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Résumés
What is a résumé?
A résumé is a brief, organized statement of your
education,
skills, abilities, and previous accomplishments
as
they relate
to the position that you are seeking.
Your résumé must be brief since a recruiter will
generally
spend no more than
10 seconds initially
reviewing
it. Except in special circumstances (federal resumes,
curriculum vitae),
the length of your résumé should not exceed
one
or
two pages.
What is the purpose of a résumé?
- Employers sort through résumés to identify
appropriate
candidates, you must have an immediate impact.
- Do not include irrelevant information that could
disqualify you (even
subconsciously), e.g., personal information, marital or
parental status.
- After reviewing your résumé, an employer
should want
to meet you.
- Résumés are also used as a guide during
interviews,
and to refresh the interviewer’s memory after the
interview.
What kind of information should be included in a
résumé?
Résumés for Non-Federal positions
- Contact information at the top: name, address, phone number,
e-mail
address
- Educational background
- Relevant work experience (usually in reverse
chronological order)
- Awards & honors
Certifications/Publications/Accomplishments
- Special Abilities/Skills (languages, computer expertise)
Federal Résumés
Follow the instructions in the Vacancy Announcement as to the
format
and information needed. It is common for federal résumés to
include
information as to citizenship, veteran’s status, Social Security
Number,
previous supervisors’ contact information, and salary
information.
Also check the guides to preparing federal résumés in the Office of Career
Services library.
Sample résumés
Graduate
Federal
Undergraduate