How to Write a Strong Resume

Your resume is your first impression to hiring managers and should contain the most relevant information to the position you are applying for in a simple, easy to read format. Follow this resume format to help your next job application stand out from the rest.

Name and Contact Information

You should always begin your resume with your name and contact information, including your email address and phone number. Your name should be very visible at the beginning of your resume in a bolded font. If you are submitting electronic resumes for positions that require a portfolio, this is the section you want to include that as well.

Resume Summary

This portion of your resume highlights your career goals, should be concise, and use active language.

Relevant Skills

This section lets recruiters get a better understanding of what you know and what you can offer their company. This section is a great time to list some hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) skills. Review the job description and list relevant skills you have based off what the company is looking for.

Job Experience

Starting with your most recent job, provide a short description of companies you have worked for including a description of the duties you performed, how long you were employed there, your job title, and important achievements from each job. If you have had several jobs, only list your most recent ones, or ones that will best reflect your skills for the position.

Education

Beginning with your most recent schooling experience, list the school name, year you graduated (or will graduate), your GPA if it is above 3.5, and your relevant coursework. If you are someone new to the work force (such as a recent high school or college graduate), your education section can highlight other qualifications like involvement in clubs or organizations, awards, certifications, and leadership positions you held.

Resume Best Practices

• Always upload as a PDF to avoid formatting issues
• Keep it concise at one to two pages
• Have a cover letter ready for applications as well that can be customized to each position you apply to
• Use clean, easy to read fonts
• Research best resume styles for your career field

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