Getting Started

• What does a college resume look like? Not sure what information to include on your resume or how to structure your experiences? Check out our ResumeGuidelines.pdf of what you need to know. Tips for your first college resume
   
• Resume Writing Worksheet - Resume Writing Worksheet.pdf / Resume Writing Worksheet.doc - Utilize this worksheet to jot down content for your resume before you begin to work on the layout and format.
   
• Developing Your Resume - We recommend NOT using a template to develop your resume. Templates usually place your information in an odd order and can be difficult to revise when you have new experiences to add. Instead, we encourage you to create your own document that gives you the freedom for adjustment as needed. Please view our Sample Resumes for examples that you can edit to make your own.
  • Formatting Your Resume in Microsoft Word - AdjustingMargins.docx / LineSpacing.docx
     
• Developing Your Resume to be Compatible for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) Software
  Over 98% of Fortune 500 organizations use ATS software.  To get an interview with a large organization, you have to be savvy about how you customize, format and submit your resume.  Keywords and simple formatting are key.  Check out these tips:
  • 4 Tips for Beating the Resume Bots
  • How to Use Key Words in your Job Search
  • Top 500 Resume Keywords to Boost Your Resume
  • How To Write A Resume That Passes The Artificial Intelligence Test

Writing Bullet Points

• Adding bullet points to describe your experiences is a great way to highlight your duties, responsibilities, and accomplishments. Writing strong bullet points can be tricky though, because they need to be descriptive, yet brief. Think about adding the Who, What, When, Where, Why or How and use the formula below for writing detailed bullet points:
  
                                                                      SKILL        +           What you DID        +        RESULTS/OUTCOME
                                                                 (power verb)             (job responsibility)                         (how/why)
  
  Basic: Assisted with inventory (missing the what and when)
  Great: Assisted with weekly and monthly inventory of 500+ medical supplies (answers the what and when)
  
  Basic: Provided quality customer service (missing the how)
  Great: Provided quality customer service by addressing questions, complaints and acting quickly to solve problems (answers the how)
   
• Power Verbs  - All bullet points should begin with a "power" or "action" verb that identifies your tasks (i.e., managed, assisted, supervised, planned). Not sure which power verb to use or stuck on the same one? View our list of power verbs
   
• Additional information for writing bullet points

Sample Resumes

Please view our sample resumes to provide a guide in creating your own resume. You may not have the variety of experiences you see showcased on our sample resumes and that's okay! Remember, your resume can only capture YOUR past and present experiences, so it's perfectly fine to not have a particular section on your resume (but maybe this is an experience to gain in the future!). You may find it most helpful to select a sample resume that matches your current experiences and is tailored to the type of position you might be seeking.

• Sample # 1-  .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for an incoming 1st year student. This sample highlights only high school experiences and is appropriate for seeking a part-time job on  campus or in the community.
   
• Sample # 2 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 1st or 2nd year student. This sample highlights both high school and college experiences and is appropriate for seeking a part-time job on campus or in the community.

• Sample # 3 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 2nd or 3rd year student. This sample highlights a class project experience and is appropriate for seeking an internship.

• Sample # 4 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 2nd or 3rd year student. This sample highlights athletic experience and is appropriate for seeking an internship.
   
• Sample # 5 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 4th or 5th year student. This sample highlights an internship and is appropriate for seeking a full-time job.
   
• Sample # 6 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 4th or 5th year student. This sample highlights lab and research experience and is appropriate for seeking a full-time job.
   
• Sample # 7 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 4th or 5th year student. This sample highlights study abroad and research experience and is appropriate for seeking a full-time job.
   
• Sample # 8 - .pdf / word (editable) - Ideal resume for a 4th or 5th year student. This sample highlights professional and leadership experience and is appropriate for seeking a full-time job. 

Other sample resumes by focus area:

• Strengths-based Resume .pdf and Strengths & Transferable Skills worksheet .pdf- Integrating your top 5 themes from Strengths into your resume, cover letter, and interview
   
• Alumni Resume.pdf
   
• Government Resume - .pdf / word (editable) - Government resumes may be 2-3 pages depending upon experiences and skills
   
• Nursing Resume - .pdf / word (editable) - Nursing resumes may be 1-2 pages depending upon experiences and skills
   
• Education Resume Samples
   
• Engineering Resume Samples

Uploading your Resume to Handshake

1. Log in and then click on your name in the upper right hand corner
2. Click on Documents
3. Click on Add New Document
4. Be sure to set your document as visible if you would like an employer to be able to see if on your profile (you will also need to set your profile to public in
    your privacy settings)
5. If you receive an error message, make sure there are no special characters in the name and convert to a .pdf before uploading.


Top 10 Tips for a Great Resume

• Create your own resume format (do not use a template)
• Be one page in length
• Include your college degree
• Leave off high school, at a certain point
• Use bullet points to describe your experiences
• Include dates and locations for all experiences
• Be reverse chronological (start with newest experiences first)
• Be free of grammar and spelling errors
• Be free of references
• Utilize our sample resumes that you can edit to make your own

Curriculum Vitae (CV) Information

A CV is a comprehensive, biographical statement emphasizing your professional qualifications and activities. In general, a CV includes more information than a resume and can range from 2-50 pages in length depending on experience.  Rather than focusing on work history, a CV provides a summary of one’s educational and academic background by highlighting teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, professional affiliations, and academic honors.  CVs are also typically written in a more narrative, paragraph format, as opposed to the quick bullet points found on resumes.  In addition, an international CV may look quite different from an American CV and usually includes personal details such as age, marital status, religious affiliation, and a photo.    

 A CV should only be used when specifically requested. This might occur in the following instances:

• Applications for admission to graduate or professional programs
• Proposals for fellowships or grants 
• Applications for international employment
• Independent consulting in a variety of settings
• Providing information related to professional activities (i.e., applications for professional memberships and leadership positions, and presentations at professional conferences)
• Applications for positions in academia, including:
  • Higher education positions in teaching and research
  • Institutional research and consulting
  • School administration (i.e., elementary or secondary principals, superintendents, deans of schools)                     

CV Samples

• CV - Sections to Include 
   
• Undergraduate Narrative CV Sample - .pdf
   
• Undergraduate Bulleted CV Sample - .pdf