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Resume Tips

Craft Your Perfect Resume!

Whether you're applying for your dream job or updating your professional profile, this guide will help you organize and showcase your achievements effectively. 

From education and work experiences to internships, projects, and skills, we'll walk you through creating a resume that stands out.

On This Page

Getting Started

This structured approach will help you organize your background clearly and highlight your achievements effectively.

To create a strong and comprehensive resume, start by listing the following key sections:

  • Education
  • Work Experiences
  • Internships
  • Research
  • Projects
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Leadership Roles
  • Skills and Interests

For each experience, be sure to include:

  • Your Title
  • Name of Organization
  • Location
  • Date of Work
  • Your Responsibilities
  • Skills You Used
  • Your Accomplishments

Resume Sections

A well-organized resume typically includes 3–5 sections to highlight your qualifications effectively. 

Common sections are:

  • Education
  • Experience
  • Engineering Projects (or Research)
  • Leadership and Activities
  • Skills and Interests

However, you can customize these sections based on the position you're applying for. For example, if you're applying for a research-focused role, you might emphasize Research and Publications. Tailoring your resume sections ensures you present the most relevant information to your potential employer.

How to Detail Your Education

This structured approach will help you present your educational background in a professional and impactful way. When listing your education on your resume, include the following info to ensure clarity and relevance.

  • Degrees in Reverse Chronological Order
    Start with your current or most recent degree and work backward.
  • Current Degree Details
    Include the name of your current degree, the school you're attending, your major, and any relevant coursework.
  • Previous Higher Education
    For any other institutions you've attended, list the degree earned, the school name, and the graduation month and year.
  • Thesis (if applicable)
    If your thesis is relevant to the position you're applying for or aligns with your career goals, include it.
  • GPA (optional)
    Only include your GPA if it is 3.0 or above.

Education Examples

Leadership & Activities

Most resumes include a secondary section to highlight your involvement in extracurricular activities, which can be titled in various ways depending on your focus. 

Common titles include:

  • Leadership
  • Activities
  • Community Service

This section is an opportunity to showcase your roles, contributions, and achievements outside of academics or work. We can help you determine the most appropriate title for this section and guide you on what to include to best reflect your skills, interests, and impact. Whether it's student organizations, volunteer work, or leadership roles, this section adds depth to your resume and demonstrates your well-roundedness.

Layout & Format

Following these guidelines will help you create a visually appealing, polished, and professional resume that effectively showcases your qualifications.

  • Length: Keep your resume to 1 page unless you are a PhD student or have more than 5 years of work experience.
  • Margins: Use margins between 0.5" to 1" for a clean and balanced look.
  • Fonts: Choose an easy-to-read font such as Calibri, Garamond, or Arial.
  • Body Text Size: Use a font size of 10–12 points for the main content.
  • Headings: Make headings slightly larger (12–16 points) and consider using bold type or uppercase to save space and make them stand out.
  • Contact Information: Place your name, address, email, and phone number at the top of your resume for easy access.
  • Bullet Points: Use bullet points to describe your key accomplishments and contributions clearly and concisely.
  • Consistency: Ensure your cover letter and resume are internally consistent and match each other in style and content.
  • Capitalization: Capitalize the names of institutions and words like president, department, and international when appropriate.
  • Avoid Templates: Do not use Microsoft Word resume templates; create a custom layout to stand out.

Do Not Include

When crafting your resume, it's important to avoid including certain types of information to adhere to professional standards and legal guidelines. Here's what not to include.

  • Personal Information

    • Resume writing conventions vary by country and culture. In the US, it is illegal for employers to ask about your race, religion, national origin, age, marital status, or other personal details.

    • NEVER list your Social Security number.

  • Citizenship Status

    • Employers generally only need to know if you are legally authorized to work in the United States, not your specific citizenship or residency status.

    • If citizenship status is critical to a hiring decision, the employer will ask.

    • Note: In some cases, students may choose to voluntarily share citizenship information if it benefits their application. If you're unsure, consult Career Services for guidance.

  • References

    • Do not include a reference list with your resume unless the employer explicitly requests it.

    • Guidelines for creating a reference list are available on Handshake if needed.

Resume Samples

Use these samples for visual references to get ideas. Do not copy them. You want your resume to look like yours, not identical to someone else's. 

Contact

For more help, Thayer Career Services is ready to help with resumes, cover letters, and more!

Schedule an appointment by logging into Handshake.

Rm 113, MacLean Engineering Sciences Center (ESC)
engineering.career.services@dartmouth.edu
+1 (603) 646-0630