Below is a guide to resume writing. Please realize that this is simply a guide to get you started and that there are as many styles and opinions as there are recruiters & hiring personnel. Schedule a meeting with the Career Services Coordinator to receive individual feedback which will take your resume to the next level!
What is a resume?
A resume is a promotional document that highlights the experiences, achievements and accomplishments that are relevant to the job, internship, or specialized program that you are applying for. These items do not all need to come from paid work experiences, rather, a grouping of paid work, extracurricular or volunteer, and educational experiences.
What is its purpose?
Now that your cover letter has drawn the employer (or admissions person) to review your resume, you must polish the resume to the point of getting you the interview that you truly deserve! Keep in mind that a resume is your only sales tool at this point - it must demand attention, create interest, and generate action on the part of the reader. Your resume must provide enough information to enable the reader to assess your qualifications and convince them to invite you for an interview. In saying this, modesty is a fantastic quality, but set this characteristic aside when writing your resume.
Contact Information
- Full Name
- Increase font size to ensure it is easy to read (typically at least 14 pt.)
- Mailing Address
- Mailing address & permanent address can be included (if need be) – typically side by side
- Email Address
- ensure your email address is professional and suitable for your resume (hugsnkissesxox@hotmail.com would not be ideal – create a new one if need be)
- Phone Number
- Be sure to include a phone number where you will be reached
- Make note of specific times when you can be reached at home; another option would be to include your cell number
Career Objective / Objective Statement
- Optional section; often included in the cover letter, therefore, not needed in resume
- Ensure that this objective is as concise as possible (ie. Undergraduate student with strong customer service skills seeking full-time summer position in sales)
Professional Profile/Skills Summary
- Optional, but very effective with many employers
- If utilized, include 3 to 5 skills or qualifications that will create a snapshot of relevant highlights within your resume
- Typically, this section will include your most recent education, one or two work related accomplishments or transferable skills, along with any specialized training or skills
(ie. language proficiency, ability to use specific software, additional certification, etc.)
Education
- If you are currently working towards completing your undergraduate degree and/or lack work experience, this section comes before ‘Experience’
- High School: This information can be removed once you’ve completed your 2nd year of undergraduate studies, unless you’ve attended a prestigious institution or completed a globally recognized program such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma
- Undergraduate University: Include Type of degree, Major, minor, Institution, Location, Start Year- present, Expected graduation date, Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) if a 3.0 or higher is achieved
2010-present Bachelor of Arts, Major in English, minor in French (CGPA 3.6/4.3)
Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada
Expected Graduation Date – May 2014
- Graduates would remove the “expected graduate date” and replace the dates with the grad month and year (ie May 2014, instead of 2010-present)
- Relevant coursework from an area outside of the major and minor can also be included in this section
Experience
- Include any experience relevant to the job or program that you are applying for; this can include paid, unpaid, or volunteer experiences (effective for someone who lacks paid experience)
- Another option is to break this section into two separate sections titled “Work Experience” & “Volunteer Experience”
- Order experiences in reverse chronological order (most recent comes first)
- Include the organization or group, title or position held, start and end dates
- Include 3 or 4 bullet point ‘accomplishment statements’ for each experience
- Place most relevant accomplishment first
- begin each statement with a key word/power word which mirrors the job description
Extracurricular Activities
- Include a list of high school and university activities such as varsity athlete, club membership, leadership roles
- List organization or group, position held, start and end dates
- Include 1 or 2 bullet points that describe the group and your involvement
Awards
- Include any significant or prestigious awards that you received throughout high school, university, past occupations or extracurricular roles
Professional Memberships
- Optional; individuals who are members of professional associations can include them in this section
- Include the role, duties or accomplishments achieved
Personal Interests
- Optional; this is your opportunity to demonstrate other areas of your life that were not captured in previous sections
- Include sport or leisure activities, interest in travel or languages, etc.
References
- Do not include references on your resume unless specifically asked to do so
- “References Available Upon Request” is not necessary – employers make the assumption that if they ask you for references, you will provide them
Do…
- Keep track of all of your educational, work, volunteer and extracurricular experiences throughout your career.
- Tailor your resume for each unique application process, including your most relevant experiences on your resume
- Assume that employers will review your resume quickly (often less than 30 seconds on the initial review) - Create a resume that is concise, to the point, and no more than 1 or 2 pages in length.
- List your education and experiences in reverse chronological order (most recent first).
- Use bullet points to describe your work, volunteer and extracurricular experiences.
- Include accomplishment statements rather than responsibilities/duties.
- Many Hiring Managers are familiar with certain job descriptions – job responsibilities/duties are not necessary
- Include accomplishment statements that prove you added value to the position, overcoming challenges by taking action and producing results
- Contact the Career Services Coordinator to learn more about accomplishment statements versus responsibilities/duties
- Realize that there are more tips and suggestions on resume formatting and designs as there are recruiters. Feel free to use these suggestions, but put a personal spin on your resume, creating your own unique style.
Don’t…
- Lie or stretch the truth on your resume – anything included on your resume could be brought up in an interview setting.
- Include expressions such as “duties include” or “responsibilities include”. Rather, include accomplishment statements that demonstrate how you added value to the position and the organization.
- Place emphasis on skills or accomplishments that you do not enjoy or do not hope to use in the future, even if it strengthens your resume. By listing these skills, you may end up needing to use them in your future position.
- Create a resume that is longer than one or two pages
- Feel you need to include references on your resume unless specifically asked to do so. A potential employer will ask you for references if they require them. This will also allow you to give your references a better idea if they will be contacted.
- Use a ‘one size fits all’ mentality with your resume. Ensure that you create a new resume for each specific job opportunity, including your most relevant accomplishments
Polish Your Resume Like a Pro: 7 Tips Any Job-Seeker Can Use
Writing a Resume (Service Canada)
For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments
Top 10 Questions About Resume Writing
Resume Samples (Take a look through the top ranked samples on Monster.ca)