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Content
While resume construction is a subjective art, the following is an explanation of commonly used sections from the top of your resume down to the bottom. Optional sections should be included if they will enhance your ability to relay your message. Also, standard sections can be renamed to suit your specific needs.
Contact information Accordion Closed
Your contact information is the heading of your resume. It should include your name, phone number, and email address. You can also include a personal web URL (can be your LinkedIn profile) if it helps in marketing yourself for a position. We do not recommend including your physical address on your resume.
Summary of qualifications Accordion Closed
This is the recommended way to begin a resume in most fields and include 3-5 bullet points that highlight your most impressive skills, experience, and qualifications relevant to the position you’re applying for. Bullet points in your summary of qualifications (and throughout your resume) should be targeted to the position and quantified when possible. “Quantifying” means adding a number, award, or other hard evidence to prove the claim you’re making.
Here are some great examples:
- Four years of experience instructing group exercise classes for up to 40 participants
- Collected and analyzed biological data for a five-year international research project
- Developed and implemented three units of curriculum
- Two years of experience in customer service positions, meeting needs of diverse customers
- Supervised groups of up to 15 students, twice each week for two semesters
Career profile Accordion Closed
A career profile may be used by professionals who have several years of work experience. It allows you to briefly state your core message (your relevant experience, education, skills and characteristics) at the beginning of your resume. The idea behind the profile is that the information provided in this section gives the reader an overview of detailed information to be found later in the resume. For example:
A competent, self-motivated, and results-oriented Master’s level social worker with over 8 years of experience in the field of human services. Comprehensive understanding of how to integrate program development and evaluation, public policy, and coalition building to enhance social service delivery in diverse settings. Highly effective team player able to collaborate with clients, and professionals on all levels across many sectors including business, nonprofit, grassroots, and government. Experience directing and motivating staff and volunteers.
Skills Accordion Closed
A skills section is especially important for those in technical fields, but can be used by all. The skills section should be tailored to the required skills in the position description, and/or highlights skills that might make you stand out.
For example:
- Develop community partnerships
- Program planning, development and analysis
- Grants development and management
- Bilingual speaking and writing in Spanish
- Group process and facilitation skills
- Quarterly and year-end reporting
Education Accordion Closed
Current students and recent graduates usually put the Education section after their Summary of Qualifications (or Skills section if present). Experienced candidates usually place education after their Experience section. Your education section can include honors and GPA if you are a recent graduate and your GPA is about 3.5. Study abroad, research, and other projects can also appear in this section. Do not include your High School information. Use “Anticipated Graduation” to reflect your planned graduation date.
Relevant courses (optional) Accordion Closed
This section can be useful if you have limited work experience relevant to your target job. In addition to the names of courses (course numbers will not mean anything to an employer) you can include brief descriptions of course projects.
Experience Accordion Closed
The experience section may include internships, part-time jobs, full time positions, volunteer experience, and temporary employment. Possible headings include Professional Experience, Work Experience, Experience Highlights, and Relevant Experience. Jobs are typically listed in reverse chronological order. When describing your experience, focus on your accomplishments, rather than providing a job description. This section should be bulleted, starting every statement with a strong action verb.
Affiliations/honors/community involvement/other activities (optional) Accordion Closed
These are optional sections you may include if you want to highlight certain extracurricular activities you believe reflect something important about you, in relation to the type of positions for which you are applying.
Training/certifications/professional memberships (optional) Accordion Closed
Place current, not expired, certificates, trainings or memberships you hold and are relevant to your goals.
Learn more Accordion Closed
Excellent resources for crafting your resume can be found on the NAU Career Development Pinterest page.
Or explore the following Career Steps online lessons:
Developing application materials: Crafting your resume content
Developing application materials: Crafting a summary of qualifications