* Font should be 10-12 point Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, etc.
* Margins can be anywhere from .25” to 1.5” on all sides; align all text to the left side of the page
* Avoid borders, colors, photos, or graphics
* Use bold, italics, bullets, and indents to emphasize and highlight
* A college resume should usually be about a page, depending on amount of experience and career field
* Name should be slightly larger and bold-faced
* May include local & permanent address, but not always necessary
* Use professional sounding email, whether school or personal
Bachelor of “Science” or “Arts”; list full major and
minor, with concentration or emphasis if applicable
* Short, concise phrases
* Use various action verbs
* Avoid pronouns (“I”, “we”, etc.)
Use clear, descriptive headings in bold-face font
Use bullets for lists, and to highlight and
differentiate, but don’t “over-bullet”
MICHAEL SMITH
1000 4th Street North, La Crosse, WI 54601
eight.four@uwlax.edu – 608-455-5115
Education
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, Grad Month-Year
Bachelor of ________
• Major:
• Minor:
Cumulative GPA:
; Honors:
List any academic honors or awards – Dean’s List, college scholarships, etc.
Relevant Experience
Student researcher, Biology Department, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
December 2013-April 2014
• Collected samples from local watersheds
You may start with the most recent OR the most relevant
• Assisted faculty with data entry
experience, depending on which will better sell your skills
• Assisted with basic data analysis
for that particular job, internship, or school
Campus Involvement
Biology Club, UW-La Crosse – 2013-2014
Resident Hall Government, UW-La Crosse – 2013
* Be specific about dates, listing the month and year
* For more sporadic but long-term experiences, you might
list only the years you were involved
Community Involvement
Relay for Life, La Crosse, WI – 2013
• Helped direct participants at entrance
• Distributed raffle tickets
Habitat for Humanity, Mauston, WI – 2011-2013
• Participated in “Collegiate Challenge” alternative spring break
• Helped to construct and repair low-income housing
Computer Skills
Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office programs
Experience with Mathematica
* Less relevant work experience can be
listed later in the resume
* Descriptive bullets usually are not
necessary, nor is a manager’s contact info
FYI: Your school email disappears soon after graduation; talk to
the alumni association about getting an alumni email!
Work Experience
Cashier, The Limited, La Crosse, WI, 2013-present
Server, Dave’s Drive-in, Mauston, WI, 2012-2014 (seasonal)
*Working 25 hours per week to help finance college
Write out any acronyms (ex. CAB as
“Campus Activities Board), and concisely
explain titled experiences
* List only skills, techniques, and knowledge that are specific to you,
and potentially relevant to the job
* Depending on your experience, you may not even need this section
* Some majors - specifically in the sciences - may include “Relevant
Coursework” and “Lab Skills” sections
If you have worked to pay for a large part
of your tuition, you might list that here
References
Mary Syverson, Assistant Professor of Biology
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
m.syverson@uwlax.edu, 608-455-1010
Peter Tomczak, Associate Professor of Biology
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
p.tomczak@uwlax.edu, 608-455-9034
Marc Ballard, Director, Upward Bound Program
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
m.ballard@uwlax.edu, 920-544-2129
Include name, department, company, city/state, email,
and phone number of 3-5 references that have agreed to
talk about your capabilities in a positive way