Resumé 1-Day Class

This is a project-based class, intended to help students learn how to create a project, not necessarily to learn an entire program.

Objectives

Students will learn InDesign functions 

Students will understand basic design principles

Students will use both of these to create a resumé

You can also tell students to bring a copy of their resumé to class

Use the Resume files from here

Intro/Hook

Show an example of a good resumé that follows the design principles. If you feel comfortable, you could show them your own resumé (make sure it looks good though).

Initial Document Setup

  • Students can work on their own resumé or follow along as you (teacher) create an example (using files)
  • Create a new project by choosing the “New file” option
  • There are some presets and templates available to use
  • You can also choose your own settings under the “preset details” section
    • Keep in mind that a brochure will need to be folded, so needs to be longer
    • Anything being printed off/displayed large will become pixelated if you make it too small at this stage
  • Width and Height, number of pages, orientation
    • Check facing pages if you want your pages to be in a spread. This won’t be necessary because this project is a single page project
  • Unit of measurement is Picas by default, can be changed to inches
    • 6 picas to an inch, 12 points to a pica. Displayed with picas first, then points. So 12p6 would mean 12 picas and 6 points.
  • Number of columns, along with the column gutter (space between columns)
  • Margins
    • Use the link button to specify if all margin distances should be the same
  • Bleed (red outline indicating how far images should extend beyond the page if the image is going to stretch to the edge of the page)
  • Slug (area specified for notes for the printer)
  • Can always change document settings later

Design Basics

  • Templates
    • Use templates as inspiration, don’t just fill them in
    • It is easy to miss filler text and leave it by accident
    • Employers who look at a lot of resumés see the same templates over and over again 
  • General design principles

  • Go over some helpful principles of design, using the cheat sheet to demonstrate
    • Show an example of each in an already-existing resumé
      • Alignment and balance
      • Contrast and emphasis
      • Proximity: keep related things close to each other
      • Repetition and consistency
  • Emphasize that LESS IS MORE
    • Don’t try to cram too much stuff in! Keep it simple and readable and limit the text as much as possible
  • Sketching is a good way to map out design before you start making it
    • Try a few concepts and then choose the one that conveys the information most clearly 

Navigating the Interface

  • Toolbar
    • Left side of the screen, has tools you’ll use to add content and edit it
    • Selection tool (shortcut v)
    • Line tool and shape tools – create lines and shapes
    • Frame tool – create a frame where you can add or place text or images
    • Type tool – use to type your own text into a frame, or create a text box
  • Properties panel
    • On the right side of the screen. Has different properties and settings available depending on what you have selected with your selection tool
  • Additional windows
    • To add additional windows, choose “window” tab at the top of the screen, then select what window you want to display

Guides

  • You have some built-in guides
    • Purple guidelines are margins
    • Red guidelines are your bleed
  • You can add your own guides by clicking in the rulers on the sides of the screen, then dragging a guide onto your page
    • Helpful for aligning text and images and knowing where folding will take place to create a foldable brochure

Layout

Text

  • Text Boxes
    • Type your own text by creating a text box with the type tool (shortcut “t”)
    • Or click in a text frame with the type tool to type in that frame
  • Placing text
    • You can place a text document, such as a Word doc, into a frame in the same way that you place images
  • Overset Text
    • Clicking the red + sign will let you place the overset text into a new frame, or create a new frame for it
  • Moving a text box
    • Use the selection tool
    • You can also adjust its size using the selection tool
  • Tips for creating a professional resumé (see link)

Saving, Exporting, and Packaging

  • To save, go File → Save
    • Saves your project as a .indd file on your computer
  • Once your project is finished, go File → Export
    • From there you can choose your format and save settings
  • Packaging – for when you want to continue working on your project on another computer
    • Go File → Package
    • Creates a packaged folder with your .indd file, a pdf, and all of your fonts and links
    • Go over why InDesign links images rather than saving them in your InDesign file

Conclusion

Use any remaining time for students to continue working on their resumé’s and ask questions

Badges Plug

Make sure to tell the students about badges and direct them to our badges website. Tell them that they can earn a badge based on what they’ve done today and encourage them to continue to earn badges and learn the program.