DIY University: Resumes

Your resume never gets a day off. It's one of the most important pieces of paper you own. Your resume can be the deciding factor for that job you want. It needs to say "Look at me. You know you want to hire me" without being too gaudy or intricate. But somehow resumes have become such a scary thing. And I admit, my first resume wasn't pretty. Thankfully, they've gotten better.If you don't have a resume already you can use my template which you can find here. Just substitute your information into the form for instant resume.

I do a lot of resume writing for myself, my friends, my spouse and my co-workers. I take pride in things that are well-designed and aesthetically pleasing. Recently I've been overhauling my resume to make it more appealing and professional. It's Here are my top five tips for instantly adding appeal to your resume.

1. Ditch Times New Roman.
 Ah Times, the only font we were allowed to use in college - I hate it. It's ugly and it's not doing you any favors. Use a more attractive font like Georgia, Trebuchet or Veranda. These fonts are easy on the eyes, but stand out from the ole Times New Roman. I use Georgia because I prefer serif fonts and I find it to be an attractive and professional font on and off screen. Also, don't use italics and don't indent. This makes your resume easier to read.

2. Add Borders
Sometimes your titles get lost in the shuffle. To keep "Professional Experience" from blending in with your last six jobs, separate the sections of your resume with borders. This was one of the best things I did for my resume.
In Windows: Highlight your section title. Click on the Format tab on the top of the page, select "Borders and Shading." Select "Custom" on the bottom left. Select a solid line at 1/2 pt and use the diagram on the right to add the borders to the top and bottom of the selected "paragraph." Click ok.
To see and example of how it should look check out my resume template.

3. Make it a PDF
Use an online PDF converter like this one to make a copy of your resume as a PDF. Making it into a PDF keeps it from getting accidentally changed. It also embeds all the type and can be a good way to send your resume to a potential employer. Keep a copy of a .Doc and a PDF on a flash drive at all times, you never know when you are going to need one.

4. Use Numbers
Don't say "Operate a cash drawer." Instead say "Operate and balance a cash drawer with a balance of $15,000." This shows an employer that you are responsible.
Don't say "Registered college students at a summer camp." Instead, say "Registered 1,000 college students for a six week summer camp." This shows your employer that you are experienced.

5. Spell Check, Spell Check, Spell Check
Never, ever, ever let that resume or cover letter leave your hand without checking it three times over. Run spell check, then print it out and read it OUT LOUD. This part is very important since it helps catch errors. Then hand it off to someone else to read. Don't ever give that resume out without covering those three steps first.

Hope these tips make your resume much less scary and much more likely to land you that job!

DIY University: Home is where you hang your keys

Reeve here. We are starting a new feature called DIY University, with the hopes that it will teach you how to save money by doing it yourself. Today we will learn the basics of spray paint.

 I know this is a simple project, but sometimes the basics are good to go over.

As you can see here, we have a lovely gift from my mother - the first of many "house-warming gifts" we will receive from her. However, it doesn't really match our decor - so we should paint it.

I'm using Rustoleum Universal in Hammered Copper. Rustoleum tends to be the paint of choice at our house because it's affordable and covers really well.

First, cover the parts you don't want painted with painters tape. It doesn't matter what kind of painters tape you use - the cheapest one from your local home-improvement store will do.

Since I'm a man and have a tendancy to ignore directions (come on, admit it, we all act like we know what we are doing) make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area. I did this project outside (much easier now that we live out in the country.) Also, I placed it in a box to paint so I dont get paint on the concrete and so Samantha doesn't kill me. (A happy wife is a nice wife.)

Apply paint in a side to side motion in an even medium to thick coat. Remember to keep the can at least a foot away from the object you are painting - too close and your paint will drip. (If your paint drips you will have to wait for it to dry, sand it and start over.) Keeping this in mind, you will have to apply multiple coats to get the coverage you want without the drips. I suggest as least three coats - allowing at least 1 hour between coats to dry. Make sure to spray the back and sides as well. This helps get all the "nooks and crannies" without dripping paint.

The back of our key hook has saw teeth that attach it to the wall, but if your don't have those try painting the nail as well so it blends in.

When the paint is dry remove the tape and hang your finished product - and maybe brag a little bit.

Happy Painting.

~ Reeve