Resume Writing Basics

1. Purpose

The purpose of the resume is to convince employers of what you have to offer, and how your skills match the skills he/she is seeking for the opening.

2. How To Start

Brainstorm by making a list of qualifications with the following headings: Education, Special Skills (such as foreign languages, computer programming skills, etc.), Experience, Activities, and Awards. At this point, don’t worry about format just focus on putting the information down on paper.

3. Contents

Your resume should include five basic blocks of information.

  1. Identification: Include your name, address (both campus and permanent, if you are not from the area), phone number, and e-mail. Since you will be leaving campus after graduation, you might want to say until what date you will be at the campus address. For example: Campus Address (until x/xx/xx)
  2. Objective: Some recruiters like to see an objective and some don’t care about them, but you will never hurt yourself by having a good, targeted objective that makes a resume look more focused. This statement should be concise, specific, include the name of the company (and position, if appropriate) and should focus on what you have to offer an employer.

Examples:

  1. position-oriented: ex: A video journalist or related position at ____ (company name).
  2. field/skill-oriented: ex: A sales or related position at ____ (company name) which would allow me to use my communication skills and marketing experience.

  3. Education: Here is where you state: your degree (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Business Administration); name of school; city; state; your major(s); and date of graduation. Include your GPA if it is a 3.0 or better, using the format of GPA: 3.2/4.0, or GPA 3.43/4.00. If you attended another college or university for a significant length of time, skip a line and list the name of your other school(s), city and state, and dates you attended. If you participated in a study abroad, skip a line after your university information and list it in the format of: Study Abroad: Name of University, city, country, dates
  1. Experience: Employers prefer the reverse chronological format. List the most recent job first, the next most recent and so on. It is easy to read and identifies your work experience clearly. Include summer, part-time, full-time, in-depth volunteer, and campus work as well as co-ops, internships, and extensive externships. Include only the jobs you had while you were in college unless they are particularly relevant to the job you are seeking. You need to include all the important information: Job title, name of employer, city, state, and dates of employment. Highlight achievements/accomplishments and skills developed. Use the Action Verbs and Transferrable Skills sheets included in this handout to restate tasks with action verbs and powerful, concise statements.
  2. References: If you have room, you may state that they are available upon request. Always make a separate reference page. Three to five references are appropriate. Include names, titles, addresses, and phone numbers. ASK PERMISSION BEFORE USING INDIVIDUALS AS REFERENCES. See sample reference sheet included in this handout.
  3. Optional Sections:
    1. Activities: List any campus or community activities you've been involved with while in college. List the name of the organization and positions held (if any).
    2. Special skills: List any relevant skills for the position to which you are applying (i.e. computer or foreign language skills)
    3. Honors/Awards/Scholarships: Focus on any special achievements or recognitions. If listing scholarships, describe their nature (i.e. academic, leadership based, etc.)

4. Final Notes

  • Proofread! (in other words, edit very carefully!).
  • Keep it to one page if at all possible.
  • Use the same style of font throughout your resume, references, and cover letter; use the same size font throughout as well, with the exception of your name, which should be larger.
  • Use italics and bold to emphasize and highlight, but don't over do it.
  • You must have different resumes for each type of position you are seeking.
  • Use good quality resume paper. White or ivory are the most acceptable colors. You can print on the resume paper or print on plain paper and have it copied (professionally) onto resume paper.