The. Resume. Guide.

The. Resume. Guide.

1" Margins; Can adjust to 0.5" on top & bottom only

Consistent format & layout is critical: ? Includes spacing, font size, type, use of bold, italics Write clear & concise content

Maxfield Jones

100 Your Street, Your City, MA 00000 (413)123-4567 | in/Maxfield-Jones | mjones@umass.edu

Include professional email and LinkedIn vanity URL

EDUCATION

University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management Bachelor of Business Administration in Operations & Information Management

? Cumulative GPA: 3.73; Dean's List All Semesters ? Recipient of Isenberg School of Management Scholarship

Amherst, MA Candidate, May 2020

University of Innsbruck Study Abroad Program

EXPERIENCE

? Write out full degree title ? Include GPA if above 3.0 ? List awards & scholarships ? List addtl. degrees/education

Innsbruck, Austria Spring 2019

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC)

Springfield, MA

Small Business Consultant Intern

2017 - Present

? Advise small furniture business owner on development of website that increased traffic by 27% in two months

? Lead two interns in orientation meetings with small business owners

? Increase participants' awareness of services by answering any questions, and highlighting services oriented to their

concerns

? Collaborate with clients one-on-one to develop cash flow strategies and determine loan eligibility

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Use action verbs for experience & skills

Amherst, MA

Resident Assistant

Fall 20XX - Present

? Develop a safe community for residents; earned highest "five star" safety environment rating for the dorm

? Enhance residential community by coordinating at least ten social and educational events each semester

? Enforce code of student conduct and university policies consistently without bias

? Provide role-model ethical leadership for community members

LP Simmons Construction

Woburn, MA

Assistant Office Manager

Summer 20XX

? Supported Project Managers and Supervisors by facilitating project communication

? Prepared project specific documentation, including binders, monthly statement materials, and labor expenses

Citizens Bank Document Handling Analyst

? Sorted and checked outgoing mail with 99% accuracy rate ? Acquired correct customer information to process mail accurately

Quantify achievements

Marlboro, MA Summer 20XX

ACTIVITIES

UMass Chapter of the Association of Operations Management (APICS)

Fall 20XX - Present

Fundraising Chair

? Raised a total of $3,700 through the planning and execution of three targeted, fall fundraising events

? Mentor and advise underclassmen on networking and interview skills

Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)

Spring 20XX - Present

? Attend speaker series, field trips, and networking events to develop interest and knowledge in the field

? Presented about (insert topic) to a panel of peers and faculty on the (about your topic)

SKILLS

Computer: Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access; Minitab; HTML; CSS; Fluent in JavaScript; SAP Language: Fluent in French

Limit resume to one page: ? Include relevant information ? Remainder of experience in LinkedIn

Include computer/software skills & indicate proficiency level (e.g. high proficiency in Excel).

Participate & build skills through: ? Associations ? Clubs ? Competitions ? Community Service

Your resume is a professional marketing tool that highlights what you offer a potential employer and why you are a strong fit for the position. To be considered for an internship or a post-graduate position, you must have a clear, concise resume that highlights your education, accomplishments, transferable skills, related projects, experience, skills, clubs, activities and employment.

Follow the guidelines below, and the samples at the end of this Guide to enhance the quality of your resume and avoid common mistakes. Remember, when writing your resume always keep the reader in mind. Make it easy for a potential employer to pinpoint your skills, relevant experience, and accomplishments as recruiters typically spend about 5-6 seconds reviewing your resume to determine if they want to read more.

Tip: You can download Resume Samples by Major templates from the For Students section of the Chase Career Center website.

