What is a Résumé?

The sections you include on your résumé and the order in which you place them will depend on your own unique experience. For most students, your education will appear first. As you progress in your career, your work experience will likely move to the top.

Below are some common sections typically found on résumés:

• Summary of Qualifications
• Education
• Certifications
• Relevant Coursework
• Relevant Projects
• Work Experience
• Activities and Organizations
• Skills
• Awards and Honors

• The top half is most important; recruiters spend an average of 60 seconds reviewing résumés.
• Use a simple, single-column layout.
• One-page résumés are preferred.
• Build your résumé from scratch in Word instead of using online templates. This will make it easier to update in the future.
• Ensure formatting and style is consistent.
• Use a professional font such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri.
• Customize your experience to mirror the employer's needs.
• Include relevant key words based on the job description.
• Place your biggest selling points first.
• Use action verbs and quantify achievements.
• Create impactful, concise bullet points to demonstrate experience.
• High school is no longer relevant.
• Avoid using photos, graphs, headers, or footers.
• Proofread for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• If using AI as a tool, ensure that you personalize and review the content.

Well-developed, organized bullet points illustrate your skills and experiences to employers. Tailor your bullet points to relate to each position description you are applying for to increase your chances of getting an interview. Quantify your accomplishments by adding a numerical value, outcome, or purpose to help employers understand the full extent of your work. By following the simple formula below, you will create concise and impactful bullet points that will highlight your achievements and help you stand out to employers.

Action Verb + Core Content + Result, Purpose or Impact

Examples:

• Produced Excel spreadsheets with vendor information utilizing formulas to create an analysis of vendor satisfaction.
• Collaborated with team of students to form the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Chapter at UTA.
• Collected and analyzed physiological data from 100+ patient samples, supporting research on tissue regeneration and improving data accuracy by 15%.
• Performed site inspections and documented construction progress, ensuring 100% compliance with project specifications and safety standards.
• Analyzed soil and material test data to verify structural integrity, reducing potential rework by 15%.
• Developed cost estimates and quantity takeoffs for three bridge rehabilitation projects, improving budget accuracy by 10%.
• Optimized SQL queries and improved database efficiency, cutting average load times by 30% across multiple dashboards.

Action verbs:

• Created
• Developed
• Managed
• Collaborated
• Generated
• Analyzed
• Produced
• Coordinated
• Directed
• Organized
• Led
• Planned
• Collected
• Arranged
• Authored
• Devised
• Formulated
• Drafted
• Influenced
• Negotiated
• Mediated
• Promoted
• Publicized
• Wrote
• Inspected
• Critiqued
• Assembled
• Designed
• Collected
• Built
• Compiled
• Computed
• Engineered
• Identified
• Examined
• Surveyed
• Computed
• Reviewed
• Programmed
• Demonstrated
• Fabricated
• Operated
• Overhauled
• Upgraded
• Advised
• Communicated
• Facilitated
• Guided
• Persuaded
• Trained
• Administered
• Audited
• Assisted
• Represented
• Planned
• Performed
• Instituted
• Established
• Calculated
• Budgeted
• Oversaw
• Researched
• Projected
• Guided
• Prepared
• Implemented
• Improved
• Reduced
• Spearheaded
• Processed
• Achieved
• Arranged
• Diagnosed
• Forecasted
• Customized
• Motivated
• Expedited
• Organized
• Impacted
• Supervised

Do:

• Use a simple, single column layout.
• Keep your résumé to one page unless you have years of experience.
• Ensure that the formatting is consistent throughout.
• Set margins between .5" to 1".
• Use a professional, easy-to-read font, such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman.
• Make sure font size is between 10-12 pt. size; 14-16 pt. size for headings.
• List degrees and experience in reverse chronological order.
• Integrate key words from the job post to tailor your résumé to the position.
• Place most important information in the top half.
• Create bullet points using action verbs + core content + result, purpose, or outcome.
• Place your biggest selling point first.
• Quantify achievements with numerical values when possible.
• Use AI sparingly as a tool to improve your résumé.
• Be honest about your achievements.
• Make sure your contact information is correct.
• Proofread your résumé for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Update your résumé once a semester.
• Meet with a KWCEC career development specialist to review your résumé!

Don't:

• Use a multiple column layout.
• Craft a résumé longer than one page unless you have years of experience.
• Completely rely on AI to create your résumé.
• Add photos, graphs, or tables.
• Use an unprofessional email address.
• Describe experience in paragraph format.
• List high school degree, awards, etc.
• Use a font size less than 10 point.
• Set your margins smaller than .5".
• Use the first-person narrative.
• Use colorful, decorative fonts that can be difficult to read.
• Exaggerate or lie about your accomplishments.
• Include personal information such as age, marital status, birth date, social security number, race, gender, or religion.
• Repeat yourself.
• Leave off unrelated work experience.
• Neglect to proofread your résumé for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Add references; only provide when requested.
• Send a one-size-fits-all résumé for every application.
• Submit your résumé to an employer without having someone look over it.
• Forget to meet with a KWCEC career development specialist to review your résumé!