CMU Career Guide Central Michigan University Career Guide | Page 14

developing effective resumes
Create unique resumes that target positions, employers, and industries to help you stand out. Catch
and keep employers’ attention by providing relevant information throughout. Your resume is a
marketing tool. What will your brand look like?

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format

Is the document easy to scan? Is it clean, consistent, and uses space well without clutter? Will
you use a chronological (page 17) or functional (page 18) format? Will you mix the two? Use 1012 point font with .5 inch margins.

general content

What experiences and skills do you want to share with employers? What will be relevant to
them? What headings and/or sections will you use to catch their attention? Utilize posting
descriptions and other resources to find keywords to use. The resume ladder (page 15) outlines
the basic headings you can use for your living resume. For each rung, develop a more specific
heading that can be used based on the employer needs.

specific content

Make sure your details and bullet points provide evidence of the skills you want to promote.
A basic bullet point may look like this:

Advised undergraduates and graduates on career resources to help them secure jobs and internships
ACTION

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WHO OR WHAT

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WHY

Your goal is to develop a more detailed picture by using numbers and descriptive words.

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Advised over 1,000 undergraduates on application materials, career development, and search strategies to
help them secure jobs and internships

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Stop by Ronan 240 for walk-in resume and cover letter critiques.