Resumes

Man marking up his resume on paper

The average hiring manager spends 6 seconds looking at a resume to decide whether it goes into the trash or deserves further consideration. Your resume is a marketing document, a snapshot of your accomplishments. You must carefully tailor your resume to each position that you apply for in order to stand out among other applicants.

Resume Components:

  • Your name, phone number and e-mail address (including your address could work against you if the position is far from your home)
  • Summary- Why should they hire you?
    • Concise statement that highlights your skills and experience
  • Relevant Experience (work, volunteer, professional organizations)
  • Relevant Skills (soft and technical)
  • Education

Tips for Writing a Resume:

  1. Use whitespace, headings, bulletpoints to make your resume easy to read
  2. List positions in reverse chronological order with company/organization name, location, employment dates (year and month)
    • List achievements and responsibilities of that position
    • Use action verbs (past tense for past experiences, present tense for current experiences)
    • Quantify your achievements- Show the impact
  3. Use keywords (skills and qualifications) from the job description
  4. Move the most relevant and marketable information to the top. Keep it to one page, unless you have extensive experience

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