Sample Résumé Format

BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE RÉSUMÉ

First Things First
You should begin with a heading that includes your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. If you plan to move, be sure to provide a way for employers to reach you, such as a family member's address. If your e-mail account was established through the university, make sure you set up an account that will remain active after you leave school. Tip: Choose an address that is professional in nature.

What's your objective?
Identify the focus of your résumé or, specifically, what sort of work you're hoping to do. The more specific it is, the better - this enables employers to route the résumé to the appropriate people.

What have you learned?
You'll need a section for your education that highlights the knowledge you've acquired through your university preparation. At minimum, the education section should include your university, your degree and major, and when your degree was earned or is expected. In addition, you might include your grade point average (especially if cumulative or major GPA is 3.0 or higher) and related course work if education is your primary selling point. This category is also a good place to mention academic honors.

What have you done?
Your experience section is key - some employers even prefer to have it appear above education. Whatever order you choose, you must use the experience section to highlight your work related (paid or unpaid) accomplishments. Potential employers have only a secondary interest in the specific duties and responsibilities you performed. They want to know what you accomplished in fulfilling those duties, and more importantly, what you can bring to them that is worthy of consideration. Quantity and quality what you did - for example, in a sales position, how many sales transactions did you complete? Did you receive a raise, award or promotion for your efforts? What transferable skills did you gain from the position you held? You can also include experience gained through participation in organizations and associations in an "activities" section as long as you can relate the experience to the job.

What can you do?
Additional skills and competencies can be included in a "key skills" or "qualifications" section. This section is typically placed high on the résumé, below the objective, and should include statements that will be supported by the education and experience sections.

The résumé is your most important job search tool. Your résumé should effectively summarize your experiences and accomplishments in a way that best demonstrates your qualifications for the type of positions you are seeking.

In developing a résumé, you should:
 

• Pay careful attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and style.
• Organize information in a logical fashion.
• Keep descriptions clear and to the point.
• Confine information to one page.
• Use a simple, easy-to-read font.
• Use good quality white or off-white bond paper.
• Remember KISS — Keep It Short and Simple