An effective résumé gets you an interview, not a job. An employer will usually spend 10 to 15 seconds reviewing your résumé. That’s why the content of your résumé must be clear, concise, and targeted to the type of job for which you are applying.

Sample Résumés - Sample resumes are available through this link.  However, none are "perfect." Review Parts of a Resume below to determine how to write a resume that best highlights your qualifications.  
Résumé Action Words - Use action-oriented words to describe your accomplishments and job responsibilities. This list includes over 400 action words. 
Curriculum Vitae - Find helpful information on writing a CV.

WHY WRITE A RESUME?

• To highlight your accomplishments
• To point out your skills and focus on your objectives
• To draw attention to your experience
• To target your abilities and interests toward a specific career
• To gain an employer’s attention and interest
• To make the employer want to talk to you

HOW DO YOU USE YOUR RESUME?

• For an actual job opening
• To inquire if openings exist
• To give your references pertinent, easy to find information
• To hand out to networking contacts
• To refer to during an interview

DO...

• Use one inch margins so your resume doesn’t look crammed or cluttered
• Limit your resume to one page unless you have extensive experience
• Use neatness, organization, and correct grammar
• Gear your résumé to the needs of the employer accentuating your most marketable skills and experience
• Proofread
• Remove hyperlinks
• Omit pronouns such as (I, me, we, you, they)
• Use action words that reflect skill development. See Résumé Action Words
• List bullet points and sentence fragments to provide concise focus
• Order the most important information first
• Always send a cover letter with your résumé even when applying on-line or through email
• Use top quality white, off-white, ivory, or very light gray, bond paper of at least 20-pound weight, size 8 ½” x 11.” Darker paper may not photocopy or scan well
• Print your résumé on a laser printer.  All computer labs and the Center for Career Services have laser printers

DON'T...

• Use abbreviations, except for GPA or states
• Staple or paperclip your resume, cover letter and reference page
• Include more than one type of bullet point
• Use long explanatory paragraphs or wordiness
• Be dishonest or boastful
• Use funny icons or clip art
• Disregard the importance of layout
• Print on a dot matrix printer
• Use résumé templates in Microsoft Word. Templates do not create effective résumés based on what we know about employers' opinions. Many employers view this as a quick, easy and LAZY way to format a résumé.

TIPS

• In your first draft, write everything. Then organize and edit your résumé to fit one page. Keep this draft!
• If you are just barely going onto a second page adjust the size of your layout, font, spacing, or margins (margins no less than .9).  Fill your page with information from left to right instead of top to bottom. 11-point font is generally the smallest font you should use since smaller fonts are difficult to read. If you must go onto a second page fill it at least ¾ of the way with relevant information. On the second page indicate at the top or bottom of the page that it’s a continuation of your résumé.  List the total number of pages (Degenstein, page 2 of 2).
• Emphasize important items by CAPITALIZING, bolding,  underlining, using asterisks (*) or solid bullet points (•) to help highlight items you want to bring to the reader’s attention. Don’t overuse these graphics or they will lose impact. Never use italics or underlining in a résumé that will be scanned. Use one graphic to highlight a word. Do not BOLD AND UNDERLINE a word. It's too much of a good thing! Note: Italics typically makes a word appear smaller as opposed to making it stand out. 
• Computers are being used more frequently to read resumes for key words, including: degree information, job functions, industry-specific acronyms, and job titles. List as many of these as possible so your resume will register on these searches. 
• Have someone PROOFREAD your résumé. If there is a typo or grammatical error on your résumé, you may be eliminated as a candidate. Your résumé may be the only chance you get to make an impression on a potential employer so make it a good one.

PARTS OF A RESUME

1. Heading
   Name, present and/or permanent mailing addresses, telephone numbers including area codes, and one e-mail address. Seniors may get a permanent e-mail address from the Office of Alumni Relations.
    
