Resumes

First impressions matter. For many employers, your resume, cover letter, and interview are their first exposure to you. Preparation and clarity are critical.

  • Resumes are marketing documents. Their purpose is to deliver a clear, targeted message to a specific audience.
  • Resumes that get the attention of the hiring manager include storytelling with a strategy, and include hard and soft skills that demonstrate leadership, accomplishments, and an understanding of the role.
  • Achievement statements are important. A good achievement statement can be a short, targeted paragraph or a well-crafted bulleted list where each line tells a succinct micro-story.
  • Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.
  • Create a master resume document that can easily be saved and tailored to the role. Tailor the resume to the role by highlighting the skills, experience, and accomplishments most relevant to the position.
  • If your background applies to multiple roles (for example, business analyst and project manager), consider maintaining two master resumes that can be customized quickly.
  • Use a job tracker spreadsheet to help you keep track of your job-related activities.
  • Stay current on resume trends and hiring practices, especially as recruiting continues to evolve through digital and automated tools.

 

Language

Hiring managers and recruiters review large volumes of resumes. They value documents that are:

  • Clear and concise
  • Easy to scan
  • Free of spelling and grammatical errors
  • Include keywords or phrases from the job description

Important considerations:

  • Focus on storytelling, skills (hard and soft), accomplishments and results, not lists of duties or responsibilities.
  • Always use strong action verbs and an active voice.
  • Avoid passive language.

 

Keywords and SEO (ATS Optimization)

Recruiting is increasingly digital. Applicant tracking systems, AI screening tools, and online application platforms often require resumes to be tailored for the position. But don’t go overboard – often a person still reviews resumes, so it is important to present a balanced resume that tells a story and reflects relevancy.

To improve visibility:

  • Use keywords and phrases from the job description
  • Match the employer’s language for skills, tools, and qualifications

Keywords may include:

  • Hard and soft skills and technical expertise
  • AI understanding or expertise
  • Job titles and role-specific terms
  • Software, tools, or platforms
  • Certifications, awards, or credentials

 

Format

When it comes to resumes, less is more. Unless you work in a creative field, clarity matters more than design. Resumes should be easy for both hiring managers and systems to read.

  • Use simple designs with no more than two fonts
  • Use bullet points to highlight achievements
  • Limit bold and italic formatting
  • Use white space to improve readability

 

Length

  • Focus on content quality, not page count. Recruiters are busy, and many spend less than 30 seconds reviewing a resume. Relevant, action-oriented content consistently performs well.
  • In general:
  • Students and early-career professionals should keep their resumes brief.
  • Graduate students and experienced professionals may have resumes ranging from 1 to 3 pages, depending on relevance. 
     

Required Content

  • Contact information: Name, phone number, email, LinkedIn profile
  • Achievement Statement
  • Experience: In general, list in reverse chronological order
  • Key skills: Aligned with the job description
  • Accomplishments: Only include those that demonstrate impact and are relevant to the specific job.
  • Education

 

Optional Content

  • Volunteer experience, especially if it shows transferable skills
  • Interests, listed briefly, to add personality
  • Publications or presentations, included only if relevant and cited formally
  • Links to portfolios (if applicable)

 

Cover Letters

Cover letters remain an important part of many hiring processes.

 

Keep it Simple

Hiring managers are busy. Make your message easy to scan:

  • Keep the letter to 3 paragraphs or less
  • Keep paragraphs short and concise
  • Use clear, direct language
  • Use bullet points when appropriate

 

Show You’ve Done Your Research

  • Personalize the letter with the hiring manager’s name if possible.
  • Explain why you are interested in the role and organization.
  • Reference the company’s work, mission, or recent initiatives and concisely weave that into your story if applicable.

 

Make it Relevant

Briefly explain why you are qualified:

  • Include the role in your letter
  • Tie the role to your current role or experience.
  • Highlight relevant experience, education, or training.
  • Connect your background directly to the job requirements.

 

LinkedIn and Work Samples in the Cover Letter

If you choose to include links in your cover letter, include no more than two links.

  • Use hyperlinks instead of URLs.
  • Test the links.
  • In creative fields, some choose to include a QR code instead of hyperlinks. If you choose to do this, ensure it is small, placed near your contact info and that it works. Note: Some ATS systems may not recognize a QR code image, so you may want to avoid adding one if applying via automated systems.

Links to include:

  • LinkedIn profile
  • If applicable, link to an online portfolio or work samples.

 

Resume Attached

Follow the employer's submission instructions carefully. Submit your resume in the format requested and follow any specific instructions regarding information or attachments to include.

Resumes vs. Curricula Vitae

  • Resumes are used for most professional roles and are tailored to specific positions.
  • Curricula vitae (CVs) are typically used in academia or international contexts and provide a detailed record of education, research, publications, and professional activity.

Overall Best Practices

  • Lead with your most relevant qualifications to make a strong first impression.
  • Arrange content so your key skills and experience are front and center.
  • Photos - in general, most career experts advise not to include a photo for jobs in the USA. Your resume should focus on your professional strengths. Including a photo may cause issues with ATS systems and go against the company’s fair and unbiased hiring policies.
  • Include key words from the job description.
  • Always use positive, action-oriented language that quantifies your achievements.
  • Social media - take time to review what is publicly visible on your social media before you send out resumes. Make sure your online presence tells a positive, authentic story about you. If you don’t post often, consider posting more frequently while searching for a position.

 

Get Advice

Constructive feedback strengthens resumes and improves outcomes.

Before submitting your resume:

  • Ask a trusted colleague, mentor, or advisor for honest feedback.
  • Students should use peer career programs or their school’s career center as well.
  • Alumni and alumni can leverage HookedIn to connect with professionals and other alumni who are willing to review their resumes.

 

Other Resources

Campus Career Centers provide resources and support for students and, in most cases, for recent graduates who completed their degree within the past year. Learn more

Texas Exes partners with the Indeed Job Academy to provide workshops and resources to assist with finding a job. Learn more

Texas Exes members have access to exclusive content and services. Login to access the Career Resource Library.

The Muse – Resume advice. Learn more

Coaching 4 Good Texas Exes partners with Coaching 4 Good to provide exclusive content and coaching services to alumni and Texas Exes members. Learn more

Have questions or need further assistance? Contact us at career@texasexes.org.

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