We all know that life ain’t cheap. And at some point or another, you’re going to have to get a … job (AHHH!) Whether you’re looking for summer employment, or a full-time gig after you graduate, here are some tips to help keep your resume up-to-date and ready to roll!
TIPS:
- Use reverse chronological order (newest to oldest) on all your items.
- Don’t double side your resume.
- For the love of my mother, Hildy Highlighter, do not use COMIC SANS. When in doubt, good old Times New Roman will do.
- Make sure your resume is tailored to the job you are applying for.
- Use strong verbs when describing yourself and your skillset.
- Don’t rely on cliches (“I’m passionate about …â€)
- Keep verb tenses consistent:
- If you are currently working somewhere, use the present tense.
- If you want to refer to previous jobs, use the past tense.
   8. Don’t use high school information, unless it is relevant to the job you’re applying    for.
   9. Save space by avoiding full sentences. This is the only time that you will be able to do   this, so take advantage of it.
   10. That being said, don’t be too vague either.
  11. Support what you say with real-life examples. If you say you are an experienced   public speaker, then back it up by giving examples of when you spoke publicly.
Such stories will be specific to just you, so by including this information, you will help personalize and distinguish your resume from the competition.
Check out Career Services for more tips on resumes and cover letters.
Also be on the look-out for Resumania the week of February 13th-17th, when you can workshop your resume with one of our Writing Tutors or UPEI’s Career Practitioner. Well, you can really come and work with a Writing Tutor or our Career Practitioner any time, but why not be part of the jolly good time of Resumania? Maybe we’ll even have candy…
And the fun doesn’t end with Resumania! Whooo! Check out the UPEI Campus Job Fair on February 15th, and learn about the student jobs that are available on campus. Who wouldn’t want to work on campus? Heck, I believe I may even be there — look for me at the Writing Centre table, where I’ll be handing out info on how to apply to work at the Writing Centre next year. Our job posting went out today, so take a look at the HR Student Positions page and apply, apply, apply! Just be sure you’ve got that resume in fine form!
Until next week,
G. Graphite