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How to Write a Graduate School Resume | Template & Example

Published on February 7, 2020 by Shona McCombes . Revised on June 1, 2023.

When you apply for graduate school , you’ll usually be asked to submit a resume or CV along with your application. A graduate school resume should give a focused, concise overview of relevant experiences and achievements.

The exact sections you include depend on your experiences and on the focus of the program you’re applying to. Ensure your resume gives full details of:

• Your college education
• Relevant work experience
• Relevant voluntary and extracurricular experience
• Any awards, honors, publications, or other relevant achievements
• Any relevant skills, certifications, and memberships

The main difference from a regular resume is that you’ll put more emphasis on your education and academic interests to show that you’re a good candidate for graduate school.

Download the Word templates and adjust them to your own purposes.

Resume template 1 Resume Template 2

Table of contents

Step 1: plan the structure and layout, step 2: create a heading with your personal information, step 2: detail your education, step 3: outline your work experience, step 4: highlight other relevant skills and achievements, step 5: proofread and save as a pdf, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about graduate school resumes.

Before you start writing, you need to decide how you’ll organize the information. Which sections you include, and in which order, depends on your experience and the program you are applying to.

If you’re applying for a research-focused program in the sciences, social sciences or humanities, emphasize your academic skills and achievements. Awards, publications, grants, fellowships, and teaching experience should take center stage. If you don’t have many academic achievements yet, you can focus on your courses, grades, and research interests.

If you’re applying to a professionally-focused program, you’ll probably want to emphasize your work experience and practical skills. Internships, jobs, and voluntary work should all be included.

Keep the layout clean and simple. Make sure all headings are the same size and font, and use text boxes or dividing lines to separate the sections.

Example of a resume outline

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At the very top of your resume, you need to include:

• Your name (usually in a larger font size)
• Your address
• Your email address
• Your phone number

You can also include a sentence summarizing your background and stating your objective.

• Don’t write “resume” in the heading – just your name is fine.
• Do include links to relevant professional or academic profiles, such as LinkedIn, Academia.edu, or ResearchGate.

A graduate school resume should always start with your educational history. For each program you’ve completed (or are soon to complete), always list:

• The degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts in English Literature)
• The college and location
• The month and year of graduation

If you’re applying for a research-focused program, you can also give the title of your thesis and go into slightly more detail about your studies – for example, by listing 2–3 advanced courses that demonstrate relevant academic skills.

• Don’t include your high school education.
• Do include other applicable information such as your minor(s), study abroad programs, and other relevant educational experiences.
• Awards and honors

If you’ve received any awards, honors, scholarships, or grants, make sure to include these too. If you have several such academic achievements, it’s worth including a separate section on your resume to make sure they stand out.

Next, your resume should give an overview of your professional and voluntary experience. If you have varied experience, you might want to split it up into separate sections:

In a resume for an academic program, you could include headings for teaching experience and research experience.

A professionally-focused resume could be divided into sections for employment, internships, and voluntary work, or headings for managerial and administrative roles.

Each section should be organized in reverse chronological order. For each role, list:

• Your job title
• The dates of employment
• The organization’s name and location
• A bullet-point list of your main responsibilities

Be concise and specific when describing your work.

• Don’t attempt to list everything you did in every job.
• Do pick out some key achievements that show what you learned and how you succeeded.

For example, instead of:

• Made lesson plans
• Taught students
• Graded papers
• Attended departmental meetings

You could write:

• Designed lessons in academic writing skills
• Taught classes of 20–30 undergraduate students
• Graded practical assignments and coordinated peer feedback sessions
• Contributed to the evaluation and redevelopment of the curriculum

The other sections of your resume depend on what you want to emphasize. You can include some of the section headings listed below, or combine them into larger sections.

Publications and presentations

Publishing in academic journals or presenting at conferences is a big selling point on a graduate school resume. List any publications (including co-author credits) or papers you have presented.

You can also include pending publications – that is, articles that have been accepted by a journal but not yet published. Make sure to note what stage the publication is at (e.g. under review, in press).

Certifications and memberships

If you have participated in professional development or other relevant training courses, list your certifications.

Are you a member of any professional bodies or organizations? You can list these too to demonstrate your involvement in an academic or professional community.

Languages and technical skills

If you speak more than one language, list your level of fluency (with certification if applicable).

There’s usually no need to include standard computer skills like Microsoft Word, but do highlight your proficiency in specialist softwares or tools relevant to the program (such as statistical programs and design software).

Extracurricular activities

Don’t include irrelevant hobbies or try to show off how busy you were in college, but do list any community or voluntary activities that demonstrate your skills in things like leadership and communication, or that are directly related to the subject you want to study.

Examples of the kinds of things that are worth including might be:

• Organizing events
• Editing a college paper, magazine, or journal
• Being president of a club
• Being involved in a community project

Make sure to carefully proofread your resume (and the rest of your application) before you submit. Also, check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services to see what we can do for you.

To ensure your formatting stays consistent, it’s generally best to save your resume as a PDF file (unless the university specifies another format).

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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A resume for a graduate school application is typically no more than 1–2 pages long.

Note, however, that if you are asked to submit a CV (curriculum vitae), you should give comprehensive details of all your academic experience. An academic CV can be much longer than a normal resume.

Always carefully check the instructions and adhere to any length requirements for each application.

The sections in your graduate school resume depend on two things: your experience, and the focus of the program you’re applying to.

Always start with your education. If you have more than one degree, list the most recent one first.

The title and order of the other sections depend on what you want to emphasize. You might include things like:

• Professional experience
• Voluntary and extracurricular activities
• Publications
• Skills and certifications

The resume should aim for a balance between two things: giving a snapshot of what you’ve done with your life so far, and showing that you’re a good candidate for graduate study.

No, don’t include your high school courses and grades. The education section should only detail your college education.

If you want to discuss aspects of high school in your graduate school application, you can include this in your personal statement .

A resume is typically shorter than a CV, giving only the most relevant professional and educational highlights.

An academic CV should give full details of your education and career, including lists of publications and presentations, certifications, memberships, grants, and research projects. Because it is more comprehensive, it’s acceptable for an academic CV to be many pages long.

Note that, outside of the US, resume and CV are often used interchangeably.

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5 Expert Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Grad School Resumé

Congratulations on making a great investment in your future by applying to graduate school. The application is complete , you’ve gathered your recommendations , you’ve written your statement of purpose , and now you’re working on developing another important component—your resumé.

Your grad school resumé is an integral piece of the admissions process, says Jared Pierce, former associate director of enrollment quality assurance at Northeastern University. Pierce says that resumés help admissions counselors decide whether a prospective student is a good fit for the program by allowing them to assess the student and his or her strengths, work experience, skills, education, and interests.

