Resumé Prep

Getting Started

Types of Resumés

Chronological

This is the most common format used.

View chronological resumé sample (PDF)

Functional

This is an alternative format used for gaps or career jumps.

View functional resumé sample (PDF)

Formatting your resumé

• Length – 1 page (unless you have a significant amount of experience)
• Font – Professional font (e.g. Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman), 10–12 point size
• Margins – ½ inch to 1 inch

---

Resumé Requirements

Key Contact Information

• Name — Place your full name at the top of the resumé. Your name should be in bold and slightly larger.
• Professional email address — Strongly recommend first and last name or combination with initials (and number if needed) (i.e. youngandstunning@gmail.com is not professional).
• Telephone number (only list one) — Be sure to record an appropriate voicemail greeting.
• Website or LinkedIn page (optional) — If you have a professional website or LinkedIn page, list it on your resumé.

Education

The first section on your resumé as a current student should be focused on your education. Only list current educational institution or those where you earned a degree. Write out full degree and year completed (i.e. Bachelor of Arts or Science — not BS or BA). You should also list your high school diploma. GPA is optional. Only list if your GPA is above a 3.0.

Experience

Experience is the most important section on your resumé. List experiences you want to describe using two or more bullets. List experiences in reverse chronological order so that your list begins with your most recent experience. Start all bullets with a specific action verb. Experiences can include:

• Part-time or full-time jobs
• Internships
• Leadership experiences
• Volunteer experiences

When listing your experience, always include:

• Company/organization name
• City/state of company/organization
• Your title/role
• Dates you worked there (only provide month/year)
• At least two bullet points per experience describing your role

Skills

Employers want to know what your unique advantages are!

• Technical — What computer/tech skills do you have?
• Languages — Be specific. Are you fluent, intermediate?
• Job specific — What skills do you have that are common in your field?

Check job descriptions to see what companies are looking for.

---

Optional Items

Honors/Awards

Include scholarships, honor societies, and awards. Do not list monetary amounts awarded.

Activities

List activities you are involved in at your school or in the community, including extracurricular, volunteer and leadership roles (include any positions held). Dates are not necessary for this section. If an activity was really meaningful, consider making it an experience.

More Extras

Do you have any of these? If so, list them on your resumé!

• Licenses
• Certifications
• Relevant coursework
• Professional associations
• Publications/presentations

---

Resumé Basics: Dos, Don’ts + Requirements

Required Information

• Contact information
• Education
• Experience
• Skills
• Certifications
• Relevant awards

Do

• Do highlight your most relevant experiences.
• Do use action verbs.
• Do use facts, numbers, and data whenever possible.
• Do include volunteer or other relevant non-paid experiences.
• Do customize your resumé to the position/company.
• Do include optional extras depending on your experience. Extras could include honors, volunteer work, coursework and research.

Don’t

• Don’t underestimate your experiences.
• Don’t lie or stretch the truth.
• Don’t use general statements or expressions.
• Don’t have typos or grammatical errors.
• Don’t include obvious skills such as Microsoft Word.

---

Create a resumé

Try creating a resumé online with EmployNV. Get started today by visiting the Job Seekers section on the EmployNV website.

Create a resumé on EmployNV.Gov