What is a Resume?

A resume is a one-page formal document that job seekers submit to hiring managers and employ­ment recruiters as a means of showing their work experience, educational background, and special skill sets. Successful resumes entice potential employers to invite applicants to interview for the position.

Structure

There’s no one right way to set up a resume. Though there are certain aspects that you should consider that will best communicate your experiences.

• Highlighting your education experience (i.e., include a list of courses you have taken that are relevant to the job)
• What skill sets you could provide
• Relevant and professional experience that aligns with the role
• Leadership experience
• Your on-campus involvement
• Community or volunteer experience

Space-Saving Tips

With the limit of keeping your resume to one page you have to optimize as much space as possible. How do you maximize space and keep your resume on these confines? Consider these ideas:

• Consider deleting a section that might not be as important as others (i.e., summary, objective, etc.)
• Reduce the margins from the standard 1” for a little extra space
• Keep your heading small. No more than 1.5” at the most
• Depending on the font, consider if you can decrease the size. Size 11 font is recommended so the content is still legible
• Combine experiences from the same organization or highlight promotions by referencing past roles in the current role
• Decrease font size between paragraphs

What Are Employers Looking For?

Employers spend on average 6 seconds reviewing your resume. Here’s how you can make yourself stand out from other applicants. Use bolding, underlining, or italics to communicate the most important information.

Headings: Should provide organization that allows the reviewer to process information quickly

Role Titles: Unlike company names a lot of role titles are universal. They quickly communicate and can show experiences an individual has gained

Accomplishments: Showcase your accomplishments and the impact you had by quantifying your bullet points (i.e. adding metrics and numbers)

Describing Your Experiences

It’s not only what you do that’s important, it’s also why you do it, the outcomes, and the quantifiable results. When describing your experiences include a power verb, context, and result.

Here is an example of how you can add more detail to a simple bullet point:

• Planned events vs Successfully coordinated logistics for events with 100+ guests
• Managed interns vs Managed a team of three interns to successfully complete a marketing project