Writing Your Resume

“The average recruiter or hiring manager spends 6 seconds reading a resume…That’s right. 6 seconds. You’ve got just moments to make a lasting impression and make sure your resume lands in the “Yes” pile as opposed to the “Rejected” stack…”  Always include the name or the organization, location, job and use a variety of verbs to start each bullet point clubs or project work can also be included when relevant Source: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/scanning-resumes

COMMON RESUME SECTIONS

Resume sections should be tailored to the position for which you are applying. Many sections are flexible and can be combined to tell your unique story.

CONTACT INFORMATION (REQUIRED)  Name –slightly larger font than the rest of the document and in bold  Complete address –permanent, campus or both o Street, Box # at Bentley (if applicable), City, State, Zip Code o Include your permanent address if you are looking for positions in that area  Email address and cell phone number

EDUCATION (REQUIRED)  University and city/state  Major(s), minor(s) and concentration(s), if applicable  GPA, if above 3.0 (Cumulative and/or Major) –out to two decimals and do not round up!  Academic Honors, if applicable  Include Study Abroad University or Transfer University, if applicable  High School may be included if it has a strong alumni network and/or name recognition; otherwise, it should be removed by junior year

RELEVANT COURSEWORK / PROJECTS (OPTIONAL)  Consider adding unique courses beyond general or introductory requirements of the major  Choose courses that cover concepts / skills most relevant to the positions you are applying to  Detailed descriptions of specific courses / projects are helpful; laundry lists of courses are not! EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED) title, and dates worked  List in reverse chronological order (most recent on top)  Utilize strong action verbs, quantify results when possible,  Describe the scope and context of a situation; explain the action you took and the impact these had on both the organization and yourself  Talk about what was learned and the skills developed, not just the tasks/jobs that were performed  Incorporate your strengths! (examples: communication, organization, teamwork, attention to detail, ability to multitask / prioritize)  ‘Experience’ is not necessarily limited to jobs or employment;

 Degree and month/year of graduation

RESUME TIPS

Use Microsoft Word, not Google Docs or Pages One page, singled-spaced Font size should be between 10-11pt., margins between 0.5- 1 inch Bullets, dates, and section headers should be formatted consistently throughout Tailor your resume to each position Utilize strong action verbs to begin your bullet points; be sure to vary your word choice Include results / accomplishments; quantify when possible Emphasize your unique skills Keep your resume updated with experiences, accomplishments, GPA Proofread your resume several times to ensure correct grammar and spelling Objective statement / references should not be on resume Save resume as a PDF

LEADERSHIP, ACTIVITIES, SERVICE (OPTIONAL)  Include extracurricular activities, case competitions, athletics, and community involvement  Use section headers strategically to organize/highlight the most relevant content  Name the organization, role/position title, date, and possibly bullets describing skills, responsibilities, and/or accomplishments  Level of detail for each activity should be commensurate with your level of involvement  Give yourself credit for leadership positions!

SKILLS (REQUIRED)  Include computer, technical and language skills as applicable; indicate your level of proficiency, but don’t overstate!  Do not list soft skills –instead incorporate those skills into your experiences to demonstrate how they were developed

INTERESTS (OPTIONAL)  Certain industries may also like to see an ‘Interests’ section that includes hobbies and areas of interests  Can be combined with ‘Skills’ or ‘Activities’  Be honest and specific when listing interests –you may be asked about them in an interview!

VMock, a 24-7 online resume-review tool, will analyze your resume from EVERY possible angle, including presentation, impact and competencies. Click here to see VMock in action.

Before meeting with your Career Coach for a virtual or in-person resume review, you must upload your resume to VMock . Incorporate the suggested feedback and improve your resume until you have reached a minimum overall score of 75, including 25 for Competencies, 25 for Impact and 25 for Presentation. If you are struggling to meet the minimum required score, do not use more than 5 attempts, as you only have 10 attempts per academic year.

NACE COMPETENCIES

(The National Association of Colleges and Employers)

The career readiness of college graduates is an important issue in higher education, in the labor market, and in the public arena. Career readiness is the attainment and demonstration of requisite competencies that broadly prepare college graduates for a successful transition into the workplace.

Conveying these competencies through your resume and application will allow you to show those viewing it that you have the qualities needed to succeed.

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems.

Oral/Written Communications: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms to persons inside and outside of the organization.

Teamwork/Collaboration: Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers, work within a team structure, and negotiate and manage conflict.

Digital Technology: Leverage existing digital technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.

Leadership: Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals, and use interpersonal skills to coach and develop others.

Professionalism/Work Ethic: Demonstrate personal accountability, effective work habits, integrity and ethical behavior.

Career Management: Identify and articulate one's skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences relevant to the position desired and career goals, and identify areas necessary for professional growth.

Global/Intercultural Fluency: Value, respect, and learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions.