Guide to What do Resumes, Websites and Blogs Have in Common?

The Document Header is Critical

The main blue header does not do it’s job. If you start at the top of the document, like you would with a newspaper or magazine article, you don’t know what you are reading. Moreover, if I assume that Multiplayer.ro is a video game site and that’s what I’m into, I don’t know why this blog is different from other content I might be reading.

I recommend: If you think of a resume, the document is about you, your header needs to have your name and contact info to let the reader know what they are reading.  A little more info can be found here.

Create a Look and Feel

The main blue header does not have a look and feel of a video game site.

I recommend: If you are a graphic designer and you are submitting a resume, you better not be copying the styles from accountants. You need show your creativity. This blog needs to give the game feel to readers.  Read further here.

The Headline Needs to Rock

The hot spot on the blog home page where they eyeballs are likely to hit first, is the Adsense leader board. My assumption is that this will lead to an overly high bounce rate especially for first time visitors.

I recommend: The main headline on a website or a blog needs to grab the reader’s attention, just like the heading or summary section of a resume. There are a ton of ways to enhance Adsense CTRs (click through rates) that will not drive away new visitors.  Similarly, the heading or summary section of a resume is the first place the eyeballs will go.  You need to capture the reader's attention and identify yourself as a qualified candidate at first glance.

You can view a bunch of free sample resumes here to get an idea of effective header layouts.

Don't Mislead or Confuse

On the right-hand side, you see a heading that says “Blogroll”. Under it, you will see Adsense ads. The Blogroll heading is misleading. If the reader gets the hint that they are being mislead, you will lose the trust of the reader. For this blog, a similar thing goes for the left side menu. If the ads need to be there for revenue, they should be placed above the menu headings.

I recommend: You don’t want a recruiter to get the feeling that they are being mislead with bull because it can cost you an interview.   Don't fill job histories with bull that seems unlikely.  Don't configure your dates to include gaps.  That is, if your have a 6 month gap in employment, just list the years you worked at each job rather then the exact months. 

Susan Ireland has one of the best blogs to learn more about effective formatting

Keep it Clear, Concise and Complete

When I click on the about page, there is very little information. If you have an about page, what is the point? Why would the reader what to know more ‘about’ you or about the site? That is, the content that should be there and it should be clear. There is no substitute for clarity.

I recommend: Don't provide sections in your resume just for the sake of providing them.  If there is not enough information to have a complete section, don't include it.   Keep your resume to 1 page unless you are a professional or executive with a very lengthy record.  Samples from ResumeEdge show exactly what Clear, Concise and Complete is all about.

The Content Needs to Support Itself

Consistency - In general, I want to know more about this site immediately. I want to know why or how it achieved a PR 7 site. That information could be compelling and grab my attention. But having that information not available frustrates me. A similar thing can happen to a resume if you don’t have a balance in your content.

I recommend: There is so much information available to people today. Online consumers, web surfers, as recruiters, are more savvy than in the past. We don’t want bull so the best way to address that and satisfy people is to give solid quantifiable information. With this site I would like to know why the PR is so high. Likewise, someone else may just want to know why they should subscribe. The best information would be something like:“The number 1 gaming blog according to Tech Crunch!”“The top gaming blog with over 10,000 daily visitors!”  Similarly, with a resume, the reader whats to know if you can generate results. Provide quantifiable results you have achieved.

This resume is a good example.  There are many free examples on that site.  Here are a couple more good resources: 
http://www.susanireland.com/resumeindex.htm
http://www.resume-resource.com/samples.html