Resumes

Adapted from Job Hunting Strategies Guide

• Creating a resume is a very important starting point for your career.  Your resume will be your expanded business card which will allow employers to gain insight into your education, work experience, activities & leadership as well as your skills.  As you grow professionally and as student, you will continue to add new experiences and edit your existing resume.
• The basic purpose of a resume is to present your experiences, skills, and accomplishments in a manner and sequence that best connects your background with the requirements of the positions you are interested in.  Remember that your resume is the main tool you use to get an interview.
• It is not a biography or an essay; it is a profile.  Most importantly, it should differentiate you from the hundreds of other candidates.

Types of Résumés

• There is no universally accepted format for preparing a resume; in fact, there are various formats which meet individual needs.  The choice of font size and type is entirely personal.  Times New Roman is generally the most popular font and usually most recommended.  Don’t use fonts that look too “flashy” or “unprofessional”.  Avoid using colors or anything else that will distract the potential employer.
• Your resume should be brief, businesslike, and accurately reflect  the type of job you are seeking in terms of style and content.  Probably the most common format is the chronological résumé which describes each job in reverse chronological order (from most recent listed first to least recent listed last).
• Remember you want the employer to focus on the content of your resume, therefore, presenting the information in a clear and concise manner will work to your advantage.