What is a Resume?

A resume is a concise document that summarizes your work history, education, and skills. Its primary purpose is to provide potential employers with an overview of your qualifications for a job. Here's a breakdown of key aspects:

Purpose

  • To showcase your relevant skills and experience.
  • To secure an interview.
  • To provide a clear and organized summary of your professional background.

Key Characteristics

  • Concise: Typically one to two pages long.
  • Tailored: Customized to the specific job you're applying for.
  • Accurate: Free of errors and truthful.
  • Easy to Read: Well-organized and formatted.

In essence, a resume is a marketing tool that helps you present yourself as a qualified candidate to potential employers.

Creating Your Resume

Crafting an effective resume requires careful attention to detail and a strategic approach. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Gather Your Information

Work History

  • Compile a list of all your previous jobs, including company names, job titles, dates of employment, and detailed descriptions of your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Education

  • List your degrees, diplomas, certifications, and relevant coursework.
  • Include the names of institutions, dates of attendance, and any honors or awards.

Skills

  • Identify your hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (interpersonal abilities).
  • Think about skills that are relevant to the jobs you're targeting.

Achievements

  • Note any quantifiable achievements, such as sales figures, project successes, or awards.

Structure Your Resume

Contact Information

  • Include your full name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile URL (optional).
  • Ensure your email address is professional.

Work (Relevant) Experience

  • List your jobs in reverse chronological order, using strong action verbs to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.
  • Quantify your achievements whenever possible, using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to frame your accomplishments.

Education

  • List your degrees and certifications in reverse chronological order, including dates of attendance and the names of institutions attended.
  • As a college student, there is no need to add your high school information.

Skills

  • Create a separate section for your skills tailoring your skills to those listed in the job description.
  • Categorize your skills (e.g., lab, computer skills, social media, language, certifications).
  • Additional Leadership and Volunteerism
    • You can include sections for volunteer experience, awards, or projects.

Formatting and Design

Keep it Concise

  • Aim for one to two pages.

Use Consistent Formatting

  • Use bullet points, bolding, and italics to emphasize key information.

Proofread Carefully

  • Check for any errors in grammar or spelling.

Tailor Your Resume

  • Customize your resume for each job application, using keywords from the job description.
  • Highlight the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job, researching the company and the role to which you are applying.

Key Tips

  • Use strong action verbs, quantifying your achievements.
  • Keep it concise and easy to read, proofreading your resume carefully.
  • Tailor your resume to each job, using a professional format.

By following these guidelines, you can create a compelling resume that showcases your qualifications and helps you land your dream job.

The Regis College resume template and resume guide are available for download. The template is Applicant Tracking Systems (AST)-friendly, allowing you to weave relevant keywords into your bullet points. The Regis College resume guide provides you with step-by-step instructions for constructing strong bullet points to best demonstrate your professional skills.

Resume Template
Resume Guide