OVERALL PRESENTATION

Get to the point! Always use the minimum number of words to convey your meaning. ? Eliminate unnecessary words such as "a," "an," and "the" from your bullets ? Use short, concise bullets that begin with strong action verbs ? Ensure consistency of tenses correspond with experience time period, i.e. if the experience is in the past, use past tense verbs

Use keywords and industry jargon: To ensure your resume is captured and selected when scanned electronically: ? Include keywords from desired job posting or industry ? Use industry jargon to align your skills with what the employer is seeking and preparedness for the position

Avoid acronyms and abbreviations: ? Spell out names, especially those related to campus-specific activities ? The use of an acronym to spell a professional organization is acceptable, as it is an industry norm (e.g. APICS is an industry recognized professional organization for operations management professionals)

Avoid personal pronouns: ? Do not use "I," "me," "my" or other personal pronouns ? Write in third person

Proofread: Make sure your resume is error free, both in spelling and grammar. ? Spell check will not catch everything; it's recommended that you re-read it several times ? Ask others to read it specifically for spelling and grammatical errors ? Read it backwards, aloud, starting at the bottom of the page. When focusing only on the words, you are more likely to catch errors

Submitting your Resume ? When using a hard copy resume: o Print resume on high quality paper using a good printer o Look for specifically marked "resume paper" in neutral colors - white, ivory or eggshell o Pay attention to the watermark and print your resume in a consistent direction ? Online Applications: Always send or upload your resume as a .pdf so your formatting does not change.

Tip: For a variety of options, a list of action verbs is included at the end of this Guide

FORMATTING BASICS

Create your resume with software that is universally compatible ? Resume samples for each major are included at the end of this Guide and provide a suggested format ? Don't use a resume template which limits what you can include and forces you to use font sizes and styles ? If you choose to create your resume with Google Docs or Pages (Mac), be sure to download and save your file as a Word document or PDF to ensure the reader can open and view your document

Tip: When printing or downloading your resume from Google Docs or Pages, margins and format may shift & cause significant errors!

? Microsoft Office 365 Education for Students is available at no cost to UMass students here: umass.edu/it/software/microsoft-office-365-education. It allows students to install software on up to five devices (Windows or Mac)

? Be sure to select software that can be opened and accessed by the reader, regardless of their system (Microsoft Word continues to be industry standard)

Use bullets, not paragraphs: ? When describing your jobs, internships, club activities, etc., use action verbs and bullet points to describe your experience and accomplishments. This directs the reader to key actions words and phrases, and the impact you made in the position ? Bullets also make your content easier to read and understand at a quick glance ? See SMART METHOD for bullet writing in this Guide

Quantify: ? Include metrics (#'s, $, %) to demonstrate scope and impact of your work. Find opportunities to quantify in all of your positions

Limit to one page: While this can pose a challenge for those with significant experience and requires careful editing, a one-page resume is what employers expect from a current student or recent graduate.

Tip: Create a master resume document that contains all of your bullets for all of your positions. This will make customizing your resume easier by selecting only those bullets most relevant to the position for which you are applying.

Leave some white space: ? The standard margin is one inch. However, a smaller margin (no less than .5) can be used if white space is used effectively in other areas of the resume.

Be consistent with format by using: ? Consistent font style, sizes, placement of headers ? Easy-to-read, professional font styles, such as Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial or Tahoma ? Font sizes between 10-12pt. If you choose to use larger font sizes on your headers, be certain to do so consistently ? Bold, italics, underline and CAPITAL LETTERS throughout the document. Do not use too many of these elements; the simpler the better ? Consistent spacing between bullets, jobs and experiences. The size and font style impact the spacing.

Tip:

? To view spaces and format, turn on the "show" feature of the Paragraph function, under the Home tool bar in

Word. Look for size variation, extra spaces, tabs etc.

? You can reduce space to gain more room, usually a line or two, but keep the same size spaces throughout ? To prevent formatting inconsistency, do not cut and paste information from a document into the resume template

RESUME SECTIONS

Resumes consist of the following sections: CONTACT INFORMATION EDUCATION EXPERIENCE ACTIVITIES SKILLS

Tip: On occasion using alternate subtitles for resume sections may be appropriate. Make an appointment with a Chase Career Coach to learn more.

