• Write it yourself: It is alright to look at other résumés for ideas, but write yours yourself. It will force you to organize your thoughts and background.
• Make it error free: One spelling or grammar error will create a negative impression. Get someone else to review your final draft for any errors.
• Make it presentable: Poor copy quality, cheap paper, bad type quality, or anything else that creates a poor physical appearance will turn off employers- even to the best résumé. Laser quality printing is acceptable.
• Be brief, be relevant: Many good résumés fit on one page- few justify more than two. Include only the most important points. If it doesn't relate to and support your job objective cut it.
• Be honest: Don't overstate your qualifications. Most employers will see right through it and not hire you.
• Be positive: Emphasize your accomplishments and results. This is no place to be too humble or display your faults.
• Be specific: Rather than saying "I am good with people," say, "I supervised four people in the warehouse and increased productivity by 30 percent." Use numbers whenever possible, such as the number of people served, percent of increase, or dollar increase.
• References: Contact your references and let them know what type of job you want and why you are qualified.

What a Résumé Should Contain

• Identifying Information: This should include your name, present address, telephone number (including area code), as well as a permanent address where you can be reached.
• Job Objective: A statement indicating the type of work you are seeking. This is optional. If you choose to include it, be specific to each position you are applying for-that means revise in each opportunity.
• Educational Background: List schools attended, identifying the most recent first. Include your degree, major(s), minor(s), date of graduation, and name of school (including city and state). You may emphasize concentrations of course work, grade point averages and other academic honors. If your overall grade point average is 3.0 or better, include this information. If, on the other hand, your major grade point average is better than your overall, you may want to only identify your major grade point average. Do not list high school unless you are applying for an opportunity with that school system.
• Experience or Work History: A summary of your work experience emphasizing the most recent or most important job relevant to your stated Job Objective. Work backwards and include all types of work experience (in the Students Labor Program at Berea College, volunteer experiences, summer employment, part-time employment, internships, etc.). List the title of your position, name of employer, dates employed, and describe the nature of your work in detail.
• Extracurricular Activities: Prospective employers are interested in your activities outside the classroom. Identify any organizations you belong to and any offices you hold in those organizations. Also include any honors you have received and committees on which you have served. Highlight activities, which are closely related to your career goals.
• Military Record: If you served in the military you may provide a brief description of your duties and achievements. If you received an honorable discharge, say so; otherwise make no mention of the type of discharge you received.
• References: Usually what this area should state is "References are available upon request."

So you think you don’t need a résumé? Well you’re probably wrong. A résumé is usually required for hiring into most professions. It is also often required to apply for internships and/or scholarships. Even if a job or internship doesn’t require a résumé, it is still very helpful to have. On a single sheet of paper (or two) you can tell an employer the strengths that you have that may make you more qualified for the job than the next person. These strengths are difficult if not nearly impossible to convey through an application.

Seniors listen up!
Career Development NEEDS your résumés. If you are planning on going into the workforce after graduation or utilizing recruitment days, we need to have your résumé on file. If you would like we can even proofread it for you. Just drop your résumé by Fairchild, Room 8 and we will have it in a file under your name. Therefore, if you were to ever lose yours, a copy would be safely located in one of our filing drawers.

The 3 Top résumé Questions
These are questions that we here at Career Development are asked on a regular basis about résumés:

1. My name is Michael Jackson but everyone has been calling me Mickey J for as long as I can remember. Can I use my nickname instead on my résumé?
Use the name on your birth certificate on your résumé. While it’s fine to go by a nickname in casual conversation, it is far more professional to use your given name. Even if your name is “Charles” and you go by “Chuck,” we still encourage you to use your real name.

2. I heard that résumés should only be 1 page, mine is almost spilling over to the third page. Do I have to cut most of my information?
While most employers expect a college student to have no longer than a one-page résumé due to less work experience, sometimes it is necessary to go to the second page. However, make sure that all of your information is pertinent to your individual job quest. For example, cut jobs that aren’t relevant to what you are going for (like your 2-year stint at MickeyD’s). Cut references off of the actual résumé and make them available only by request. Also try not to be too verbose.

3. Won’t my résumé stand out better to employers if I print it on orange paper?
Colors are nice but not for résumés. If you want a twist on plain old white try printing your résumé on cream colored paper. Trying other colors will only risk making your résumé and indirectly making you seem unprofessional. Also, print the final copies of your résumé only on high quality résumé paper, which is sold in local office supply stores as well as printing services.

The résumé Game
So you think you know your stuff when it comes to résumés? Try out our test to see if your résumé will be bound for applause or bound for the trash.

1. A business student wants employment at Kraft. Which objective would best fit in his/her résumé?
   • Business student seeks employment in a prestigious company with a chance to learn and grow
   • SWF seeks employment in Kraft with a chance to learn and grow
   • I am seeking employment with Kraft. For years I have been fascinated with the growth of this company and would love to have the chance to gain more knowledge.
   • Student seeking job
2. True or false: Employers get bored with plain old résumés. To spice yours up you should use pictures or anything else that will grab the employer’s eye.
3. True or false: Humility is the key to success when writing a résumé. Employers are weary of braggarts.
4. Which is not a part of résumés in general?
   a. Name
   b. Date the résumé was written
   c. Phone number
   d. Educational background
   e. Employment history
5. True or false: Berea College students can get the information they need on how to make a great résumé from Food Service.

Answers:

1. A, Objective should be clear and not include any unnecessary information. However it also should not be so vague and generalized that it could apply to any job.
2. False, Shapes and pictures only look unprofessional. The best way to spice up your résumé is through words.
3. False, In résumé writing it isn’t considered bragging, it’s considered “highlighting your accomplishments and achievements”. While we don’t want you to stretch the truth, we do want you to make sure you get across why you would be an asset. Don’t shy away from your achievements. They’re yours, aren’t they!
4. B, The date the résumé was written really has no use and would only take up space that you would otherwise be using to outshine the competition.
5. False, the place to get all that you need on writing a résumé is your Career Development office. Just come by Fairchild, Room 8 and we’ll be happy to give you assistance.

If you got all 5 right, then you know your stuff.
3-4, You have the general idea, but you still need some touching up.
0-2, Come to Career Development right away! We need to save your résumé from going into an employer’s trash can!

If you have difficulty describing your work experience, view the Berea College's Labor Program position descriptions.

Additional Resources

• Résumé Example
• Résumé Rubric to identify your résumé writing skills
• Cover Letter Rubric to identify your cover letter writing skills