Career Services

Here are some samples of categories for resumes and what they should include. You do not need to use all of them, and you may come up with categories that fit your needs.

Objective

The objective describes the candidate's direction and purpose. It is also an indicator of organizational abilities. The objective should be short, concise and focused on the position and/or industry you are targeting.

Qualifications Statement

Many students will use a qualifications statement rather than an objective to describe their skills to the employer. This section can be used to help the employer find related work and life experiences on your resume. You should try to match your skills to the job description in this section.

Education

Include your degree(s) and where earned, major(s) and additional course concentrations or minors. Also list your date of graduation and grade point average if it is a 3.5 or better. A section on related coursework may also be included, listing any advanced courses you have completed that directly relate to the type of employment you are seeking. High school information should not be included unless directly related to the type of work you are seeking, or to establish former residence in the geographic area.

Work Experience

This section should include the following information about your employment history:

1. position held;
2. name and location of organization;
3. dates employed;
4. job responsibilities;
5. demonstrated abilities or skills.

The use of "action words" such as "created," "planned," "analyzed," and "initiated" will go far in aiding your ability to create a positive and comprehensive description of your employment background. A listing of additional action words is included in this guide to assist you in making a persuasive presentation of your work experience.

Typically, employers are interested in work experience gained in college years. Internships, co-op programs, part-time work, work-study, etc. should be listed here. In most cases, experiences during high school should be omitted from your resume.

Full-Time Supervised Clinical Experience

Students in the Health Professions areas should include a section outlining their full time clinical experience that they complete as a part of their curriculum. These experiences should be listed in the same way as employment listings with complete descriptions of skill mastery and tasks performed. You will also want to include information about presentations/in-service projects, etc.

Part Time Supervised Clinical Experience

This includes volunteer, service learning, observational experience, etc. Company name, location, dates and type of facility should be sufficient unless you have very specific skills that you developed on site.

Honors and Leadership Activities

Campus or community involvement and/or academic honors and awards should be included in your resume. Be certain to indicate in this section any leadership roles you have held such as elected offices, campus committees, athletic leadership roles and the like. Involvement of this type is particularly indicative of your ability and potential.

Professional Affiliations

Memberships in nationally recognized professional associations are also worthy of inclusion. Beware, however, of simply listing organizations to which you belonged but were not an active member.

Technical Skills

Depending on your field, you may want to include a section including all of your computer and technology skills. This may be helpful especially to individuals seeking positions in business or with research as a major component.

Community Service

Many organizations will value your willingness to give and work in your community. List any significant experiences here. Be sure to include leadership or supervisory roles held.

Publications

Any research that you have published either alone or in conjunction with others. Be sure to list the name of the publication, author(s), date of publication and name of work.

Certifications/Licensure

List all licenses and certifications that you currently hold including CPR, First Aid, First Responder, etc. Once licensed, you will want to indicate where you are licensed and the expiration date of the certification, but not necessarily your license number.

Interests

Optional. If space permits, you may wish to include an interest's section. Indicating your interests can provide employers with a more complete picture of your background and personality.

References

"References Available/Furnished Upon Request" is no longer an acceptable means of providing recommendations for employers. You should prepare a separate reference page completed in the same typeface and on the same type of paper as the resume.

Include the reference name and academic rank if a Ph.D., the title, business address, business phone and e-mail address. Each person should have a Mr., Ms., Miss., Dr., or Hon. before their name.