Resume Basics | What to Include and What to Avoid | Formatting
RESUME BASICS
- DO NOT USE PRE-MADE RESUME TEMPLATES – Create your resume in Microsoft Word.
Ensure your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER are clearly listed at the top of the page. - Stick to ONE PAGE, especially for an entry-level resume.
- If your resume does go to two pages, it should fill at least half of the second page and include relevant information.
- Resumes should always be formatted with the MOST RECENT INFORMATION FIRST.
- Use past tense for positions that you no longer hold and current tense for positions you still hold.
- List your EDUCATION AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR RESUME, unless you are an alumna with at least one professional job.
- Be sure to include your degree, MAJOR and EXPECTED GRADUATION DATE. Be sure you know which degree you will receive (such as BA or BS).
- OMIT your HIGH SCHOOL education.
- Include ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE information. If you transferred from another school without earning a degree, you do not need to list that information.
- LIST your GPA if it is a 3.0 OR BETTER.
- Be extremely selective when including information such as hobbies and experiences from high school.
- Include them only if you have won awards, achieved a significant milestone or demonstrated leadership through these activities.
- Examples that you can include: achieving Eagle Scout, becoming a black belt or serving as captain of the softball team.
- If your hobby/interests relate to the job, then include them. For example, you are applying to work at MTV and you play in a band.
- Submit or email your resume as a PDF file that includes your full first and last name in the file name, such as: Nick.Foles.Resume.pdf
WHAT TO INCLUDE & WHAT TO AVOID
- AVOID USING A VAGUE OR GENERIC OBJECTIVE, or one that states the obvious, such as:
- Use my skills and experience to improve your company.
- Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth.
- To obtain a marketing internship at Subaru.
- Use an EMAIL ADDRESS that is PROFESSIONAL and one that you check regularly. Ideally, your email address should include your first and last name.
- HIGHLIGHT ACCOMPLISHMENTS instead of duties.
- Avoid using phrases like “Responsible for” and “Duties included.”
- OMIT PERSONAL PRONOUNS like I, me and my.
- Include the CITY and STATE (or country if not in the United States) with all schools and jobs.
- DO NOT include the statement “References Available Upon Request.”
- INCLUDE recent volunteer work, professional associations and awards/recognition.
- For students originally from other countries, particularly if you have international work experience or education: If you are authorized to work permanently in the United States, consider adding the statement “Eligible to work permanently in the United States” or “Work Authorization: US Citizen” to your resume.
FORMATTING
- CHECK FOR TYPOS! Also look for spelling and grammatical errors.
- Be sure your resume is EASY TO READ and that the most important information stands out.
- Ensure CONSISTENT FORMATTING including font sizes, typefaces and punctuation.
- Using multiple columns and images may make your resume difficult for job application software programs to read.
- CAUTION! Be careful using the templates you find online or in Word/Pages.
- Be sure to consider if they are a good fit for your level of education and experience.
- Templates from Microsoft Word are often difficult to edit and many are not designed for college students/recent graduates.