Response to Resume Articles

The first article that caught my eye was "Pretty in Ink: Making a Resume Look as Appealing as the Content," by Sarah E. Needleman. I have always wondered if it would be inappropriate to use some formatting in my resume that would not necessarily be part of what has traditionally been accepted as standard. Although I did think that the idea of using past employers' company logos was interesting and different, most of the ideas in this article unacceptable to me. One woman had formatted her resume to reflect a press release, for example. I find that to be inappropriate. It would make me extremely uneasy to submit a resume that strayed from a standard format because although it can help the resume to stand out, it would not be worth the risk of looking unprofessional to the potential employer who would read it. I want my resume to be eye-catching and easy to read without leaving behind the acceptable format that is used in the business world.

The second article that I found to be extremely interesting was, "Taking a Career Break to Travel And Explaining That on a Resume ," by Emily Meehan. I absolutely love to travel and have always planned to do a bit a travelling after I graduate before beginning a formal job. I was worried that this may reflect badly on my resume. This article explains that sometimes travel is a wonderful way to get to know one's aspirations and likings in order to be a better employee or find a better suited career path. Although putting travel on a resume can be a positive or negative addition, it may be important to share with a potential employer how travelling has led to personal growth.