Resume Categories & Content
1) Heading (Contact Information)
- List your name as you want to be referred to professionally (Jim Bretl, James Bretl, Jim A. Bretl).
- Include your current (college) address and phone number with area code (where you can be reached immediately - cellular and/or home phone). Make sure to have a professional message on your answering machine or voicemail.
- You may also want to include a permanent address if you will be in different locations during your job search, an address of someone who will always know how to reach you.
- Include your e-mail address if you use it regularly. Your "creighton.edu" e-mail address is preferred.
- Keep this information updated on your resume.
2) Objective
An objective identifies the type of work you are seeking. The more focused and specific your objective is, the better it works. An effective objective is simple, clear, to-the-point, and perfectly matches the job for which you are applying. It is appropriate to have several different resumes, each with a different objective specifically created for different types of positions you are applying for.
Sample Objectives:
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Research position in a biochemical laboratory.
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Summer internship in the field of physical therapy.
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Financial Analyst position with ABC Investment Company.
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To obtain an account management position in advertising.
3) Summary (optional)
A summary isolates five or six key attributes about your primary qualifications. The summary is placed near the top of your resume. Pick the qualifications that best demonstrate why an employer should hire you and assemble them into five or six sentences or bullet statements. It is acceptable to leave off an objective if you use a clear, concise summary section.
- Write short, brief statements (one-liners).
- A short phrase should describe your profession or career field of interest.
- Include statements of broad or specialized expertise, such as:
- breadth or depth of skills
- unique mix of skills
- range of environments in which you have expertise
- a special or well-documented accomplishment
- a sentence describing your professional objective or interest
Summary Example 1:
- Dedicated marketing candidate with two years of internship experience in consumer and market behavior, as well as advertising and promotions.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SPSS programs.
- Proven track record of producing successful results.
- Energetic self-starter with excellent leadership, analytical, and creative skills.
Summary Example 2:
- Commander, Chief Executive Officer of the US Navy, Atlantic Fleet. Expertise in all areas of management, with a proven record of unprecedented accomplishment. Proven senior-level experience in executive decision-making, policy direction, and strategic business planning. Experience in congressional relations, financial and personnel management, research and development, and aerospace engineering. Extensive knowledge of government military requirements in systems and equipment.
4) Education
List education in reverse chronological order. Current students and recent graduates should list education before experience. If you have significant work experience, list education at the end of the resume. It is not necessary for a college graduate to list high school education. Your education should include the following:
- Name and location of your university or institution.
- Type of degree (BA, BSBA, BS, MBA, etc.)
- Graduation date or the expected date of completion.
- Major(s), Minor(s), Certificate(s), or areas of emphasis/concentration.
- GPA (generally, list 3.0 GPA or above).
- Additional certification or licenses.
- Relevant coursework (optional).
5) Experience
This may include full-time employment, work-study positions, summer employment, internships, volunteer experience, community service, student teaching, campus leadership, or any area in which you may have significant experience or knowledge, such as publications and presentations. You may divide this category between Career Related Experience, Professional Experience, and Other Work Experience.
List jobs in reverse chronological order (present to past). List current employment or the last five years of experience. If you worked for only one employer, list separately each different position you held there. This shows your progression within the company.
Briefly describe for each position:
- Job title, dates of employment, name of organization/company, and locations (city, state).
- List your responsibilities (and level of responsibility) for each position using a variety of action verbs to describe situations and achievements.
- Remember to highlight accomplishments, experience gained, or skills acquired in your job, rather than recite your job description.
6) Activities / Leadership / Achievements / Awards / Accomplishments / Skills / Qualifications
Use the categories that are most important and relevant to your career objective and goals. You may want to use specific headings such as professional associations, technical skills (computer skills), foreign languages, community service and leadership positions.
Include student clubs, organizations, committees or teams you participated in while in college. Elaborate on the responsibilities of offices held (Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, etc.) Also list publications you have written and any military service completed. Keep this section brief but if you need more detail, use the guidelines from the Experience section. Avoid listing interests and hobbies that are not connected to your career goals.
List information in these sections by one of the following:
- Most important to least important.
- Important leadership roles to least important.
- Reverse chronological order (present to past).
References
Do not list reference contacts on your resume. If you want to include references, add them to a separate sheet titled "References". It is not necessary to add "References Available Upon Request", however, it states to the employer that this is the end of your resume and this is acceptable. If you are really struggling to extend your resume to a full one page, consult with the Career Center regarding additional knowledge, skills, or abilities you can list to market yourself more effectively to employers.