2024-2025 Purdue University Career Planning Handbook

Developing a Winning Resume

WHAT IS A RESUME?

A resume is a written document that is used to highlight the skills, contributions and experiences that represent the personal brand you want to portray to potential employers to secure an interview. Use VMock to help develop and enhance your resume. See CCO On-Demand Resources for more information. Decide the resume style you prefer to use, based on the message you want to convey to employers: • Chronological – Highlight information starting with the most recent. Prioritize your sections so you start with the most important first! • Functional – Highlight information in categories based on commonly grouped skills. This type is useful for those with gaps in experience or a wide variety in work history, but can demonstrate similar skills. RESUME TYPES Keep the following rules of thumb in mind when preparing the resume: • Margins – Top: 0.8” - 1”; Sides and Bottom: 0.5” - 1” • Font – Size: 10-12; Style: simple, readable fonts (eg. Calibri, Times New Roman); single spaced • Balance – white space and text space • Length – Undergraduate level - 1 page; Graduate and Ph.D. - 2 pages; Education, Nursing and Medicine can have 2 pages • Templates – Refrain from using them! Use resume samples as a guide to create your own document, unique to your skills and qualifications • Order – Heading, Objective (if included) and Education are listed first, in that order • Bullet Points – Recommended 2-5 bullet points per experience • Optional Components - Objective, GPA, and Address FORMAT The makeup of your document should be deliberate and powerful: • Prioritize – Top two-thirds of page when highlighting key categories and skills • Own the Order – Highlight the most relevant experiences first; Experience does not always have to immediately follow Education • Identity Disclosure – It is acceptable to use your preferred name and/or pronouns in the heading CONTENT Photographs, marital status, salary requirements, age, race, national origin, visa status or references DO NOT INCLUDE

ADDITIONAL SECTIONS

• Professional Affiliations • Class or Design Projects • Practicums

• Teaching Experiences • Publications • Presentations • Notable Achievement

• Certifications of Licensure • Campus Involvement • Honors, Awards, Scholarships • Community Involvement

RESUMES

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