Your resume is the document that introduces your background, skills and experiences to prospective employers. The purpose of your resume is to land an interview. The competitive job market demands that resume writers create documents that are concise, tailored and focused to the employer’s needs. Vague, mass produced and non-relevant documents just don’t work. As you create your documents, keep the following resume writing tips in mind:

• Write your own resume.
• Know your audience. Have a clear job target (or targets) before writing your resume. Your resume should tell the employer how your skills and experiences can add value to their organization.
• Be clear and concise. Keep to one page unless you have significant work experience.
• Emphasize relevant accomplishments and marketable skills.
• Create descriptions of your experience that show the value you added to the organization/position, the impact you made, the skills you used and gained, and any accomplishments you made. Employers want to know that you’ve added value in the past at previous organizations and you can do it again for them. Laundry lists of job duties are not necessary in your resume.
• Eliminate discriminatory information—photo, height, weight, health, marital status.
• Design layout for easy readability and depending on your career goal, use your layout to sell your skills. Avoid using templates.
• Proofread to eliminate all grammatical, typographical, and spelling errors.
• Have your resume critiqued by a counselor in Career Planning during Drop-In hours or by scheduling an appointment.
• Use resume-quality paper (white, ivory or cream) when providing a hard copy.
• Introduce yourself by sending a cover letter with your resume.

Review sample resumes to give you an idea of ideal format and design.

• First Year Student with Leadership Experience

• Design and Study Abroad Experience

• Leadership and Relevant Skills

• Academic Projects and Relevant Experience

• Lab Skills and Research Experience

• Teaching Experience and Certifications

• Resume Rubric | Resume Approval Checklist

You are tasked with developing a resume that highlights your unique background and focuses on your career goals while showing the value you’ll add to the prospective organization and employer. The Resume Rubric is a helpful tool when creating or updating your resume.