Résumé Writing Tips

Your résumé should clearly and concisely define your knowledge, experience, and expertise in your particular field of interest. Since a résumé consists of various sections, some required, while others are optional, you will note that each résumé sample you look at is different. Your résumé will be (and should be) unique to your experiences. The purpose of a résumé is to give employers a better idea of the candidate’s qualifications and experiences; therefore, it is vital to tailor your résumé to the objective or position you are applying for.

Content:

• Keep the résumé to one page. Advanced degree students and candidates who have a wealth of relevant work history may require more than one page. If your résumé exceeds one page, be sure to include your name on subsequent pages. • Be clear, concise, and consistent in developing bullet points that describe your experiences. • Start each bullet point with an action verb. • Highlight achievements and quantify when possible. • Prioritize so that the most relevant items appear first. • Avoid abbreviating (your résumé is not a text message).

Format:

• Your résumé should be easy to read with clean and simple lines and a reasonable amount of white space. • Use a font size that is readable, typically no smaller than 10 point font or larger than 14 point font. A larger font size is acceptable for your name. • Use formatting, such as underlining, boldfacing, and italicizing to guide the reader’s attention throughout your résumé. • Change the margins to narrow (1/2 inch margin on all sides) to maximize the spacing of your document. • Remove extra spaces if needed to avoid a few lines dropping past one page. • If your résumé exceeds one page, the second page should be at least half a page or more. • We do not recommend using a template.