The RESUME – The sole purpose of your resume is to get you past the first screening and into the interview process.
General guidelines exist so employers can quickly and easily find key information on your resume; “According to a study released by The Ladders, an online job-matching service recruiter spends an average of six seconds reviewing an individual resume. The standard thought was that recruiters spent at least several minutes on each CV.” So we want certain parts of your resume to stand out.
Contact Information: Your contact information should be at the top of your resume, centered, in strong font. Don’t make it crazy! This information should include: full name, address, primary phone number, email address and if you have a Linkedin Profile or Github, that URL should be included as well.
Objective: This is your profile or Summary Statement. It is optional, however if you decide to include one, make it succinct, strong, and worthy of a spot.
Education: Begin with the most recent degree you are pursuing and continue to list any additional degrees in chronological order.
Include Queens College, The City University of New York, Flushing, NY.
Include your degree level, major and/or minor, along with the month and year of graduation, or anticipated completion. You should include Study Abroad in this section as well (institution, location, academic term and concentration).
Scholarships, Awards, and Honors can be included in this section as well.
Relevant Coursework: List five courses that are relevant to your major or list projects that you have worked on and completed. This section is optional. If you decide to include it make sure the items listed pertain to the position you are applying for to give you an extra push. For example, if you are applying for a graphic design position make sure to list all relevant courses pertaining to Photoshop, InDesign, and so on.
Experience: Emphasize relevant experience that you have gained through part and full-time employment, as well as paid and/or unpaid internships.
For each entry, list the organization and its location by city and state, position title, and employment dates (month/year). Craft concise statements, not full sentences, in bullet form. Make sure to use strong action verbs and specific details to describe your responsibilities, actions and results. Demonstrate to employers how you applied select knowledge, skills, and abilities to achieve desired outcomes. If possible, quantify your results to convey the scope and significance of the project. (Example, Accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z).
Skills: Most employers spend less than a minute when reviewing resumes so it is essential to make your skills as clear as possible to employers. Skills can be separated into sub-headings that include:
- Language Skills: If you are fluent or proficient, you should indicate so (e.g. Fluent in Spanish).
- Computer Skills: Include any software, language and/or programs you’ve worked with.
- Special Skills: Include specialized skills you’ve honed professionally and/or academically such as critical thinking, communication, conflict mediation, or public speaking skills.
Training, Certifications, and Licenses: If you have successfully completed trainings or earned certifications or licenses that relate to your career goal, name the section accordingly and include key details. This is optional.
Activities, Professional Associations (Clubs, Organizations): List your extracurricular activities, and/or professional associations. This is where employers begin to learn about your interests, motivations, and skills. For all leadership positions held, list the organization’s full name, your position titles, membership dates, and a brief description of your key accomplishments. For involvement as a member, list the organization’s full name, membership dates, and activities in which you have participated that relate to your career objective.
Diane Shults is the Academic Internship Director for Economics, Business and Risk Management. She works with students on Professional Development and Career Education. Diane has over twenty years of experience in Human Resources within the Financial Services industry. If you have a question for Diane, please send an email to: diane.shults@qc.cuny.edu
