Home > Undergraduate> Resumes, Cover Letters &Interviews > How to Write a Resume

How to Write a Resume

NEW! CDC Virtual Resume Program

On average an employer will spend less than thirty seconds reviewing your resume. In this short time you need to convince the reader you are impressive enough to be invited for an interview. How do you do this? Where do you start? First of all, you need to know what a resume is and what it is designed to do. Make Those Thirty Seconds Count! You may also want to read Three Things Every Recruiter Looks for in a Resume for tips on improving your resume.

Everything you find here can be found in a downloadable pdf format, including additional sample resumes.

Optimal Resume for assistance in writing/formatting your resume.

What is a Resume?

  • A résumé is a marketing tool that highlights those aspects of your background you wish to draw to an employer’s attention. It should be concise and easy to read. It is often the initial contact an employer has with you and the basis on which decisions are made about whom to interview. Résumé writing is important and can be time consuming. You must be willing to write and edit until you have a well-organized document that emphasizes your most relevant qualifications for the position you seek.

    On average an employer will initially spend less than thirty seconds reviewing your résumé. In this short time you need to convince the reader you are impressive enough to be invited for an interview. How do you do this? Where do you start? First of all, you need to know what a résumé is and what it is designed to do. Make those thirty seconds count!

The Basics

  • Be concise: Use phrases not sentences; use fewer words but choose them carefully.
  • Think in terms of the reader: Gear your resume to what you know are the skills, experiences and qualities employers are seeking in a candidate. Focus on the needs of your audience.
  • Make your resume easy to read: choose a layout that is visually appealing and presents the most relevant information early. Don't make an employer hunt to locate important information about you relevant to their needs!
  • Use a font size between 10 and 12: Employers may scan your resume into a computer database so use bold, italics and underlining conservatively.
  • Length: Most employers prefer one page, but use two pages if your experience and qualifications warrant. Put the most relevant information on the first page.
  • Final Draft: Print on high quality neutral-colored bond paper. Proofread carefully!! Don't rely on spell check alone!

Select a Resume Format

1. Chronological: This is the most common type of resume and presents your background by listing and describing positions you have held. Experience is presented in reverse chronological order (most recent first). This format is an excellent choice for people with steady work histories or experience that relate closely to their career objective.

2. Functional: This style emphasizes skills, qualifications and accomplishments rather than position titles, employers and dates. It can be effective for career changers or those with limited or erratic work histories. This type of resume works well for someone who wants to emphasize skills they have acquired relevant to current job objectives.

3. Combination: This combines the functional and chronological styles. Experience is organized chronologically with duties and responsibilities presented through skill clusters.

When Should You Use a Curriculum Vitae?
While the terms resume and curriculum vitae are often used inter-changeably, a curriculum vitae (C.V.) is typically for academic or research positions. It is usually longer than a resume and will include publications, areas of research, presentations, and courses one is prepared to teach. More information can be obtained from the "Writing a Curriculum Vitae"(pdf format) Quick Reference Guide.

The Sections of the Resume

How you order and label the sections of your resume should be based on what aspect(s) of your background are most relevant to the position(s) you seek. Remember, as readers review your resume they will give the most attention to what is at the beginning of your resume and pay less attention as they scan to the bottom. Make sure what you want them to see jumps out at them EARLY!
    Identifying Information:
  • Name, address, phone number, and email address (do not use an email address that would turn off an employer, such as cutiepie@yahoo.com)
  • Include a local and permanent address if you are a current student
    Objective:
  • Provides focus and direction to your resume. The rest of the resume should provide evidence of your qualifications.
  • Should be specific to a position, skills you want to use, or field you want to enter.
  • Optional. Employers vary in their desire to see objective statements.
    Education:
  • Include Institutions attended, degree obtained (or to be obtained), major(s), graduation date, minors, and concentrations
  • Can include relevant coursework, study abroad, honors, or scholarships (or these may be in separate sections)
  • GPA is optional, depending on the position you're applying for. You can include your overall and major GPA, making sure to designate each one clearly (If concerned about whether or not to include GPA, talk to a career counselor)
  • High school information is not included unless you are a freshman or sophomore, or you had a specialized high school experience relevant to your career objective (Talk to a career counselor if unsure of what to do)
    Experience:
  • Always keep your objective in mind when deciding what experiences you will include and highlight!
  • List in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
  • May include paid and unpaid positions including internships, volunteer experiences, summer jobs, or campus activities
  • For each experience listed, include position held, organization name, city, and state, dates of activity, and description using action verbs (see Writing Descriptions list below)
    Special Skills:
  • Can include computer skills, language abilities, laboratory and research skills
  • May be broken down in specific sections: For example, computer science majors may have hardware, software, and programming listed under computer skills
  • Indicate your level of expertise if indicating a foreign language
    Activities:
  • Evidence of involvement is important to employers
  • Include campus activities, volunteer positions, committees, sports team involvement
  • Include position, organization name, location, and dates of involvement
  • Put those that are relevant to objective in Experience section for emphasis
    Interests:
  • List of personal interests is optional; good for rapport building during interview
  • Be specific and truthful
  • Do not go overboard with your list, keep it to one line
    References:
  • Not mandatory to include a statement about references.
  • Can state "References Available Upon Request"
  • You may include the Career Development Center's address if you have a credentials file and have authorized release of the file upon an employer's request

