Resume Guide

Use this list to double-check that you include in your resume all necessary and appropriate information based on the rhetorical situation: the audience who will read it and the specific job for which you are applying. You should choose between the two basic resume formats: chronological and functional. The chronological approach is more common—all items are organized in reverse chronological order (most recent first). The functional approach places more emphasis on skills and qualifications, making it useful when you don’t yet have a great deal of applicable work experience.

Main Heading

Include the following information in this section:

• First and last name
• Full address with zip code and two-letter state abbreviation; can include both home and school
• Telephone number(s)
• Email address

Objective

Include the following information in this section:

• A brief phrase or sentence that shows your interest in the specific job you are seeking; base the objective on the goals or duties listed in the job advertisement and on the reader’s needs—indicate what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you
• Include the general field or industry, not the company name
• Be specific; avoid meaningless generalities

Education

Required information:

• Degree(s) earned (use abbreviation B.S.) with major and minor or thematic sequence
• Full name of the institution that granted the degree
• City and two-letter state abbreviation of the degree-granting institution
• Graduation date
• Grade point average—do not round

Optional Education Information

• Other schools attended, with the same information above (arrange education reverse chronologically)
• Full name of relevant courses completed
• Special, relevant projects and your role
• Honors and awards
• Significant scholarships received2
• Memberships in university organizations
• Publications or important research projects with name and objective
• Include high school info if valuable for networking; list high school accomplishments only if outstanding or unique but do not include if you are a junior or senior

Employment History or Experience

Include the following basic information for each full or part-time job or internship you have had:

• Your position or title
• Organization’s name
• Location of the organization (city and two-letter state abbreviation)
• Dates worked (months and years only or “summer” and year)
• Your specific job responsibilities and skills developed

Present employment information based on the following guidelines:

• Put most impressive information first
• Be specific and concise
• Emphasize results
• Use active voice
• Use strong, action verbs
• Use keywords the employer is looking for—mimic the job ad language; avoid irrelevant information
• Use present and past tense appropriately
• Use parallel structure in bullets and lists
• Avoid first person (I)—use brief fragments, not sentences

Interests and activities

As appropriate, you may (briefly) include the following information in this section: (Customize the title of the section accordingly.)

• Listing of significant honors and awards (see note 2)
• Information regarding participation in community-service or volunteer organizations
• Listing of hobbies if related to the job; exclude others
• Information regarding participation in university-sanctioned organizations and activities
• Do not include information on height, weight, birth date, health, ethnicity, marital status, number of children; do not include a photo of yourself

Optional sections

The following optional sections may be included based on the experience and skills desired for the specific job you are applying for:

• Computer skills and certifications, organized by hardware, software, and operating systems
• Licenses or memberships in professional organizations
• Specialized equipment or knowledge
• Military service (could be in the employment section)
• Language abilities

References

• No statement is required for references—don’t waste the space
• Do have a separate sheet of references ready to hand out or send if requested.
• Include: full name, title, organization, mailing address, and phone number; email address is optional
• Provide 3: a boss, a professor, and a character reference.
• Use the same design as your résumé
• Receive permission from references before giving out their information!

Other notes

• Aim for one page
• Customize content to your audience—use organization and section headers to highlight what is most impressive for this job
• Quantify experiences with numbers – include specific numbers to strengthen your descriptions of volunteer and work experiences when appropriate
• Remove all hyperlinks
• Avoid prose (full sentences) in all sections
• Position all dates at the right margin for easy reading

Howe Writing Initiative ‧ Farmer School of Business ‧ Miami University

If you need this resource in another format for accessibility, please contact hwi@miamioh.edu