Your grad school resumé is similar in many ways to a resumé you’d submit as part of a job application: You should use crisp language to describe your experiences, present a clean and organized layout to make it easy to read, and make sure it’s free from typos and grammar errors. But they’re different, too: Grad school resumés should emphasize your education, work and volunteer experience, and specific skills relevant to the particular program you’re applying to.

“[Admissions teams are] interested in a student’s background and how it’s relevant to the program they want to enroll in,” Pierce says. “If a student is enrolling in a communications program, for example, the admissions team is looking to see whether they’re coming from a social media background or a marketing background, and how that experience applies to what they’re looking for in grad school.”

Attention to detail is paramount when creating your resumé for grad school. Here’s a look at what should be included on your resumé, plus five tips to help you craft one that’s memorable and impactful.

What to include in a resumé for graduate school

In general, your grad school resumé will be similar to a resumé you’d create when applying for a job. Keep in mind, however, that this document should be tailored to your desired program of study in order to show the admissions team that you’re a good fit.

Your graduate school resumé should include:

• A header, including basic information like your name and email address
• Your education histor y , including your undergraduate degree and institution
• Relevant experiences, such as current or previous professional roles, internships, and leadership experience
• Research and publications, including any research projects, articles, or other publications you’ve contributed to through your academic or professional career
• Skills and certifications, especially those closely related to your field of study
• Volunteering and extracurricular activities, if applicable to your program of interest

If you’re unsure whether a particular experience or skill should be included on your resumé, ask yourself how it relates to the program or institution that you’re applying to. If it doesn’t speak directly to your interests and strengths, it’s likely unnecessary to include.

Writing your grad school resumé: 5 tips for success

1. tailor your resumé to the program..

When graduate schools review your resumé, they’re weighing the relevancy of your previous experience and education with the program you’re applying to. In other words, they want to see a correlation between what you’ve done and where you’re going.

Pierce recommends reviewing the homepage of the program you’re interested in before writing your resumé. Some programs require two or three years of work experience or a portfolio, so make sure you qualify for the program you’re applying to.

If you’re interested in the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program, for example, review the program’s webpage and make note of its requirements, objectives, core courses, and any relevant keywords it uses. Then make sure you check those boxes as you write your resumé.

2. Highlight all relevant experience.

While some prospective students apply to grad school from the field, others apply to programs upon completion of their undergraduate degree. For this reason, not all students will have professional experience to list on their resumé—and that’s OK, Pierce says.

“It’s a misnomer that if you don’t have professional experience, you can’t write a resumé,” he says. “There are other types of experience that are just as important and useful, so make sure you highlight everything that is relevant.”

Other than professional experience, admissions committees are interested in volunteer work and internships you’ve completed. This experience is just as relevant. For all experience—professional or otherwise—it’s important to showcase the duties you performed in those roles, and both the hard and soft skills you learned. This might include leading teams or projects, honing communication skills, or becoming proficient in specific software or programs.

3. Showcase your skills.

Your resumé should include a skills section that highlights technologies, skills, and other competencies relevant to the graduate program you’re applying to, Pierce says.

If you’re applying to the Master of Science in Computer Science program, for example, your resumé should list the programming languages you know (e.g., Python, C++, Ruby on Rails), computer applications you’ve used, and software or systems that you’re experienced in.

4. Include professional achievements.

In addition to your experience and skills, admissions committees are interested in the professional certifications you earned, professional training you’ve completed, professional organizations of which you’re a member, and any instances in which you’ve been published.

Prospective students interested in the Master of Science in Project Management program, for example, should list any PMP certifications they’ve earned, while students interested in a Master of Science in Human Resource Management should note their membership to the Society for Human Resource Management, Pierce says. These achievements and memberships add another dimension to your resumé, showcasing your efforts outside your job, volunteer work, or internships to further your career and broaden your experience.

5. Keep it clean.

Your grad school resumé should be succinct, only rarely exceeding one page, Pierce says. It should go without saying, too, that your resumé should be clean, well formatted, easy to read, and free of typos or grammatical errors.

“We’re looking for a well-organized resumé that shows that care has been taken in creating it,” Pierce says. “Don’t just list out your experience in bullet points; tell us what duties you performed and how it correlates to the program you’re applying to. Your resumé is a reflection of you—we want to see that it’s polished and detailed, and understand what your background is like and what your experiences have been.”

Grad school resumé support

Applying to graduate school can be both exciting and stressful. Luckily, admissions teams and enrollment coaches are available to help you along the way and make the process as smooth as possible. If you have questions as you’re preparing your application and related materials, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. At the end of the day, admissions teams want to ensure that you’re a good fit for their program and, in effect, that their program is a good fit for you. 

At Northeastern, there are various resources and experts you can leverage for support throughout the application process. Don’t hesitate to contact faculty members in your program of interest with specific questions about the degree program. With more general questions about the application process, paying for your degree , and program requirements, you can speak with an enrollment coach or attend one of our prospective student events .

Need More Application Help?

Join one of our application workshops to get your questions answered.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2023 and has since been updated for relevance and accuracy. 

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Grad School Resume 2024: Tips, FAQs, and Templates

When applying to grad school, you’ll probably be asked to submit your resume. As grad school admissions become increasingly competitive, it’s critical that you have a strong resume to help you stand out from other applicants and impress the selection committee.

The perfect grad school resume is short and concise but persuasive enough to convince your dream grad school that you’re the perfect candidate. An academic resume is quite different to an employment resume, so it’s important to know how to write a winning CV for grad school.

Table of Contents

Why Do I Need a Grad School Resume?

When preparing your grad school application, you’re probably consumed with many tasks like chasing down your academic transcripts and preparing for the  entrance exam . Your graduate school resume might be the last thing on your mind, but you’ll almost certainly need to prepare one.

Grad school admission requirements vary depending on the school you’re applying to, but you’ll typically need to submit the following for your grad school application:

• Completed application form
• Academic transcript
• Entrance exam
• Reference letters
• Personal statement

You shouldn’t use whatever resume you have on hand from the last time you applied for a job. A grad school resume is quite different from an employment resume , so you’ll need to create one specifically for this purpose. A well-crafted and comprehensive resume helps the admissions team understand your strengths, qualifications, experience, and interests. Ultimately, this will help them determine whether or not they’ll accept you into the program.

Related: How To Prep Your Resume For Success (When You’ve No Work Experience)

Tips for Writing a Winning Graduate School Resume in 2024

Follow these tips to show any selection committee that you’re the perfect candidate for their program!

Write a Strong but Concise Introduction

Grad school selection committees go over hundreds, if not  thousands , of resumes to find candidates who meet their standards and who could be excellent ambassadors for the program. Because of sheer volume, they may spend only a few seconds reviewing each resume.

This makes the introduction critical—this part will grab their attention and persuade them to keep reading. So, take your time to write a brief but strong professional profile. In as few words as possible, mention your qualifications, experience, and relevant skills, why you want to join the program, and why you’re the perfect candidate.

