THE GOALS IN BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE RESUME

The goal of a resume is to win an interview -- to convince the employer that the applicant is someone worth meeting. In order to accomplish this goal, the resume must do the following:
  • Show the employer -- based on a quick eye scan -- that the applicant is qualified or has the potential to succeed in the position
  • Specify and quantify the applicant's skills, competencies and accomplishments so the employer knows exactly what the applicant can do for the business/organization
  • Include any information that makes the applicant unique and interesting so the applicant stands out from the crowd. (You never know what might create a connection or pique someone's interest.)

RESUME FOR FIRST JOB/INTERNSHIP

Most students and young people are concerned that they have nothing impressive or relevant to put on their resume. This attitude is the same one I encounter when helping students with their college application essays -- they don't realize that they have a unique and interesting story to tell! It's just a matter of digging to find it.

Every student I have worked with has acquired several marketable skills and competencies from things they've done in their first 16+ years of life, whether it be after-school or summer jobs, sports teams, school clubs, volunteering, family chores, etc. My job (and passion!) is to help students realize all the qualities they have to offer and help them put these qualities into persuasive sentences.

THE PROCESS
  • Interview the student to find the most important and relevant information to include, including digging for specific skills/results/achievements, and digging for quantifiable results/achievements
  • Advise the student on which information is relevant and should be included
  • Advise the student on which information is most important and should be highlighted
  • Suggest the best language to make the resume persuasive and effective
  • Suggest formatting options to make the resume aesthetically pleasing and easy to read
"Thank you so so much! Those were excellent edits/suggestions [for my resume], and I am working on the final draft. This is definitely your forte. I am so grateful!
          -– unsolicited email from
               graduate student

COMMON RESUME MISTAKES TO AVOID

CONTENT

  • Generalities instead of specifics
  • Adjectives instead of facts 
  • Emphasis on biographical chronology instead of skills, competencies and achievements
  • Irrelevant information
  • Too braggy
  • Too modest
  • One size fits all

APPEARANCE

  • Hard to read because too much information
  • Most important information not sufficiently highlighted
  • Inconsistent formatting
  • Absence of parallelism among entries
  • Too much white space
  • Not enough white space