Career information brief offers pointers for creating an effective resume

Preparing an effective resume takes a lot of effort. Many students have never written one and may not know how to present their skills effectively to an employer.

The July Career Information Brief, published by the Centre for Career Education, offers a number of tips to help students create an effective resume for today’s job market:

  • Maintain a strong focus A resume needs to be tailored to the specific industry and position.
  • Proofread carefully No matter how qualified you may be, even one or two errors in your resume may give a negative impression to the employer.
  • Keep it concise Try to keep your resume to one page in length unless you have considerable experience relevant to the position you are seeking.
  • Appearances count You want your resume to be attractive and easy to read. A professional and well-designed resume will help you to create a positive first impression.
  • Use keywords While you want to impress the reader, many companies are now using scanning software to ensure that applicants have the desired qualifications.
  • Be specific Avoid simply listing duties and responsibilities as this doesn’t say how well you completed these tasks.

The briefs are aimed at providing faculty and staff with timely information they can use to assist students. Read the July edition, as well as previous briefs, on the centre’s Web site.