Build Your Résumé
A résumé is a one page document specifically tailored to the job or internship opening for which you are applying and its main purpose is to secure an interview. It is a representation of your personal brand where factual information related to your education, work experience, coursework, honors, awards, and volunteer work are highlighted in a well-organized format. Although some students may have enough experience to fill two pages, it is rare and should be kept to one page as often as possible to demonstrate your ability to offer concise information and respect the reviewer’s time. Most employers want only as much information as needed to demonstrate that your skills and experience match the needs of the job description, therefore only include information that directly relates to the position for which you are applying.
There are a wide variety of templates and styles to select from, but straightforward, easy to navigate styles are best. Résumés that are too busy or colorful can be distracting and confusing for the reader. Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds on your résumé; therefore, it is more important to communicate in a clear, easy to follow, and well organized manner. Times New Roman or Arial, 11-12 point font are well received. Always save and send your résumé as a PDF so that the formatting doesn’t shift when viewed.
Tailoring your résumé for each job application can be intimidating, but it is a crucial part of the application process and will yield better results guaranteed. We can help make it an easier process! We offer 1 on 1 appointments to talk through your specific experiences and background to help you craft a superior document.
Using the resources below will give you ideas and formats to build your résumé. There are example résumés under the “Career Resources” section, opportunities to attend a career readiness workshop under the “Build Experience & Skills” section, and you can even watch videos at the bottom of this page.
Make an appointment with an FCB Career Coaches today!
Looking for ways to gain experience to build your résumé? Visit our webpage for more ideas and experiences!
Visit us in FCB room 121 or email us at fcb-cdo@nau.edu.
Anatomy of a Résumé
As the introduction to your résumé, your name should be a larger text (font) size with your phone number, a professional email address, and URL links to any online platforms that highlight your background and skills such as LinkedIn or a personal website. Listing your pronouns and the city and state you are residing in are also relevant pieces to include.
Louie Lumberjack
LL1899@nau.edu | 928.523.1234 | https://www.linkedin.com/in/Louie | Flagstaff, AZ | He/Him/His
This is a brief highlight of relevant experience, accomplishments, and skills related specifically to the job opening for which you are applying. It usually presents pertinent qualifications in concise bullet points. Employers want to see that you have tailored your résumé to their job description and that you meet the minimum qualifications before reading further. If you don’t have a job description and are creating a general résumé, consider the main transferable skills needed for the type of position you are pursuing.
Identify Skills and Qualifications
Qualifications
- Strong ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
- Leadership in fast paced work environments
- Organization and critical thinking
- Superior oral and written communication
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
- Two years of data analysis experience
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
- Accurate axe throwing with the ability to train others
List all post-secondary education and training received in reverse chronological order. Include the institution’s name, the name of the degree or certificate, the location, the date received, and your cumulative or major course GPA if you like. If you are currently pursuing a degree, list the anticipated date of completion.
Education and Certifications
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
The W.A. Franke College of Business GPA: 3.8
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management Anticipated May 2025
Minor in Spanish
Coconino Community College Flagstaff, AZ
Accounting Certificate May 2023
Customer Service Confrontation and Conflict by Skillsoft April 2023
Society for HR Management (SHRM-CP) May 2023
This section can be titled “Work Experience” for a general résumé and lists any paid work history you have. It can also be titled “Relevant Experience” when tailoring a résumé which may not be the totality of your experience and can include any paid or unpaid experiences that highlight experience you have specifically related to the job posting. The company name, your title, the location, and dates employed should all be included. Job duty bullets should start with an action verb and communicate how well you performed a duty, what you did and the purpose of it, or what you did and the result of your actions. Be intentional, specific, and use proper current or past tenses.
Related Experience
Flying Axe RV Park Flagstaff, AZ
Team Lead September 2020-May 2023
- Offered superior customer service to a 500+ customer base through consistent oral and written communication
- Analyzed expense reports to identified areas for improvement and submitted findings to management with recommendations resulting in a 22% reduction of overhead costs
- Selected to train a team of 15 in the art of axe throwing with strict adherence to company and federal safety regulations
Listing club and organization engagement is a great way to highlight extracurricular involvement, particularly if you held a leadership position relevant to your career path. Employers appreciate well rounded candidates with a variety of engagement and experience.
Sorority Work
Alpha Beta Zeta, NAU Flagstaff, AZ
Treasurer March 2021- May 2023
- Collected payments and maintained accurate records of member dues including the development of confidential payment plans as needed
- Collaborated with the Event Chair to organize fundraisers and budget for bi-semester events
Listing professional affiliations and memberships is a great way to demonstrate your professional engagement with various organizations. Unless you held a position within the organization, and it would be worthwhile listing your duties as they relate to your major or career, just listing the affiliations and memberships is sufficient.
Professional Organizations or Affiliations
Beta Alpha Psi August 2022-Present
Alpha Kappa Psi August 2022-Present
ProSell Club August 2022-Present
DECA August 2020-2022
Displaying volunteer and community service work is a great opportunity to demonstrate your engagement, particularly if you applied your professional skills in that setting. If so, then consider using bullet points to highlight the duties. If not, simply listing the organizations and dates still communicates your philanthropic engagement and interests.
