Writing Your Résumé

Before You Get Started

Your résumé should demonstrate your value to a potential employer. Therefore, consider two main steps before writing your résumé.

Step 1. Research Your Intended Field or Industry

  • What kinds of skills, experience, and background are important to potential employers in your field?
  • What attributes do you have that would be of interest to a potential employer?

Research jobs that interest you. Look at the job requirements that occur most frequently for people at your experience level (co-op/internship, entry level, experienced, etc.). Hunt for key words and phrases that are common to the industry. Visit professional organization websites. Get to know what skills and attributes employers are looking for in a candidate.

Step 2. Evaluate Yourself

  • What do you have to offer an employer?
  • How do your experiences and abilities complement the industry research you did?

Highlight your skills, strengths, and accomplishments that fit the expectations and needs of jobs in your field. Remember to examine all facets of your life: work, volunteer, and activities. After all, managing the basketball team for four years might be more relevant than your paid job at the convenience store.

Sections in a Résumé

There are nine basic sections of a résumé. You may or may not use all of them. Steinbright encourages you to tailor your résumé as much as possible to highlight your talents, strengths, and experiences.

Résumé Formats

The information found in a résumé is often structured in one of three formats: chronological, functional, or combination. How you choose the appropriate one among them can depend on the amount of relevant experience you have and the sections of the résumé that you wish to emphasize.

  • Chronological Résumé – This is traditionally the most frequently used résumé format. While the name may be counterintuitive, a chronological résumé lists experiences in each section by the most recent first — often referred to as "reverse chronological order." In addition to providing a description of each job you have held, a chronological résumé can also include relevant coursework, activities and volunteer work, academic honors, and applicable skills.
  • Functional Résumé – This type of résumé focuses on transferable skills, aptitudes, and qualities that were learned in one setting, but are useful in a variety of situations. This kind of résumé is useful for someone whose background may not directly match the job for which they are applying. One drawback of this résumé is that it can be difficult to follow the sequence of your work history.
  • Combination Résumé – This résumé format is used to emphasize skills acquired through past work experience. The primary difference between a chronological résumé and the combination résumé is the order in which work experience appears. Instead of going in chronological order (most recent experience first), the combination résumé groups work experience according to the most important function of the job. On this résumé format, the employer's name, location, and position title are listed together with the job description. Alongside or just above the employment listing is a header that may say something like "communication," "administrative," or "technical."

Additional Résumé Guidelines

  • In general, limit your résumé to one full page as a co-op student and even as a recent graduate. Experienced professionals or graduate-level students may extend to two full pages. Depending on your industry, a curriculum vitae (CV) may be used and are generally three pages or more.
  • Proofread your résumé for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. Then have another person proofread your résumé for additional errors. Do not rely solely on a spell check program.
  • Be proud of your accomplishments, but never exaggerate or falsify information (e.g., inflated GPA, fabricated work experience). Employers will check your references and background information.
  • Do not list a desired salary or previous salary history.
  • Do not write the word "Résumé" at the top or the date you wrote your résumé.
  • Avoid abbreviations (State abbreviations are acceptable).
  • A photo of yourself or personal information including height, weight, eye/hair color, marital status, religious affiliation, Social Security number, or visa status/nationality should not be included on your résumé. This may automatically invalidate your candidacy, as it is illegal for employers in the United States to consider these factors when making hiring decisions.
  • If distributing your résumé electronically, be sure your résumé has an appropriate, clear filename. It is recommended that you include your full name and the word "resume" to make it easy for managers or recruiters to find and reference your résumé. For example, a file name could be "JohnSmithRésumé.pdf."
  • Including references or listing "References available upon request" is not necessary on your résumé; it is understood that you will supply references if an employer requests them. You should have a prepared references sheet [PDF] that contains your contact information and the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of at least three professional and/or personal references. You should obtain permission from your references before listing them on your references sheet and identify their preferred contact information (personal vs. work or school).
  • Use Correct Tenses. If the dates of an activity have an end date, write about them in the past tense. If you are currently involved in an activity or experience, or if an experience is ongoing, use the present tense. Maintain consistent tenses within each separate entry.

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