Resumes

A resume is a marketing tool that sells YOURSELF to potential employers. It lists your qualifications and skills, describes your accomplishments, your experiences and your education, all of which are tailored to address keywords in the job description or meet the perceived needs if no position description is available.

Essential parts of a resume:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail address
• Objective (optional)
• Education background
• Work, internship & volunteer experiences
• Computer skills
• Foreign languages
• Professional and student organization involvement
• Licenses and accreditation
• Honors/Awards/Achievements
  
  

What your resume should NOT include:

• Personal data such as height, weight, age, marital status or your photograph 
• Reasons for leaving a job 
• References - make a separate page for references 
• Salary - if a salary record is requested, discuss it in the cover letter 
• Early childhood and upbringing 
• Weaknesses - demands, and exaggerations
• Long paragraphs - use short statements or bullets
• Hobbies - unless they relate to professional interests
  
  

What is a Job Objective?

A job objective is a statement of what you want to do and the level at which you want to do it. The objective needs to be clear and specific. A good objective might include the type of industry you are interested in, the level of responsibility, and your area of interest (i.e. An entry-level marketing position in the hospitality industry.)

What is a Chronological Resume vs. a Functional/Skills Resume?

A chronological resume is a listing of positions you have held listed by date, beginning with your most recent position and working backwards. The experience section of a chronological resume should include the title of the position, name of the organization and location (city & state), dates of employment (month & year) and a brief description of accomplishments and achievements.

A functional/skills resume rearranges employment history into sections that highlight areas of skill and accomplishment. Functional formats stress what skills you have, rather than where and when you used them.
 

Other important things to consider: 

• Resumes often get less than one minute of an employer’s time - make yours count. 
• Keep it simple, concise and accurate. 
• Proofread, then proofread again and ask someone else to review it for you. 
• The length should be one page, two if you have a lot of relevant experience. 
• See a Career Advisor!