More Info on How to Make a Resumes

Ways to save space

If you need to save space to fit your resume onto one (or two) pages, consider looking at the following:

• Margins (they can be as small at .6 or so without looking silly)
• Font size (use the same font throughout the resume with varying sizes for headings, descriptive lines. A 10-point font is
• appropriate for descriptive lines, but do not go smaller than 10 or it will be too hard to read)
• Only include most relevant information – spend the most space on the most relevant and less space on the least relevant
• Eliminate redundant lines. If you managed a database in one position, you don’t have to repeat it for another positionunless it is significantly different and relevant

Helpful hints

As you create, write and revise your resume detailing the experiences you’ve had, be sure not to overlook unique and individual strengths, accomplishments, skills, knowledge utilized and the results of these efforts. Ask yourself the following questions:

What do you uniquely contribute to any project/class/job?

If your supervisors were going to give you a recommendation what would they say? When you leave a job, what will they miss about you? What projects/tasks were often given to you because you were so good at them? What sets you apart from every other candidate? The employer may know what a waiter/waitress usually does, what did you above and beyond? Why hire you?

• Commended for creative ideas and ability to follow through
• Nominated for employee of the month based on exceptional customer relations

Did you initiate, develop or create anything new, and did it result in an improvement?

An effective way to frame your accomplishments is to state the situation, describe your action, and list the results. Employers can easily see how your skills transformed and improved the work environment:

• Initiated redesign of office management systems promoting easier access to information
• Reorganized the tool department in local lawn and garden store which improved overall sales by 15 %

Did you include results and quantify when possible?

Express the scope of your accomplishments in terms of numbers whenever possible, as this gives numerical proof of the strengths you’ve developed. Consider using strong adverbs: “Effectively campaigned...” “Successfully fundraised...”

• Visited eight local schools as invited lecturer raising awareness about environmental issues
• Raised over $10,000 at annual fundraiser, increasing attendance and media coverage from previous years

What knowledge or expertise was required to do your task well?

It’s not simply that you “worked in a law office” when you... Handled and disseminated sensitive information requiring confidentiality. “Answering the phone in your senator’s office” might have been the task, but you skillfully... Responded to constituents requiring knowledge of senator’s economic and social policies.

One last thing…

Schedule an appointment with a career advisor for an individual meeting to discuss your resume or other issues related to your career and future.