2. Career Objective or Summary of Qualifications
   This section is optional but even that is controversial. If you are applying for a specific job or within a specific career field, you may want to write a brief objective. If you are interested in more than one career field and cannot modify each objective statement on your résumé, omit this section and elaborate on your career goals or objectives in your cover letter. A poorly written objective will hurt you! Remember, it's not what the employer can do for you. It's what you can do for the employer! If you chose to include an objective, cover three points: job title, industry and three important skills necessary to do that job well. A Summary of Qualifications is usually three to five statements specifying your skills, achievements and training. It usually addresses specific abilities you possess that the potential employer is in need of or summarizes many years of work across multiple career fields. 
    
3. Education
   List the most recent post-secondary degree first: Include your degree (Bachelor of Science or Arts), Major/Minor/Concentration/Emphasis, the name of the institution, city, state, and the date of graduation. If you have not graduated indicate when you anticipate graduating (Expected: May, 2010). Consider special projects, curriculum highlights (accreditation), certificates, licenses, professional workshops/conferences, presentations, and study abroad experiences.
   
   List your GPA if it is a 3.0 or better. Consider listing your major GPA if it's higher than a 3.0, but your cumulative GPA is below a 3.0. If you worked during college you may include the percentage of college expenses you paid. You may also consider listing study abroad or domestic internship programs under this section. 
    
4. Relevant Coursework
   This section is viewed differently by employers depending on your profession.  For some it should only be included if you do not have a work experience or activities section on your résumé. In many cases the employer is looking for candidates with specific degrees because he/she knows what courses you’ve taken to prepare you for the position. For students who obtain their practical skills through hands-on experiences (such as laboratories or scene shops) it is best to include a relevant coursework section. 
    
5. Experience
   Provide relevant and positive information about your experiences whether they are part-time, full-time. Do not be discouraged if you have never had employment in your field. Focus on your skills, accomplishments, and responsibilities that are relevant to your career field (class projects, senior thesis, volunteer work, campus activities and leadership positions, student teaching, practica, internships or externships). This is what is of interest to potential employers. You may consider including a special projects section instead. 
   
   Two popular formats include a chronological and functional résumé.
• Chronological is the most common format for students entering entry-level jobs. List jobs beginning with most recent first.
• Functional can be helpful if you have little relevant work experience or gaps in employment. Cluster your experience under headings that highlight your skills and talents (Leadership, Research, Information Technology, Communication Skills).

Include your job title, the name of the company/organization, city, state, and dates of employment (month/year – unless you are using a functional résumé). Under each position list your responsibilities starting with an action word (created, implemented, assisted, completed) and include the results of your actions. A bulleted list is generally preferred over paragraph form.  Employers usually prefer not to read through entire paragraphs to find important information. For each position you apply for rank order the information within your bullet points from most important to least important.  Highlight increases in responsibility or promotions. When possible quantify your accomplishments for example increased sales by $9,000 or supervised 130 children ages three and four. If you have direct experience and unrelated work experience, you may divide your experience into those two separate sections.
 

6. Activities
   Include university and community activities, organizations to which you belong and activities closely tied to the needs of the employer or career field you are entering. Be sure to list the dates of your participation. Carefully consider which religious, political activities or Greek activities to include. Potential bias could be an issue.
    
7. Honors
   List awards, scholarships, honorary societies, Dean’s list, and include dates.
    
8. Certifications/Licensure
   If you have a certification or licensure (teaching, CPA, CFA) that is relevant to the position, you may wish to list "Certifications" or "Licensure" as a heading and include this information. Place this section higher on your résumé than other less related information.
    
9. Professional Associations/ Professional Conferences
   If you are a member of professional associations, (American Psychological Association) have presented at a conference or attended professional conferences you should include this on your résumé. Again, place this section higher on your résumé than other less related information.
    
10. Military Services
    Identify the branch of service, locations, rank, and dates. Describe assignments, achievements and relevant skills. Avoid using technical terms.
     
11. References
    Provide a reference page. Ask each individual’s permission before listing him/her as a reference. Attach a separate sheet of paper listing three to five names with title, organization, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Many employers now ask for a letter of interest (cover letter), résumé and three to five references in order to apply for a position. Follow directions and send your reference page. It looks silly to have "References available upon request" listed at the bottom of your resume when the employer has already made the request. If references are not requested as part of your application, you may wait until the final stages of the interviewing process before providing a prospective employer with your references. Be ready to provide your reference list during or at the end of an interview. 

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