Resumes and Letters

Resume writing, like any other kind of writing, is a skill that will improve with time and practice. Learning what employers in your specific career field are looking for is half the battle. How long should it be? How much information are they expecting? Do they want a one-page resume, brief and to the point, or are they willing to read a more detailed two-or-three page document? Are the sections prioritized correctly? What are the most important qualifications for your field? Have you included the keywords?

View resume samples for Marketing, Information Technology, Logistics, Financial Management, Project Management (1-Page), and Project Management (3-Page).

View a resume sample for Undergrad Liberal Arts.

View more samples through Monster's Resume Center.

View the formats for a Cover Letter, Thank You Letter, and Reference Page.

View more Sample Letters.

Post your resume to UD's Online Resume Book.

REQUEST A CAREER COUNSELING APPOINTMENT to go over your resume and discuss viable career options.

Resume Format

Your Name and Contact Information:

Think of this as your “letterhead”. Create it however you want. Just make sure that it’s attractive, clear, and easy to read. Below is an example:

Name, (initials)
Address (local)
City, State, Zip
Phone Numbers (home, work, cell, pager)
E-mail

Your Objective:

A one-line statement that describes the kind of position you are seeking. This section is optional and should only be included if you are focused on a particular field.

"Seeking a professional position in (specific position or field)."

Summary:

4 or 5 bullets that highlight all of the strengths that you want an employer to see. Can be titled Summary, Profile, Highlights, etc. Examples include:

* Over _____ years experience in (relevant industries or fields)
* MBA candidate in (concentration), (grad date)
* Skilled in all aspects of (specific field-related skill set)
* Well-developed communication skills demonstrated through (examples of oral and written communication)
* Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated through (examples of your interaction with co-workers and management)
* Knowledgeable in computer operations and applications including (general types or specific programs)
* Languages or cultural experience
* Permanent Resident or US Citizen (This may be something that international students would like to include. Do not list if you are on F-1 / J-1 status.)

Professional Experience:

You can use a variety of resume formats including:

CHRONOLOGICAL: All relevant jobs in present to past order.
FUNCTIONAL: Functional headings, i.e., Marketing Experience, Finance Experience, Event Event Coordination, etc. with all the skills pulled out of you jobs and listed. (After this section, a chronological listing of jobs is usually included.)
COMBINATION: Combination of chronological and functional that uses functional headings with chronological experience under them.

You should choose the format that you feel is best for you. Regardless, here is a standard format for presenting your work experience:

Last Job Title; Dates
COMPANY NAME; City, State / Country
Duties and Accomplishments

Projects:

If you're lacking experience in your field, you may want to use your class projects to beef up your resume.

Topic, Client (if applicable), Dates
* Description of project
* Results
* Accomplishments

Education:

Listing of educational experiences, in order of present to past. Include what you’re presently doing first. Below are examples of the kind of information you can include, but you do not have to include all of this.

Degree; Date
UNIVERSITY; City, State
Concentration: Field of Study
Major: Field of Study
Minor: Field of Study
Emphasis: Area of Specialization
GPA: Grade Point Average
Coursework: Classes and Projects
Honors: Societies or Scholarships
Activities: Organizations, Volunteer, etc.

Additional Training:

Be sure to included any relevant additional training that you've had.

Certification / License / Training; Date
ASSOCIATION; City, State
Specialty: Area of Specialization

Computer and Technical Skills:

Listing of specific computer programs + versions. If you're writing an IT résumé, you may want to break it down into categories with programs and length of experience with each program detailed. Also, depending on how important this section is for you, you might want to move it up on the resume. Appropriate information includes Category, Program & Version, and Amount of Experience.

Professional Affiliations:

A listing of relevant school or professional organizations and your level of involvement.

Association, Involvement

Additional Documents:

You may have prepared additional documents for the employer to review upon interest. These may include references, addendums, documentation, and portfolios. These are optional, but if you put them on your resume, be prepared to present them in an interview.

References Available Upon Request

Addendum Available Upon Request

Portfolio Available Upon Request

Post your resume to UD's Online Resume Book.

View our Resume Writing Workshop

More Resume Tips:

Best Online Articles on Writing a Resume
JobSmart
Proven Resumes
Quintessential Careers
Rebecca Smith's eResumes & Resources
Top Ten Technical Resume Writing Tips
Gary Wills WorkSearch
JobWeb Resume Guide
Curriculum Vitae Tips