Keep it simple. No bells and whistles. Watch your spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Yes, the target is aways the 1st question.

You hadn't said what type of place you're applying to. Like if you were applying for a position in a graphic design department in a large non-graphic company, the person judging your resume would not be graphically aware.

Anyway, in this case I think you have a little bit of room for impressing, but not much, and you have to tread pretty carefully: too little is better than too much (assuming you have a good chance at getting the job based solely on the content of the resume). In terms of the font, I would choose something very under-used but understated and highly readable. Not Times, but not Mrs Eaves either.

hhp

It's that most often getting an interview is the resume's job so to speak!

hhp

Having created a typographic cv you should prepare yourself to answer questions about your choices and decisions. On top of the basics that Conor mentioned be sure to keep consistency throughout, for example the spacing between heads and copy.

Tim

You see, the advice I get and wht my tutor says is quite different. He says something interactive would impress and I once asked about my cubed CV idea on here and most people said it's more impressive to have a well typed CV than something interactive. So would you employers out there still agree on that or not?

for my first CV my Dad (a teacher) said just do a normal CV in word – I ignored that advice and did a rip-off of the London underground map as I was looking for work experience with an information design company. My work experience lasted about 7 years and was the job from heaven. And why did they look at my CV? because it was two things: different and relevant. It's a comment I hear over and over from Creative Directors I chat to that they are looking for an indication that someone has a passion for what they do. Their time is limited so at least give them a reason to look at what you send!

"it’s more impressive to have a well typed CV than something interactive."

'something interactive' is fine, but don't make that your resume. The resume is a practical piece of design. It has a specific function. Good design has to be applicable design.

Now, a truly different CV (like f&c mentions) CAN work wonders. The catch is that you REALLY have to pull it off well. And that's hard. There's a spectrum:

A-----------------------------------------------------Z

A = practical, well layed out, one page, type-only resume.

Z = some crazy intelligent avante garde interactive CV.

A & Z are both great. Anything in between, though, can fail miserably. ;o)

I'm making a huge assumption here that the CV in question is for undergraduate placement, or a first placement after graduation (rather than as a mature student).

If this is so, Chris's point regarding content is particularly important. Good employers will spot good candidates and will be bombarded with these things in the next few weeks/months and will look for any reason to cut the pile down to size. In the end it's what you say that's important, not how you say it.

If nothing else, put it up for crit on this site – it's a rewarding experience :os

Get A done right. Absolutely right. Then you can think about Z.

Keep in mind that your CV will be seen by others in addition to the Creative Director or other persons in the creative department. This thing has to look good to folks in the HR department also. The CD's recommendation will carry the most weight, but you don't want to baffle others who have to look at it. They just want that solid information, well presented, that most everybody here seems to emphasize.

Even some small studios have some sort of HR person. And if you work for a large bureaucracy, as I do . . . . well.

powers*

* a minor bureaucrat in a minor bureaucracy