DEPAUL UNIVERSITY CAREER CENTER

CRAFTING
YOUR RESUME
Tips for First & Second Year Students
What is a
resume?

A resume is a marketing tool.

It doesn't have to include your entire work and
educational history. Instead, use it to promote
your most relevant strengths and experiences.
Do I need a
resume?

Yes! Students use resumes when:

Seeking on-campus jobs
Inquiring about research opportunities
Applying for scholarships
Applying for internships once you're ready
Identify Gaps
Drafting your resume is also a
great way to identify desirable
skills you haven't yet honed.
Use this information to target
future opportunities!
Is there a right
way to make a
resume?

Not exactly.
Your resume should emphasize who you are as a unique candidate. Therefore, it is
not as simple as filling in a template or copying a sample you find online.

But there are best practices.

 FREDDY FIRSTYEAR
Design your document to help your reader 3 3 4 - 2 2 7 - 9 8 4 1 f r e d d y f i r s t y e a r @ g m a i l . c o m f r e d d y f

easily access the most important information. EDUCATION BA, Philosophy | DePaul University

Minor in Economics | 3.75 G.P.A.

2023

Relevant Coursework: Digital Communications, Marketing,

Writing for Social Change

PROFESSIONAL Education & Development Grant for Employability (EDGE)

EXPERIENCE Student | D e P a u l U n i v e r s i t y C a r e e r C e n t e r 2019
Employers are short on time. Stick to one, easily Collaborate with team members and the DePaul Alumni

digestible page until you have 3-5 years of full-time, Sharing Knowledge (ASK) program to coordinate and host

networking events for students and alumni mentors.

professional experience. Plan and participate in weekly project meetings in order

to effectively organize events and reach project goals.

Promote Career Center and ASK programs to students in

order to encourage student use of professional

Consistent formatting across all experiences and development resources

smart use of white space help your reader skim for ACADEMIC Press Release and Media Kit | Lola LPC. 2019

PROJECTS
pertinent information.
Wrote and edited a press release announcing a new

infant apparel product line directed at millennial parents.

Produced media kit promoting launch event. Contents

included product photos, bio of founders, and company

profile.

VOLUNTEER Community Health in Pilsen | Active Citizens 2018

EXPERIENCE Designed a health awareness survey and collected 200

Headings let your reader know what to expect in responses from the Pilsen community.

each section.
Surveyed data from the City of Chicago, collecting

demographic and policy information

Produced report that cataloged all Pilsen medical

providers and their hours of availability.

HONORS & National Honors Society Member

AWARDS National Resource Center James T. Fellowship Awardee

Highlight what you're proud of to stand out from First-Year Student Leadership Award Recipient

Franklin N. and Lee L. Corbin Prize Recipient

the crowd. Phi Beta Kappa Centennial Prize Recipient

SKILLS Writing/Editing Document Design

Although your skills will be infused throughout the

Photo Editing Budget Planning

Proficient in Spanish Project Management

document, a stand-alone "Skills" section calls out your

TECHNOLOGY
most relevant strengths. TIP: Avoid including soft skills - Data Collection Software

(Microsoft Excel, Google

Adobe Acrobat

Social Media Tools

this section should focus on concrete tasks you can Sheets & Forms) (Snapchat, Twitter,

perform for the employer. SPSS Facebook, Instagram)

 Be Strategic
Whether you have pages

What should I of content from a

resume you drafted in

include on my
high school or are
starting from scratch,
focus on what will grab

resume?
your audience's
attention. Comb through
job descriptions and
other resources for clues
Thinking Through Content about what skills and
knowledge you should
emphasize in your
document.
Highlight Your
Student Status
Start with the degree you're
currently working on.
Degree/Major
Expected Graduation
GPA

Relevant courses can also be

included to signal to your
reader that you have gained
some insight into and practice
in applying skills they are
seeking.
 Think Broadly

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES PAST & CURRENT JOBS CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

ACADEMIC & RESEARCH PROJECTS JOB SHADOWS

Focus on
Transferable Skills

Skills that can easily transfer from one

environment to another tend to be high
on employers’ wish lists. They include
everything from Microsoft Office and
language skills to your ability to
collaborate and problem solve.
Commonly Sought Skills

Communication
Highlight both your written and verbal communication
skills across diverse audiences

Teamwork/Collaboration
Think about times when you have led or collaborated with
a team

Resourcefulness/Adaptability
Problem-solving skills signify an ability to contribute to
addressing an organization's pain points

Technology Skills
Note your software and other tech skills
What about
High School?

It's fine to start out including

experiences from high school,
especially when they are relevant,
but be mindful of collecting
new experiences to show you
are actively building and using
your skills.
 The 3 Part Accomplishment Statement

ACTION PROBLEM/PROJECT OUTCOME

Start each statement with a Exemplify how you Note the why and results of
verb that correlates with the demonstrated the skill by your work through a
primary skill you are aiming describing the activity. quantitative or qualitative
to convey. outcome.
Examples

Planned recreational events for children of the Boys

and Girls Club, resulting in a fun and relaxed
environment to help children participate in
productive after school programs.

Attracted potential customers by answering product

and service questions and suggesting information
about other products and services.

Coordinated three fundraising events for local shelters

which raised more than $8,000 (20% over goal) and
greatly improved community awareness.
Help is Here! Career Library
Access a rich library of resources online,
including videos, samples, and handouts to
help you craft your documents. Access the
library online at careercenter.depaul.edu.

Drop-In Advising Advising Appointments

No appointment necessary! Meet with a Meet with a Career Center team member
Peer Career Coach to brainstorm when who has expertise in your areas of interest.
your schedule allows or request an Schedule a Career Community-specific
e-review of your draft. Learn more at advising appointment by visiting
careercenter.depaul.edu depaul.joinhandshake.com.
DePaul University
Career Center

Campus Locations
SAC 192 & DePaul Center 9500

Phone Number
312-362-8437

Online
careercenter.depaul.edu
depaul.joinhandshake.com