Resume Tips
Style
The three styles of resumes are chronological, functional and a combination of the two. The chronological resume lists jobs and duties sequentially beginning with the current or most recent position. This style focuses on your growth in a specific profession. The functional resume emphasizes professional skills. The combination of the two styles incorporates the strengths of both the chronological and the functional. Your resume should be short, easy to read, and use words that are familiar to the reader. The goal is to show off your achievements and minimize any weaknesses.
Length
You are encouraged to limit your resume to one page. Certainly, there are exceptions.
Identifying Information
There is no need to put the word "resume" or words "resume of" at the top of the page. This document has become recognizable and will speak for itself. Your name,phone number and e-mail address should be placed at the top of the page. If you choose to list your address and have a school address in addition to another address (parents, etc.), it is advisable to list those addresses where you might be reached. Be sure to update the address or phone number if changes occur.
Objective
Ideally, a resume will be specifically prepared for each employer. Because of this, use care in how you word your "career objective." If you are applying for positions in several different areas, the objective may be omitted from your resume. Education majors should replace "career objective" with "teaching field" because this is what they are certified for and it is not likely to change. To target a particular employer or career field, you may want to prepare individual resumes for the actual interview. Remember, cover letters can be used to serve the purpose of establishing why you are sending a resume and you will be the communicator of this information in the interview itself.
Education
Included in this section are undergraduate and graduate degrees earned. Most recent degrees are listed first (reverse chronological order). Include your major and minor if applicable. You may promote your marketable skills by putting other areas of academic emphasis; "15 hours computer science," "8 hours technical writing," etc. If space allows, you might even list some course titles. Grade point averages may be given in this section. Some students give their cumulative GPA or choose major GPA or junior/senior GPA, depending on which represents them most favorably. If you are not using the cumulative GPA, then label the GPA to explain it.
Experience
This section may include part-time or full-time work. It may also include internships and volunteer experiences. Name, city and state location of the organization, your title or position, and dates worked should be included. Describe your experiences in active, marketable skill-related terms and emphasize accomplishments.
OTHER CATEGORIES:
Extracurricular Activities
This section may be titled many different ways. What you want to emphasize is the name of the organization, leadership roles, accomplishments and dates. Involvement in activities can and should be presented in such a way to show that you can interact with others, motivate, problem-solve, and achieve goals.
Languages
State your foreign language skills and accurately indicate your fluency. Foreign studies and/or travel might be appropriately placed here.
Study Abroad
Study abroad can be listed in it's own section or in Education.
Skills
A skills summary can be a strong section to add, particularly for a generalist or for someone with varied work experience. Focus on objective marketable skills for the field you are targeting.
Computer Languages/Literacy
State your language knowledge and level of ability. For example: basic knowledge, conversational, or fluent.
Interests
The addition of a section on personal hobbies can provide the interviewer with helpful information. However, you should rarely delete other, more useful information to allow space for this section.
Personal
Personal data such as age, sex, weight, and place of birth were, at one time, a standard listing on the resume. Since the passing of equal employment legislation, this material is usually omitted. Unless you believe this is truly beneficial to the job you are seeking, this information is now considered to have little impact on hiring decisions and is generally omitted. Because relocation and willingness to travel are often a requirement for some career opportunities, University Career Center suggests that phrases such as "willing to travel," "willing to relocate" or "seek position in Southwest or Texas" be placed in the near the top of your resume, either in the job objective or in a profile section or in another section of the resume.
References
At some point during the hiring procedure you will be asked to furnish references. With few exceptions, your references will be contacted regarding your employability.
Though you may have written references in your application, we encourage you to list your references on a separate document. Include each reference's name, title, address, phone number and e-mail address. Only list those persons who have given you permission to do so.