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Resume Guide

What is a Resume?

Writing an effective resume is part science, part art, and part effort and time. A resume is a brief summary of your background; a snapshot of your skills and abilities. Its primary purpose is to obtain an interview. It should be a clear, accurate and succinct document that outlines your career objective, education, skills/accomplishments and work experience. The Career Center has assembled some sample resume's in HTML and MS Word versions.

Guidelines on Writing an Effective Resume

If you read 20 different books on writing resumes, you will find 20 different styles and versions. There is no correct version. The most common forms include:

Chronological Resume: This type of resume is the most commonly used and outlines your past work experience. It is most effective when your work experience relates directly to the job description. Work experience is listed in reverse chronological order accompanied by a brief description of the duties performed in each position. This resume type is most frequently used by individuals with several years of experience in a single career field.

Functional Resume (also known as skills-based resume): The functional resume emphasizes your strengths and skills. It is best used when you have limited work experience directly related to the job description. Past responsibilities, accomplishments, and skills are organized into categories such as: communication, organization, program planning, accounting, etc. A brief statement of tasks performed and responsibilities assumed is included in each category. An abbreviated, reverse chronological work experience section is listed at the bottom of the resume in the following order: past job title, name of employer or organization, dates of work.

Combination Resume: The combination resume blends the functional and chronological resume styles and is best used if you have a strong performance record in a single career field. The combination resume typically begins with a list of relevant accomplishments or capabilities and then switches to the chronological approach and lists job titles, companies and dates with further evidence of achievements. The format of this style of resume may vary, especially if you have little related work experience.

Preparing to Write a Resume
Be sure to examine all of your life experiences before writing the resume. Paid work is only one dimension. Volunteer work and internships are equally important. Consider skills developed through community service, academic courses, campus activities, extracurricular activities, etc. Evaluate and assess your skills, interests and values. Emphasize those experiences related to the job description. Research your potential employer and know the labor market.

Creating Your Resume

• Use a clear, legible font such as Courier, Times, Helvetica, New Century or Palatino with a size of 10-14 points.
•  Leave a one-inch margin all around your resume. 
• A typical recruiter initially scans a resume for only 30 seconds. Keep your resume neat, clean and simple. In most circumstances it should be contained to one page in length. In exceptional cases, a resume may extend to two pages; this is particularly true if you have extensive work experience directly related to the job for which you are applying. 
• Print your resume on white or buff 20-24 pound stock paper. Always print with a laser printer. Remember your resume may change hands several times before being forwarded to the hiring official. 
• Draft and/or revise your resume to fit the specific qualifications of the position for which you are applying. 
• Correct grammar is absolutely essential. Proofread your resume several times and have other people check for typographical and grammatical errors. 
• Never exaggerate your capabilities or accomplishments. 
• Do not list references on your resume. They may be submitted on a separate sheet of paper. Include names, titles, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Be sure your name is at the top. 
• Always accompany your resume with a cover letter.  

  Graduate students and professors applying for academic positions produce a special resume called a Curriculum Vitae (CV). The CV is much longer in length (4-8 pages) than the normal resume and includes such information as publications, research topics, teaching experience, and presentations at conferences.

Resume Format

OBJECTIVE: The objective is optional. Only list an objective if it is detailed and specific to the position.

EDUCATION: List the degree and major first, followed by the date the degree was received or expected date. On the second line, list the university. List minors or second majors. Include junior college or Education Abroad Program if relevant. Do not include high school.

HONORS/AWARDS: List any honors or awards and the dates received.

RELEVANT COURSEWORK: Optional: List courses taken that are relevant to the job and/or laboratory research techniques.

SKILLS AND/OR ACHIEVEMENTS: Focus on your major areas of strength which relate to the job description. Use skills categories such as: Communication, Organization, Accounting, Teaching, etc. (See Clustering your Skills). Demonstrate how you achieved those skills by using action verbs to give concrete examples.

COMPUTER: Include computer skills. If you have many skills, you may wish to list them under such headings as: Software, Hardware, etc.

LANGUAGE: Include any foreign languages and level of proficiency.

WORK EXPERIENCE: List most recent employment experience first. List job titles, names of employing organizations, and dates of employment. Include volunteer work, internships etc.

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES: Optional: List positions or offices held, names of organizations, dates of involvement, and description of your activities.

Sample Resume Handouts:

• Chronologicxal Resume Example #1
• Chronologicxal Resume Example #2
• Functional Resume Example #1
• Functional Resume Example #2
• Combination Resume Example #1
• Combination Resume Example #2
• Combination Resume Example #3
• "No Work Experience" Resume Example