There are literally hundreds of books and articles available on the "perfect resume." Many suggest their approach to resume design will assure you an interview. Additionally, there are numerous resume services that will design and write your resume for fees. The best resume for you will be one that you do yourself. Avoid resume templates and instead think of your resume as an advertisement.
Typically, a resume will include the following parts:
Header
Include your name, full address, phone number and email. Generally employers will contact you via phone or email. For this reason, it is no longer necessary to provide two addresses if you are relocating in the near future.
Professional Objective (optional)
This is a phrase or sentence that highlights your intentions and accomplishments. Be specific enough to give an element of career direction to your resume. Tailor this to each organization and position. State clearly whether you are looking for an internship, part-time or full-time job. If you are designing the resume for a job fair, convey broad interests. Highlight your key qualifications instead of personal preferences, such as advancement opportunities. NOTE: An alternative is to exclude a career objective from your resume and relay the information in the cover letter.
Qualifications Summary (optional)
In lieu of an objective, you may use a qualifications summary to highlight your most noteworthy attributes. This typically includes your years of experience, technology proficiency, languages and highest achievements. This may also contain a keyword section. Your resume should then support these attributes by providing evidence throughout the remaining document.
Education
List the highest level of education first. Include the name of the college, degree, major, minor, and month and year of your anticipated graduation. Dates of attendance or high school information is not needed. If you transferred to Augustana, only note your previous institution if you earned a certificate or degree. Include your GPA if it is above a 3.0, as well as any other academic honors, relevant coursework, study abroad participation or major research projects. Note: Augustana awards Bachelor of Science degrees to nursing majors. Art majors may choose to earn either a Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Arts degree. The rest of our majors earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Experience
This category typically reflects your contact with specific employers. Include co-ops, internships, part-time, jobs, volunteer work, summer jobs, special projects or military experience under this category. You do not need to include all of your previous jobs, only those that relate to the position you are seeking. As you progress in your studies at Augustana avoid including outdated high school achievements. List position titles first, followed by the names of organizations, locations (city and state), dates (month and year) and duties. Each descriptive phrase begins with a strong action verb. Use present tense for current positions and past tense for previous jobs.
References
Generally references are not listed on a resume and only provided if requested by an employer. To share your references, list in alphabetical order the names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of at least three people on a separate page. Include your contact information in a format consistent with your resume in the event that your resume and reference list are separated. People who have known you for at least a year and within a context similar to the position you are seeking will provide the strongest endorsements. Faculty are often your best source of references since they have assessed the knowledge, skills and abilities that employers are often seeking. Whomever you select, remember to ask these individuals for permission before listing them as a reference. Provide them with a copy of your resume and the job description to enhance their ability to speak to your qualifications. Always thank your references once you accept an offer. They like to celebrate your achievements!
Other possible headings to consider include the following:
- International Experience
- Professional Affiliations & Memberships
- Publications & Presentations
- Languages
- Community Service
- Technology Skills
- Honors & Awards
- Leadership Activities
- Collegiate Involvement