RESUMES

PURPOSE

A resume is a document that outlines your career background, achievements, and work history. It is often the

first impression an employer will have of a candidate so it is important that a resume is tailored to your

industry or job of interest. A resume is not an autobiography or a record of ALL of your accomplishments, but

rather a strategic look into the skills and experiences that make you a good fit for your role of interest. A

resume helps you to land an interview, clarify your thinking about your own skills and goals, and tells a

compelling story about your experience.

FORMATTING

 Use a 10-12-point font that is easy to read. Try Cambria, Georgia, Time New Roman or Calibri.

 .5-1” Margins on all sides.

 Avoid templates; Use Microsoft Word to write your resume. It will make it much easier to edit later on.

 Proof-read and spellcheck your document. A professional should also take a look for potential errors.

Avoid personal pronouns (I, me, we, his, hers, etc.)

 Do not include a photo or headshot; Photos and headshots should only be added on Linked-In unless

you are an urban/graphic design or arts major.

 Be consistent- structure your experiences sections in the same way.

 Reverse Chronological is the recommended format- include the most recent experiences first under

each section.

 Top-load your resume with the most important information first. Consider adding a “Relevant

Experience” section before your other experience sections.

BASIC RULES

 Be Specific- Use numbers, facts, and figures to add depth to your bullet points.

 Be Brief- Bullet points should be no longer than 1-2 lines.

 Be Relevant- You do not have to list everything that you have ever done; list the skills most useful to

the employer. Use keywords found in the job description.

 Be Honest- Only include skills and experiences you are comfortable talking about.

RESUME SECTIONS

 Name and Contact Information

 Personal Profile/Summary of Skills

 Education

 Relevant Courses

 Academic Projects-Projects are a great way to leverage your experience from the classroom.

 Professional/Work Experience

 Honors and Awards

 Activities

 Professional Organizations and Affiliations

 Skills and Applications

SCARLET KNIGHT

Human Resources Professional

50 Labor Center Way New Brunswick, NJ 08502 ● SMLR123@gmail.com ● 555-555-555 ● LinkedIn URL

PERSONAL PROFILE

Ex: Dynamic human resources professional with 10+ of experience in benefits, payroll, employee relations and staff

management. Adept at oral and written communication with ability to deliver a message effectively across diverse groups

and to upper management. Known for improving organizational and employee efficiency through a team-oriented

approach. Skilled in all aspects of employee hiring, interviewing, onboarding, and recruitment. Interested in applying

skills and experience a firm dedicated to innovation and quality like Johnson & Johnson

NOTE: A Personal Profile is a 3-4 sentence snapshot into your resume and experience. It is an opportunity to share

your education, hard and soft skills, and interest in a company at the beginning of your resume. Be sure to write your

personal profile in the 3

person, and avoid personal pronouns. Information to include:

1. Your Education and Expertise

2. Your skills and experiences related to the job you are applying to

3. Your career trajectory or specific interest in particular company

EDUCATION

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

School of Management and Labor Relations

Master of Labor and Employment Relations (MLER) Expected Graduation May 2020

Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management May 2019

Relevant Courses: Employment Law, Training and Development, Global HRM, Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

NOTE: You can also include your GPA (if above a 3.0), academic awards, certificates, and minors in this section. Leave

off your high school information. You can include human resources certifications here as well.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ADP, Parsippany, NJ October 2017-Present

Human Resources Generalist

 Collaborated with management to revise policies and procedures related to FMLA, benefits, and disciplinary

action.

 Conducted through review of salary structures to better reflect the current labor market and financial needs of the

organization while remaining competitive to recruit and retain for top talent.

 Improved employee retention by 40% through development of streamlined hiring and onboarding system, and

initiating a new employee mentorship program to support staff development.

NOTE: The experience section can include all experiences relevant to the position, organization, or industry regardless

of whether they are paid or unpaid (i.e. work experience, volunteer opportunities, internships, professional

association/club involvement, leadership/on campus roles, community leadership).

 You do not need to list every task that you have completed within a role, but focus on the most important tasks

and accomplishment related to the job you are applying to.

 Set up your bullet points in this way: Action Verb + what you did+ how you did it + what were the

results.

 Focus on accomplishments like times when you were promoted, streamlined a process, or demonstrated

effective leadership or management.

 Always include the organization, title, dates worked, and location.

 The activities and volunteer section should be formatted in the same way as the experience section, but should

sell the transferrable skills from those experiences to your industry of interest.

SKILLS AND APPLICATIONS

Technical: Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), Qualtrics, HTML, ADP Workforce Now, PeopleSoft

Languages: Fluent in French

NOTE: This section should be reserved to your technical skills and knowledge not personal attributes such as

hardworking, motivated, etc. or skills such as analytical, planning or interpersonal

 Include computer, language, certifications/licenses, laboratory, graphic design, and social media if related to

the position