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How do I create my first resume?
What are things that are required for a resume, things that you do and don't do, specific layouts, and if there are any templates that I can follow or use as a guide when creating a resume?
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3 answers
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Jason organizing your resume sections correctly is a major factor in whether or not a recruiter even gives your resume a chance. Most professional resumes will split all their relevant information into these sections:
RESUME STRUCTURE
• HEADER - With all your contact information, including your full name, address, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile link (if available) at the top of your resume.
• SUMMARY - Resume summary statement or resume objective that briefly touches on your career goals and any transferable skills and relevant experience.
• SKILLS - Skills section with a good mix of hard and soft skills.
•WORK EXPERIENCE - Work experience section in reverse-chronological order, with major responsibilities and achievements highlighted for each job.
• EDUCATION - Including certifications or notable academic accolades.
By dividing your resume into these easily digestible sections, hiring managers can get a better sense of what related work experience you have and how you can apply those skills to their current job opening.
DO'S AND DON'TS OF RESUMES
DO
• Determine your job search objective prior to writing the resume and tailor your resume for the position.
• Customize your resume to match a specific job description. Use buzzwords from the industry.
• Focus on positive results and accomplishments.
• Keep a consistent, easily-readable format.
• Create strong, action-oriented statements about your work.
DON'TS
• Make general claims (“Good communication skills”) without backing them up with examples.
• Include long, generic objective statements. Employers won’t read them!
• Submit references on the same page as your resume. They should be kept in a separate document and provided when the employer asks for them.
•Don’t go over two pages. Most resumes are only one-page, but this will depend on the amount of experience you have.
Hope this is helpful Jason
RESUME STRUCTURE
• HEADER - With all your contact information, including your full name, address, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile link (if available) at the top of your resume.
• SUMMARY - Resume summary statement or resume objective that briefly touches on your career goals and any transferable skills and relevant experience.
• SKILLS - Skills section with a good mix of hard and soft skills.
•WORK EXPERIENCE - Work experience section in reverse-chronological order, with major responsibilities and achievements highlighted for each job.
• EDUCATION - Including certifications or notable academic accolades.
By dividing your resume into these easily digestible sections, hiring managers can get a better sense of what related work experience you have and how you can apply those skills to their current job opening.
DO'S AND DON'TS OF RESUMES
DO
• Determine your job search objective prior to writing the resume and tailor your resume for the position.
• Customize your resume to match a specific job description. Use buzzwords from the industry.
• Focus on positive results and accomplishments.
• Keep a consistent, easily-readable format.
• Create strong, action-oriented statements about your work.
DON'TS
• Make general claims (“Good communication skills”) without backing them up with examples.
• Include long, generic objective statements. Employers won’t read them!
• Submit references on the same page as your resume. They should be kept in a separate document and provided when the employer asks for them.
•Don’t go over two pages. Most resumes are only one-page, but this will depend on the amount of experience you have.
Hope this is helpful Jason
I agree with these great suggestions from Jason. I would add that it can be useful to pick the key words from the job description that you are applying to so that it seems like you "tick all the boxes". However I would agree with Jason that you must be able to back this up with specific examples of what you have done to gain that skill.
Gemma Whiteley
Thank You Gemma. Unless someone like us cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.
Doc Frick
Updated
Karina’s Answer
Hi,
The US professional resume is 1 paged.
The sections on your resume can be:
1) Header: name, address, phone number, mail, web page or LinkedIn page whichever you prefer
2) Education (schools, degrees, relevant coursework)
3) Experience (professional projects, academic projects, other projects)
4) Skills (including soft skills)
5) Interests & activities
The section that includes details about your 'Experiences' (professional experiences, academic projects, research projects/experiences, other projects) is 50% or more of your 1 paged resume. Any competitions where you won award/prize as well as any professional memberships that you might have can also be included.
Hope this helps.
The US professional resume is 1 paged.
The sections on your resume can be:
1) Header: name, address, phone number, mail, web page or LinkedIn page whichever you prefer
2) Education (schools, degrees, relevant coursework)
3) Experience (professional projects, academic projects, other projects)
4) Skills (including soft skills)
5) Interests & activities
The section that includes details about your 'Experiences' (professional experiences, academic projects, research projects/experiences, other projects) is 50% or more of your 1 paged resume. Any competitions where you won award/prize as well as any professional memberships that you might have can also be included.
Hope this helps.
I will use this advice as I prepare for my career.
Kelsey
Hi, Jason
Karina's answer is spot on.
In this day and age of identity theft, instead of your address listing the City, State or Metro Region is fine. For example, Memphis, TN or Miami-Dade Metro Area.
Latricia Friend, MBA, CHM
Updated
Kira’s Answer
There are a lot of awesome tools now that you can use to assist with this, including chatgpt. Depending on your industry, your resume will look a little different.
I would start with a resume template - look at word, googledocs, etc. Organization depends on where you are in your career. Early in your career, your college experience will probably be on top because that is most robust. Below that would be work experience. As you gain more work experience, you will then flip those so work experience goes first and education goes after.
Dos:
Action verbs - start your experience with action verbs
Data - Wherever possible, quantify your impacts (i increased sales by x% in y months)
Highlight projects that you've worked on
Rewards/Recognitions/Awards - particularly for early career, highlight wins in college or activities outside of college
Volunteering - helpful in early career
Relevant coursework - helps to share your skills where you don't necessarily have relevant experience yet
Be very concise - bullets, no paragraphs
Review your resume before you interview!
Be consistent in styling
Donts:
No pictures, no colors
Minimize white space
Don't put anything on there that you aren't comfortable talking about
Don't make it all about hobbies
Don't blatantly lie!
NO typos
Google resumes in your desired career industry to get ideas and see how others lay it out
Write down your sales pitch - how do you match the requirements of the jobs you are looking at, and create your story around there. Make sure your resume matches.
I would start with a resume template - look at word, googledocs, etc. Organization depends on where you are in your career. Early in your career, your college experience will probably be on top because that is most robust. Below that would be work experience. As you gain more work experience, you will then flip those so work experience goes first and education goes after.
Dos:
Action verbs - start your experience with action verbs
Data - Wherever possible, quantify your impacts (i increased sales by x% in y months)
Highlight projects that you've worked on
Rewards/Recognitions/Awards - particularly for early career, highlight wins in college or activities outside of college
Volunteering - helpful in early career
Relevant coursework - helps to share your skills where you don't necessarily have relevant experience yet
Be very concise - bullets, no paragraphs
Review your resume before you interview!
Be consistent in styling
Donts:
No pictures, no colors
Minimize white space
Don't put anything on there that you aren't comfortable talking about
Don't make it all about hobbies
Don't blatantly lie!
NO typos
Kira recommends the following next steps: