Résumé Writing
Getting a running start
Office of Career Connections
University of Louisiana at Monroe
It’s a rite of passage-So, like going to get your driver’s
license, it may be a little scary.
First, realize that you probably have
more to offer than you know.
Here are 7 tips to get you started.
Start with the basics
Include an objective and/or summary of
skills
Choose the right resume style
Brainstorm your experience and skills
List educational and volunteer experience
Know the cardinal rules of resume writing
Never, ever lie
1. The basics: heading
Name
Address (permanent; may also
include school address)
Telephone numbers
Email address (make it
professional)
2. Objective/Skills Summary
Make it concise: What job do you
want, at what company (or what
kind of company)?
In summarizing your skills,
remember to concentrate on what
the employer wants and needs in an
employee—not what you want or
need.
3. The right resume style
Chronological (really reverse
chronological) is always good.
Functional is good if you need to
emphasize skills instead of
experience.
Combination resumes are a good
compromise.
4. Brainstorming: experience and
skills
You probably have more relevant
skills than you realize.
Think backward—from what the
employer wants to what you have.
Don’t sell yourself short. Little
things can be BIG. (That babysitting
job contributed management skills,
creative skills, scheduling skills….)
5. Academic and volunteer
experience
Employers care about what you’ve
learned—think about the content of
those courses.
Employers care about what you’ve
done—whether you were paid or not.
Employers like to see balance: work,
school, other activities.
6. Cardinal rules
Do not use sentences!
Do not use the word “I”!
Use powerful action verbs (avoid “to
be” verbs: was, were, etc.)
Use parallel structure in lists (begin
each item with same part of speech)
Make no mistakes in spelling,
grammar, punctuation, etc. None!
Proofread, proofread, proofread.
7. No lying
Never, ever lie.
Lies will come back to bite you!
8. Resume first, then
cover letter
The idea of a cover letter/application
letter is to “interpret” the resume for
the reader. So write the resume first.
Feel free to use our services.
Sample resumes and cover letters
are on our website:
www.ulm.edu/careerconnections.
Look under “tips and resources.”
Feel free to make an appointment
with us to get one-on-one help (318342-5338).