Your letter of intent for admission to graduate school gives you a unique way to separate yourself from the rest of the applicants.

Include your Contact Details

Your contact details should go at the top of your resume, right below your name.

Be sure to include the following details:

• Your first name and surname
• Your physical address

Your email address

• At least one contact phone number
• Links to your social media profiles.

You don’t need to include extra information about yourself such as your race, age, or citizenship. In fact, by law, institutions are not allowed to discriminate based on these details; so, it’s best to leave them off your resume entirely.

On the other hand, social media links are important, especially LinkedIn. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile already, consider signing up for one. The selection committee may check your profile to verify your connections, work experience, internships, volunteer work, and educational background.

Pay Attention to Formatting

Good formatting is vital for any resume—a sloppy layout will make you look unprofessional and could damage your chances of getting accepted into a grad program. Keep it short, simple, and precise—make it no more than one page if possible. Don’t include any unnecessary details or information that isn’t relevant to the program.

The exact layout can vary, but your grad school resume should include:

• Your name and contact details
• Summary/introduction
• Education history and educational achievements

Awards and achievements

• Significant research projects
• Extra-curricular activities
• Volunteer work
• Skills and hobbies

Some grad schools want you to follow a standard format, so be sure to check with the admissions office if they have any grad school resume examples or templates. You can’t expect a call back from the selection committee if you can’t follow a simple format instruction!

For more on formatting, take a look at the sample CVs for graduate school admission later in this article.

Detail your Education History

Many grad schools require candidates to have a minimum level of education in order to be considered for their program. Even if a school doesn’t have strict grade prerequisites, at a minimum you will need to have completed an undergraduate degree. Your education history is one of the first things the selection committee will check when going over your resume.

Because this information is so important, you should outline your education in a prominent spot near the top of your resume. Mention the schools you’ve attended, your qualifications, GPA, and any other courses or certifications you took before or after your undergraduate studies. It’s also essential to include any teaching experience and major research projects.

Be sure to include these details in the education section:

•       Name of the school
•       Location
•       Graduation date
•       Degrees
•       Awards

Include your Professional Experience

An academic resume doesn’t need to be limited to your education experience. It’s usually a good idea to also include work experience outside of academia, along with teaching and research experience .

Detailing your diverse work experience may demonstrate additional skills and experience that is relevant to the program. It can also help to build a complete picture of your journey to grad school that will be more compelling to the selection committee. Furthermore, some programs, such as most MBAs, particularly look for professional work experience.

Related: How To Apply To Grad School

Highlight Your Awards and Achievements

Your achievements set you apart from other candidates so it’s vital to highlight them in your resume. Achievements demonstrate your skills and strengths in a very concrete way, giving the committee a good reason to choose you over other applicants. Achievements could include volunteer awards, leadership positions, prizes won as part of extracurricular activities, academic achievements such as honors, and internships. Be sure to also briefly mention what you learned from your achievements.

Detailing your academic achievements can certainly enhance your resume, but it’s not necessary to include every small award you’ve won over the years. Make this section detailed, but without any fluff. Only include awards that are relevant to the program you are applying for.

Stick with Reverse Chronological Order

The selection committee will be most interested in hearing about your latest experience and achievements. Therefore, it’s important to list everything in reverse chronological order: start with your most recent awards, projects, or positions and work backwards chronologically.

You should follow this approach for all the elements in your academic resume. This includes academic and professional work experience, research projects, publications, awards, and other achievements.

Include Key Skills and Proficiencies

At the end of your resume, you should include a section covering your skills and abilities . Detail both the hard and soft skills picked up from your undergraduate program and professional experience. You can also list your hobbies, but remember to avoid fluff – only include extracurricular activities that are relevant to your application.

This doesn’t mean that all the skills and hobbies you mention must be directly related to the graduate program; however, they should show the school that you are a strong candidate for one reason or another. For example, sporting achievements demonstrate dedication and motivation, even if they aren’t directly related to the program you’re applying for. Anything that adds value to your resume will help make your application stand out.

Wherever possible, back up your statements. Rather than just stating that you possess certain skills, provide examples of academic projects that allowed you to build a specific capability, or awards you won that recognize your proficiency in a certain area.

Don’t be Repetitive

Avoid repeating information. If you have only a few achievements to show and you’ve already mentioned them under the education section, you don’t need to create a separate section for achievements and awards. A lengthy resume filled with fluff isn’t going to help you get into your dream school. It’s always better to keep your resume short, concise, and to the point.

Proof Read to Pick up any Errors

Don’t underestimate the importance of proofreading your academic resume for graduate school. Even one or two spelling mistakes, typos, or messy formatting can be a big turn off the selection committees.

Read over your resume to check for errors. Then proofread it again. Just to be sure, ask a friend, family member, or mentor to take a look. Most importantly, make sure your contact details are accurate and up to date!

How to Write a Resume for Your Graduate School Application

Here’s a brief step-by-step guide to writing a resume for grad school applicants.

Step 1: Write a Strong Introduction

Your academic resume should start with a brief but compelling introduction to catch the selection committee’s attention and encourage them to keep reading.

Your introduction should summarize your most relevant skills and academic history, as well as mentioning your main professional objective. A strong graduate school resume objective is authentic, direct, and compelling.

Step 2: List your Academic Experience

In the next section, detail your academic qualifications and experience. Include not only your undergraduate degree and any other studies you’ve completed, but also key coursework, major academic projects and research and teaching experience.

Related: When To Apply For Grad School

Step 3: Detail your Professional Experience

The next part of your academic should cover your professional experience. If you’re a recent graduate with limited experience, list your internships, fellowships, teaching positions, or any other relevant experience you have.

Step 4: Detail your Key Skills

Next, describe your most relevant skills that will impress the admissions committee. It’s essential to include as many relevant keywords as possible, as admissions committees are increasingly using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to automatically filter applications.

Key skills and proficiencies you could add to your resume include:

• Academic research
• Business knowledge
• Social sciences
• Written communication skills
• Skills in specific disciplines, such as accounting, actuarial science, biology, calculus, cell-based analysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, economics, engineering, finance, nursing theory, psychology, social work, and statistics

Step 5: List Important Academic Achievements

Finally, highlight your most impressive academic achievements. Include details such as your GPAs, academic memberships and associations, and any awards you’ve received.

Graduate School Resume Template

Below, we’ve included three graduate school resume examples that showcase different ways to format your resume for graduate school. These graduate school resumes include all the critical information, such as academic projects, relevant skills, and professional experience in a clear, concise way.

Grad School Resume Template 1: General Academic Resume

Your First Name, Last Name

Your phone number

LinkedIn profile, other social media profiles

Introduction : 2-3 sentences outlining your qualifications, experience, why you want to join the program, and why you make the perfect candidate.

