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00Top01Foundation02Heritage03Color04Typography05Logo06Voice07Imagery08Sub-brands09Applications10Spec
Live brand bookv1.1.0Updated 2024-09-26Est. 1973Charismatic · Empowering · Plainspoken
Resume PlaceBrand book

We wrote the book on federal resumes. The Resume Place, Inc. was the first-ever federal resume writing service. Since 1973 we've seen a fair share of competitors and imitators, but there is only one original

Federal resumes. Books. Training. Certification.

Practice

We wrote the book on federal resumes.

Platform register

Writing our next chapter. Honoring our legacy. Recommitting to our purpose.

Read the engagement→Design system→Figma→
Machine-readablespec.jsonspec.mdtokens.css

Brand Identity Guidelines / Color

Inspired by a colorful cast of characters.

Finding our true colors.

For almost half a century, we've helped people further their careers and build a legacy in the service of our country. The brand's colors are as warm, vibrant, and sharp as the people who have come through our doors over the decades.

01 / Color

Color tokens

Click a swatch to copy its hex value.

Brand Elements / Typography

A fresh but familiar face.

Balancing novelty and familiarity.

We have designed the secondary brand elements to give people a simple bridge from the old identity to the new, helping avoid confusion and giving them an opening to refamiliarize themselves with our brand.

02 / Typography

Type system

Messina Sans · primary

Federal service is the highest form of work.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

0123456789

Usage

Messina Sans. Workhorse face. Black for headlines, SemiBold for subheads, Book for body. Designed for large editorial projects and corporate identities.

Stack

'Messina Sans', 'Inter', ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif

Messina Serif · editorial

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

0123456789

Usage

Messina Serif. Long-form publishing and federal-aesthetic moments. French Renaissance proportions translated into 21st-century needs.

Stack

'Messina Serif', 'Newsreader', Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif

Messina Sans Mono · mono

ECQ · SES · CFJST · v1.1.0 · 2024 / 09 / 26

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 0123456789

Usage

Messina Sans Mono. Data, kickers, version stamps. All-caps with extra tracking is the house treatment.

Stack

'Messina Sans Mono', 'JetBrains Mono', ui-monospace, SFMono-Regular, Menlo, Monaco, Consolas, monospace

Messina Sans Condensed · condensed

ECQ · SES · OPM · USAJOBS · CFJST · CFCC

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

0123456789

Usage

Messina Sans Condensed. Short labels, dense headlines, acronyms (ECQ, SES, CFJST).

Stack

'Messina Sans Condensed', 'Manrope', 'Messina Sans', 'Inter', ui-sans-serif, sans-serif

Brand Identity Guidelines / Logo

Wordmark. Logomark. Lockup.

The marks that hold the system together.

The Resume Place wordmark is the primary mark. The checkmark logomark is shorthand. They are documented as separate elements, and should rarely be paired together.

03 / Marks

Logo system

Wordmark

The primary brand mark. Use for the largest and most recognizable applications.

3 / 7
01Default
Pending design
Default#F0EEE9
02On dark
Pending design
On dark#F0EEE9
03On light
Pending design
On light#F0EEE9
04On brand
Pending design
On brand#F0EEE9
05Reversed
Pending design
Reversed#F0EEE9
06Mono black
Pending design
Mono black#F0EEE9
07Mono white
Pending design
Mono white#F0EEE9

Logomark

The circle-checkmark logomark. Shorthand for the identity. Used at small sizes and on collateral where the wordmark would crowd the layout.

3 / 7
01Default
Pending design
Default#F0EEE9
02On dark
Pending design
On dark#F0EEE9
03On light
Pending design
On light#F0EEE9
04On brand
Pending design
On brand#F0EEE9
05Reversed
Pending design
Reversed#F0EEE9
06Mono black
Pending design
Mono black#F0EEE9
07Mono white
Pending design
Mono white#F0EEE9

Logomark + Wordmark Lockup

Use the documented lockup files when both marks need to appear together.