CONTACT INFORMATION The top of your resume should include your full name, your address, one phone number, one email address and LinkedIn vanity URL. Below are tips and samples for your reference:

? Your name is bold or one-two font sizes bigger than all other content ? Your email address is professional and current (AOL, Hotmail and Yahoo are considered outdated)

o Example of a GOOD email: first.last@ or MJones@umass.edu o Example of a POOR email: partyanimal@ ? Have a professional voice mail message (without distracting ring back tones) ? Update your LinkedIn profile and include your hyperlinked vanity URL for ease in recruiter accessibility

EDUCATION Education should be presented in reverse chronological order and include items such as:

Name of the College or University We recommend the following format to emphasize the national reputations of BOTH the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the Isenberg School of Management:

University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management

Amherst, MA

Different Educational Circumstances Honors College, Double Major, Dual Degree, Minor, Study Abroad, Transfer, GPA

Commonwealth Honors College Student

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

Isenberg School of Management

Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting

Candidate, May 20XX

? Cumulative GPA: 3.73; Dean's List All Semesters

? Commonwealth Honors College; Isenberg School of Management Scholarship

Double Major OUTSIDE of Isenberg

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

Isenberg School of Management

Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting

Candidate, May 20XX

? Additional Major in Psychology

? Cumulative GPA: 3.8; Dean's List All Semesters, Golden Key International Honor Society

Anticipated 150 Hour Completion: Will complete 150 hours for CPA compliancy

Month 20XX

Dual Degree INSIDE Isenberg

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

Isenberg School of Management

Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing

Candidate, May 20XX

Bachelor of Science in Hospitality & Tourism Management

? Cumulative GPA: 3.73; Dean's List All Semesters; Isenberg School of Management

Scholarship

Dual Degree OUTSIDE Isenberg University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance College of Natural Sciences Bachelor of Science in Mathematics ? Cumulative GPA: 3.73; Dean's List

Amherst, MA Candidate, May 20XX Candidate, May 20XX

Academic Minor

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

Isenberg School of Management

Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing

Candidate, May 20XX

Minor: Psychology

? Cumulative GPA: 3.73; Dean's List All Semesters; John & Abigail Adams Scholarship

? Citizens First Program Candidate

Study Abroad University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management Bachelor of Business Administration in Operations & Information Management

? Cumulative GPA: 3.73; Dean's List All Semesters

Amherst, MA Candidate, May 20XX

Universidad of Innsbruck Study Abroad Program

Innsbruck, Austria Spring 20XX

Transfer Student

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Amherst, MA

Isenberg School of Management

Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting

Candidate, May 20XX

? GPA: N/A due to recent transfer (if have GPA, configure as normally seen)

Bunker Hill Community College Associate of Science in Business Administration

? GPA: 3.75

Boston, MA May 20XX

Grade Point Average (GPA) ? The standard rule is to include a GPA of 3.0 or above ? If your major-specific GPA is higher, you may want to use that one instead ? You can include both if each are impressive ? You may use two decimal points but do not round up o Example: Cumulative GPA: 3.18, Major GPA: 3.63

EXPERIENCE This section of your resume provides the best opportunity to market your skills and achievements using concisely written accomplishment statements known as "bullets." Organizing your content by listing the MOST RELEVANT (to the job or industry) experience highlights content of most interest to your reader.

Experience may include the following: ? Employment ? on/off-campus, summer and seasonal jobs ? Experiential Education ? internships, externships, co-ops, community service, club & professional associations ? Leadership experience ? especially if in an industry-related activity Ex: leadership in a campus organization or club directly related to an industry

While your experience may not always be industry-related, it still demonstrates transferable skills critical to a variety of positions and industries. By analyzing job descriptions and reviewing key accomplishments, you can identify and explain those skills with key industry language.

Tip:

? Use strong action verbs & active voice. Avoid "responsible for" and "assisted with"

See page 9 & 10 for a list of action verbs

? Indicate progressive increases in responsibility in a single or multiple position(s) with the same employer

ACTIVITIES This section encompasses extracurricular activities beyond the classroom including clubs, sports, volunteerism, community or civic engagement, etc. HOWEVER, if you already listed the organization or activity elsewhere, do not repeat information in this section. If you held a leadership position, be sure to indicate this. In some instances, an activity may be worthy of several bullets depending on the level of responsibility held and type of impact. If you have more than four or five activities, you may want to avoid listing all of them. Recruiters want to see clubs and organizations because it shows contribution, time management, dedication to your major, interest in industry, and can offer an opportunity to utilize skills that you may not be illustrating elsewhere.

Some clubs are college chapters of nationally recognized organizations. Your affiliation with them is important to recruiters and demonstrates strong industry interest and likely involvement in conferences and other valuable activities. Leadership in these organizations is highly desirable.

