Resumes

Issue/Question

How do I write a resume

Environment

  • Student
  • Center for Career Design
  • Job & Career Preparation
  • Career Resources

Resolution

  1. Resumes should be drafted in MS Word or some other word processing document
  2. Do not use programs like Canva or templates found on a Google search
    • These have the potential to be misread if the company you're applying to uses an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) which focuses on keywords and left-to-right reading/scanning
  3. The font should be professional-looking and at a typical size (12 point, usually)
  4. The margins should also be regular (somewhere between .5 to 1-inch spacing, depending on length of resume)
  5. Save as Word (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf)

MAJOR TIPS

  • Do not use templates. Whether this is on Canva, some template you found on Google, or some paid review on Fiverr - these are wastes of time and/or money.
  • ATS are used by companies to rank and sort your resume based on number of keywords (or buzzwords)
  • Tailor your resume based on Job Title/Description - this is typically done in the headline, summary, or objective statement section at the top
  • Use relevant skills in that appropriate section - you can use free checkers (Jobscan) to check your score
  • However, if you write your experience sections well enough, you won't need to list skills in their own section, unless you're working in a technical area, such as IT
  • Avoid pictures, graphics, and any other visual distractions

Note: you can also Download this in the Attached .PDF

Print Article