How to build the right CV

A resume is a concise, informative summary of your abilities, education, and experience. It should highlight your strongest assets and skills, and differentiate you from other candidates seek- ing similar positions. Although it alone will not get you a job or internship, a good resume is an impor- tant element toward obtaining an interview.

Tailor your resume to the type of position you are seeking. This doesn’t mean that all of your experiences must relate directly, but your resume should reflect the kind of skills the employer would value.

RESUME LANGUAGE SHOULD BE:

• Specific rather than general
• Active rather than passive
• Written to express not impress
• Articulate rather than “flowery”
• Fact-based (quantify and qualify)
• Written for people who scan quickly

TOP 6 RESUME MISTAKES:

• Spelling and grammar errors

• Missing email and phone information

• Using passive language instead of “action” words

• Not well organized, concise, or easy to skim

• Not demonstrating results

• Too long

DO:

• Be consistent in format and content
• Make it easy to read and follow, balancing white space
• Use consistent spacing, underlining, italics, bold, and capitalization for emphasis
• List headings (such as Experience) in order of importance
• Within headings, list information in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• Avoid information gaps such as a missing summer

DON’T:

• Use personal pronouns (such as I) • Abbreviate
• Use a narrative style
• Use slang or colloquialisms

• Include a picture
• Include age or gender
• List references
• Start each line with a date