Résumé Dos
- Format and wording should be clear and concise.
- Proofread to find mistakes.
- Keep your résumé brief — preferably limit information to one page.
- Use action words such as "created," "developed" and "initiated" to highlight your problem-solving abilities, in addition to outlining your professional skills and job responsibilities.
- Laser print copies onto quality paper.
- Always send a cover letter with your résumé.
- Consider revising your résumé if after several months you have received little or no response. An effective résumé should elicit at least a 1 percent response rate.
- List references on a different sheet of paper, not on your resume.
Résumé Don'ts
- Do not make ANY spelling errors.
- Do not write your résumé in the first person. Rather than using "I" statements, begin each sentence with an action word to describe your experience.
- Do not cram too much information on your résumé — leave some white space on the page — and edit résumé content appropriately.
- Do not list high school education or experiences.
- Do not list hobbies and interests unless they directly relate to the position you are seeking.
- Do not list personal information such as age, health, race or marital status.
Categories to Highlight on Your Résumé
Header
Address, phone number, e-mail address and fax number (if applicable). Include permanent and current addresses, especially if you are seeking to relocate.
Objective
Be specific. What position are you seeking — an internship? A full-time position? In what area — teaching? A museum? A gallery? What skills are you seeking to utilize — computer skills, technical/mechanical skills? Adjust this objective for each different position you are applying for.
Education
List your degree and major, college or university, city and state, and date of graduation. Highlight your degree; employers want to know what your major is, NOT where you gained your knowledge. Only include dean's list recognition if you have achieved this honor every quarter. GPA is optional if 3.5 or above. Do not include high school information!
Professional Skills
Specific skills pertaining to the position you are seeking should be listed first. Market your educational experience and coursework as your professional skills — what have you learned in your classes that you can apply as professional skills in a work setting?
Experience
This area can include freelance, internship, volunteer, full-time and part-time experience. Information should be listed in chronological order (most recent first). Include specific dates (month/year) and a brief, articulate description of your responsibilities and accomplishments for each position. Listing a job description is essential — it tells the employer exactly what you were responsible for in your work experience.
Freelance Experience
List your title, client/company you worked for, city and state, dates of project and description of project.
Internship
List your title, company, city and state, dates worked (month/year to month/year) and description of responsibilities.
Career-related Experience
Your title, company, city and state, dates worked and description of responsibilities.
Other Experience
Any positions (full-time or part-time) that are not necessarily career-related. This category gives you an opportunity to market your transferable skills, including communication skills, decision-making skills, ability to train new employees, sales ability, management skills and ability to meet deadlines. Include your title, company, city and state, dates worked and description of responsibilities. You also may list significant travel experience and note if you are fluent in several languages.
Honors and Awards/Activities/Exhibitions/Publications
You may create many other categories to reflect your accomplishments and capabilities. Choose headings that are appropriate. Include memberships in professional organizations, honors and possibly extracurricular activities, if they relate to your long-term goals. For example:
Exhibitions
Name of show, name of sponsor (gallery/organization), city and state, and dates of exhibition.
References and Portfolio
Available upon request. (This phrase is optional because employers know that this information is available.)
Curriculum Vitae
CVs are generally used by graduates seeking faculty positions, consulting opportunities or other academically focused jobs. CVs follow most of the same guidelines as resumes (although CVs are always longer). Include the topic areas of Education (expand to highlight coursework), Experience, Research/Teaching Experience, Honors and Awards, Exhibitions, Publications and Permanent Collections. Stop by the career resource library at York Hall, 115 E. York St. in Savannah or on the lower floor of SCAD-Atlanta for more information on CVs.
Samples
