The Resume

Title this document "Curriculum Vitae" (italicized as a foreign language phrase) or "Resume for [your name]."

Your school postal address should appear in the upper left hand corner of page 1, your permanent home address opposite in the upper right corner; include telephone numbers with area codes in both entries. Add your email address following your school address.

Set margins at 1". Use a standard, readable font (preferably Times New Roman), 12 point. Do not embellish with high-tech artwork or typography, or over-use bold or italics. Section headings may be in bold. Never combine bold, italics, and underlining.

Arrange your resume by categories, in descending order of importance to your audience. List entries in chronological order or in order of importance. Briefly describe activities that are not self-explanatory. Here is a possible order for a scholarship competition:

Education

Academic Honors

Research and Publications (if any)

Professional Experience (including internships)

Extra-curricular Activities

Community and Volunteer Service

Language Skills

Special Technical Skills

Athletic Achievements

Personal Interests

Indicate any leadership roles, as appropriate, under these categories: evaluators are more interested in evidence of leadership than in memberships. Your activities should represent your varied talents and passions outside the classroom. Selectors want to get a sense of who you are and what you believe in. List all significant activities and honors, but be selective. The selectors are looking for sustained commitment (rather than two hours spent on a community clean-up). Be completely honest. If you list that you speak fluent French, for example, you’ll want to be able to converse with an interviewer in French.

The resume is not the place to feature your modesty, but screening committees recognize padding when they see it: straightforward description without self-promotion or false humility is ideal. Keep the resume to no more than two pages, if possible.

For further assistance with your resume, contact Career Services.