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Q: What is a résumé?
A: A résumé is a document that you create (or have created for you) that summarizes your life’s accomplishments. Its purpose is to highlight your qualifications for employment, whether for a specific position or a general job category. In short, a résumé is an advertisement about yourself that you give to potential employers.
Q: If I’m only applying for a part-time job, do I still need a résumé?
A: Yes, for several reasons. First, a résumé makes you look good—potential employers will be impressed with your professionalism, no matter how menial the job is for which you are applying. It just might give you the extra edge to get that summer or part-time job you’ve always wanted. Second, preparing a résumé is a good way to practice for the future. Someday you will be applying for a full-time job and you will want to know how to write a good résumé, so writing one for a summer or part-time job will help acquaint you with what you do and do not want to include. Finally, a résumé is a simple, compact way to keep track of your accomplishments. You may need to list your accomplishments, awards, activities, and employment history on applications for college, scholarships, and even internships. Having a résumé on hand will mean you won’t have to rack your brain to remember everything.
Q: How long should my résumé be?
A: The résumé serves one main purpose: to prompt an employer/recruiter to call you for an interview. In many cases, a one-page résumé would not fairly present a candidate's capabilities and value. Instead of worrying about exceeding one page, pay attention to the quality of the information and the effectiveness of the design. In today's job market, length is not such an issue—even if the hiring manager doesn't read the whole document word for word, there should be enough juicy information to prompt a call for an interview. So go to two or even three pages if your experience warrants the length. Keep in mind, however, that most students and job seekers with less than five years of experience usually don't require a résumé longer than one page.
Q: Should my résumé be fancy?
A: In general a simple résumé is always the best. Avoid fonts that are strange or difficult to read—Arial and Times New Roman usually work best—and don’t use graphics. Make use of white space, however, to grab the attention of the reader: offset important qualifications in order to make them stand out. In general, avoid the résumé templates that may be available in your word processing program—they tend to use flashy graphics and text and are often difficult to read. Preparing your résumé from scratch is a good way to customize everything to your taste. Print on white or off-white paper, and if possible, use a laser printer for better text clarity.
Q: I have little or no job experience. What should go on my résumé?
A: Take advantage of the experience you have had, no matter how little. Jobs like babysitting and lawn-mowing show responsibility to potential employers, so don’t be afraid to list them on your résumé. Volunteer experience, extra-curricular activities, and even courses you have taken that might help you in your job are also good things to list.
Q: Should I include an objective?
A: An statement of your objective is a very good thing when applying for a specific job or a specific field of work. When applying for a part-time job, an objective statement is useful, but those who have been on a single career track should probably bypass the objective and instead include a summary of their past performance. This opening statement is likely the first thing the hiring manager will read, so be sure to think it through before writing anything.
Q: What is a cover letter?
A: A cover letter accompanies your résumé to explain it and highlight certain points. The two documents go hand-in-hand, with the cover letter emphasizing the best points made in the résumé.
Q: Do I need a cover letter?
A: A cover letter is optional, but we highly recommend it because it impresses employers and allows them to quickly read about your most distinguishing characteristics.
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