School name

Completion date – Degree name

• List of accomplishments

Work Experience

Position title Start date – End date

Organization name, address

• Responsibilities and achievements
• List of skills and proficiencies
• List of awards and achievements

Template 2: Professional-Focused Academic Resume (for MBA and similar programs)

Introduction: 2-3 sentences outlining your qualifications, experience, and main career goals.

Template 3: Recent Graduate Academic Resume

Academic Projects

Project subject, Institution, City, State

Start date – End date

• List of key courses

Volunteer Experience

Grad School Resume FAQs

Is an academic resume the same as a regular resume.

A grad school or academic resume is totally different from a resume that you might use to apply for a job. Most students have limited work experience, particularly in the professional sector. Furthermore, grad school selection committees generally look for applicants with a strong academic background. Therefore, an academic resume can focus on qualifications, achievements, test scores, and extracurricular activities.

What Should a Grad School Resume Include?

Contact information, educational qualifications, internship programs, awards and achievements, and any extracurricular activities are the basic essentials you should include in your masters degree resume or graduate school resume. You should also have a strong introduction or summary near the top of your resume which tells the selection committee what they need to know at a glance. You can add additional information, such as professional experience and other projects if it’s relevant to the program.

How Long Should My Grad School Resume Be?

Generally speaking, your grad school resume should be no more than one page. However, if you have a lot of experience and a detailed history of qualifications, you can make your resume 1.5-2 pages. But, we don’t recommend going over two pages! The most important thing is to keep your professional resume for graduate school both relevant and concise.

What is the Best Graduate School Resume Format?

There are a few different graduate school resume formats, and the best one for you will depend on your chosen field of study, as well as your level of experience. Equally, it’s important to format your resume so that you showcase your strengths and achievements in the best way possible.

If you already have professional experience, it’s usually best to open with your most recent experience, then continue the list in reverse chronological order. If you have little to no work experience, its preferable to follow your opening summary with your most impressive academic achievements and qualifications.

How do you Align your Resume with a Job Description?

When applying for jobs, you should never use a one-size-fits all resume. Instead, it’s critical to adapt your CV to the job description each and every time. If the job description mentions certain skills, ensure that your resume shows that you have these capabilities. Additionally, be sure to clearly demonstrate the experience and qualifications detailed in the job description.

Likewise, prospective graduate students should tailor their academic resume to the specific program they’re applying to. Many grad schools are highly competitive, so it’s essential that every part of your application, including your resume, helps you to stand out and clearly shows why you’re an excellent fit for the program.

How Far Back Should a Resume go for Grad School?

Your graduate school application should be as comprehensive as possible, but you don’t need to go overboard. Therefore, for most graduate programs, it’s best to include your undergraduate qualifications and any other relevant certifications, but you don’t need to mention your high school GPA or SAT scores , for example.

Likewise, you should generally include professional work experience going back around 10 – 15 years, as long as it’s relevant to the program.

Wrapping Up

Getting into grad school can be tough, especially if you’re applying to one of the  Ivy Leagues . These schools receive thousands of applications, so you really need to make sure yours stands out. It’s important to take your time and make the effort to present a strong application, from your academic transcript and GPA to your winning grad school resume.

Are you putting together a grad school application? Check out this guide on how to ace your grad school interview .

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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•       Resources       Building a Standout Graduate School Resume

Building a Standout Graduate School Resume

Examples and advice on curriculum vitae & grad school resumes.

Graduate school often requires a resume or curriculum vitae for admission. Understand the difference and see examples of how to create a standout graduate school resume or CV.

Nearly all graduate programs require a grad school application resume. Prospective students need to craft a curriculum vitae (CV) or an academic resume showing their educational background, employment history, research experience, internships, volunteer work, and academic achievements.

A resume for applying to graduate school needs to make a strong impression quickly. According to research from Glassdoor , recruiters look at a resume for just six seconds before deciding whether to reject an applicant. The guide below offers future graduate students help with creating a CV or resume. Students can peruse templates, advice from experts, and other resources to create a standout resume that should impress an admissions committee and lead to a positive decision.

Graduate School Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae

Most graduate schools request a CV or a graduate school resume as part of the admissions process. While fundamental differences exist between a CV and a resume, both can help an admissions officer understand an applicant's background, experience, and knowledge. Therefore, using a good curriculum vitae template or following excellent grad school resume examples can boost a prospective student's chances of admission.

Why do graduate schools want CVs?

Graduate school admissions offices usually want to see a CV for the same reason human resources officers want to see a resume. This easy-to-read document helps them understand who an applicant is and whether or not they might make a good candidate to accept into the school or workplace.

What do grad programs usually request?

Most graduate programs in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences request CVs; admissions committees in these disciplines want to know about a prospective student's academic and research abilities. Alternatively, business schools and law schools may request a resume since these programs focus more on career preparation for executive-level work.

How are CVs and resumes similar?

Both CVs and resumes contain a brief written history of an individual's accomplishments, experiences, and skills. Both act as marketing documents that help an individual land an interview with a potential employer or university program. Both also provide key contact information.

How are CVs and resumes different?

A CV usually includes a longer, more detailed account of a person's academic history and research background, while a resume focuses on their employment history and applied achievements. A CV may consist of 2-3 pages of information -- even for an entry-level candidate -- whereas a resume rarely runs more than a single page.

The following table provides more details about the differences and similarities between a CV and a resume.

Ten Characteristics of a Standout Graduate School Resume or CV

For a graduate student's resume or CV to stand out, it must catch the interest of the admissions team. The following checklist can help keep a resume or CV on track.

• Keep It Focused: A resume should highlight career achievements and academic work. Avoid including irrelevant experiences and save most descriptors for cover letters and interviews. Bullet points can help sharpen a resume's focus.
• Include Internships and Volunteer Work: A resume can include more than paid employment. Internships and volunteer work that demonstrate skills and talents needed for the prospective program or job can boost a resume's content.
• Mention Academic Accomplishments: A CV or resume can include a student's GPA, a list of academic awards, or even a sample of coursework. However, make sure included information is relevant to the target program.
• Employ an Easy-to-follow Format: Every so often, a creative new resume format appears online. However, many managers and admissions officers find these formats confusing since they are accustomed to reading resumes in one of four or five standard styles.
• Error-free Text: Admissions committees facing a stack of resumes often use errors as a way to sift through the pile. A well-proofed resume should contain no spelling errors, and it needs to demonstrate consistency in spacing and alignment.
• Include Technical Competencies: Listing relevant technical skills, such as proficiency with programming languages or operating systems, can help make a resume stand out. Specific examples should support any claim of technical competency.
• Call Out Awards, Grants, and Honors: Many potential graduate students have received awards, written successful grant proposals, and/or achieved an academic honor. Resumes can include this information -- either in a separate section or embedded in the standard education or employment sections.
• Use Professional Styles: An easy-to-read style often trumps a creative presentation. Students should write resumes and CVs using 12-point font, bolded headlines, bullet points, and Times New Roman or another serif font.
• Makes Use of Strong Verbs: As in all writing, verbs form the basis of powerful expression. The best resumes rely on verbs instead of adjectives to demonstrate a robust educational and professional background.
• Flows Logically: An admissions team wants to see that a candidate can organize information in a systematic and logical way. Doing so on a resume can set a candidate apart as a clear and organized individual.

