What is a résumé?

A résumé 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 résumé is a marketing tool that helps you present yourself as a qualified candidate to potential employers.

Creating your résumé.

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

1. 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.

2. Structure Your Résumé:

  • 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.

4. 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.

5. Tailor Your Résumé:

  • 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.

Attached to this resource is the résumé template used by Regis College. This template is ATS-friendly, allowing you to weave relevant keywords into your bullet points. Additionally, we have attached the Regis College Résumé Guide, which provides step-by-step instructions.

Resume Template
Resume Guide