Best Resume/CV Format, Template, Tips

Ironically there's been no dedicated thread to this. So I thought it would be a good idea to initiate one to discuss best practices about Font/Margins/Length/ECs/what to put and what not to. Please feel free to share your ideas and information. I am personally trying to bring mine to 12pt / 1.0" margin but it is getting extremely tough.


For Resume Books (books created by each Business School for the Graduating MBA class), see these links:

• Wharton Resume book: resume-book-types-of-people-admitted-to-wharton-79018.html
• Tuck Resume Book: resume-format-for-schools-69568.html?view-post=513708#p513708
• IMD Resume Book: resume-book-types-of-people-admitted-to-wharton-79018.html?view-post=595207#p595207
• Comprehensive compilation of resumes from various schools (looks like class presidents from top BSchools: the-most-comprehensive-resume-book-i-have-ever-seen-67590.html (and discussion of their skills: the-most-comprehensive-resume-book-i-have-ever-seen-67590-20.html

Also:
Resume samples from MBA Game Plan: http://www.mbagameplan.com/mba_resume_samples/
Should you change/tailor resume for each school: changing-resume-format-for-each-school-87840.html
How to note consulting role on the resume: how-to-note-consulting-role-on-resume-87797.html

Edit, edit, edit. Use action words. Define achievements with tangible values (reduced costs by x%, process time by x days, saved one FTE...)

It has to fit to a page. There is no way any MBA student should not be able to get their resume to one page. If it needs jobs to be dropped at the bottom, roles to be grouped more - whatever, get it to one page.

Especially focus on the "hangers" with two or three words on the next line. and Edit.

Don't include everything about the item - leave people something to want to ask questions about while being impressive, rather than being so clear on what it was they are simply absorbing data.

on a personal tip...

Don't put interests including crochet knitting, fine wine and cheese or stuff like that or I will never interview you.

Hi Underscore ... thanks for your valuable input. Any suggestions on Font and Margins ?

thanks in advance

Noone really ever checks margins. Run with what you think looks right - definitely don't go too far, but that is a print and look thing. If you get it wrong, they will not care too much and teach you otherwise (plus tear your resume apart so it fits).

Font - I would go really simple. Times, Arial, Helvetica - the really anonymous type face. If electronic, make sure it is an intersystem generic font. Maybe search through here and see some or the business school templates you can find.

Really, it matters little against the content (except if you do something really unconventional).

Perfect!!! Make sense...

With font I am going TR 11

one tip that i found was to make your resume look more "standard". i forget where i found this, but someone had a link to the Tuck business school resume book for their graduating class. i basically copied their format to make my resume look more professional. i suppose if you can get copies of a resume book from the specific schools you're applying to, then you can make the corresponding changes to your resume.

There are many ways to lay out your CV. Therefore it is important to select the proper format. The standard font size for a CV is 12. Ariel and Time New Roman are both acceptable fonts. A CV should also never exceed two Pages of A4 paper.

Wanted to add this link to the thread:

• Wharton's Resume book: resume-book-types-of-people-admitted-to-wharton-79018.html
• Tuck's Resume Book: resume-format-for-schools-69568.html?view-post=513708#p513708

thanks - i had been looking for the tuck resume book for awhile. tuck used to have it on their website, but later took it down.

Best piece of advice I've seen regarding resumes is to use the formats of the schools you're applying to.
Here's a collection of resume templates:
http://www.mbagameplan.com/mba_resume_samples/

It appears that the link to the Darden resume book is broken. Just a heads up.

Thanks, I have adjusted the description/thread.

Another CV tip:

Always leave some 'white-space' within the CV. And I'm not just talking about the margins. The reviewer's eyes need a (visual) break too.

You might be able to pack a ton of detail in a huge monolith piece of text. But from a reviewer's perspective, irrespective of the quality of content, it's still a big turn-off.

action words reminds me of this file that I always kept on my hard drive from my time at university. Its a great compilation of action words and useful buzz to catch attention of those screening your cv.

If you like this file, please give me a kudos

thanks
Meg

Quick question:

on mbagameplan, the HBS template lists experience first, then education, then the rest. Doing a google search for the hbs resume format, I end up seeing 2 other examples that have education first and then experience. Anyone know what the 'real' format should be?

Thanks so much

so when it comes to putting your hobbies and interest on your resume, how much would you put in? what would be acceptable as hobbies and what would be bad? would reading, or working out, or games (brain games such as suduko or TaiPei) be acceptable? what if you don't currently have any volunteer activities, what could fill in for this? Any suggestions?

MBAFocus.com provides several resume books free of charge. All you have to do is to create a user name and password and request access to these books from the schools. It has more than 20-25 schools whose resumebooks are free of charge. Top schools like H/S/W charge a lot for their resume books. But we can find books of several other good schools free of charge. Notable schools include Chicago Booth, USC, Berkeley, Indiana, ISB, Emory etc.

Check out mbafocus.com

Thanks for posting. Although i have seen many posts but your post is exceptional. I would like to suggest a site of Cv templates which would really help to the visitors in finding well crafted cvs or resumes. http://www.cvtemplate.net/ Thanks again.

I FIND IT USEFUL,THX FOR THAT!

can anyone provide a link to Tuck Resume? It seems the book is off already.
Also, some resume sample from HBS would also be helpful.

thanks in advance