Resumes

What is a Resume?

Your resume is a concise summary of your education, experience, skills and accomplishments. It acts as a marketing tool to entice your reader to invite you to an interview!

General Resume Guidelines

  • One page for recent graduates; two pages if you have extensive work history.
  • Make your resume layout easy to read: Provide clear section headings. Use bullet points instead of blocks of text. Use 0.5-1.0” margins. Format text in 10-12 point font, with your name in 14-20 point font.
  • Proofread to eliminate typographical, spelling or grammatical errors. Don’t rely on spell-check.
  • Tailor contents to each job/application. Incorporate keywords and phrases from the job description.
  • List information in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent.
  • Organize information according to what is most relevant to the position and be selective about what you include.
  • Use consistent verb tense - use past tense for roles completed and present tense for positions you currently hold.
  • Some job boards and employer sites ask you to upload a plain text version of your resume.
  • Templates are not recommended as they are often designed for people with more work experience and the formatting may be less flexible for your needs. Refer to our resume samples instead.

Exceptions

Additional Resources

There is no one perfect resume or resume format, but below are some guidelines and best practices for creating a resume that works for you.

Building Your Resume: Essential Sections

The following sections are essential to include on every resume or CV. Click on the sections below to view tips and best practices.

Header & Contact Information

Must include: name, city/state, phone number, email

Optional elements: LinkedIn URL, online portfolio

Tips:

  • Make sure email, phone number and webpage are “employer appropriate” and typo-free
  • Full address is optional; city and state are sufficient
  • Voicemail should be set up with a greeting that includes your first and last name
  • Do not include social security number, birth date, gender, marital status, etc.

Education

Must include:

  • Name of school, degree earned, major and minor, expected graduation date
  • GPA is required for some fields
  • List your highest degree first followed by other degrees you have received (do not include high school)

Optional elements:

  • Education abroad
  • Related coursework (names only, not course numbers)
  • Academic honors

Tips:

  • Spell out the full name of university, degree and major

Experience

Must include:

  • Position title, organization name, start/end dates
  • 2-5 “accomplishment statements” in bullet point form
  • List experiences in reverse chronological order (most recent first)

Tips:

  • List your highest degree first followed by other degrees you have received
  • Include paid or unpaid positions, internships, military service, research and leadership experiences related to your objectives

Building Your Resume: Additional Sections

The following categories can be included on a resume. Choose the categories that best fit your goals, skills and experience.

Professional Profile or Objective Statement

Professional Profile:

  • Brief 3-5 sentence summary to advance and organize the key ideas for your reader.
  • Includes highlights of your experience, education, qualifications and career objectives that are most relevant to a specific field or position.

Objective Statement:

  • A one-line description of the position you’re applying for
  • Typically includes the job title and company name

Tips:

  • Your resume can include EITHER a Professional Profile OR an Objective Statement – but not both.

Skills

Must include:

  • Any skills you have that are listed in the job description
  • Only the skills you can perform with little or no supervision

Tips:

  • Use exact words/phrases from the job description. Some employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan your document for keywords.
  • Be sure to include your transferable skills on your resume.
  • Skills may be grouped into sub-categories such as laboratory skills; computer and software skills; research techniques; language skills; communication skills; and administrative or professional skills.
  • Consider including proficiency level (expert, proficient, intermediate, beginner), especially with technical skills.

Relevant Projects

Must include:

  • Project title, department/class name, start/end dates
  • 2-5 “accomplishment statements” in bullet point form
  • List projects in reverse chronological order (most recent first)

Tips:

  • Class or personal projects can be a great way to demonstrate evidence of knowledge or skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for.

Honors and Awards

Must include:

  • Name of award, grant, or scholarship
  • Date received

Tips:

  • If space allows, include a brief description of the award.
  • This can be its own section or included under Education.

Publications and Presentations

Must include:

  • Article or presentation title, name of publication or conference/meeting, date
  • Describe applicable skills, methods and techniques
  • List in reverse chronological order (most recent first)

Volunteer Activities or Community Service

Must include:

  • Organization name, start/end dates
  • List projects in reverse chronological order (most recent first)

Tips:

  • This section is helpful to include if you participate in meaningful community engagement activities not related to your career goals.
  • Any career-related volunteer activities should be listed in the Experience section.
  • List activities that require significant/ongoing time commitment, not single events.

References

Tips:

  • A list of 3-5 professional references should be prepared as a separate document. Do not include references on your resume.
  • Do not list “References available upon request.” If an employer wants this information, they will ask for it. 

Should You Include a Cover Letter?

When applying to a position, unless specifically requested not to do so, you should always include a cover letter. If only one document can be uploaded for an online application, you can combine your cover letter and resume into one PDF. Learn more about what content to include in a cover letter.