Fitting your entire college experience and work history on one piece of paper may not be as simple as it seems. For students, a resume is the gateway to a future career. It can improve your prospective job opportunities or tarnish them.
As a recent Auburn engineering graduate, Kevin Moen said he would advise students to utilize career services and to have multiple sets of eyes proofread it, such as advisers, fellow students and professors.
Career-specific jargon is necessary on resumes, so have someone who is in the same field proofread the document.
“Make sure that you can speak about everything listed on your resume in interviews,” Moen said. “Don’t put something on there that you don’t know enough to talk about.”
Employers like to see specifics: for example, if it’s stated that a student increased sales revenue during a previous employment, include numbers. This will validate the statement and give the employer a sense of scope.
“One of the most common mistakes students make when writing a resume is that they write one version and think ‘OK, I’m done,’ but it needs to be updated and tailored for each position they are pursuing,” said Katie Mantooth, career counselor.
Mantooth said an employer will immediately notice bad formatting.
Be sure to always use a bulleted format and not full paragraphs. This will keep the reader engaged and it will make the resume more visually appealing.
References should never be listed on the resume itself, so a reference page should be created separately. Traditionally, the statement ‘references available upon request’ has been seen at the bottom of countless resumes. It’s great filler to eliminate white space, but it’s not necessary, employers assume that when you apply for a job references will be provided.
Always include a cover letter and use quality paper when printing the cover letter, resume and reference page.
“An outstanding summary of qualifications is what employers are looking for,” Mantooth said.
Mantooth suggested the summary or objective should be three to five bullets that borrow vocabulary from the job description. A good layout is key, and it needs to catch an employer’s eye and be visually appealing.
Employers recognize Microsoft Word templates immediately, so students should personally tailor the layouts. When an employer is looking through stacks of resumes, the template alone may catch their attention.
When e-mailing a resume, save it as a PDF file. This will make the document universal and prevent changes if the employer has different printer or screen settings.
For more information on how to create a successful resume, go to the Auburn University Career Services Department. Walk ins are welcome Monday-Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. and from noon to 2 p.m. on Fridays.
Another option for students that cannot make it into the Career Services office is the e-resume review, where students can submit resumes by e-mail and get feedback in 48 hours.