The Ultimate Resume Guide

By Alaysha Riley

This guide includes the best tips, templates, and resources for you to create your own stellar resume. If you still need help, come to our resume workshop ​Wednesday, March 8, 2017 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. We will be located in room 244 at the J. Paul Leonard Library at SFSU. The following week we will be hosting a workshop where you can apply to jobs with your updated resume. POW wants you to succeed and get your dream job!

The purpose of your resume is to tell your story with your skills, experiences, and qualities that demonstrate you are a great fit for the company. Remember to do your research and know the job and the company you are applying to so you can effectively craft your resume.

There are three resume formats. ​Choose a format that best suits the job you are applying for. The resume formats include:

• Chronological: Focuses on work experience in reverse chronological order
• Functional: Focuses on skills and experience, and not chronological work history. Used by people with gaps in employment or are changing careers
• Combination: Enables you to highlight the skills and experiences that are relevant, while still showing work history in the format that employers prefer

Key Sections:
*Not in chronological order

Header
The header is meant to include the most important information on your resume. This should include your name, basic contact information, and possibly a link to your portfolio.

Introduction
This may include a section such as a summary or highlights of your most important accomplishments and skills. This is a way to draw the reader in and make them read more. An introduction is important but a resume is better off without a poor introduction.

Education

• Name of School
• Degree Earned
• Major Course(s) of Study
• Academic Distinctions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Training and Certification
• Related Coursework

Work Experience
Work experience is the most valuable section in your resume. Remember to write your accomplishments not history/tasks. Most often, work experience is displayed in reverse chronological order, meaning your most recent job is listed first. If you do have a highly relevant position, there is no rule against re-ordering your work history to put the most relevant job first.

Every work experience entry should include:

• Employer Name
• Dates of Employment
• Job Titles
• Job Descriptions/Accomplishments
  • ​Action Word + What You Did? + How? or Why? + Numbers
  • Action words: Designed, Developed, Launched, Spearheaded, Reduced, Yielded, Accelerated, Amplified, Boosted, Delivered, Lifted, Merged, Modified, Remodeled, Replaced, Supervised, Trained, Projected, Assessed, Promoted, Oversaw, Improved, Adapted, Trained, Directed, Managed, Solved, Initiated, Controlled, Coordinated, Executed, Produced, Built, Grew
  • Bad example:Created a marketing strategy.
  • ​Good example: Created a marketing strategy incorporating email campaigns and social media platforms that reached 5,000 individuals.

​Skills
It is important to include your core skills and the level of competency in each skill. Remember not to include skills that are not relevant to the job.

Extra Sections (if applicable)

• Leadership Experience
• Professional Affiliations 
• Language Proficiencies
• Technical Competencies
• Community Activities 
• Personal Interests 
  • Do not include hobbies if they are not related to the job.

Quick Tips

• Tailor your resume and cover letter to the job
  • Include key words from the job description​
  • For example, an accountant’s resume should have a classic design but a videographer’s resume can be creative and  should include links to portfolio.
• Be consistent with formatting such as fonts and sizes, punctuation, and margins.
• On average, recruiters will read a resume in 6 seconds. This means your resume should be:
  • Sharply focused
  • Compelling
  • Relevant
• Create multiple version of your resume is essential for a successful job search. You should have:
  • A web-based resume that lives online
  • A master resume with lots of detail
  • A custom resume for each job application

Want more help? Download the resume template, examples, and cover letters located at the bottom of the page. Plus, check out these great resources here and here and here.

Will you be coming to our resume workshop? Let us know in the comments!

Resume Template 1
File Size:	21 kb
File Type:	docx

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