2 / 7
01Default
Pending design
Default#F0EEE9
02On dark
Pending design
On dark#F0EEE9
03On light
Pending design
On light#F0EEE9
04On brand
Pending design
On brand#F0EEE9
05Reversed
Pending design
Reversed#F0EEE9
06Mono black
Pending design
Mono black#F0EEE9
07Mono white
Pending design
Mono white#F0EEE9

04 / Voice

Voice and values

Personality

Charismatic · Empowering · Plainspoken

Tone

Charismatic, Empowering, Plainspoken

Primary audience

Federal job seekers, federal agencies, and the trainer community that teaches the work.

Photography

Imagery direction

Working themes

Washington, DC

General use for all federal-career related content.

Classes and Conferences

Training and consulting.

Studying and Online Learning

General use, publishing, and online learning.

Families

General use for all career-related content. Military families and spouses.

Principles

  • The subjects in our image selection should reflect the federal workforce population. Consider demographic factors, keywords, and composition when selecting images.
  • Let the picture speak for itself, but always make sure it is in conversation with surrounding content and not clashing.
  • Photography creates a shortcut for the audience to see themselves in the message. Choose subjects that look like the audience.

Direction questions

  1. Does this reflect our audience?
  2. What is this image saying?
  3. How do we want our audience to feel?

00 / Foundation

What we stand on

Position
The first-ever federal resume writing service.
Tagline
We wrote the book on federal resumes.
Homepage line
Writing our next chapter. Honoring our legacy. Recommitting to our purpose.
Descriptor
Federal resumes. Books. Training. Certification.
Value proposition
We wrote the book on federal resumes. The Resume Place, Inc. was the first-ever federal resume writing service. Since 1973 we've seen a fair share of competitors and imitators, but there is only one original.
Origin
When The Resume Place was founded, we were essentially a design and print studio that employed storytellers to help people tell their unique career stories within the confines of a federal resume. The internet did not exist, everything was done on paper, and people literally showed up at our door to get help. Some of us still remember the smell of ink, paper, and sweat when many eager job seekers would walk into our K Street office on a hot DC summer day.

01 / Heritage

Where we came from

“We wrote the book on federal resumes.”

Turning obstacles into opportunities for almost 50 years.

The Resume Place, Inc. was the first-ever federal resume writing service. Since 1973 we've seen a fair share of competitors and imitators, but there is only one original.

Brand Identity Guidelines

Writing our next chapter.

Honoring our legacy. Recommitting to our purpose.

The Resume Place has been the preeminent federal job experts for several decades. We are unmatched in our expertise, insight, and future-forward thinking within the realm of federal careers, agency talent consulting, and publishing.

When The Resume Place was founded.

When The Resume Place was founded, we were essentially a design and print studio that employed storytellers to help people tell their unique career stories within the confines of a federal resume.

The internet did not exist, everything was done on paper, and people literally showed up at our door to get help. Some of us still remember the smell of ink, paper, and sweat when many eager job seekers would walk into our K Street office on a hot DC summer day.

Passing Fashion. When you have been around since the 1970s, you get fabulous fashion and daring design moments to reflect on.

Background

We are charismatic storytellers, innovators, and leaders committed to helping people see the best in themselves and find meaning and purpose in their work in the federal government. We know that a thriving federal workforce is vital for the health of the country and we are determined more than ever to support our government and its citizens in providing resources and tools to keep our federal agencies staffed with the best and brightest.

Brand character

The Resume Place is cut-and-dried but certainly not dry or dull.

  • Honest
  • Charismatic
  • Empowering
  • Invigorating
  • Irreverent
  • Timeless
  • Visionary
  • Authentic
  • Intelligent

Brand pillars

  1. 01

    Building on a Legacy

    Originators and Innovators

    Over 50+ years of responding to Washington's changing rules, regulations, and culture.

  2. 02

    The New Institution

    Educators and Resource Center

    Giving people the tools to transform their careers and their lives. Guiding leaders in finding the most qualified candidates.

