San Jose State University : Career Center
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Main Content
Quick Tips
General Tips
- Limit your Resume to one page.
- Remember to always give specific examples of accomplishments, skills, and results.
- Start sentences with action verbs followed by descriptive words.
- Proofread carefully for grammatical and punctuation errors.
- Make sure verb tense is correct.
- Use traditional fonts sized 10-12.
Header
- Use a traditional, centered heading.
- Don't forget your e-mail address.
Objective
- Be specific and focus on what the employers want.
- Research the company and focus on the employer.
- Make sure all content in the Resume relates back to the objective.
Education
- Bold your degree, not the school attended.
- Add the anticipated graduation date or date that your degree was received.
- Include your GPA only if you have a 3.3 or higher.
Relevant Coursework
- List upper division coursework to show familiarity with what employers want. (Coursework is most helpful for students seeking internships.)
- Use upper division coursework to fill up space on a Resume if you do not have much related work experience.
Work Experience
- Ask yourself "What did I accomplish in this position?" and "How does that relate to my objective?" after each statement.
- Quantify your experience whenever possible. Cite specific examples of things you accomplished.
- Research buzz words the company uses to describe their ideal candidate. Think about how your work experience has taught you these skills. Then, use those words in your Resume.
Projects
- Include class projects that required skills needed for the position.
- Be sure to mention leadership duties you have assumed and the number of people you oversaw.
- Consider adding a brief summary of the objective of the project.
- Add personal projects, but make them sound professional.
Skills
- Add technical skills as well as foreign language and communication skills.
- Mention only skills with which you are strongly familiar.
Activities
- List professional organizations or clubs closely related to your major or career field.
- List all organizations in which you had an active duty to show leadership skills.
- Explain what your duties were in any office you held (e.g., vice president, chair person, etc.).
- Consider adding any volunteer work that may add transferable skills to your Resume.
e-Friendly Tips
- Use 10-14 point font size.
- Create one-inch margins.
- Keep your Resume free of vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, italics, and columns.
Related Information