☰ In This Section

A resume is a professional snapshot of your work experiences, volunteer experiences, and educational achievements. Because employers typically view resumes very quickly, it's important that it highlights your most recent and related information. 

Create Your Resume using SkillsFirst

SkillsFirst is a online platform that helps you create modern, keyword-optimized resumes and cover letters tailored for specific job descriptions.

Login to your SkillsFirst account and click "Create a resume."

For more information about SkillsFirst, click here.

Tips

Watch our video on the basics of resume building & see our list of top 10 tips for building your resume. 

  • Customize your resume for every application. Use words that are similar to the job description and organization's values. Read through View this worksheet for help on tailoring your resume.
  • List your most relevant experiences and do so starting from the most recent experiences first, and work your way down. 
  • Even if your experiences are directly related to what you are applying for, you can make them relatable by highlighting your transferable skills. Use this worksheet as a guide for how to do that. 
  • Write each bullet point starting with an action verb and clear description of your accomplishments and skills. Quantify where you can (number of clients, age of students, percentages, etc.)
  • Develop a crisp, professional layout that is easy for the reader to navigate. For resume templates, we suggest looking at Microsoft Word, Canva, or Google "free resume templates" to get you started. 

Format and Layout

Most students and recent alumni should write a one page resume that lists experiences in chronological order (most recent experince at the top and work your way down). Some alumni and CAPS/GS students with many years of experience use a functional resume, which groups experiences by skills.

Examples

View our video on the basics of building your resume HERE. 

General Chronological Resumes:

Resumes by Major/Industry:

Each industry can have unique resume requirements.

Functional Resume: 

  • Functional (pdf) - Only for applicants with 10+ years of professional experience 

Resume Reviews

Schedule a 30-minute resume review with a career specialist. To schedule, log in to Handshake. 

Typically, we request you send your rough draft resume to the career specialist before your appointment, but you can meet with someone if you haven't written one yet.