UNLV Career Handbook - Magazine - Page 12
RESUMES
You are building your professional brand from the
moment you begin deciding which skills to include in
your resume and cover letter. Your resume is the written
representation of your professional brand, not just a
list of your prior work history. It is a one-page snapshot
of your Values, Interests, Priorities, Skills (VIPS), and
accomplishments. Use it to inform potential employers
how your skills and experience can bene昀椀t them now
and in the future.
YOUR RESUME
The purpose of a resume is to get an interview. Typically,
an employer will only spend 6-7 seconds looking at your
resume before deciding whether or not to consider you for
an interview. In most cases, a resume of one or two pages is
suf昀椀cient to convey the most meaningful information. When
designing your resume, it should be concise and consistent
so the information is easy to read. Each of your resumes will
be different and should describe your experiences as they
apply to the position. Remember to quantify your experiences
to provide scope for your work to an employer.
Resume Formatting Structure
• Use standard font styles such as Times New Roman or
Arial (10 to 12 point).
• Section headings should be in bold and may be capitalized
or underlined for emphasis.
• Use bullet points to highlight key information.
YOUR CURRICULUM VITAE (OR CV)
If you are a graduate and postdoctoral student searching for
academic and research positions, it is recommended that
you have a CV. This comprehensive resume focuses more on
education and includes specialized training, presentations,
publications, research, posters, and conferences (see page 10
for CV sample).
RESUME SECTIONS
Contact Information
• Include your name, address (city/state only), telephone
number, UNLV or professional email address, and LinkedIn
address at the top of the resume.
• Bold your name to stand out by slightly increasing the font
size (16 to 20 point).
12
CAREER HANDBOOK
Education
• List your academic background in descending
chronological order (most recent 昀椀rst).
• List each degree and the date you obtained that degree.
If you are still working toward your degree, list the degree
you are seeking along with your expected graduation date,
emphasizing a particular major or concentration within
your degree.
• List the full name of the college or university you are
attending and the location. Include your GPA if it is at
or above 3.0.
Relevant Coursework
• List the classes you have taken that illustrate your
academic background in a particular area.
• It is very common for people in technical 昀椀elds to have
an extensive “Projects” section.
Work Experience
• List your job title and the name of the company on the lefthand side of the page. Use italics or bold font to make the
title or company stand out.
• List the time period of your employment with the month
and year on the right margin of the page for a cleaner look.
• Use strong, action-oriented words and short phrases to
describe your experience (see the “Verbalizing Your Skills”
section on pages 16 and 17).
• Utilize bullet points to make the information 昀氀ow, quantify
results, and list accomplishments whenever possible.
Activities, Honors, and Volunteer Experience
• List relevant leadership and volunteer experience just
as you would in your work experience. Related unpaid
experience is equally as important as work experience.
• Include your title, organization name, dates, and
important skills.
• Describe your experiences in detail depending on the
relevant skills you would like to highlight.
Computer, Language, and Technical Skills
• List concrete skills, including language pro昀椀ciency,
computer, technical, laboratory, or others relevant to
the position.
• Do not include soft skills such as communication,
leadership, or problem-solving. Skills need to be more
speci昀椀c to add value to the resume presentation.
