Resume Guide for College Students

What is a Resume?

A resume is a document that provides an overview of your qualifications. You may be required to submit a resume for opportunities including part-time and full-time jobs, research positions, internships, graduate school, or fellowships. A well-written, tailored resume helps you communicate and demonstrate your abilities to your audience and how your experience is relevant to the opportunity you are seeking.

Common Resume Types:

• Chronological: This resume type is the most common and universal for most students seeking jobs or internships. Your education and experience are listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.
• Functional: This resume type is best suited for students who are looking to change career paths, have gaps in employment, or have minimal experience. Transferable skills and areas of expertise are emphasized instead of work history. Organize a functional resume into categories that connect your transferable skills to the job posting requirements.
• Federal or State Government: This type of resume is typically 3-5 pages long and includes more personal information and detailed descriptions of work experience, education, and qualifications, as well as supervisors’ names, hours worked per week, and credit hours earned towards a relevant degree. Visit USAjobs.gov for more on government resumes.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV):  A CV is used to apply for scientific, research, or academic positions and is longer and more detailed than a standard resume. A CV is usually longer than a resume and includes a thorough list of education, publications, awards, honors, achievements, and professional experiences. It should also include any research, presentations, or teaching experiences.

Write With Your Audience in Mind

What Your Audience is Looking For:

• Skills: Can you do the job? This includes skills, knowledge, and experience.
• Passion and Motivation: Will you do the job? Do your experiences demonstrate your interests and willingness to do the work the position requires?
• Fit: Do you fit with the organization? Does your personality, work style, and values align with the culture and expectations of the organization?

Each of these desired qualifications and attributes will be demonstrated through your experience. The categories listed on your resume may include, but are not limited to:

• Education
• Work or Professional Experience
• Internships
• Projects and/or Research
• Extracurriculars or Campus Involvement
• Volunteer and Service

Employers and human resources professionals read resumes very quickly—estimates range between 10-20 seconds. To make it easy for your reader, use a simple format. Remember, not every individual reading your resume will be an expert in your field. Have a friend or someone who isn’t an expert in your field review your resume to ensure readability and catch any typos or grammatical errors.