Volunteer Work or Community Engagement
Church of the Valley Phoenix, AZ
Event Coordinator August 2023-Current
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to budget, plan, and facilitate the annual spring carnival welcoming over 800 attendees
Did you attend a conference or virtual training event that furthered your development or understanding of a subject? Including them on your résumé demonstrates your drive to engage in a variety of training and learning modalities. Don’t forget that your employer provided training, workshops, and/or externships could also be included.
Workshops and Webinars
Gartner Professional Sales Certificate Workshops | December 2020 |
TEDx Talk-Women in Leadership | November 2020 |
State Farm-ADDO Conference (All Day Ops) | November 2020 |
HBCU & HSI Leadership Conference | July 2020 |
Highlighting honors, awards, and scholarships can be a great way to communicate that your hard work has been recognized by others. If there is space to include the criteria for the recognition, consider including it.
Awards and Scholarships
ISM Outstanding Senior May 2023
Lumberjack Scholarship – 3.75+ GPA upon high school graduation August 2019-May 2023
NAU Peer Recognition Award April 2022
Participating in athletics, whether on a collegiate, intramural, or club team, can provide excellent leadership, teamwork, and organization experience. You don’t have to be selected for a traditional leadership role such a “captain” to include your contribution on your résumé.
Leadership Experience or Collegiate Athletic Involvement
Northern Arizona University Women’s Soccer Flagstaff, Arizona
Defense/Midfield 2022-Present
- Dedicate 30-40 hours a week toward athletic team practices, study hall, tutoring, mentoring, and travel.
- Work closely with teammates to identify areas for improvement on an individual and team level and implement improvement strategies
- Successfully engage in a full academic course schedule including 15 or more credits each semester
Athletics is far from the only opportunity to practice leadership and teamwork skills. Clubs, group class projects, military experience and more can be included. Where some of these experiences can be listed in other sections, if wanting to highlight your strong leadership ability you can have a dedication section.
Leadership Experience OR Military Experience
United States Army Fort Bragg, N.C
Sniper Section Leader 2015-2022
- Served as the face of the U.S. Military while liaising with Iraqi Security Forces; actively displayed our steadfast commitment to the U.S./Iraqi coalition.
- Chosen to build and lead a marksmanship plan of instruction for an Iraqi Federal Police Division; significantly increased their lethality and combat power.
- Selected to lead a team of four snipers in an urban reconnaissance and surveillance mission; generated a comprehensible common operating picture.
- Served as the Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of over 20 combat patrols: all conducted without incident, injury, or loss of life.
Highlighting the various topics learned in classes is a fantastic way for employers to understand your knowledge of specific topics, particularly if you don’t have any hands-on experience other than in the classroom. Experience is experience, whether you were paid during it or not, so do not hesitate to speak to it on your résumé. Aside from specific topics, you can also speak to the transferable skills honed in a college classroom setting such as time management, organization, leadership, and more.
Related Coursework
Student Managed Investment Fund, NAU – Student Investor Spring 2019
- Managed a $1.7 million portfolio in a class of 30 or less
- Facilitated a group of 6 students responsible for stock and bond analysis
- Made recommendations for stock and bond purchases and sales throughout the semester
- Responsible for one specific stock and its earnings reports
Strategic Marketing, Oak Creek Watershed Council – Student Consultant Spring 2017
- Collaborated with a team of students in conjunction with MKT 494(Strategic Marketing) to develop a strategic marketing plan for the client.
- Deliverables included a market analysis and strategy recommendations with supporting tactics for branding, sponsorship, digital media, merchandising and fundraising.
- Presented recommendations in-person and in a formal business paper to the Executive Director and staff, for consideration by the Board of Directors.
- Client implemented eight recommendations with great success
If your experience doesn’t fit under any of these provided headers, create your own to match your experiences. For résumé examples by major scroll down to the bottom of our page or click on our “Career Resources” tab.
Need Help? Make an appointment today!
- CDO’s résumé writing Pinterest board
- Common résumé mistakes
- 16 résumé mistakes and how to avoid them
- Résumé Templates
Curriculum Vitaes (CVs)
A “curriculum vitae,” (CV) meaning “course of life”, is a detailed document highlighting your professional and academic history. CVs typically include your work experience, along with your achievements, awards, scholarships or grants you’ve earned, coursework, teaching, professional affiliations, research projects, and publications of your work. Usually, a CV is only necessary if you have an advanced graduate or professional degree and you are seeking a job in academia, scientific research, or applying for grants and fellowships. Most undergraduate students will have no need for a CV, and should instead focus on developing several targeted résumés. That said, CVs are more common in many countries outside of the United States so if studying abroad or applying for a position in a foreign country, your résumé may be crafted more like a CV.
A CV is commonly two or three pages long, but it’s not unusual for it to be much longer for mid-level or senior job applicants as a CV serves as a full outline of one’s career accomplishments. Don’t cut information just to save space and consider these crucial details: Full name, Contact information, Professional title, Professional profile/objective statement, Research interests, Education, Publications (academic papers, books, websites, and blogs listed in MLA or APA format), Teaching or lecturing experience, Work experience, Presentations, Conferences and Courses, Skills, Certificates, Languages, Grants of fellowships, and References. Updating your CV consistently is the best way to ensure you are not forgetting any of your experience or notable accomplishments.
Need Help? Schedule an appointment with a career coach today!