Build Your Resume
Show up prepared
Resumes serve as your first impression, highlighting your professional journey and demonstrating your fit for the position. A well-crafted resume can set you apart from other candidates and showcase your unique skills and accomplishments. It includes relevant information, presented clearly and formatted for readability. Whether updating a resume or drafting one for the first time, ask yourself:
- Is the purpose clear?
- Are the needs of the recipient addressed?
- Are the necessary skills or experiences included?
Resume checklist
Overall appearance
Do:
- Edit document to an appropriate length
- Left justify titles and organizations
- Right justify date ranges and include month and year
- Use color only as an accent
Don't include:
- Spelling or grammar errors
- Personal pronouns in bullet points
- Graphics, artwork or pictures
- References (create a separate page with a consistent header)
Font & formatting
- Font is easy to read (at least 10 point, sans serif)
- Font size is consistent
- Spacing is consistent
- Use of periods after bullets is uniform
- Sections are easy to differentiate
- Bold, underline and italics are used sparingly
- Margins are between .5” and 1”
Header
The header's primary purpose involves sharing important contact information with employers.
Required
- Name is bold, at the top and the biggest thing on the page (12-18 point font)
- Phone number, with a professional voicemail
- Professional email address
Optional
- Full mailing address or city, state
- LinkedIn URL, portfolio URL or online project URL
Education
Required
- Institution
- Degree
- Major (if not included in degree title)
- University degrees complete and in-progress are listed in reverse chronological order
- In-progress degrees should include expected graduation date
Optional
- GPA if above 3.0
- Double major
- Minor(s)
- Certificates
- Study abroad
Experience
Required
- Position title
- Organization or company
- City, state
- Consistent formatting
- Date ranges include month and year
- Bullet points should start with a strong action verb
- Three to four bullet points that emphasize results, achievements, duties and transferable skills
- Incorporate industry terminology and keywords
- Include academic projects or leadership experience, in case of limited work experience
Section titles
- Professional experience, work experience, related experience and additional experience
- Technical skills
- Volunteer experience, campus leadership, community involvement
- Achievements, awards and honors, professional affiliations, memberships
- Communication experience, leadership experience, lab experience, research experience, academic projects
- Certifications, language proficiencies, technical skills
- Publications, research areas
Make Your resume stand out
Build effective bullet points
- Start each sentence with an action verb using present tense for ongoing roles and past tense for prior experiences.
- Include keywords from the job description in your summaries. Highlight transferrable skills from your experience that match the employer’s needs.
- Describe the impact this responsibility had on yourself or others.
Tailor your resume
Tailoring your resume to each job is crucial for making a strong impression on potential employers. Here's how to do it:
- Match Keywords: Incorporate keywords from the job description into your resume.
- Customize Your Content: Utilize sections that allow you to highlight information for your industry or field; Research Experience, Technical Qualifications, Language Proficiencies, Certifications.
- Prioritize Content: Arrange your resume content to feature the most relevant information at the top.
Application tracking systems
- Build your resume in Word without using a template.
- Tailor your resume to include keywords from each job posting.
- Organize professional experiences by category with descriptive headers.
99%of Fortune 500 companies utilize an ATS
75%of recruiters manage job candidates through an ATS
Use AI to develop job search materials
Learn the best practices for incorporating AI into your job search
while maintaining the authenticity and personal touch that employers value.
Frequently asked questions