Resume Guidelines for Students

Presentation/Formatting:

• Length: 1 page is recommended for most undergraduates or individuals with less than four years of professional experience
• Font size: 10-12 pt. (no smaller than 10 pt.). Your name may be larger (14 pt.)
• Bold/Italics: Be consistent (i.e. all organization/company names in bold and titles in italics)
• Margins: Between 5-1" all sides
• Bullet points: Use bullet points under each of your experiences at the beginning of each descriptive phrases
• Use of periods: Avoid using periods at the end of bulleted accomplishment statements
• Accomplishments: When an accomplishment runs onto a second line, make sure the lines are balanced rather than having one
• long line and just a few words on the following line
• Images: Logos, pictures and graphics are not recommended (exception may be made for graphic design students)
• Grammar: Use proper spelling and grammar throughout (in addition to using spellcheck, have someone proof a hard copy of the resume and read it out-loud to find hidden typos). Eliminate the use of personal pronouns (i.e. I, my, me, our)
• Templates: Use Microsoft Word or Pages to write your resume instead of using a resume template
• References: These are not necessary, unless an employer asks you to include this information on your resume. References are usually listed on a separate page and provided when requested by the employer

Summaries and Examples For Each Section of a Resume

Personal information

• Name: Your name should be larger (14 pt) and may be in all caps
• Address/Phone: List only one address (or just city and state) and list one phone number at which you can be reached
• E-mail: While you are a student, use your school e-mail address; upon graduation switch to a professional e-mail address
• LinkedIn: Your URL may be added if you have a complete profile. You can also add a website portfolio link if applicable

Objective/Summary/Profile (optional)

• Use this section as an opportunity to tell the employer what you are looking for, what you can offer and to introduce your skill set

Education

• Leave off your high school information (first year students may include this information based on relevance to objective)
• If you are completing two majors, consider saying ´dual or double majors in X and Yµ
• List all certificates and minors on the line below the major. Study abroad experiences can also be listed
• Include graduation date as "month, year"- not a date range; it is not necessary to say "expected" or "anticipated" 
• GPA can be listed if it is above a 3.0, it is not recommended to include a GPA under 3.0
• If you transferred to SHU and wish to include your prior school, it should be set up in same format as Seton Hall University

Honors and Awards

• Create a separate Awards section if you have three or more awards; otherwise, include under appropriate heading (i.e. list scholarship or Dean's List in the Education section
• An award should only be listed in one section (i.e. Dean's List should be in either Awards or Education sections, not both)
• Include dates to indicate when you received the award and/or current involvement

Experience

• This section can include all experiences relevant to the position, organization, or industry regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid (i.e. work experience, volunteer opportunities, internships, professional association/club involvement, leadership/on campus roles, community leadership)
• Descriptive phrases should begin with action verbs (i.e. Managed, Created, Updated) and end with outcomes or results
• Use consistent verb tenses - past experiences should be in past tense; present experiences in present tense
• Put positions in reverse chronological order (i.e. start with most recent)
• List multiple positions from one employer under one heading (there is no need to list the employer name multiple times)
• Include city and state only, not street address; include starting and ending date as "month, year" (or "Present" if current)

Leadership Experience and/or Memberships and/or Volunteer Experiences

• Combine these sections or list them separately depending on the amount of information, relevance and space available
• Bullet points can be added if you want to showcase a key accomplishment in a descriptive phrase

Skills

• Include computer, language, certifications/licenses, laboratory, graphic design and social media if related to the position
• Do not list only "Microsoft Office"; spell out Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint (all one word), Word, Access, Publisher
• Only list language skills if you are fluent and confident speaking or writing the language at a proficient level
• Avoid including attributes such as hardworking, motivated, etc. or skills such as analytical, planning or interpersonal

Optional Sections

Optional Sections may be listed separately or combined depending on the amount of information

Coursework
List 6-9 courses that relevant to the position you are applying to.  

Projects
Classroom or club projects are a great way to show your skills, especially if you have little or no work experience.