Resume Guide Videos
Prefer this information in video format? Watch our resume guide instructional videos.
A resume is a well-formatted summary of your professional experience, as well as a marketing tool for what you can offer potential employers.
Please note! The information presented in this guide focuses on common professional resume practices used in the United States. If you are drafting a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) for another region, cultural differences may apply.
Questions? Reach out to COBE Career Services.
Prefer this information in video format? Watch our resume guide instructional videos.
The top of your resume should display your name and contact information, also known as a Header. Treat this section like a banner for your professional brand. For consistency, consider using the same header on your cover letter.
Headers should include:
Learn how to shorten your LinkedIn URL.
In your header, you have the option to link a portfolio of relevant projects or a professional website. These types of supplemental application materials are commonly hosted on platforms like GitHub or Google Sites.
A Summary Statement is a few short sentences that go beneath your Header. The information you include should tie your resume together, communicating to potential employers who you are as an applicant.
Your statement might look like: Descriptive Adjective + Title + Relevant Skill, Qualification, or Achievement
[Example] “Creative and personable marketing grad building experience in consumer-centered, UX design.”
Adding a bulleted list of your top skills and qualifications can help hiring managers and recruiters review your resume efficiently. This section also offers an opportunity to incorporate keywords from the position description.
If you include this section, consider adding proof for how you gained or grew listed skills and qualifications in the Experience section of your resume.
This section could include your strongest and most relevant:
In your resume’s Education section, list colleges and universities that you have attended. Include transfer schools and study abroad programs. Add your GPA if higher than 3.5, as well as your major, degree type and expected graduation date.
It might also be helpful to include specific coursework, projects and research that pertain to the position you are seeking, especially if you have limited professional experience.
[Example] “Spreadsheet Topics – developed Excel skills in order to process and visualize business data.”
If you are applying to something that requires certification or licensure, be sure to document which certification or licenses you have completed and when.
Similarly, if you are on track to complete a certification or license, such as your CPA, state when it will be done.
The Experience section of a resume is not just a simple record of your employment history. Instead, it should highlight relevant experiences that you have had related to the position you are seeking.
This can include jobs, internships, clubs and activities, as well as volunteer roles. For each experience, provide context.
Contextual details should include:
Some applicants choose to include an additional section on their resume to summarize leadership roles, accomplishments, extracurriculars and other relevant information.
Similar to how you approach your resume’s Experience section, be sure to provide context and prioritize information most related to the position you are seeking.
Ideas for what to call this section:
Here are things to avoid on your resume:
Tailoring your resume to the position you are seeking is essential. Draft your resume to reflect the position description; include relevant qualifications, common keywords and highly transferable skills.
Most potential employers will scan your resume quickly, so use space wisely. Place important information in highly visible spots; lead with your most important qualifications.
View this heat map to see common areas of a resume that hiring managers and recruiters give their attention.
A great way to summarize your experience is to use bullet points that start with a strong action verb. Leading with action verbs conveys impact and increases scannability.
Who Said It Better? Using Action Verbs [Examples]
The more you are able to add numbers to your experiences, the more tangible they will feel.
Follow this experience formula: Action Verb + Project or Task = Result or Impact (quantifying where you can)
What Said It Better? Adding Quantification [Examples]
Resumes should be error free and easy to read. To achieve this, use readable fonts, simple formatting and consistent styles. For example, if you use a specific date order, use that same order in all places.
Avoid tables and over stylized templates, as they are difficult for online application systems to read.
Resumes should run one page in length, two only under special circumstances. Keeping things all on one page makes it easier for hiring managers and recruiters to scan your qualifications and fit for a role quickly.
It is okay to adjust margins and formatting, but do not use anything smaller than 10 point font size.
Be sure to save your final resume with a clear file name and readable format.
We recommend: “First Name Last Name – Resume – Position.”
Additionally, it may be helpful to save your resume as a PDF in order to freeze your formatting in place. When in doubt, default to whichever file type the employer or organization is requesting.
Once you are ready to draft or reformat your resume, view these samples. Use these to generate ideas for formatting, but also be sure to make your resume unique to you.
Occasionally a job or internship application will ask for your major GPA. If you have earned notably higher grades in major-specific courses, we recommend calculating your major GPA to include on your resume (3.5 or higher). This is optional, unless specifically requested.
Getting Organized: Use our resume worksheet to collect and store your information.
Formatting: Watch a video on building a resume using Microsoft Word. View a tutorial for making your resume in Google Docs.
One-on-one Support: Schedule a coaching appointment with COBE Career Services.