Templates of Successful Grad School Resumes and CVs

Writing a resume or CV can feel daunting, especially when you are trying to stuff years of education and research into one or two pages. Thankfully, you can organize your information logically by using a template. Look over the following examples of academic resumes and CVs from various institutions.

• Resume Template Library

Completed Examples

• Sample CV for Master of Environmental Studies
• Sample Resume for Master of Liberal Arts
• Template for a CV in Sciences and Engineering
• Template for a CV in the Humanities
• Sample CV for Students in Policy-related Programs
• Sample CV for Students in Teaching-related Programs

Need to write your statement of purpose?

Use this guide to learn what academic departments look for, how to structure a winning statement, and what our expert has to say on the matter.

Writing a Successful Grad School Statement of Purpose

Expert FAQ: Additional Answers About CV and Grad School Resume Building

Erin lewis, career liaison.

Erin Lewis has worked in the Center for Career and Professional Development at Clarion University for the past 12 years and currently serves as a career liaison to education and training, arts and communication, and human services. As a professional staff member who specializes in resume writing, Erin trains and supervises the peer resume review team at Clarion University and has developed a resume assessment rubric for use with multiple courses.

Erin has an interest and specialty in online career services. She created virtual delivery of services through the university's online learning platform, which includes topics on the basics of resume writing, applicant tracking system resumes, keywords on resumes, and customizing resumes for a job search. Erin also created video resume reviews for students who are unable to meet in person for resume consultations.

What problems do you see grad students running into a lot when they are building out their resume?

A common problem for graduate students who are just building a resume is becoming overwhelmed. They have acquired many skills and experiences and don't know where to begin, what to include, or how much to include.

What advice do you give grad students who are building a resume but might not have a lot of job experience?

When I work with graduate students who might not have a lot of job experience, I first work with the individuals to assess and inventory their skill sets. From talking with employers, we know that a high value is placed on candidates who possess communication, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, information technology application, and leadership skills; professionalism; and career management and global/intercultural fluency.

Candidates who can provide evidence on their resume of how they have gained these skills and applied them in a multitude of settings can be just as successful as candidates with work experience. Job experience is beneficial, but students should never discount the skill sets they have gained from clubs and organizations, volunteerism, classroom projects, or study abroad experiences.

Using the right words to articulate your skills on a resume clearly and concisely is extremely important. Incorporating industry-specific keywords and highlighting your KASE (knowledge, achievements, skills, and experiences) is critical to stand out in today's competitive job market!

Should grad students include a line about their references in their resume?

A line about references really depends on each application. If you are applying to a position that has already requested your references, it is not necessary to include any phrase on the resume regarding references -- simply include them in your application materials.

If you are attending a career fair or similar networking event, a line regarding references available upon request is acceptable but often unnecessary.

What kind of licensure or certifications should grad students list?

Every resume should be customized and tailored for each specific application. Your first priority is to include any licensure or certifications that the position description lists as required. Your second priority is to include what is preferred, followed by any additional licensure or certifications that will help to differentiate you from the competition!

Keep in mind MORE does not always mean BETTER. Employers, on average, spend 6-8 seconds on your resume. Include what is most relevant and keep descriptions clear and to the point.

Should someone's resume look different if they are an undergrad student vs. a working professional?

Every resume is as unique as the person who is writing it! Even students who sit in the same classes together are going to have varying experiences to include on their resumes. This means that while the basics of resume writing are the same for all individuals, working professionals may have different section headings and a different content order compared to a traditional undergraduate student. Additionally, working professionals will most likely have more work experience and content to include on their resume.

If you are a working professional looking to revise your resume, consider listing your work experience section first -- employers typically place a high value on this section. Additionally, any other relevant skills and experiences that relate to the position you are applying for should emphasize abilities and qualifications that match the job description. Remember, one of the most critical actions you can take with your resume is to tailor it to the company or position to which you are applying.

Should students always include a cover letter? Or just when it is indicated in an application description?

A cover letter is almost always important, even when it isn't specifically indicated in an application description. If you email your resume to a particular individual, the body of the email becomes your cover letter. If you upload your resume into an online database and there is no space for a cover letter, it is best to copy and paste your cover letter into the comment box of the application.

Be cautious with your writing communication. Your correspondence with potential employers should always be professional -- whether via email or online forms.

What is the best format to send a resume in?

The best format in which to send a resume is how the employer requests it. Be sure to read the job posting for specific application instructions. If there is no request for a specific type of document format, save the file as a PDF and send it as an attachment.

The name of your resume file matters! If you use a file name such as "resume" or "new_resume," you won't stand out and your file can be difficult to sort. It can also give the impression that you don't really care about the job enough to pay attention to details. Instead of a generic file name, use a format such as "Firstname_lastname_resume" to make it easier for an employer to find your documents.

When you are emailing your job documents, be sure to use a clear subject, such as "First Name Last Name Application." Carefully proofread all of your documents and correspondence to avoid errors.

Additional Resources for CV and Resume Help for Grad School

The list below includes a selection of articles from various websites related to job searching, resume writing, and bridging the gap between graduate school and the work world. Some websites target the general population, while others specifically focus on the academic community.

• CareerOneStop : Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site offers extensive job search resources. Students can find a wealth of articles on writing resumes, crafting cover letters, and acing interviews.
• How to Write a Curriculum Vitae : Published by the American Academy of Family Physicians, this guide provides a template for graduate students to use when creating a CV for jobs. The article includes a list of headings along with formatting tips.
• How To Write Your Human-voiced Resume : Published in Forbes, this article offers a new take on creating a resume using storytelling, person-to-person language, and anecdotal evidence for career claims. The advice in this article could also help a student write a cover letter.
• Resume Builder : Resume Builder helps users craft an effective resume using its online tool. The site also offers templates, examples, formats, and tips for writing both resumes and cover letters.
• Resume Help : This site provides a variety of resources for job seekers, including a free tool that lets users put data into a professional resume template and then export the result to Microsoft Word or to a PDF.
• Succeeding in Grad School : PhDs.org is a data-based site that helps doctoral students choose a program and achieve success. It published this list of 10 articles discussing success in grad school, including advice on finding a job.
• Tips, Ideas, and Advice for Making the Most of Graduate School from GoGrad : This site offers extensive resources for graduate students across a variety of subjects, including how to write a winning personal statement and how to write a successful statement of purpose.
• Versatile PhD : A total of 62 higher education institutions participate in the Versatile PhD -- a site that helps doctoral students create a bridge to professional careers. Users can use the site's tools to identify career options, participate in events, and learn about career searches.
• What Predicts Grad School Success : This article from the American Psychological Association looks at the various factors that research shows are keys to finishing a graduate program, including curiosity, conscientiousness, native intelligence, and emotional intelligence. 
• Writing the Curriculum Vitae : One of the internet's most extensive and authoritative resources for academic writing, the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University published this comprehensive article on writing a curriculum vitae.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, how to write a resume for graduate school: 5 expert tips.

