The beginning of most career/job search processes starts with the resume. This is the single most important document that any job seeer can complete and perfect. The resume, though is a dynamic document and it should be updated regularly as indicated below:

Freshmen and Sophomores: Update resume at least once a year
Juniors and Seniors: Update resume every semester
Graduating Seniors: Update resume to fit specific job postings and career opportunities
Alumni: Update resume every 6 months

The Office of Career Development has several resources available for you to create, update and perfect your resume. These resources are meant for you to use what you see fit to create the best resume possible, not too create the "career development style" of resume. There is one golden rule is resume development - THERE IS NO PERFECT RESUME. Why? Because people are different. People look at your resume and see different things and focus on different attributes. What one recruiter sees as important may be totally different to another recruiter.

We urge all students and alums to evaluate your resume using the "what is important to the job I am seeking" motto. Look at each position and determine what skills and experiences are most desirable to do the advertised job effectively. Those are the things that employers and recruiters want to see on your resume. The purpose of the resume is to get you an interview, not the job. The interview is what employers grant based on the strength of your resume and not in comparison to the other candidates because you have NO IDEA what they are writing on their resume(s). You can only be concerned with your own.

Resume Toolkit Contents

Frequently Asked Questions about Resume Development - Good resource to answer some nagging resume questions

Resume Workbook - This is a 34 page document with pages for you to fill-in and help you create the resume for the first time. Think of it as a resume builder because it allows you to complete each section step-by-step before placing all of the information on a page. This document is long, so make sure you know how many pages you want to print if you are in a campus computer lab.

Sample Resume Formats
*Sample resumes for specific majors can be found on your My Major Page
These resume formats are "fuel" for your creative fire. The Office of Career Development suggests that you focus on content and not just style. Each of these resumes have specific purposes which can be identified by their format. The three examples are:

Chronological Resume - This is the most common resume for students just graduating from college that may or may not have career-related experience. This format lists information in a reverse-chronological order.

Functional Resume - This is intended for individuals who have more than 7 years of experience in several different areas. As the name suggests, it focuses on functions and skills that you have and not just when you did those things. For example, if you were a department manager 10 years ago, those skills are still relevant today, even though it has been awhile since you were in the position.

Combination Resumes - This combines the two above listed formats for those that want more detail about their individual jobs or have multiple skills learned at one compan/organization.

Curriculum Vita Sample - This resume is specifically for education and other majors that are planning to stay in an educational field (i.e. becoming a professor or researcher). This format is similar to a normal resume, however, more information is included such as projects, papers presented, conference presentations and research interests.

Resume Writing Helpers

General Resume Tips
Action Verbs
How Do I Say . . . ? (Tips for wording your resume)
How To Write an Electronic Résumé