The structure of a resume should be concise, and well-organized with your qualifications with highlights of accomplishments and relevance for the position(s).

There are various types of resumes, choose what works best for you. 

Chronological -Experience is arranged by date in reverse chronological order.   This is the most common resume format for students.

Functional -Skills are grouped by category when applicant is changing careers or has little experience directly related to the position.  It can also be used for extensive work experience or re-entering the workforce.

Combination –Showcases both experience and skills.  Typically has a summary, experience, then additional skills. 

• Font Style and Size are important for spacing.  We suggest a professional font such as Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri.
• 10-point to 12-point font size is best.  If you use a smaller font size, it might be difficult for a recruiter to read.  Your name at the top of the page is best and can be a larger font size-up to 16-point bold.
• Margins-generally 1” margin but ½” works as needed, open space throughout the resume. 
• Be consistent with fonts and bullet points and use black ink.
• 3^rd person language is used throughout a resume.
• These are the basic components of Resumes:
• Name and contact information-
• Name, email address (professional), phone, LinkedIn are acceptable. 
• Home Address is not required on a resume.  Some students add a City, State.

Most students have a 1-page resume.  It’s advertising what you have to offer without providing too much detail.  Suggestion: If you have a few years of experience related to or complimenting the position and need space, use 2 full pages.  Most students though, use a 1-page resume.  

Choose whichever serves to provide the best possible advertisement for you. 

• Objective Statement/Goal: A concise, position-centered statement describing the value you can add and the needs you can fulfill. An objective may include a brief statement of skills and qualifications you will bring to a position. Usually 1-2 lines long.

• Summary: Is longer and provides more detail than an objective statement. It should highlight your qualifications (i.e. your selling points) for the job you’re targeting and mention your level of experience, achievements/value, industry (assuming this is relevant), and your current job goals.

The key information in this section should include:

• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts
• Emphasis: Your major
• California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
• Anticipated graduation month and year
• Community College degrees can also be added beneath your current school information.

Experiences are usually paid opportunities or places you’ve been employed at. This can include full-time and part-time jobs, internships, or seasonal work.  In this section, the goal is to focus on describing your professional experience through your achievements, leadership, excellence, etc. Below are some helpful tips:

• This section should list your professional experiences in chronological order. 
• If you have specialized or relevant experience, you may choose to title this section “Related Experience” followed by Additional Experience.
• Each job experience should include the following:
  • Job title
  • Employer/company name
  • Location (City, State or “remote”)
  • Dates of employment
  • Details of your accomplishments and contributions
• A bullet-point list of your responsibilities makes it easy for recruiters to quickly read through your experiences. Each position listed should prioritize your achievements and contributions to the role. Do not simply list the “responsibilities” or “daily tasks” of the job. Include details such as:
  • Quantifiable examples of your success
  • Use action verbs to describe your skills, jobs, or accomplishments. Word choice is critical in order to describe what you have done and to persuade potential employers to give you an interview.

• Add important skills according to your Industry. 
• A better use of the space is to be descriptive regarding how you have or are currently using the skill(s). 
• Always be truthful with skill level.

Simple example of skill: Microsoft Word

Enhanced example of skill: Developed tutoring materials by creating documents using Microsoft Word

Academic projects are often used when one does not have experience OR there is a very descriptive way to convey your attributes which contribute to the organization. When using a project(s), the key areas to highlight should be:

• Your title/role in the project
• Class/Club the project was for
• Name of the project
• Bullet point the tasks or activities performed and the outcome of the project. You can describe if it was an individual or team project.
• Timeframe that you worked on the project. If it is an on-going project, describe it as such, and change it once the project has been completed.  

You may want to consider 1, 2, or 3 volunteer opportunities to contribute to your resume. Some common places of volunteer opportunities include:

• Non-profit
• Civic organizations
• Professional associations
• Educational institutions
• Emergency Services

When adding volunteer opportunities on your resume, you will need to include the basics:

• Your title/role in the volunteering opportunity
• Name of the organization or event you volunteered for
• Month and year OR date range that you’ve volunteered
• Bullet point the tasks or activities performed. 

Bullet point examples: 

Mediocre bullet point statements

• Fund raising event for my fraternity
• Helped with a workshop at a conference I attended
• Worked as front desk staff

Developed bullet point statements

• Planned and organized successful fund-raising events for fraternity. Increased funds raised by 20% over previous year. 
• Effectively facilitated workshops on communication skills and assertiveness as part of regional conference schedule, creating an engaging educational experience for participants.  
• Supervised front desk operations of a 4-star hotel, leading support staff, while providing excellent service to guests.