Writing the Experience Section

1. BRAINSTORM!
For many students writing the experience section is a challenge. To begin, we suggest getting a blank sheet of paper and listing all experiences you could include in this section. Then write what comes into your head about each experience. Ask yourself these things about each experience:
  • Did you supervise any people? How many? What did you do as supervisor?
  • What kinds of decisions or recommendations did you make?
  • How did your responsibilities change/develop over time?
  • What equipment, research procedures, or tools did you use?
  • What information did you gather, analyze or compile? How? Did you use a computer?
  • Did you work independently? In a team? Both?
  • Did you handle several responsibilities simultaneously?
  • Did you write letters, reports or other documents?
  • Did you meet deadlines or handle pressure?
  • Were you involved in planning or marketing activities?
  • Can you identify accomplishments or positive outcomes of your efforts?
  • Can responsibilities or accomplishments be quantified? (ie use numbers to show how much, how often, how many). Were you ever invited, selected or asked to participate in other activities?
2. Decide which experiences are most relevant to the position(s) you are seeking and how they should be categorized. Write descriptions using action verbs (see section on action verbs below) and short phrases.

3. Write a draft of descriptions using ACTION VERBS. The language you use to write a resume is important - you want to grab the reader's attention and make an impact. Use the past tense, except for current positions.

action verb image

Sample Resumes

This is a sample chronological resume.
Other sample resumes can be found on:
How to Write a Resume (pdf 215KB) 
	
	
	
NAME
____________________________________________________________________
_____
•Address  •Phone  •email

EDUCATION
Binghamton University, State University of New York
School of Education and Human Development
Bachelor of Arts, Human Development, May 2006
• Minor in Judaic/Africana Studies
• Cumulative GPA: 3.25

EXPERIENCE
Intern Teacher - Hillel Academy, Vestal, NY 		Spring/Fall 2005
• Completed 200 hours of classroom Kindergarten teaching.
• Emphasized literacy through one-on-one work with students.
• Created and implemented lesson plans.

Counselor/Assistant Division Head - Camp Ramah, Nyack, NY Summers 2003-2005
• Supervised 25 staff members in organizing, coordinating, and scheduling activities.
• Managed daily camp operations camp.
• Oversaw activities of 200 campers including mentoring, and providing leadership.
• Organized, created, and conducted fundraising, raising thousands of dollars for 
   non-profit organizations.
• Served as Head Counselor for Kindergarten/First Graders.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
International College Corps 	May 2004-August 2004
• Selected to participate in international humanitarian service work in community 
   projects for developing world countries.
• Traveled to Ghana, West Africa to assist in building the foundation for a school.
• On a daily basis worked with village and group members building a school, 
   experienced another culture, providing leadership, and programming to the local village.
• Worked in Kharkov, Ukraine with the Jewish Community on multiple refurbishment projects.
• Interacted with local Ukrainian community youth, learning, and exploring the culture.

CAMPUS LEADERSHIP
Hillel/Jewish Student Union 	Fall 2004-Present
• Guided Inter-Cultural Awareness Committee in planning and setting up cultural learning 
   programs on campus.
• Led Social Action Committee in organizing, volunteering, and visiting nursing homes.
• Created and led food drives resulting in the collection of hundreds of food items.
• Elected as 'Best Non-Executive Member of the Year,' Spring '01

Secretary, Chabad House of Binghamton 		Fall 2004-Spring 2005
• Managed office activities for organization with hundreds of members.
• Organized several blood drives for The American Red Cross comprising over one hundred 
   and fifty donors.
  
WHRW 90.5 Radio Station of Binghamton University   Fall 2004
• Radio apprentice on air for campus-wide radio program.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
Attention Deficient/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)  	Fall '03
Education and Psychology of Race in Ghana 			Fall '03
Early Childhood Literacy Spring '03

The website of the Career Development Center at Binghamton University contains links to other websites as a convenience for its users and is not responsible for the contents of any linked site.