Samples and Trends

Search for current resume trends. Avoid focusing on just images, and look at more than one webpage.Look at samples from your field/industry.Talk to other people, peers, higher-ups, and/or Career Services.

What did you learn?

Audience

What industry are you going into?What skills or experience will that industry value?Who specifically will be reading your resume? How does that shape your decisions?

What trends would help your resume be effective for your audience?

Content

What sections should you include for this job position? (Some options: education, job + volunteer experience, skills, references, objective statement, honors + awards, relevant coursework, memberships + organizations, publications, conference presentations, etc.)What kinds of experiences do you want to include? Do you want to include any non-job-related experience?What skills are transferable? How will you tailor seemingly unrelated experience and skills to this job?

Creating An Effective Resume

Organization

How do you think you should order your sections? Do you think it should be in order of importance, chronological, or something else?How will you order the content inside these sections?

University Writing Center 407-823-2197 http://www.uwc.cah.ucf.edu

What is the job description asking for?

What are the company goals and how does this influence your decisions?

Remember: not all sources are correct and credible. Use your best judgment.

Should you be writing a resume or C.V.? Do you need to include a cover letter?

Writing Style

Should your writing consist of short, clear, direct “sentences” (likely fragments)?

What writing style does your field/industry use? Technical, academic, etc.?

Is there a sentence structure that you are expected to use for this job position/industry?

Formatting & Design

Do you have any colors, fonts, and/or graphics in mind? Are they appropriate for your field/industry?

What should you be emphasizing through formatting and design? Think of spacing, size, bolded font, underlined text, placement on the page, etc.

What kind of layout should you use? How will you display your content on the page?

What should you avoid based on trends and current advice?

Considerations

How many pages does your industry normally use? Do you need to add or take away information?

Check out our interactive, online Resume Walkthrough for more information on building a resume. Once you have a draft, use our Resume Checklist handout to make

sure you have all the right components and have considered all of your options.

To write a cover letter, use our Cover Letter handout.

OTHER RESOURCES:

University Writing Center 407-823-2197 http://www.uwc.cah.ucf.edu

Based on trends, how should you start your sentences? (Verbs, adjectives, nouns?)

Look at some resume samples in your field. What design elements could be effective for your resume?

What contact information do you need to include? (Some options: name, email, address, phone number, LinkedIn, portfolio, etc.)Should you use your school email, a professional email, a generic email, or something else?Are you applying to an out-of-state job? Consider your audience’s expectations. What address do you want to use?How do you want to display your name? Consider your audience’s expectations.