10 Things you want to know about RESUMES

A question that we all face during our college career is: “What do I put on my resume?” Building a resume can be complicated and confusing. We want students to be able to create strong resumes in order to really emphasize who they are, their skills and overall experiences. 

Below we have identified 10 tips and how to’s for your resume building skills.

1. One Page, No Problem - Your resume should be a concise and succinct document that summarizes your background and experiences. Most undergraduate resumes should be no longer than a page, but it also depends on your application. A curriculum vital can be used to help describe expansive detail on research or publications, which can allow you to use multi-pages. Additionally, federal job application resumes are expected to be longer than one page.

2. Who Are YOU? - The header of your resume should include your full name large and in bold so that it stands out. Additionally you want to include your contact information, consisting of your phone number, email address, current and permanent addresses. 

3. Let’s get to the Point - Your resume should be tailored towards the purpose of your application, whether you are applying for internships, scholarships or full time jobs. The objective of your resume can be stated at the top of the document, below your name, in which you identify the purpose of your resume. For example your resume objective might state, “To obtain a summer 2016 internship within the field of Psychology.”

4. Too cool for SCHOOL - You want to include your major(s), minor(s), list your school name (Virginia Tech or Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University), city and state, and expected graduation date. If you plan to list multiple schools, be sure to put them in reverse chronological. Typically, you want to include a GPA. Additionally, you can include study abroad experiences in your education section as well.

5. Remember When? - You want to format each of your experiences in the same way; try to always include your title, the company or organization name, the location, and the dates you were employed. Be sure to always list your experiences in reverse chronological order. You also want to utilize bullet points to describe the skills and responsibilities you gained during the experience. Additionally, do not forget to use present tense verbs for current positions and past tense verbs for prior experiences. Your experiences do not need to just be a paid job position; you can include class projects, volunteer work, internships, externships, part time jobs, and more.

6. Getting ACTIVE with Activities - In addition to your academics and job experiences, you may also want to include your other campus involvement. These could range from being a team captain for the Big Event, or playing for the club soccer team. Be sure to include any positions you have held, as well as the dates you have been a part of the organization.

7. Got SKILLS? - If applicable, you may want to list a variety of skills that you have gained from your experiences inside or outside the classroom. Avoid listing soft skills, like listening or communication skills. You should list language skills and technical skills, which would include computer programs or laboratory procedures.

8. References: Yes or No? - You do not need to include references or write “references upon request” on your resume. A reference list should be on a separate document and would be asked for by your inquiring employer.

9. Tips ‘n’ Tricks - Be sure to use italics, bold and underlining to emphasize specific details on your resume. Use font that is easy to read and stick to between 10-12 point fonts. Additionally, be sure to stay consistent with punctuation and formatting throughout the resume.

10. Brag about, YOU! - Utilize your resume to share with employers the skills and strengths you have to offer them. It can be difficult to include everything on one page, or you may have a hard time thinking of things to include. It is always helpful to have someone else look at your resume before submitting it to a professional to help you with those issues.

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Your resume can open the door for interviews, but it is just one tool and one part of the internship or job search process. Be sure to use these tips as a starting point for building your resume. After you have begun the process, stop by Career Services during walk-in advising hours for additional help on your resume, including: critiques, grammatical editing, and answering any other questions you may have. Walk-in advising is Monday-Friday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and there is no appointment necessary. If you need extra tips on building a resume before you come in, be sure to visit our website. We can’t wait to see where your resume takes you!