Resume Tips

A resume is an outline or summary of your background addressing your qualifications, skills, education, and activities. Its purpose is to stimulate the interest of an employer and show the value you would add to their organization if hired.

Throughout the resume it is important to describe experience in terms of accomplishments. Use action verbs for a powerful description of your work or volunteer experiences.

There is no set way to order your resume. The various sections described below should be included no matter what format is chosen.

The Career Services Center is here to help you make the most of this important first impression to your potential employer.

Heading

The heading on your resume must include all of the following, your:

• name
• address
• phone number
• email address

Do not include nicknames or use funny or cute email addresses.

Make sure the voicemail message for the phone number listed is professional.

Objective

This is a strong statement that describes what you can do for the employer.

“A (career goal or special job title) position with the opportunity to utilize my ability in (list your primary skills or strengths) which will result in (an important expected employer outcome).”

Be as specific and to the point as possible.

Education

List your most relevant degree first and include any seminars or workshops that would support the position you are applying for.

Other items that can be added are:

• GPA if greater than or equal to 3.0
• academic honors or awards
• certificates
• other highlights that show your academic character.

Coursework or Special Projects

These are optional sections that can be included with education. If you do not have much work experience, this can be an effective way to demonstrate accomplishments and experience to back up your objective.

Be specific and use concrete examples.

Experience

This section describes any full-time, part-time, or internship positions starting with the most recent.

Remember to emphasize duties, responsibilities, skills, and abilities as related to the open position.

Use action verbs and be specific with your examples to showcase accomplishments and outcomes that make you an excellent candidate for employment. Relevant volunteer work can also be listed if it relates to the job.

Skills

List skills that support your objective including computer, language, specialized training, and experience with specific equipment.

Activities

Include any information on professional clubs, organizations, campus government, or community involvement that you are active in. For each activity, list the name of the organization, office held, and/or dates of membership.

Honors and Awards

If you have more than one of these, you can create a section to highlight them. Include name of award and date received.

Action Verbs