Most graduate school applications ask you to submit a resume. But what defines a graduate school resume? How is it different from one you use to apply to jobs? These questions can make writing your grad school resume overwhelming, but it isn’t as complicated as it might seem.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to write a resume for graduate school: why you need a resume for grad school, how a graduate school resume differs from a typical job resume, everything you should include in your grad school resume, and how to make your resume really stand out.

Why Do You Need a Resume for Graduate School?

You’re applying to school not a job, so why do you need to submit a resume for most grad school applications? Basically, your graduate school resume serves the same purpose as resumes submitted for jobs: It helps schools learn more about you and your qualifications.

Like many companies, grad programs receive a lot of applications, so they need a quick and clear way to see why you’d be a good fit for their program. Your grad school resume is where you get the opportunity to show them this. By looking at your education and work experience, grad schools can see what you already know and how you’ve already proved yourself, which can help decide if you’d be a good fit for their program. In the next sections, we’ll walk you through exactly what you should include in your grad school resume and how you can show you’re a well-qualified candidate.

How Is a Graduate School Resume Different From a Work Resume?

Grad school resumes and work resumes have many similarities, but there are differences between the two. If you’ve written resumes to apply for jobs, you can’t just copy those straight into your grad school application. Below are the main ways grad school resumes differ from work resumes.

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Focus More on Education

You’re applying to an educational program, so it makes sense that your grad school resume will focus more on your education than a standard work resume. In a work resume, you’d usually only devote a line or two to education to explain where you went to school and what degree you received.

Your graduate school resume should include more information such as your GPA, the title of your undergrad thesis (if you completed one), any awards you received, classes you took that are relevant to the program you’re applying to, as well as relevant skills you learned in school. Some grad schools will specify what education information they’d like you to include in your resume, but, in general, you want your resume to give them a good idea of your academic achievements and why they qualify you for the program.

Can Include Internships and Volunteer Experience

When you use a resume to apply for a job, some companies only want you to include actual jobs you had under your “Experience” section, but most grad programs allow and encourage you to include internships and volunteer work on your resume.

This can be a great benefit because you can often gain important skills and experience at these places, even if you weren’t paid or working there full-time. It can be particularly useful for younger people applying to grad school who may not have had a lot of paid jobs yet to include on their resume. So go ahead and include all those great internships and volunteer experiences you had on your grad school resume.

Usually Have Fewer Length Restrictions

Many jobs will only accept resumes that are only up to a page long, but most grad school programs accept resumes that are multiple pages. This gives you more freedom to include other experiences, such as internships and volunteer work, as mentioned above, since you’re not restricted to one page.

This doesn’t mean your resume should be the size of a novel (generally it shouldn’t be more than 2-3 pages), and it also doesn’t mean your resume has to be more than a page, but it can be nice to know you have more flexibility in regards to length than standard job resumes.

What Should Your Grad School Resume Include?

Every resume is unique, but there’s certain information that many grad school resumes include. Not all of the sections listed below may apply to you or your grad school program, but reading through the list will help you make sure you don’t forget any key information.

At the very top of your resume, you should include a nicely-formatted header with some basic information about yourself, the same way you would with a resume for a job. The first line should have just your name, and the second line should have your contact information, such as your phone number, address, and email. The purpose of the header is to make it easy for schools to know who you are and how to contact you.

Education should be the first main section of your resume so that grad schools can quickly see that you meet the academic requirements for the program. In this section, be sure to list the school you attended, dates of attendance, and the degree(s) you earned.

You may also want to include other information such as:

• Graduation honors you received
• The title of your thesis (if you wrote one)
• Awards or scholarships
• Study abroad programs you attended
• A short list of any classes you took that are particularly relevant to the degree program (particularly if you degree itself isn’t that strongly related to it)
• Work Experience

This will likely be the longest section on your resume, and it will include the jobs and internships you’ve had. You may also want to include volunteer experience here if you have any and if the program hasn’t specified that you need to include it in another section.

You can order this section chronologically (with your most recent position at the top), by putting the most relevant jobs first, or by organizing your experiences by category (such as “Research Experience” and “Communication Experience”). For each work experience, you should first list where you worked, your job title, and when you worked there. Below that, use bullet points to list your main duties and accomplishments for each position (see tips 2 and 3 in the next section for more advice on how to do this).

• Publications

If you authored or coauthored academic or professional publications such as academic papers, books, book chapters or reports, put them in their own section. For each publication, include the title of the work, where and when it was published, and any other coauthors.

• Skills and Certifications

If you received any certificates in addition to your degree and/or you have skills that are relevant to the degree program, list them in their own section.

Examples of things to include are:

• Foreign language skills
• Computer systems you’re proficient in
• Relevant certifications you’ve received
• Awards you’ve received that weren’t listed in your Education section

Extracurricular Activities

This is an optional section, and you may choose not to include it due to space and/or relevance. However, some people choose to list certain extracurricular activities if they feel they are relevant to the grad program and/or show an important part of their personality. Don’t go on and on about your great acapella group if you’re applying to a PhD program in microbiology, but it’s fine to list groups or activities you participated in if they relate to the program.

Other extracurriculars, even if they don’t relate to the degree program, may also be included if you feel they help show your strengths and interests. For example, if you tutored other students as an undergrad and think that will help show you can teach well as a graduate assistant, you can include that.  Additionally, if there’s an extracurricular you devoted a lot of time to, you can also include it to show your work ethic and commitment to a program.

Below are our five best tips for creating a stand-out graduate school resume. Read through each of these before you begin and as you write your resume.

#1: Pay Attention to Program Requirements

Before you begin putting your resume together, you should look carefully any instructions or requirements the program you’re applying to has.  Some programs want you to include only experience relevant to the program, others want to list all your work experiences. Some have length restrictions, and some have specific information they want included on your resume, such as test scores.

It’s very important to read through these instructions carefully before you begin so that you include everything you need to. It’s also a good idea to double-check the instructions after you’ve finished your resume to make sure you didn’t leave anything out.

