A resume is a written tool you use to market yourself to employers and, more important, to obtain interviews.  It should be both thorough and concise, and it should highlight your education, experience, skills, and accomplishments in order to distinguish you from other applicants and to attract an employer’s attention.  While your resume might not be solely responsible for securing a job, it’s an essential component of your job search process.

The most important aspect of your resume is content:  it must contain relevant information that gives an employer a clear sense of who you are as a student, an individual, and a potential employee.  A close second priority is appearance:  a resume must look professional, since it’s the first impression an employer will have of you.  It must also be carefully typed with no spelling, grammatical, or typographical errors, and it should be organized in a highly legible and visually appealing format.

Formatting your resume with a time-tested, professional template is always a good idea.  Use one of these two downloadable, formatted resumes. 

Resume Templates (MS Word Format)

• Pointers for editing Resume Templates
• Resume 1
• Resume 2
• Action Verbs

Resume Templates (MS Word Format)

• Jon Williams sample resume
• Robert Campbell sample resume

A final pointer:  if you’re submitting a hard copy of your resume, print it on high quality, woven bond resume paper.  You can buy inexpensive packets of resume paper at the University Book Center and local office and discount stores.

For assistance with your resume:

• Schedule an appointment for a one-on-one meeting with a Career Center staff member

or

• Drop off your resume at the Career Center or email it to career.center@valpo.edu.  A staff member will review it within 1-2 business days, and then contact you when it’s finished.

or

• Stop into the Career Center to meet with a staff member during Open Critiquing Hours—every Thursday between 3 and 5 pm

For more detailed information about resumes, including samples of resumes by major, stop by the Career Center and pick up a Career Guide to Resumes or consult our Career Library resources on the topic.