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A resume is a basic means of convincing an employer to contact you and arrange a formal interview. After noting what not to include in a resume, it is also important to consider what should be emphasized in a resume.

After the work experience section there are several additional sections that should be utilized to illustrate your competency, “hireability”, and separate you from the rest of the applicants. Utilize these suggestions and you’ll be on your way to an awesome resume.

Resume Education Section:
(or, “what to write for my education section”)

• Degree Information – This is a required section and should list the college or university attended as well as the program of study, date of graduation, as well as any degrees and minors earned. If you are in college, or just graduating, this section should be near the middle of the first page of your resume.
• Grade Point Average – A GPA should be listed cautiously and only if it is above a 3.0. Do not try and pass off a GPA in the major as an overall GPA. If you worked to finance your education, that may also be listed here as well. If you graduated with a GPA below a 3.0, leave this section blank.
• Certifications – Many students complete additional programs in addition to their declared majors. List any certifications you may have received related to your coursework. Additionally, certifications such as First Aid or CPR should also be listed here.
• Related Coursework – This section should be used outline your academic background. It should not list all of the courses you have taken, but instead should focus solely on those related to the position you are applying for. Since this is a basic resume and not a curriculum vita, no more than six specifically related courses should be listed under this section.

Awards and Honors Resume Section:
(or, “what types of awards to include on a resume”)

• Academic – If the only items listed in this section are academic in nature (Dean’s List, etc.) they should be listed in the Education section under the GPA. If you are listing additional awards or honors as well, list the academic awards first along with the dates in reverse chronological order.
• Professional – Official recognition from past employers, professional societies, and volunteer services should be listed after academic awards. Each statement should be able to be supported with facts. Do not include superlatives.
• Additionally – Other awards and honors outside of the professional and academic subjects may also be included as well. However, it is important to keep them relevant and timely. Do not include awards older than three years, or that may be prejudicial in nature. If the title of the award or honor is not self-explanatory, it may be helpful to include a brief description as necessary. This section should directly follow the Education component in the overall structure of the resume.

“Activities” Resume Section:
(or, “what types of activities to include on a resume”)

• Academic – If you were a member of an academic honors society, it should be listed in this section. If the organization is not immediately recognizable, it may be helpful to include a short note as to its nature. Involvement in academic events should also be listed under this section.
• Professional – Professional and pre-professional societies are common on many campuses across the country. Employers look for dedication and involvement in such organizations as signs of commitment. Any professional organizations you were a member of or events that you may have attended or organized should be listed here.
• Volunteer – Volunteering is a great way to illustrate that you have the ability to work together in a group and that you are an active member of the community. It may be helpful to list a few of the projects you worked on or organized in this section.
• Social – Any organization that does not fall into the other three categories may be listed here. This includes social fraternities and sororities as well as other campus involvement organizations such as political parties and activist groups. As a warning, do not list groups which may reveal your sexual preference, ethnic background or political affiliation in order to prevent possible discrimination.
• Additionally – Leadership experience is important, and employers will be looking for applicants who have held leadership positions in the past. Offices held and dates should be included with each organization listed as necessary.

These are three areas of the resume that may be used to distance yourself from others applying for the same position. They should not be fabricated in order to make yourself appear more qualified and should not make the overall resume excessively lengthy. If necessary, these sections should be limited strictly to the information relevant to the position.

It is important to always remember that a resume is used to secure an interview, not to completely explain everything about yourself. Once you have received an interview, then you may expand upon these sections and how your activities both inside and outside of the classroom have aided in your growth and contributed to your overall “hireability.”

You should tailor each resume to be specific to the job you are seeking. Emurse.com allows you to easily create and maintain job specific resumes to make this process painless. If you are searching for a job, check out Emurse’s online job search. If you are looking to hire, try out our brand new resume search!