Resume Writing Guide

Craft a Clear, Concise, and Compelling Resume

There’s no one “right” way to write a resume, but there are strong guidelines to help you make a great first impression. Your resume should clearly highlight your skills, experiences, and accomplishments while aligning with the job, internship, or opportunity you’re pursuing.

Use this guide to walk through best practices in format, structure, and content so your resume stands out for all the right reasons.

Overall Appearance & Formatting

  • Keep it clean and simple—your goal is readability.
  • Use one font (10–12 pt), one text color (black), and standard margins (0.5–1 inch).
  • Avoid resume templates from Word or other sources; they often limit your ability to edit and may cause problems with online applications.
  • If you use bullet points, don’t over-indent or use custom symbols—keep formatting consistent and basic.

Resume Length

  • One page is recommended for most students and recent grads.
  • Two pages are acceptable only if you have substantial relevant experience—and the second page must be full.

Fonts & Section Headers

  • Use a professional serif font (Georgia, Garamond, Bookman Old Style).
  • Differentiate section headers using bold, small caps, or slightly larger font size.
  • Avoid excessive stylization or multiple font types.

Writing Style & Grammar

  • Write concise bullet-point statements, not paragraphs.
  • Start each bullet with a strong action verb.
  • Use past tense for previous roles and present tense for current roles.
  • Avoid personal pronouns (“I,” “me,” “my”) and unnecessary filler words.
  • Proofread carefully, no typos or grammar mistakes.

Key Sections of a Strong Resume

1. Contact Information

Include:

  • Your name as you want to be referred to professionally
  • Email address (professional only)
  • Phone number with voicemail set up
  • LinkedIn URL (optional, if active)

2. Professional Summary (Optional but Recommended)

A Professional Summary is a brief snapshot of who you are as a candidate. Placed near the top of your resume, it highlights your most relevant skills, experiences, and strengths in a way that aligns with the role you’re applying for. Think of it as your personal “elevator pitch” in writing.

This section is especially helpful when:

  • You’re applying to a specific industry or role
  • You have a diverse background and need to tie it all together
  • You want to showcase transferable skills up front

What to Include:

  • 2–4 key qualifications or accomplishments
  • Hard and soft skills relevant to the role
  • Industry knowledge, certifications, or languages
  • Tailored language that matches the job description

Example (Paragraph Format):

Motivated psychology major with experience in peer mentoring, student leadership, and wellness program development. Skilled in public speaking, event coordination, and student engagement. Proven ability to collaborate across teams and communicate with diverse audiences.

Example (Bulleted Format):

  • Two years of leadership experience in student organizations
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Bilingual in Spanish and English
  • Experience coordinating events with 100+ attendees

What About Objectives?

Objectives are less common today but may still be useful when:

  • You’re applying for a specific internship, program, or scholarship
  • You’re early in your college career and just getting started

If used, make your objective specific and outcome-oriented.
Example:

Seeking a summer internship in health communication to apply skills in writing, public speaking, and media outreach.

3. Education

Include:

  • Institution name and location
  • Degree and major(s)
  • Graduation date (month, year)
  • GPA (if 3.0 or higher), honors, certifications, or relevant coursework

Example:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
Expected May 2026 | GPA: 3.5/4.0

4. Experience

Include work, internships, leadership, volunteer, and other relevant roles.
Each entry should include:

  • Job title, organization, city/state, and dates
  • 2–4 bullet points describing your achievements and responsibilities

Example:
CORE Ambassador, Career Development & Vocation
Augustana College, Rock Island, IL | August 2023 – Present

  • Presented workshops to over 150 students across 10 student organizations
  • Supported peers in using job search tools like Handshake and Viking Score
  • Promoted events via student organizations and digital marketing

List entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Group related experiences under custom headings like “Relevant Experience” or “Leadership Experience” if helpful.

5. Additional Sections (Optional)

Consider adding:

  • Leadership & Activities
  • Honors & Awards
  • Technical or Language Skills
  • Class Projects or Research (especially if relevant to your field)

Writing Strong Bullet Points

Use this formula:
Action Verb + What You Did + How/Why/Result

Example:
Collaborated with a 5-member team to coordinate a wellness event that attracted over 100 participants

Tips:

  • Quantify your impact when possible (how many, how often, how much)
  • Focus on accomplishments, not just duties
  • Avoid vague words like “helped” or “worked”—be specific

Final Tips