Build a Resume

What is a resume?

A resume is a document that provides a concise outline of your job-related experiences and academic background. The purpose of a resume is not to get you a job, but an interview. Resumes are a screening device for employers so they can decide whether you are someone they would like to meet and learn more about.

Think of your resume as a commercial: How can you best present yourself? Know your audience and highlight what you can offer them!

These guidelines are general suggestions, not hard and fast rules. Resume content, formats, and styles may vary according to individual preferences and career fields (e.g., what is "creative" in advertising and public relations may be too flashy for finance or physical therapy).

How do I list my experience?

Make a list of all your past and present job and accomplishments. Make sure to include what you did (your responsibilities and skills used/developed) and to what extent. Remembering what you did may be easier if you think about your experiences in the following categories.

Jobs Education Community Service Technical skills Internships

Campus activities Research experience Significant class projects Awards/honors Foreign languages

How do I organize my resume?

Chronological resumes

Chronological resumes list jobs and experiences in reverse chronological order with most recent work first. This style of resume is most frequently used by students and recent graduates.

Advantages:

• Easiest to prepare
• Easiest for employers to read
• Most familiar to employers

Disadvantages:

• Reveals employment gaps
• Can emphasize experiences you want to minimize

Functional resumes

Functional resumes present information under headings. Abilities and experiences are grouped according to job-related functions such as research, statistical analysis, outreach, supervision and teaching.

Advantages:

• Emphasizes skill areas applicable to a specific field of work
• Not typically used by recent college graduates, so these resumes stand out

Disadvantages:

• More difficult to write
• Requires an in-depth look at the skills you possess, how you developed them, and which you choose to market

The following information is most applicable to chronological resumes.

Contact info

Make sure your full name is at the top and stands out from your address. Remember you want to be noticed. If you have no phone, indicate a number at which messages can be left. If you are between addresses, you may want to list two present address and permanent address (usually relatives who know how to contact you) Include an e-mail address and be sure to check it regularly. Tip: Avoid inappropriately named e-mail addresses (such as burpingking@xxx).

Education

List schools attended (most recent first), dates, degrees, and certificates awarded, specialized course work, and overseas study. Be sure to include scholarships, GPA (if over 3.0) and academic/school-related awards such as dean's list, honor societies or "Work-Study Student of the Year" High school listing is optional.

What are common headings?

Experience

This section can be arranged in a number of ways or divided into more than one section, depending on your individual experiences.

Professional development, related experience, relevant experience, or/and professional experience:
These types of sections may include paid employment, volunteer positions, internships, and campus activities or independent study projects where you received "hands-on" experience that relates to the types of positions you are applying for and demonstrates exposure to and competence in your area of professional interest. Each listing should include your position title, the organization, the locations (city and state), and dates you were involved. Describe each experience using action verbs (e.g., "Supervised ten campus counselors," "Handled bookkeeping duties for family business"), including your responsibilities, skills used, and accomplishments.

General employment, employment, or work history
Here, list only paid experiences (full-time, part-time/work-study, summer jobs) that are not professionally related (if you've used a "related experience" category). Again, give job titles, organization names, locations, dates and a brief description of responsibilities, accomplishments and/or skills.

Tip: Extensive list of action verbs that can help you build a stronger resume. View action verbs that can help.

What are other optional sections?

Extra sections

Summary of qualifications or skills Professional memberships or affiliations Professional development Licenses or certifications Articles or publications Student Leaderships

Activities Interests or hobbies Military experience Honors and awards Foreign languages Computer skills

Tip: The following sections are optional and should be included only if they market you effectively. Remember your space limitations: a one page resume is generally recommended, especially for recent graduates.

Professional objective (also called "job" or "career objective"):

This optional statement should be concise (one or two sentences) and indicate the type of work or position you are seeking. It should suggest as clearly as possible a sense of purpose and direction. Avoid vague or overly general statements.

Examples:

Objective: Seeking a position as a physical therapist in a clinical environment.

Objective: To obtain an entry-level position in the field of public relations

Tip: It is not always appropriate or necessary to include an objective on your resume. You may want to include these statements in your cover letter instead, enabling you to tailor your application to specific jobs and organizations. If you are having difficulty focusing on a job or career direction, you may want to meet with a career counselor for assistance.

What about references?

References are people you contact who agree to speak with potential employers regarding their interactions with you. Your references should be professional references, not personal — meaning that they should be able to provide insight regarding your skills, experiences, and work ethic. This section is optional in that an employer will ask for your references whether or not you indicate that your references are "available upon request." When identifying professional references, you should list them on a separate page, providing names, titles, work addresses, phone numbers, e-mail, and fax numbers. Read reference FAQs. Sample list of references:

References for Harris Millis

Ms. Rachel Redstone
Director, Jones Research
111 Jones Lane
Burlington, VT 05401
802-654-0000
rredstone@jonesresearch.com

Ms. Redstone was my internship supervisor at Jones Research.

Dr. Ira Chittenden
Professor, English Department
University of Vermont
200 Old Mill
Burlington, VT 05405
802-656-1111
Ira.Chittenden@uvm.edu

Dr. Chittenden was my academic advisor as well as my thesis advisor.

Ms. Tracy Trinity
Program Director, King Street Youth Center
100 King Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802-658-2222
trinity@kingstreet.org

Ms. Trinity hired me first as a general volunteer and then as the coordinator of the King Street Youth Center Writing Club.

How do I present and deliver my resume?

Paper and layout

Use a high-quality printing for your resume. Make copies on resume quality paper stock of your choice or you can use a professional copier service. Include a cover letter on matching paper. You can send your resume in either a large envelope or a business envelope that matches your resume and cover letter paper. Business envelopes may be read more quickly; large envelopes allow you to send your documents without folding them, allowing then to lay flat and copy easier.

What other things should I keep in mind?

Know your audience

As much as possible, include experiences that are relevant to the work you seek. Use the jargon of the field if you know it. If you don't, do some research.

Advertise your strengths

Write powerfully, beginning your statements with action verbs. Tip: View action verbs that can help.

Focus on accomplishments and the results of your work. Use numbers and/or percentages when possible to make your examples more specific and impressive.

Make your resume skimmable:

The body and layout should be concise. Write in fragments, not sentences. Put fragments in paragraph form or list them with a bullet point or other symbol preceding.

How do I submit my resume electronically?

Many employers will ask you to submit your resume via e-mail. Clarify whether they would like your resume as an attachment or in the body of the e-mail. Follow their directions exactly!

• If the employer would like your resume in the body of the e-mail, copy and paste the content of your resume in, delete all formatting (underlines, bullets, tabs, etc.) Left justify everything.
• If the employer would like your resume as an attachment, make sure you submit your resume with their software requirements in mind. (If they ask you to submit it using Word 2003 or higher, do not submit your resume in Word 95.)
• If they do not have a software preference, attach your resume with your name as the title (e.g., SallyStudentResume.doc). You can include your cover letter in the body of the the e-mail or as a separate attachment. Include a short statement in the body of the e-mail, such as "Please find attached my cover letter (title) and resume (title), expressing my interest for (the) position. Please let me know if you need any further information."
• You may want to save it as a PDF or RTF to ensure your formatting stays consistent. Indicate what your resume is named as well as the software you used.

You may be asked to submit your resume directly through a company/organization website or a third party job search site (e.g. Experience, Career Builder). One option to maintain formatting is to convert your resume to a PDF or RFT. Though you may be able to copy and paste from your current resume for time efficiency and accuracy, be sure to check guidelines.

Last modified May 17 2013 03:48 PM