look? esp the chipperfield minimalist deal?
also, when putting in dates.. do you include the specific months also?
what are you guys' take on this? or is it simply better to put just the years?
lastly, does anyone have ff-din or antenna fonts here? i kinda like em but so far havent found em... :(
cj w., apologies but describing the approach is about as far as i am comfy with (kudos to wearethestones for making the leap he did)...
the idea for making it simple came from letters i had from dutch starchitects. very nice and neat and really clear. but not black and white, and not business-school type at ALL. just fresh.
basically i put name and address on side bar (horizontally aligned and fixed to side with orange stripey thing and using text as design sortathing). Text describing jobs, education and awards floated in lots of white space to the right. not enough room for thorough job description so i paired it down to the minimum (incredibly difficult). Just enough to describe the size of notable projects i had worked on, the timeframe, and my title with each firm. i ended up leaving out schooltime experience and a few scholarships, but otherwise all the pertinent info was there. no lists of software, etc. such things are easy to address in the cover-letter as required...
last time i was looking for work and using resume was 2002 in london. was asked to interview with a range of offices, including pawson and Starck, a few others you probably never heard of, and the place i eventually worked at ... so was versatile enough to be accepted by both the slightly flamboyant and the more or less reserved...
not suggesting this is best way to go, but worked for me at the time.
cjw _
i jumped to this resume thread now.. (guess it is a busy subject as of late)
wondering if you would take the 10 second glance at my resume?
cjw, you are correct that people ask for specific software qualifications. i guess i figure that the first thing people are interested in is can this guy/gal think? [at least in the places that i apply to] that is best exhibited by ones work and work history. if they don't like the work, then they won't hire me unless they just need a warm body to fill a chair. i really don't want to work at a place that just need someone to pump cad or whatever software. and if they can't tell via my work that i have some idea of how to turn a computer on, then i don't want to work there either.
as always, i think you need to create a resume that speaks to your own goals and to your potential employer needs. it may be necesssary to describe all of your software knowledge for the type of job that you are applying for, and if so, then certainly do it. that just hasn't been the case for me.
nobody cares about your font unless it interferes with the legibility of the information.
People do care that you make them read a 3 page resume. WeAREtheSTONES, you listed under the 'skills' heading that you have experience with digital cameras.
Listing every release of a program that you have worked with is a decision that you have a reason for. The problem I have with it is that none of the versions you list are current. ACAD 2006: we are on 2007 now, ADT 2005 is at 2006 at least. The adobe suite is up to CS2. Jesus, even your windows is out of date. You would be so much better off, here, to lose the additional information. Especially remove the digital camera bit.
If you have a professional recruiter review your resume/letter you need to make sure they have a remote understanding of the field.
OH MY ARGH I just read the first few posts wherein people smack-talk serif fonts, and I'm like, NO, funk dat. I am glad rationalist and e stepped up to the defense of the serif. Did you ever know that you're my heeeee-ro?
I used serifs alllllll throughout my portfolio. Nyaaaah. Nyaaaaaaah!!!
Also I am 100% in agreement with OutsideDream86 about Comic Sans. I have a personal vendetta against that font.
architechnophilia, the serifed characters melding into one another is a result of bad tracking and/or kerning.
I used to work for a name-brand firm that gets huge piles of resumes for summer internships and entry-level jobs. At that firm the only people who saw any of the original resumes for those types of positions were the office managers who opened the mail. They had a spreadsheet with a page for each candidate and then a matrix that compared them all in one big chart. Everytime they got a resume from someone remotely qualified for these positions they'd go through the resume and put the info into the fields - names of firms, months or years of experience at each, names of schools, degrees earned, lives locally or not, ties to community or not, software titles, other skills (like model building, photography, whatever), certifications/accreditations (LEED, CSI, etc.), awards, available start date, etc. Then the original went into the file cabinet behind the reception desk.
In that situation the fonts and graphic design don't matter (provided that the thing is at all legible). All that matters is how your facts stack up against other applicants'.
This was a large firm that dealt with an endless supply of applicants. Intern decisions were made in much the way that schools conduct admissions - there would be a few rounds of hiring each year, with a meeting of a bunch of the managers to look at the applicants and decide which ones to interview and then a meeting to decide who to make offers to.
Of course this kind of situation won't happen in a smaller firm or one with a more manageable number of applicants. It also won't usually happen even in a larger firm if you're applying to a position with a higher experience level, as those are much more individualized hiring processes.
But my point is that while the visual design of your resume is important and shouldn't be overlooked, it may not be seen at all in some situations so you need to make sure your content is presented thoroughly and clearly so that it can carry you alone.
Make sure to include your available start date in your cover letter - and if it's a summer job then include your available weeks/months. If you're not local then make it clear that you can be available to travel for an interview (if in fact you can). If you have any particular ties to the area - like you lived there before or went to school there or have worked on projects located there before, and also if you have any personal connection to anyone currently working in the firm - you might mention that in your letter.
I understand the reluctance of some to list software on their resumes - for fear of being slotted into a CAD job. But for entry-level people this is often a basic screening point. Even in hiring for a small firm, when I have resumes of a few people at the same experience level I'm going to look to these skills to pick which to interview first or at all. It doesn't mean I'm looking to fill a chair with a CAD monkey, but it does mean I'm thinking about how long training is going to take and how much of other staff's time will be eaten up with helping someone with more or less computer and architecture literacy. If there is no indication at all that the person has computer skills then they're not going to make it to the interview, regardless of how much I love their mini-portfolio.
I wouldn't list release numbers of software. I know that many classified ads for jobs in firms often say things like "must be fluent in ObscureCAD Release 3.14" - but in reality they're usually expecting to consider applicants with similar-but-not-identical qualifications.
Formerly: this was very informative! thanks for the contribution. as the questions of this process become quite daunting.
can we slow down for a moment and get very basic - anybody preparing a resume needs to ask a very simple question: other than my mom or spouse, why would anybody want to read this thing?
my answers:
1. they're looking to fill a vacant position;
2. they want to learn quickly some basic facts about your education, work experience, skills, aspirations - i.e. they want to quickly size you up to see if further investment of time might be warranted;
3. they want to know where you're located, so they can anticipate whether relocation expenses may be involved;
4. they would appreciate gaining some basic sense of your design and drawing capabilities.
I believe it's not possible to learn "how a person thinks" or "how talented a candidate may be" from a resume. all it really provides is a "first impression" - most of the more subtle stuff comes from interviews and reference checks.
in short, the purpose of the resume is to obtain an interview.
as busy as everybody is today, if you make it hard for the reviewer to "get you" all you're doing is hurting yourself. we simply don't have time for complexity or bs.
I know it's really hard to hear this, but the resumes really is not about you - it's about what you can do for the employer. ignore that warning at your peril
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