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#2: Highlight Your Accomplishments

The most important purpose of a grad school resume is to show what you’ve done and why the person reading it should want to accept you. This means you’ll need to do a bit of showing off so that schools know how great you are.  Ways to show your accomplishments include stating the duties you did at the position and how you helped the organization/company.

Include numbers when you can to make your accomplishments more concrete. For example, writing “I managed a staff of 13 employees and increased the company’s revenue by 130% over six months” sounds a lot more impressive than “I managed employees and increased the company’s revenue.”

#3: Be Concise

Even if there are no limits on how many pages your resume can be, you’ll still want to keep things clear and concise. Admissions officers look over a lot of resumes during application time, so you want to make it easy for them to see why you’d be a great fit.

As mentioned above, you want to highlight your accomplishments in your resume, and that should take up the majority of the space. Don’t give a lot of unnecessary information; just stick to key points that show what you did and how you did it well.

Short, simple sentences that begin with an action verb are a great way to go.  For example, this method of writing is too wordy: “I worked as an intern for a local museum which had a lot of exhibits on natural history, specifically endangered species in the area. I spent most of my time cataloging specimens, but I’d also sometimes give tours to museum visitors. During my last few months I helped lead the testing of a lot of our specimens for arsenic levels because that’s a concern a lot of older museums have to deal with.”

It’s much easier to see the important information when the information is shortened and put into bullet points, like this:

• Cataloged over 200 museum specimens
• Gave tours and explained exhibits to museum visitors
• Helped lead an arsenic-testing program that ensured specimens were well-preserved and safe for visitors

#4: Proofread!

You’ve put in all this work to craft a great resume, so  don’t trip at the finish line by not proofreading your resume!  Before you submit it, check your resume over carefully, looking for any spelling or grammatical errors. You just spent all this time showing the school how intelligent and qualified you are; don’t mar their image of you with a careless mistake!

It can help to wait a day or two before doing your final proofread so that you’re looking at your resume with fresh eyes. You can also ask a friend or family member to look over your resume as well to see if they catch anything you might have missed.

#5: Submit Your Resume as a PDF

Your final step should be to convert your resume to a PDF and submit it in that format (as long as the program doesn’t have any instructions telling you otherwise). Submitting your resume as a PDF makes it looks more professional and prevents any weird formatting issues from occurring when the school opens the file.

Review: Key Tips for Writing Your Graduate School Resume

Resumes for graduate schools are important because they give the school a clear and concise way to get to know you and your accomplishments. Grad school resumes have many similarities to regular job resumes, but they tend to focus more on education, often let you include volunteer work and internships, and may not have as strict length requirements.

The six main sections your graduate school resume should include (if applicable) are:

• Extracurriculars (optional)

While you’re writing your resume for graduate school, keep these five tips in mind to help it stand out:

• Pay attention to program requirements
• Highlight your accomplishments
• Submit as a PDF

What’s Next?

Now that you know how to write a resume for graduate school, do you want to see some great examples of some? Check out our samples of great grad school resumes to help you get started on your own.

If you’re planning on attending grad school, you’ll probably have to take the GRE.  Check out our guide to learn exactly when you should take the GRE  in order to get your best score!

Want more information on the GRE? Check out our guide to everything you need to know about the GRE , including how long it is, what it covers, and how you should prepare.

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Author: Christine Sarikas

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. View all posts by Christine Sarikas

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Although resumes are often associated with pursuits in a career, you’ll also need one when applying to graduate school. A graduate school resume will serve a similar function as a professional one, which is to catch the reader’s attention as a promising candidate.

Learning how to write an effective and concise graduate school resume is a crucial part of the higher education application process.

Key Takeaways:

Graduate school resumes are used to evaluate candidates and is similar to both an undergraduate application and a professional resume.

The education section, relevant coursework, and relevant experience are crucial parts of the graduate school resume.

Accomplishments and achievements from experiences should precede responsibilities.

Use concise language and tailor your resume to the specific program for application.

A graduate school resume should be one page long.

What Is a Graduate School Resume?

How to write a graduate school resume in 6 steps, tips for a successful graduate school resume, template for a graduate school resume.

Example of a Graduate School Resume

Graduate School Resume vs. CV

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A graduate school resume is a brief and organized description of an applicant’s background, skills, education, and any other aspects that would make them qualified for admission. It’s submitted along with an application to provide all the information that an admissions committee will need in contained space.

Graduate school resumes are used to evaluate many potential candidates easier by establishing a bullet-point list of their characteristics.

Including a graduate school resume in your application package illustrates who you are, what your experience is, and why you should be submitted to the program neatly on a single page .

Writing a graduate school resume can be confusing for many people; should it be more similar to a school application or a professional resume? The perhaps unsatisfying answer is that it is a bit of both.

Complete the following steps to create a graduate school resume containing information needed for admissions while being in a resume format:

Think about formatting. Although most resumes have typical structure guidelines, there’s still room for creativity in formatting a graduate school resume. There are some formatting rules you should adhere to, such as keeping your graduate resume about a page long and making your contact details boldly noticeable.

Pay attention to the education section . Since the point of submitting a graduate school resume is to be admitted to an educational program, there should be a clear focus on your prior academics.

Unlike a professional resume, which focuses primarily on career experience, a resume for graduate school should speak about the candidate’s educational background first and foremost.

Include information such as your:

School Name

Grade Point Average (GPA) (Only if 3.5+)

Field of Study

Dates of Attendance

Extracurriculars, Clubs, or Groups (if relevant)

Awards and Acknowledgment

Test Scores (If Applicable)

Include relevant coursework. Relevant coursework might come under your education section or your experience section, depending on which part needs more love. In any case, you’ll want to include the specifics of the classes you’ve taken so that admissions boards know that you’ve got the prerequisite training required to excel in your program.

List relevant work experience. Your prior experience in jobs shouldn’t be the center of attention in your graduate school resume.

However, positions related to the program you’re applying for should be included in your resume. Internships and volunteer experience that can be applied to the program’s field of study can also be helpful in a graduate school resume.

Include notable accomplishments. A graduate school resume is an appropriate place to keep a running tally of your achievements because you want to impress an admissions team. While you can make a dedicated “accomplishments” section, we recommend tactfully weaving achivements throughout your resume’s sections.

Your resume summary statement is a good place to include one, eye-catching accomplishment. And your undergraduate education probably involved some big project or thesis if you’re keen enough on the subject to continue onto graduate school, so that’s at least one major accomplishment for your education section.

Achievements from internships or even minor jobs should always precede boring job responsibilities.

“Answered emails” and “made spreadsheets” don’t exactly pop off the page, but “Responded to 20+ customer queries each day” or “Developed Cloud-based spreadsheet for interdepartment project planning and budgeting” sound a lot better — even if they describe the same jobs and tasks.