  3. 03

    Empowering + Inspiring

    Advocating for Changemakers

    Empowering people to advance themselves by properly highlighting their talents, skills, accomplishments, and being their best selves.

“The Resume Place helps people write new chapters in their story of service and commitment to America.”

Brand Identity Guidelines / Photography

Less Talk, More Walk.

Photography selection, made simpler.

The following are some basic guidelines to help guide art direction decisions when planning a photo shoot, procuring stock photography, or browsing our back catalog of images.

Basic questions to consider

  1. 01

    Does this reflect our audience?

  2. 02

    What is this image saying?

  3. 03

    How do we want our audience to feel?

Themes

What is this image saying? A short list of general themes to anchor selection.

  • Washington, DC

    General use for all federal-career related content.

  • Classes and Conferences

    Training and consulting.

  • Studying and Online Learning

    General use, publishing, and online learning.

  • Families

    General use for all career-related content. Military families and spouses.

Principles

  • The subjects in our image selection should reflect the federal workforce population. Consider demographic factors, keywords, and composition when selecting images.
  • Let the picture speak for itself, but always make sure it is in conversation with surrounding content and not clashing.
  • Photography creates a shortcut for the audience to see themselves in the message. Choose subjects that look like the audience.

06 / Sub-brands

The portfolio

  • Curriculum + Certification Program

    shipped

    Ten Steps to a Federal Job®

    The Ten Steps shelf is one of the most prominent ways customers engage with The Resume Place, through the many book editions, training sessions, and the sheer wealth of information and opportunity associated with the brand. Familiar design elements from the previous Ten Steps brand (banners, stars, flags) are combined with new brand elements (color, logomarks) to enforce the connection between the Resume Place's legacy and its future.

    Motifs

    • Banners, stars, flags. Legacy elements such as banners, stars, and flags are subtly utilized to invoke familiarity with the brand.
    • Certification badges. Badges are streamlined to be more of a solid design element that can be more easily utilized. Two tiers: Master Certified Trainer & Coach, and Certified Trainer & Coach.

  • Proposed brand addition

    proposed

    CCAR Accomplishment Builder

    Part of the proposed Resume Toolbox family. A simple encapsulation of the brand typography used for other familiar products and programming. The straightforward box motif around 'BUILDER' links the product back to the family of tools.

    Lockups

    • CCAR Builder

      Set in Messina Sans Condensed (CCAR) paired with Messina Serif Italic (Builder).

    • CCAR Accomplishments Builder

      Extended form in the same condensed-sans + serif-italic pairing.

    • Resume Toolbox parent mark

      RESUME TOOLBOX set in the brand mono treatment as the family-of-tools wordmark.

    Type treatments

    • Messina Sans Condensed. Allows for acronyms and long titles.
    • Messina Serif Italic. Connects to the federal aesthetic and to other Resume Place programs.

    Motifs

    • Toolbox = Box. A straightforward box remains as the primary motif around 'BUILDER' in the extended system, linking it back to the family of tools.
    • RP Monogram Badge. The main Resume Place logo letters serve as a simple encapsulated circle monogram, using a sturdier version of the brand's font.

    Things to consider

    1. Are we providing enough familiarity with our brand?
    2. Are we providing enough distinction from our other products and/or services?
    3. Does this feel like an intuitive growth of our brand?

07 / Applications

Applied work

The brand in production. Campaigns, books, certificates, web surfaces, agency materials. The applied work is the proof the system holds together.

  • Business Identity Set

    print

    Full-color business identity system. Print specs to be added.

  • Certificate

    print

    Issued for Resume Place certification programs.

  • Presentation Template

    digital

    Brand-aligned presentation template for workshops, training, and agency-facing decks.

08 / Spec

This is the canon

Brand book version 1.1.0, last updated 2024-09-26. Machine-readable spec for agents and developers:

  • spec.json · structured, full
  • spec.md · prose-fluent, agent-optimized
Brand book v1.1.0 · Last updated 2024-09-26 · spec.json · spec.md · tokens.css · API