Career Preparation Resources

  • Key Resume Features

    The exact elements you will include on your resume will depend on your field, career goals, and experiences.

    Most college students and alumni will have the following sections of their resumes:

    • Heading, including your name, contact info, linkedin, professional website
    • Education, including degree-granting institutions, major or minors, honors societies, specific awards or accolades, and study abroad or international education experiences.
    • Work Experiences, including positions held, names/locations of organizations, dates employed, responsibilities, achievements or specific contributions, demonstrated skills and abilities.
    • Extracurricular Activities/Volunteer Work/Student Organizations, such as organizations you've been involved in, leadership roles held, and specific activities you participated in.Research or Capstone Experiences, such as significant research experiences or applied projects.
    • Certifications/Skills, such as technical certifications, industry specializations, or knowledge of field-specific programs or tools

    The following are some optional sections you might include, depending on your areas of interest, goals, or experiences:

    • Internship Experiences
    • Special skills
    • Language fluency
    • Publications
    • Conference presentations
    • Military service
    • Professional affiliations

    Check out this video from Business Insider to learn more about crafting an effective resume.

  • Objective Statements

    What is it?

    A concise statement, typically 1-2 sentences, that communicates the job you seek and the skills you have to offer. There are many approaches to writing an objective statement that focus on different elements, such as:

    • The position — A position as a social worker providing services for the aged.
    • The field — Desire a position in the social service field working with the youth.
    • Your skills — A position utilizing my counseling, research, and proposal writing skills.
    • A combination — Seeking a position as a public relations officer in a medical facility. Wish to utilize my skills in communications, needs analysis, and photography.

    Do I need an objective statement?

    The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) states that there is no real agreement on whether you should include an objective on your résumé.

    However, most recruiters agree that you should NOT include an objective statement.

    If you do choose to include an objective statement on your résumé, it must be:

    • Specific and targeted to the position to which you are applying,
    • Highlight your best qualifications,
    • Demonstrate what you can do for the organization, not what the organization can do for you.

    An example of an ineffective objective statement:

    To obtain a position that will allow me to develop my skills and understanding of aviation while allowing me to advance in the company

  • Summary Statements

    What is it?

    Summary statements provide an alternative to the objective statement. It should emphasize your skills and accomplishments and how they match the field you seek a career in. When written correctly, these statements help a future employer understand what you bring to their company.

    You can also think about these statements as your professional brand. Summary statements are typically 1-3 sentences that include:

    • A statement of who you are
    • Strengths, values, or experiences you want to highlight.

    Do I need it?

    Similar to the objective statement, there is not a consensus or universal answer to whether you should include a summary statement.

    If you choose to use a summary or brand statement, be as brief as possible. Depending on your overall design and available space, you can write your summary as a bullet list or a paragraph. Paragraphs tend to be more visually appealing.

    Example 1

    Sally Cube is a graphic designer with a good eye for color and composition and a love for technology with exceptional skills using the Adobe Creative Suite who can work effectively in a team setting to translate a customer’s idea into an effective visual.

    Example 2

    Caitlin Martin is a passionate leader who thrives when she can draw connections between concepts, people, and practices. She aims to make lasting, systemic changes through evidence-based practice to create just and equitable learning environments where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

  • Strong Action Verbs

    One of the most difficult parts of preparing a resume is writing compelling bullet points to explain your past experiences. These are typically used when explaining your work, internship, and leadership experiences.

    Career specialists at Miami University recommend a formula for writing bullet points about your experiences.

    Action Verb + Content + Result + Quantity

    Some Examples

    • Planned and implemented a recognition luncheon for 50 members of the faculty and staff on campus
    • Assisted with major research and editing of United’s route map across the Middle East to result in a new high altitude enroute chart
    • Developed preventative maintenance program that reduced machine downtime by 5% annually and lowered maintenance costs by 10% over previous year

    The following resources may be especially helpful for writing bullet points