Résumés

CUSSW Office of Career & Leadership Development

What is a résumé?

To begin, a resume is a marketing tool (it is not an autobiographical summary). You are marketing yourself to a potential employer, showcasing those skills, achievements, and qualifications that relate directly to the type of position(s) you are pursuing. It should be written with great care and consideration, and always targeted toward the specific employer to whom you are applying. It should include specific descriptions that give the reader a solid picture of your accomplishments and capabilities. Therefore, an effective resume is edited for each and every job to which you apply.

What are the standards for formatting and length?

The required length of a resume depends on the sector to which you are applying. For corporate positions, one page resume is essential. For social service and education-type positions, a two page resume is acceptable, as long as the content warrants it. Longer is not necessarily better.

Be sure to

Lead with your strengths! Select and order the major content categories so that the most relevant information is visible first.
Use action verbs to describe your achievements, depicting yourself as someone who produces, develops, analyzes or introduces, as opposed to one who participated in or was responsible for.
Vary the verbs used, and always use the present tense for current jobs and past tense for previous jobs- see the Power Verb list in this handout.
Emphasize skills and experience related to your field of interest and/or positions desired
Include occupation or industry specific-key words.
Be achievement and results-oriented in your position descriptions. Communicate your skills, capabilities, and accomplishments. Quantify achievements by citing numbers, dollars, percentages or time if possible
Add to the visual appeal of your resume by utilizing bold, italics, all capital letters, or underlining for emphasis. Use an attractive font at 11 or 12 points
Proofread carefully!!!!! Errors are unacceptable. Have someone else proofread your resume as well.
Be consistent in your formatting- watch how you list states, dates, etc.

Do NOT

Do not include personal information such ashealth age, , marital status, height, weight, and religion.
Do not use the first person singular case (do not use “I”).
Do not lie or exaggerate.

Ask yourself

Have I effectively presented my skills, qualifications, and achievements?
Have I done enough research on the employer and the job to know what is needed in that position so I can match my skills to their needs? If not, what is missing?

Writing your resume is a time consuming and difficult process. Push yourself to do your best possible work.

What goes on a résumé?

Identification information

Include your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.

Summary or Professional Profile

Generally used by professionals with 4+ years of experience, this section consists of a brief paragraph or list of specific skills, accomplishments, and strengths that directly relate to your field of interest.

Education

In reverse chronological order (beginning with CUSSW); specify each college/university attended, its location (city and state), degree received, graduation date (month and year), and major.

Experience

List all positions in reverse chronological order. This section can include both paid and unpaid positions, or it can be divided into different categories (e.g., Professional Experience, Related Experience, Research Experience, Clinical Experience, Program Development Experience, International Experience, Volunteer Experience) in order to prioritize your experience.

For every position, include the following: employer, city, state, job title, dates of employment, and a description of your accomplishments. Focus on accomplishments that relate to the type of position you are seeking. Be sure to use power verbs that communicate relevant transferable skills

Honors/Awards

Honors may be listed as a separate category or included in other sections such as Education. List scholarships, assistantships, academic honors, community achievements, and/or professional awards.

Activities

Include involvement in community and campus activities/organizations. Highlight significant achievements such as committee work and leadership positions

Skills (Computer, Languages, etc.)

These can be listed as separate categories or grouped together under one general heading. All computer and language skills should be included on your resume.

Professional Affiliations

List the names of professional organizations to which you belong, indicating leadership positions and committee work where appropriate. Be sure to include the corresponding years of membership.

Papers/Publications/Presentations

List published works and presentations when appropriate.

Interests/Additional Information

Be specific and list interests/activities to which you devote considerable time or which you excel. List achievements that do not fit under other categories.