Resume Do's & Don'ts
A Resume Should
- Be clear and concise
- Make sure that it is easy to read. (this could refer to font, margins, alignment of information, etc.)
- Follow a format
- Not a template - a format. This refers to where your information is in the document. Titles? Places? City, State? Dates? Details?
- Include a summary statement
- Including a summary statement helps employers and recruiters quickly learn of your key skills and abilities.
- Expand on relevant experience/education
- Focus on what is going to be most important to the employer. What does he/she need to know about you? Research? Volunteerism?
- Internships? Leadership? Presentations? Positions held?
- Be personal and unique
- It's about you and your experiences. Each one should look different.
- Document your experiences
- Whether it was a paid position or an unpaid internship, if it is relevant to the position you are applying for, it should be there.
- Be honest
- There is no room for fibs or exaggerations. The truth never changes; a fib will come out as a fib in an interview.
- Focus on transferable skills
- Using past tense action verbs, describe what you were able to get out of each experience. These can be in bullets under the position or education listed.
- Be as long as it needs to be
- Unless an employer states specifically that only one page will be accepted, the old "1-page" rule does not apply. While we don't want to include "fluff" you want to make sure the important information is all there. Try not to exceed 2 pages, especially since you only have 6 seconds to impress an employer!
A Resume Should Not
- Include any experience that you have not yet started
- On the first day, you begin an experience, you can include it and not until.
- Get into long descriptions or use paragraphs
- Keep it short and to the point. You can expand on an experience in the cover letter and in the interview.
- Use slang or bad grammar
- Let other people take a look to edit your work. Don't ask anyone that you're not willing to take criticism from. (i.e. significant other, parents, or your bff)
- Include high school information
- At some point after your freshmen year, you should have enough experience to fill the document without old information.
- Include a photograph
- The only time a picture is acceptable is if you are an actor or on-air personality
- Discuss salary information
- Salary negotiations are another topic entirely. See Career Development for questions or concerns.
- Include personal information
- Nothing about age, sex, religion, political affiliation, social security number, relatives, marital status, or children (whether you have them now or want them in the future)
Action Verbs for Resumes
According to Indeed action words are specific, clarify your contributions, and bring a confident tone to your resume and list of accomplishments. Here’s an example:
Lacks strength and clarity: “Held weekly status meetings to share client updates.”
Empowered and detailed: “Spearheaded weekly status meetings to communicate agency revenue growth.”
Make your resume stand out! Visit Indeed's Career Guide for a great article on how terminology matters and for some excellent examples!
Resources
FIRSTHAND - Formerly Vault
Vault is the world’s leading source of Career Intelligence. It will make your efforts at researching employers, industries, and career subjects infinitely easier and more efficient. Whether you are just exploring possible career paths or you are ready for your interview, Vault can help! Utilize this tool to guide you as you develop your resume and write a cover letter as well!
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Resume Target
Resume Target provides:
- Professional resume templates and cover letters, built for a job search in over 54 industries at all career levels
- Daily targeted job alerts tuned to the unique needs of each user
- Professional articles and advice on resume writing, LinkedIn development, job search, and interview strategies
Thanks to a partnership with Resume Target, a professional resume writing service, they are pleased to offer complimentary career-related resources to Marywood University students and alumni seeking professional development and career tips.
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LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator
LearningExpress Job & Career Accelerator
Get detailed information on more than 1,100 occupations. Find careers that match your skills and interests. Access millions of current job and internship postings. Create professional resumes and cover letters, master interviewing and networking techniques, and more. Job & Career Accelerator is your guide to getting hired. What are you waiting for – get started now!
To register:
To register from a computer within your provider institution, simply click the “Sign In/Register” from the upper right side of the blue horizontal navigation bar at the top of any page of the site. Click the “Register” button to register as a new user, verify your institution and enter your information in the required fields, and then click “Register.”
To register from a computer outside of your provider institution’s network (such as from home), you must first register as a New User from the custom, authenticated EBSCO LearningExpress link. Missing this New User step may result in a registration error message.
For future visits, simply sign in as a Returning User with your email address as your username and the password you created at registration.
Check with your administrator if unsure how to access the site or are having difficulty with registration or as a returning user.
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