Resume Writing Guide

Overview

A professional resume serves as a tailored marketing tool, showcasing relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments for the specific opportunity you’re pursuing. Its aim is to secure an interview, not to provide a comprehensive autobiography. Recruiters typically spend 7 seconds or less on initial reviews, so it’s crucial to ensure yours stands out by including relevant information and understanding the audience. Including professional work, volunteer experiences, internships, projects, and coursework can demonstrate relevant skills. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to resumes.

Qualities in Effective Resumes

  1. Relevance: Effective resumes are tailored to the specific job or opportunity, highlighting experiences, skills, and accomplishments that directly align with the requirements and preferences of the employer.
  2. Clarity: Resumes should be clear, concise, and easy to read, with well-organized sections and bullet points that effectively communicate the candidate’s qualifications and achievements.
  3. Impact: Effective resumes use strong action verbs and accomplishment statements to demonstrate success in previous roles, leaving a memorable impression on recruiters or hiring managers.

Resume Structure and Content Guidelines

  • Aim for a one-page resume (two pages for experienced professionals).
  • Font size should be between 10 to 12 points with margins being set to narrow (.5in).
  • Utilize white space effectively to avoid overcrowding.
  • Exclude references from your resume; they should be provided separately.

Required Information

  1. Contact Information: Ensure you provide your name, phone number and email address. Optional: you can include your customized LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL.
  2. Education: Always list your educational experiences highlighting your degree, the institution, and the date of graduation or anticipated graduation date. Optional: include relevant coursework or academic achievements.
  3. Experience: Whether it is paid or unpaid, spotlight your achievements and contributions. Highlight the tasks you’ve undertaken and the impact you’ve made, showcasing your skills and capabilities effectively.

Market your Skills

  • When detailing your experiences, illustrate how you’ve applied both transferable and discipline-specific skills. Keep your focus on action, contribution, and impact throughout your descriptions. Tip: A strong bullet point or accomplishment statement will follow this format:
    • Action Verb + Task + Action to Complete Task + Results (use numbers to show scale or scope).
    • Example: Implemented (action verb) a new inventory tracking system (action) to streamline stock management processes (task), resulting in a 30% reduction in inventory holding costs (results) within 6 months.
  • Highlight relevant education and coursework, focus on courses directly related to the position.
  • Incorporate certifications, micro-certifications, or training programs, that showcase your expertise.
  • Showcase relevant skills or qualifications, prioritize those that are quantifiable and measurable such as proficiency in specific software, language fluency, project management, proficiency with technical tools.