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Writing an Effective Resume

A resume is a brief one to two page summary of your knowledge, skills, accomplishments and experience that you give to an employer. The resume's purpose is to get you a job interview. It is a preview to employers about what you would bring to the job, and it should convince them that you have what it takes to be successful in their organization.

The process of writing a resume is important not only because you send copies out to potential employers, but because it helps you clarify your life goals, boosts your confidence, and mentally prepares you to take on the challenges of a new job or career change. By following the steps below you will be able to create a resume and get started on the path to meeting your career goals.

1. Getting Started

2. Organizing Your Resume Draft

3. Critique Your Draft

If you have gaps in your work experience, a skills-based resume may be a better choice for you than a traditional one. To learn more and see a template, skip ahead to the Skills-Based Resume section below.

Getting Started

Resume Creation

If you have never created a resume, before you get started you should take some time to think about and write down all of your academic and professional knowledge, skills, and experiences. To make it easier to concentrate, find a quiet space that is free of distractions. The goal is to create a complete list of everything you can remember that might be of interest to an employer; this list is your worksheet. Your final resume will include the most important or impressive information from this worksheet organized into a resume format.

Resume Updates

If you already have a resume but haven't updated it in a while, you should fill out the worksheet, too! It will be a helpful way for you to remember recent information, as well as organize past information you might want to reword or edit.

Need a Template?

To get the worksheet template, click here.

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Organizing your Resume Draft

This step is dedicated to taking the information you wrote in the worksheet and putting it into a resume format. The basic sections identified in the worksheet are the same sections you should include in your resume. You don't have to number the sections of your resume, but make sure to keep the titles clear.

I. Contact Information

II. Education

III. Work Experience

IV. Community Activities and Memberships

V. Skills and Special Knowledge

VI. References

II. Education

List all the schools you have attended, where they are located, dates you were there, and any degrees, certificates, or special awards you received. Include high school or GED information, especially if you haven't had much education since then. Start with the most recent school you attended and work backwards. Don't forget to list any trainings you've attended, and any licenses you hold.

Keep in mind that your goal is to impress employers as quickly as possible. If your work experience is more impressive (or more relevant) than your education, consider putting the education section at the bottom and placing your work history directly below your contact information. There is no right or wrong order of topics on a resume, so be strategic about what does the best job of selling you as a employee, and list those things first!

If you are currently in school, write your anticipated graduation date. "A.S. in Economics, expected May 2008"

VI. References

Don't include references on your resume itself, but have them typed out on a separate piece of paper in case a potential employer asks for them. At the bottom of your resume you can include a note that says "References available upon request." Not all employers will ask for this information, but if one does it's important to have it available.

You Can Print a Blank Resume Template Here.

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Critique Your Draft

Now that you've put together a resume draft, it's time to look it over and make sure it's what you want to send a prospective employer. Check it over with these tips in mind:

•  Think carefully about the way you word the descriptions of your skills and experience. There are several ways to say the same thing, but not all versions will come across exactly alike. See the example below; both sections are describing the same job, but version 2 sounds much more professional.

•  Ask several colleagues or friends to critique your resume, especially if it's your first one, to check for grammar, punctuation, and general format.

•  Check to make sure you haven't repeated information or included things that aren't important.

•  Use active verbs! Your resume should be positive and confident, but not aggressive or overly modest. Here are some examples or active verbs you can use to describe your past responsibilities:

•  Check the length of your resume; it should ideally be one full page, but if you have a lot of work or volunteer experience two pages is fine.

•  More Tips for Organizing Your Resume:

• Use white space to make the resume's layout seem organized and uncluttered.
• Use bullets, bolding, italics, and highlighting sparingly. Too many changes in font or formatting can be overwhelming and clutter your resume.
• Always type your resume in a readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana or Garamond that is not too large or too small. Usually, 10-12 point font size is best.

Once you have critiqued your resume, it's ready to send to employers!

Skills-Based Resume

What is it?

A Skills-Based resume draws attention to your highlighted skills. It helps emphasize the personal and/or work skills that you will bring to the position you are applying for. Skills-based resumes are especially helpful for those who are entering the workforce for the first time or those who are returning after a long absence. By strategically grouping your skills under a variety of categories (such as computer skills, interpersonal skills, etc.), you call attention to your many abilities.

For an example of a Skills-Based resume, click here.

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