How to create a great Resume is a topic that triggers lots of advice and even more questions. Should you include a salary range? How many pages should it be? How many previous jobs do you list? However, while all these factors are well known, there are many others that go under the radar. They might not come immediately to mind when you think of the word “Resume”, but they are just as important as the most popular ones. That’s why I put together the following list of three resume factors that often look in the background but should definitely be considered along with the big boys:

1.) Paper selection - This would seem to be vitally important as what your resume looks like can make a big first impression. However, you would be surprised how many resumes crop up that look like they were printed on paper found on the street. If you need to print out your resume, definitely spring for actual resume paper. It’s easy to find, for example Office Depot, Staples and most FedEx stores carry it. A professional looking resume sets you apart immediately from someone whose resume looks like they printed it out on newspaper, and it’s so easy to do that there’s no excuse not to go that extra mile.

2.) Font size - The font size that is used on a resume can often get overlooked because of the focus on content. However, the best content in the world won’t be worth a nickel if nobody can read it. As a rule of thumb, I try not to go under a 10 point font. Any smaller than that, and you run the risk of someone having trouble reading it. Some people will say “Well, I sent them an electronic copy of it, they can just resize it themselves.” The problem with this is two-fold: One, you don’t want the person reading your resume to have to do extra work. That will just leave a bad taste in their mouth. Two, you don’t even know they’ll open it up and read it on their computer. The person reading it could just receive a hard copy from the department that processes it. Remember: Always check your resume for its readability on paper.

3.) Font style - This is closely tied to the font size, as it also greatly impacts readability. As tempting as it is to make a “fancy” resume, you don’t want it looking like a restaurant menu. Keep it simple, keep it neat. Arial is a great font to use because it’s a little softer than a font like Times New Roman but it still looks professional. Make sure that if you change the font style of your resume, you also re-examine the font size, as the readability of your resume could have changed drastically after the change.

These are just three of the overlooked factors that come into play when creating a resume. The best way to incorporate as many of them as possible into your process is to look at the big picture. Don’t just focus on content, don’t just focus on style. Every once and awhile, remove yourself from the details and take a look to make sure you’re not missing out on an important area.