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Resume Contents

 

Identifying Information
    This includes name, address (permanent and current, if applicable), telephone numbers (home, work, fax, cellular), and e-mail address. You could also include your web site URL if the site is professional and contains information you would want an employer or admissions committee to view. Your name and the page number should be placed at the top of additional resume pages.

Objective (optional)
    An objective is your job target; it is a theme statement that can help you organize the supporting information in the body of the resume. Whether you write your objective on the resume or in your cover letter is up to you. If you do use an objective on your resume, it should be written from the perspective of what you can contribute, rather than what you want. A strong, targeted objective may address the following questions:

  • What type of position do you want?
  • Where? (type of organization or work environment)
  • What level of responsibility?

    What special circumstances, contributions, or skills are you offering. If you are pursuing several career objectives, you may want to create a separate resume for each career alternative. Another approach is to omit the objective from your resume and deal with it in your accompanying cover letter, or you might choose to create a Highlights or Summary of Qualifications section (described below). In any case, avoid clichés such as “a challenging and rewarding position utilizing my education and experience.”

 


EXAMPLES OF AN OBJECTIVE

Trainee position in real estate property management, with opportunity to contribute strong financial skills and relevant experience.

Administrative role in health care education, with special emphasis on community relations and local employers.

  

Highlights or Summary of Qualifications (optional)
    In lieu of an objective, you may decide to use a Summary of Qualifications section at the top of your resume. Be sure to summarize the type of experience, skills and personality traits most applicable to your career objective. The summary may be arranged in either paragraph or bullet form and should entice the reader to continue reading the rest of the resume.

 


EXAMPLE OF SUMMARY IN PARAGRAPH FORM

Extensive experience in public relations for both public and private employers. Four years of marketing development for a Fortune 500 company. Assisted in the promotion of a successful advertising campaign that increased client base by more than 50%. Strong background in grant and proposal writing for nonprofit funding.

EXAMPLE OF SUMMARY IN BULLET FORM

  • Excel at oral communication, evidenced by four successful years on forensic team.
  • Extensive experience in varied computer applications including Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, Power Point, Adobe Quark Express, SPSS-X.
  • Highly organized with proven ability to meet deadlines.
  • Effective ability to work independently and as a team member on group projects.
  • Skillful at getting diverse groups to work together.
  • Willing to travel and/or relocate.

  

Education
    Begin with your most recent education and work in reverse chronological order. Include degrees awarded, major, minor, date of graduation or dates of attendance (if no degree was awarded) and name and location of the school. Other academic information, if relevant and supportive of your objective could include:

  • relevant course work
  • scholarships, honors, awards
  • GPA (overall or in major), if 3.0 or higher
  • special projects, such as research or teaching
  • thesis or dissertation topics
  • study abroad
  • academic honor societies and clubs
  • training programs or certifications
  • percentage of college expenses earned
  • clinical or field experience associated with your degree program

    If you have transferred from another school where you did not receive a degree, you may choose either to include or not include that school. Some reasons to include another school might be that you wish to call attention to honors, activities, or other accomplishments at that school, to communicate that you were enrolled in school during that period of time, or to identify specific course work related to your current major or career objective. High school is rarely included unless you are a recent high school graduate, have attended a special focus high school (e.g. Duke Ellington School of the Arts), or attended school in a foreign country.

 


EXAMPLE OF AN EDUCATION SECTION

B.S. in Economics, Minor in Spanish, Expected May 2002
George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

Course work includes: Econometrics, National and International Money and Banking, Analysis of Economic Policy, Economic Development of Latin America, International Economics.

Study abroad at the University of Madrid in Spain, fall and spring semesters 1999-2000. Completed extensive course work in Spanish language and culture, and economics.

Financed 75% of college costs through part-time employment.

  

Experience
    This section includes full-time and part-time employment, Co-op jobs, and internships, as well as significant volunteer, leadership, practicum, and field experiences. The job title, name and location (city and state only) of each organization and the participation dates should be indicated. Do not assume that titles describe what you did. Description should highlight your skills, accomplishments, functions performed, knowledge demonstrated, and responsibilities assumed. Use reverse chronological order to list experiences, or group together related experiences. Following are some tips to create the most effective descriptions:

  • State your experiences in phrases that begin with action words (verbs) and show the scope and results (achievement) of your activity (e.g. improved a procedure, clarified a problem, increased efficiency). The list of action verbs in this article may help you compose your description.
  • Qualify and quantify your accomplishments such as, “trained more than 300 persons from 100 companies to use.” Often, the descriptive details will help communicate your initiative, follow-through, and problem-solving skills.
  • Avoid using phrases such as, “was responsible for” or “duties included.”
  • Describe your most responsible functions first even if they occupied only a small percentage of your time.
 


EXAMPLE OF AN EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTION

Accounting Assistant, May 2000-present
ABC Accounting Firm, Fairfax, Virginia

  • Maintained accounts payable and receivable for more than 200 office clients.
  • Created and implemented a system for ordering and maintaining inventory of office supplies.
  • Developed a tracking log of client contacts resulting in greater office efficiency

  

Skills (optional)
    Any specialized skills, such as computer skills or foreign language skills may be included in this section. Be specific and identify skills by name. Many employers now scan resumes using a “key word” search so naming specific skills is increasingly important. Be sure also to indicate your levels of proficiency or familiarity.

 


EXAMPLE OF A SKILLS SECTION

  • Computer proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Internet research.
  • Familiarity database management using Microsoft Access.
  • Fluency in Spanish; conversational ability in French.
  • Effective leadership and oral communication skills.

  

Activities (optional)
    Student activities, community service, leadership positions, and personal interests or hobbies may strengthen your resume and emphasize marketable skills. Whether or not to include specific activities may be determined by the amount of space available, the relevance of the information to your objective, or the potential contribution to a representation of you as a well-rounded person.

 

EXAMPLE OF A STUDENT ACTIVITY

President, American Marketing Association,
George Mason University, 1999-present

  • Coordinate the activities of 75 members and lead a committee of five officers.
  • Plan professional development programs with local community business.
  • Market all chapter activities to students through class presentations, activity fairs, and electronic communication.

  

Special Information (optional)
    Additional information may be described in separate categories or included in other applicable sections. Try to avoid putting only one item in a category. Psi Chi Honor Society, for example, can be included in the education section rather than an honors section, if it is the only honor listed. Other information or categories may include:

  • Publications, research, awards, special certifications or licensure, professional memberships, professional development or continuing education, presentations;
  • Citizenship status, type of visa, or work authorization (necessary for positions that have specific citizenship requirements);
  • Extensive travel or multicultural experience;
  • Availability for travel and/or relocation;
  • Security clearances.
 


TIP!  Avoid including personal information such as weight, height, health, age, marital status, race, religion, or political affiliations unless they directly relate to the qualifications of the job.

  

References
    Names of references should not be included on your resume. Rather, create a separate page to list the name, title, address, and phone number of three to five individuals who know you well enough to appraise your abilities and work habits, and who have agreed, in advance, to answer inquiries about you. References may include current or former supervisors, co-workers, or faculty members. You can help them provide a better reference if you supply a copy of your current resume and a job announcement, if applicable.

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