* Don’t know what to include or where to start? Don’t sweat - we’ll help *
* View dozens of sample resumes at: www·niu·edu/careerservices/sampleresumes·html *
The purpose of a resume is to make an employer interested enough to want to learn more about you. It is a written summary of your personal history and qualifications for a particular job or type of employment.
Resume Sections
Identification: Include your name and both your temporary and permanent addresses and phone numbers. Indicate when you’ll be at each address. Have a “professional” email address:
Good: ChrisSmith@hotmail·com Bad: SoccerNut@gmail·com Worst: LoveGoddess@yahoo·com
Career Objective: This should be a statement of the kind of employment you are seeking. Be specific enough so
prospective employers can see that you are genuinely interested in satisfying their employment needs.
Excellent: A position as a Human Resource Assistant at Lutheran General Hospital
Good: A position in the field of Human Resource Management
Okay: A position that will utilize my communication, organizational, and leadership skills
Bad: A challenging professional growth opportunity with an industry leader that will allow me
to leverage my talents and capitalize on my exemplary leadership and interpersonal
communication skills
Worst: A job that will let me pay off my student loans and gambling debts
Education: Include degree(s) received, names of schools (including city and state), graduation month and year, and major and minor. List the most recently attended institution first. Include GPA if over 3.0/4.0. You may want to include courses that are particularly relevant to the position to which you are applying.
Experience: List job title, name of company/organization, city, and state of employer or organization, and dates of employment (use months and years). Start with a verb and write a brief description of your duties and responsibilities. Mention any significant accomplishments and skills that you obtained. Bulleted items are better than paragraphs.
Activities: Emphasize activities that will enhance your image in the employer's eye. This can include speaking to children’s groups, coaching, invitations to speak at your high school, PAWS (Providing Athletes With Support) participation, community service, and church-related activities.
Honors/Awards: Optional
Computer Skills: List software you can use. Do not include: Email, Netscape, Instant Messaging, Internet.
Military Experience, Certificates or Licenses, Memberships, Affiliations and Clubs: Include if applicable.
Resume Guidelines
- Don’t use resume templates – type your own resume on a blank Word document
- White or ivory 24 lb. paper, black ink. Set margins at about an inch all around
- Use only one font – Times New Roman, Arial, and Tahoma are good choices
- Use only one font size: 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, or 12. Your name can be bold and 16, 18, or 20
- Try to confine your resume to one page. If you have extensive work experience, try to limit it to two pages.
- Strive for clear and concise descriptions, don’t repeat the same verb over and over
- Avoid the first person “I” or “my”
- Do not include personal data on your resume (e.g., marital status, height, weight, gender, health status)
- Don’t send out a resume without having a Career Services counselor look at it first