Resume/Profile
Resume
A resume is a short document that summarizes your educational background, career experience, qualifications, skills, achievements and more. A good resume will advertise your unique capabilities to a potential employer and show them why they should hire you. A resume is one of the most important parts of a job application, so you should put a lot of effort into creating a great one.
A resume is typically 1-2 pages. Resumes are similar to CVs, but CVs are used mostly in academia, while resumes are usually used in industry. CVs are also longer than resumes (2+ pages).
Organization
The way in which you organize information on your resume can help you highlight your strengths and give a good first impression. Undergraduate students should typically list their university and GPA first, then relevant work experience, then skills and related interests. Here is the typical structure of an undergraduate resume:
Header
List your name, contact information (phone and email), and LinkedIn profile if you have one.
Education
Major(s)/minor(s)
GPA (if over 3.0)
Academic awards and scholarships.
GPA in major if it is much better than overall GPA
Expected graduation semester and degree type
Work Experience
Relevant jobs with dates of employment, listed in reverse chronological order
Include research experience here, and list conferences/papers/awards associated with research positions. May be broken up into research/teaching/other, scientific/other, etc.
Use action verbs (developed, designed, etc.) to describe work duties and accomplishments
Use present-tense verbs for your current job and past-tense verbs for previous jobs
Specific details about your accomplishments in these roles- ex. improved motor efficiency by 5%
Technical Skills
Any programming/software skills, listed in order of relevance. Could include Microsoft Office software.
Certifications and special trainings
Specific equipment and laboratory experience
Can list any general skills from courses that you have taken, such as group leadership, technical writing, and data analysis
Community Service and Professional Activities
Volunteer work and community outreach
On-campus organizations and societies- be sure to list any leadership roles
Related interests and activities- Robotics Club, Web Design, etc.
Check out some example resumes/templates to figure out what you want yours to look like. When looking for examples, search under university websites and try to focus on science/engineering resumes. For example, University of Maryland available.
Special Resume Types
Federal
If you are applying for a federal position, use the to follow the proper format for federal resumes.
Veterans
If you are a military veteran, your military experience will be valuable on a resume, but you will need to present it in a way that civilian employers and organizations can understand (without jargon, acronyms, etc.) You should also show how your military experience can translate to valuable skills in a civilian workplace. There are many resources online available for writing a resume as a student veteran; for example, see from Morgan State University.
Non-Traditional Students/Transitioning Careers
If you have vast career experience unrelated to your major at ÍÃ×ÓÏÈÉú´«Ã½ÎÄ»¯×÷Æ· and are hoping to transition careers, your career experience can offer you an advantage as a job candidate. However, you will have to consider how to present your past career experience on a resume and which skills/accomplishments from your previous career will transfer to your new career. There are a lot of resources online for writing a resume while transitioning careers; for example, see from San José State University.
Social Media Profile
It is a good idea to have a professional profile linked on your resume. Employers may look you up on social media, and having a great LinkedIn profile can make a positive impression. LinkedIn can also help you connect with employers and find opportunities (see Job Search/Events). Use a headshot or other of yourself for your profile picture, enter your academic information and qualifications, and join several Groups that you are interested in.
You can use other social media like Twitter and Instagram to post about your projects and creations. If you do this, you should keep the entire profile professional. Note that employers may look at your personal profile on Facebook, Twitter, and more. You should avoid posting anything negative about potential or current employers, and never post sexual, drug-related, or violent/hateful content. While you can control your own posts, you may be tagged in photographs showing behaviors you do not want companies to see. Keep your security settings maximal if you choose to use personal social media accounts.
Elevator Pitch
You should develop a 30-second "elevator pitch" to use at. The elevator pitch is a brief "advertisement" of your skills, interests, and experience. You should use your elevator pitch when you first speak to a recruiter or employer at a fair or event. In your elevator pitch, you should:
Greet the recruiter/employer, give a natural smile and a firm handshake, and tell them your name, degree, major, and year or graduation date
Describe your background and skills, with a focus on how they will apply to the employer's industry
Demonstrate enthusiasm for the organization and show why you would be a great fit
Explain what kind of position you are seeking
CSU Fullerton cites this for a 30-second elevator pitch. There are more resources on the web, but note that organization and timing varies a lot. Some sources say to develop a 10-second pitch, while others say to develop a 60-second pitch. 30 seconds is standard for university students.
While we work hard to keep this website up to date, some details may slip through the cracks, so always verify important information (e.g. requirements, deadlines) with the source websites linked. If you find anything false or outdated, please send an email to brittney.washington@colorado.edu