Resumes
Types of resumes:
Traditional Resumes follow a reverse chronological order (most recent to oldest) of work history and includes common qualifications like education and skills.
Curriculum Vitaes are well suited for research, academia and other specialized roles. CVs are more detailed, and as a result they can be longer than 1 page.
Federal Resumes are resumes formatted according to US Government Guidelines. If applying to federal roles, your document MUST be formatted as a federal document or it will not be considered.
Functional Resumes focus on core competencies and skills. They tend to be used by seasoned professionals with multiple years of experience to emphasize transferrable skills and accomplishments.
Creative Resumes showcase creative skills such as graphic design, ingenuity, and character,
Writing a Resume
A resume conveys your professional story - your motivations, skills, interests, and values. It demonstrates to employers the value you add to their team and mission.
Highlight experiences and skills that are relevant to the position. Be specific when writing descriptions and incorporate numbers when possible to quantify your achievements.
Reviewers typically look at resumes for 10-20 seconds. Keep their attention by being concise, consistent, organized, and clear.
Meet with a Career Advisor, Career Contact, Career Mentor, or professional in your field to review your resume before submitting to ensure the resume is tailored to the job/field and to avoid typos.
Career Center offers assistance with resumes through:
Resume Writing Guides: The following guides provide you with recommendations for your resume:
Career Advising: Meet with a Career Advisor to ensure you are providing employers with the best possible resume Schedule an appointment through TritonTrack.
Submission & Formatting suggestions:
Structure your bullet points not to include personal pronouns such as "me, we, our"
Aim for a 1-page resume, if possible
A resume can be more than one page, but base the decision on relevancy. Remember that two full pages is better than a page and a quarter
Beware of templates, aim for uniqueness!
Stand out by creating a unique style from scratch.
Just so you know, if one of your skills includes word processing such as Microsoft Word/Google Docs, then showcase that skill by crafting a unique template.
If you do use a template, always save as a PDF to 'flatten' the formatting
Confirm application instructions: some require a resume AND cover letter to be in one attachment
Before saving the final draft, proofread your resume
Use a professional file name when saving your document, for example, "John Doe Resume"
Save the document as a PDF to maintain formatting
Should a resume be longer than one page?
Ideally, your resume as an undergraduate won't be longer than a page, but depending on the circumstance, audience, or goal, a resume can exceed a page. If a resume exceeds the first page, ensure that the all of content is relevant to the application.
Here are examples of longer resumes for a variety of purposes, such as research and grad school.
Check out resumes written by actual Eckerd College students
Remember that these were tailored for specific positions, organizations, and goals, so make sure to tailor your resume to best highlight your unique skills and experiences.