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The most common thing we get asked for is resume help. We are happy to check (and recheck) your resume for free. However, please read through this first so it’s in the best shape it can be.
We will help you edit your resumes until they’re perfect, but we’re trying to teach you how to do this yourself, not just do it for you. We don’t think you should have someone else write your resume for you because a resume is just an extension of your personality and should highlight the experiences you value. A great place to start is Microsoft Word, which has some pretty good templates. We’ve also included some templates on this page to help you out.
Your resume is one of the most important documents in a job search. The goal of your resume is to quickly help employers learn who you are and whether your skills and experiences match the position you’re applying for.
Although each resume will differ depending on education, professional history, industry and position, there are a few key sections you might include on your resume. In this guide, we’ll outline what to include on a resume you use for job applications. For inspiration on what to include on a resume, it might be helpful to look at examples of resumes in your position or industry.
What’s in a Resume?
Your resume is one of the most important documents in a job search. The goal of your resume is to quickly help employers learn who you are and whether your skills and experiences match the position you’re applying for.
Although each resume will differ depending on education, professional history, industry and position, there are a few key sections you might include on your resume. In this guide, we’ll outline what to include on a resume you use for job applications. For inspiration on what to include on a resume, it might be helpful to look at examples of resumes in your position or industry.
Resume Do’s and Don’ts
- Do have your name at the top with one email address, one phone number, and address (if you must) in the header.
- Describe the current position you’re in with bullet points starting with present tense verbs like “Identify,” “Research,” “Write,” etc.
- Do make sure you include certifications, internships, clubs you were a part of, awards you received in college, etc.
- Do show your soft skills in your bullet point descriptions of your duties at previous jobs.
- Expand any abbreviations in school names people won’t know. (UC Berkeley and IIT Bombay are fine; other three/four-letter school acronyms are not.) When in doubt, expand.
- Do not have your birth-date, marital status, parents’ names, social security or passport or other identification numbers, sexuality, or anything else.
- Do not have an “Objective” section at the top of your resume. It’s outdated and not helpful unless the job requires it.
- Do not include anything before college unless it’s professional experience
- Do not put your references, a statement testifying that the resume is accurate, or say “references available upon request.”
- Do not use words like “detail-oriented,” “team player,” “hard worker,” etc.”
FAQs about Resumes
How long should your resume be?
If you’re just out of school or have been working for < 10 years, one page.
If there are no requirements and you have a lot of experience or extraordinary circumstances, up to two pages. That’s it. My resume is only two pages and you’ll be surprised how much you can fit in this length.
If you are sure your industry accepts more pages (such as when you apply for an academic position at a university), then it can be longer. This should be obvious, but fill the page. You can talk about relevant clubs you were a part of at university or you can add more bullet points to what you did at your jobs. But do not have half the page blank.
Should your resume be creative?
This depends on how much is in your resume and the industry. There is so much in my resume that I can’t make it that creative and keep it within two pages. Prioritize information not creativity. However, if you have the space to make it creative, a resume that has some color can really help you stand out.
Resume Examples
Do not copy any of these. Your resume is an extension of your personality and your accomplishments. You should use these for inspiration, perhaps choose a Word template, and then spend a day creating something you like that you’re proud of.
IMAGE SOURCE CITED
Sample Resume 1
A sample resume we created based on the model used at the UC Berkeley Haas Business School
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Sample Resume 2
A sample excellent one-page resume, courtesy of Christian Correa (thanks for sharing, Christian!). If you haven’t done more than he has, you do not need more than one page.
Creative Resumes
Below are some examples of creative resume templates (they’re editable Word documents). We hope this helps. They get more creative to the right – you can add graphics/colors if you want!
Source: Janani
Source: UCLA
Source: Smash Resume
Source: Microsoft
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