I never would have thought of putting a graphic design on a resume - that’s such a unique way of giving it a little extra oomph.

I’m always a little intimidated by the idea of putting numbers/accomplishments on a resume - mostly because I feel like the job presently on my resume doesn’t really have any quantifiable accomplishments, and I (along with others in my position) don’t really get a lot of concrete feedback.

Do you have any recommendations for how to turn duties into accomplishments without seeming like you’re kind of pulling them out of thin air?

For my job in particular - I’ve trained a couple of people and I do a lot of research. If I wanted to try to turn those duties into accomplishments, would it be “Fully trained 2 new employees beyond expectations” and “Prepared more than 10 research guides used daily in the office”?

Thanks for all the great advice and for this series. I’m just starting a job search and this is all really helpful.

Logos, really? I would think that might be appropriate for a graphic designer, but for anyone? I would think there would be some industries where that would come off as a little cheesy.

And I just saw your Power of an A-List entry, which I am reading now to answer my previous questions.

I am clearly not a winner at the reading comprehension at the moment.

Thanks for the link Angela!

Also, I would agree with MissPinkKate. The logo highly depends on your field. If you are in a creative field, than by all means use it to showcase some of your work, but I would be very hesitant of a logo if you are in most jobs.

@Kit I think you’re on the right track with your listing your accomplishments! They don’t sound like they’re pulled out thin air. As long as they’re true and accurate you’ll be good. But, you can see the difference between saying, “researched guidelines” and “prepared more than 10 research guides for employees.” Also, did you download the pdf? That may be of help to you, too. Feel free to email me if you’d like me to take a look at a draft.

@MissPinkKate- I agree a personal logo may not be appropriate for all industries and all personality types. That’s certainly something that everyone would decide for themselves. Thanks for pointing that out.

@Daniel - You’re welcome. While I agree that a logo may not be appropriate for ALL industries, I don’t believe it’s strictly limited to creative careers. A nicely done, professional logo or well chosen font or graphical element doesn’t have to obtrusive. As I said above, this is something each individual needs to ask themselves - Does a logo fit with my industry? Does a logo fit with the specific company I’m applying for (different companies have different cultures regardless of whether or not you’re in a “creative” career? Does a logo fit with my personality? Does a logo enhance my overall professional brand?

Thanks for the response, Angela! I took a look at the PDF and it’s definitely helped a lot. I may take you up on the offer too. Definitely appreciate it, and the series! Thanks!

I’m totally guilty of not keeping my resume up to date now that I own a business. And lately I’ve been finding I really need one (not to get work, but for various other projects), so this has been on my list for about a month and your tips are really helpful.

Thank you for the “permission” to add a logo–I’ve always paid attention to how my name looks (because, I figure, it’s one of the few places on a resume that’s genuinely [potentially] recognizable for the person shuffling them) and with a name like Jessica, the odds are decent that I’m not the only one with that name in the stack. But dressing it up just a bit will definitely make the whole process a lot more fun.

What do you think about bullet styling? Personally, I like mine small and round, but that’s another area of sameness that some industries might be okay with a bit of personality injection.

@Jessica Albon First off, LOVE your site! The look is awesome and the tone is great. Love it.

Secondly, while there’s some debate over whether or not a personal logo is always appropriate, I definitely think it’s appropriate for you, given your line of work. And, of course, it doesn’t HAVE to be your name. It could be your initials or a small graphical element with your name next to it. (Just wanted to put that out there.)

Next, I also prefer the small, round bullets. I’d be afraid if not done correctly graphical bullets would come off as too “cheesy.” Now, if you’re in the right line of work (which I think you might be), you could get really radical and try something like one of the designs in the 36 Beautiful Resumes that Work link above.

Let us know what you decide!

I totally agree about creating an online portfolio. I launched mine (www.rachelmesterline.com) last summer and have gotten great feedback about it. Another thing that impresses people is a blog about your career or industry (if well-written).

For those who are a bit unsure about putting a logo on their resume, I would start out by trying the logo on a personal portfolio and on business cards. It took awhile for me to find out what I actually liked.

@Rachel - Thanks so much for sharing your portfolio! Great advice on the logo.