SKILLS This section is for computer (technical, software, programming, licenses, certifications, etc.) and language skills only. Do not list soft skills such as, "good communication skills" or "customer service" in this section. Those skills are best reflected in the SMART Bullet statements within the EXPERIENCE section.

Computer Skills: College students typically have a good grasp of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and some Access. Be sure to indicate if you are highly proficient in one type of software (especially if relevant to the position):

Ex: Computer Skills: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Access, Highly proficient in Excel (pivot tables, v-lookups)

Include additional software skills. Possible examples may include: specific internet research, analytics tools or programming languages. See the Clubs, Certifications and Software by Major section in this Guide for examples.

Language Skills: Proficiency or fluency in a second language is highly desirable. Make sure to accurately indicate your level of proficiency. Fluency in English is assumed and therefore unnecessary to include.

Ex: Language Skills: Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Conversational in Mandarin

Interests: Include this subsection only if interests listed are relevant to career pursuits or something you dedicate a large portion of your free time towards to increase your skills or knowledge. For example, the fact that you manage your own stock portfolio would be very interesting to some employers in the financial industry. A notable personal interest would be something that you spend time doing that contributes towards your own development, such as training for a competition or increasing your knowledge and expertise on a specific subject matter. Topics such as reading, travel, television shows, movies etc. are not relevant and thus, not recommended to include.

THE SMART METHOD FOR CREATING RESUME BULLETS

The one attribute that separates an average resume from a great resume is the use of well-crafted accomplishment statements, otherwise known as bullets. The well-crafted bullet reveals what someone achieved as opposed to a list of job responsibilities. Avoid using phrases with "responsible for," "experienced at" or "worked on" as these phrases do not communicate effective performance and application of skills. In most cases, the reader will infer job responsibility from the job title. For instance, if the title is Customer Service Representative, it's clear someone was responsible for providing service to customers in whatever area the company does business in. To best position your resume, construct SMART bullets that demonstrate impact and results.

SPECIFIC

Specific refers to using language that provides descriptive detail. In as concise a manner as possible, list the accomplishments that you've achieved that were most helpful, most important or that set you apart. This may include skills that were obtained or applied, efforts that went above and beyond or tasks that were especially appreciated and were well received.

Specificity questions: What were your specific contributions? Why were they important? To whom? Did I contribute to team activities? Was I a sole contributor who worked independently?

MEASURABLE

Measurable refers to quantifiable results presented as numbers, percentages, dollars and related symbols. Measurable accomplishments draw visual attention and help to focus the reader the level of impact. Employers seek people who can provide measured and verifiable results and even presenting day-to-day tasks numerically adds credibility to the scope of work.

Measurability questions: Did you work in a high volume, fast-paced environment? Can you estimate how many orders, customers or sales you produced? Did you decrease time or increase revenue or customer engagement? By how much?

ACHIEVEMENTS

Achievement refers to recognizable improvements or solutions you contributed in your position. Your achievements thus far may relate more to your training, education, club/association involvement, on/offcampus employment, athletics, etc. Elaborate on how these experiences have prepared you to be productive and of benefit to an employer. Things like working while going to school or volunteering for a worthy charity may be framed as achievements.

Achievement questions: Was I given added responsibilities, assignments or special projects? Did I train or supervise anyone? In what way did I improve things (process, customer experience)? Were there any challenging problems that I solved? What were they? What was the impact? Did I exceed goals or expectations?

RELEVANT

Relevant refers to those accomplishments that align with an employer's stated experience or skill and matter most to succeeding in a particular position or field. Focusing accomplishment statements on the most relevant knowledge, skills, abilities and work activities of the position being sought can be researched via a variety of resources including:

Business Library Collection

O*Net

Glassdoor

Kununu

TIMEFRAME

One of the most critical work performance indicators is timeframe. Completing your projects on or ahead of time is a highly prized quality at many companies. Understanding the scope of your work, and framing it in the sense of time, enhances the quality of your SMART bullet. If you are able to determine the number of customers served or the number of data files you assessed within a certain timeframe (hours, daily, week etc.) you will demonstrate your ability to handle a high volume of work with attention to detail and accuracy.

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