Resumes
Utilize these resources to help build your RESUME:
KEEP IT CONCISE
- Employers only spend a few seconds on each resume, so make it quick and easy for them to get the needed information.
- A long, wordy resume will put off someone who is already short on time.
- Resumes should be one page, if possible, and two if absolutely necessary to describe relevant work experience.
MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT
- Avoid long paragraphs – if you provide small digestible pieces of information, you stand a better chance of having your resume read.
- Use Resume Action Verbs
- Do not use declarative sentences like “I assisted in” – Leave out the “I” and lead with the action verb
- Avoid passive constructions, such as “was responsible for managing” – “Managed” is a lot stronger and more active.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE
- Potential employers need to know what you have accomplished to have an idea of what you can do for them.
- Be as specific as you can about the work that you have done.
POINT OUT YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
- List any awards, honors, achievements and extra-curricular activities that will emphasize leadership and teamwork.
- Don’t mention personal characteristics such as age, height and/or martial status.
- List your hobbies and interests only if you can relate them to the position that you are applying for – if you need the space to describe actual work experience, leave this off altogether.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT
- Use 8 ½ x 11, standard, non-textured, fine-grained paper in white, buff or ivory.
- Edit and critique it carefully. Check it for proper grammar and correct spelling. Nothing can ruin your chances of getting a job faster than submitting a resume filled with easily preventable mistakes.
- Use normal margins and do not cram your text onto the page.
- Use employers, faculty and career advisers as resources in resume preparation – benefit from the experience of others.
TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE
- Emphasize what you can do for an employer.
- Revise it as often as necessary.
- Tailor your resume for specific positions.
- Remember to only include experience that is relevant to the job.
BE HONEST
- There is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it.
- No one ever got a job and kept it by lying.
USE A GOOD COVER LETTER
- Your resume should never travel alone! Always send it with a good cover letter.