Skills and certifications. Including a skills section in a graduate school is recommended if you have the chops to back it up. You should stick to mentioning hard skills in a graduate resume that apply to the field of study you’re hoping to pursue.

This area of your graduate school resume can also be used to mention any certifications you’ve received outside of formal education.

Examples of possible skills and certifications to include on a graduate school resume include:

Fluency in a programming language

Experience in particular computer systems or applications

Speaking a second language

A technical skills training program

An online or in-person certificate in a specific field, like digital marketing or agile management

Tailor your resume to the program you’re applying for. When top applicants apply for new jobs, they go back to their resume and make edits to optimize it for the position they’re hoping to land . Successful graduate school applicants do the same. Every graduate program emphasizes different skills and experiences.

It’s okay to speak highly of your accomplishments. Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of speaking freely on all their outstanding accomplishments because they worry it makes them out to be conceited .

While you should maintain a humble attitude when discussing your achievements (especially in interviews), it’s recommended to get into the nitty-gritty of what you’ve done well in the past in a resume.

Use crisp, concise language. Start your bullet points with strong action verbs. Never include the words “I, me, my, or mine” in your resume. Use as few words as possible and embrace white space.

Include both hard and soft skills. There are probably some hard skills that the program you’re applying for requires, depending on the field of study. Besides listing the hard skills that you have, include soft skills that apply to your personality and work ethic.

Soft skills describe who a candidate is beyond their accomplishments or technical skills . An admissions team will use soft skills to assess if you’re the kind of student they want in their program.

Be honest about your experience and skills. Although it’s essential to catch an admissions counselor ’s attention with your resume, the information you include needs to be true. Bending the truth eventually becomes evident to experienced admissions professionals.

Proofread. Once you’ve finished writing a graduate school resume, the final thing to do is proofread it. Careless spelling and grammatical errors will turn off an admissions counselor reading your resume because it will portray you as sloppy or lazy.

You understand what information should be included on a graduate school resume. Now you use a template to structure the information properly.

Below is a template to guide you through creating your own graduate school resume.

First and Last Name City, State | Phone Number | Email Address | Social Media or Website Resume Summary Statement (Do not label your resume summary statement — just write it) A few sentences outlining what your graduate school resume will go on to say and what your goals for the future are. Education School Name , Degree Title, and Major Graduation Date Grade Point Average (GPA) (If 3.5+) Areas of Study Prior Research Awards, accomplishments, and acknowledgments Extracurricular activities and clubs (repeat if you have multiple schoools) Professional Experience Job Title Company Name, City, State Dates Employed One major achievement with numbers Job responsibility with mention of your impact on results More achievements (repeat for multiple jobs, internships, and volunteer experiences) Relevant Skills list 4-8 skills Give more hard skills than soft skills Additional Section (this section can be dedicated to certifications, volunteer experience, language fluency, independent projects, publications, or another optional resume section)

Aaron Blakely Denver, CO | (753)-585-5866 | [email protected]| LinkedIn.com/AaronBlakely A devoted and creative recent graduate from the University Of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and former research experience. Seeking higher education with the University of Washington’s computer science graduate program. Education The University Of Denver , B.S. in Computer Science 2020 3.9 GPA Studied computer science with a minor in creative coding Conducted research into biotechnology and virtual reality (VR) Achieved the Dean’s List all four years of college Vice President of the computer coding club Professional Experience Computer Coding Student Intern Larson’s Technology, Denver, CO 2017-2018 Created a process workflow that reduced average project turnaround time by 12% Helped mid-level developers write and debug code for client websites of over 1 million monthly visitors Reviewed engineers code and tested software patches before roll-out Sales Associate and Tech Help Desk Attendant Best Bet Computer Repair, Denver, CO 2012-2017 summers Served an average of 40 customers each day, aiding in selection of electronic goods Won employee of the month in June 2015 Received an an average customer review rating of 4.89/5 at tech help desk Scholarships 2016-2020 Outstanding Student Scholarship Awarded for academic accomplishment and community involvement The amount of $40,000 over four years of undergraduate education Relevant Skills Java HTML MS Office Suites Windows Mac OS X Communication Problem-solving Dependability Creativity Resourcefulness Certifications 2018 HTML Fluency Course, HTML programming language A 12-week course outlining the basics of HTML language Accompanied by assignments, six tests, and a final exam HTML basic fluency achieved

While this article focuses on graduate school resumes , it is important to note that some graduate schools might request a curriculum vitae, or CV, instead.

Graduate school resumes and CVs share a lot of similarities. They both act as documents to highlight an applicant’s qualifications, experiences, and contact information as part of an application process.

However, there are noticeable differences with CVs. These include:

Length. CVs tend to be two or more pages long. They are designed to provide an in-depth profile of your qualifications and achievements.

Purpose. CVs tend to focus on academic and research experience, as well as accomplishments such as fellowships, academic positions, and scholarships.

Content. CVs are more detailed. They cover a complete academic history of the applicant.

Audience. Academic and research heavy programs tend to request CVs because they want to see your abilities in these fields. This can include social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities programs.

As you can see, a CV has significant differences, which means you need to make sure whether you should send a resume or a CV. Luckily, most applications will specify which one they want to see.

However, if you ever have any questions, reach out to the graduate school program for clarification.

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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• Graduate School Resume

How to Craft a Competitive Resume for Your Graduate School Application

While applying to graduate school may sound like a demanding process, the steps and application requirements are fairly similar to prepping for your undergraduate degree, including collecting letters of recommendation , writing a personal statement and securing any necessary transcripts.

However, there are key differences between the applications, especially depending on what kind of master’s degree, graduate certificate or doctoral program you’re considering.

One asset most prospective students are asked for is a graduate school resume. Sure, it sounds familiar — essentially anyone who has applied to a job has had to write a resume — but what exactly should it include? And how do you make sure it conveys you’re a great candidate for the program?

We spoke with Lori Shreve Blake , senior director of career engagement at the USC Career Center , to determine how a graduate school resume differs from an employment resume, as well as crucial tips for how to write a stellar one.

What Is a Graduate School Resume?

First things, first: A graduate school resume is a document that gives the school’s admissions committee the information it needs to determine what you bring to the table as a candidate. It’s in this resume where you can really expand on your skills and qualifications that may not have come up in other parts of your application.

While it is quite similar in many ways to a work resume, the grad school resume places a great emphasis on education and academic achievements, as well as work experiences that relate to the program you’d like to join.

“Similar to a job resume, where we say tailor your resume according to the job, it would be tailor your resume according to the grad program and what their requirements are for admissions,” Shreve Blake told USC Online.

What Should Your Graduate School Resume Include?

Much like a work resume, a graduate school resume should start off with a clear header that includes the basic information about yourself, such as your name and your contact information, and contains your address, phone number and email address.

From there, you should highlight your past education experience and any academic highlights.

“Graduate school candidates should highlight academic achievements including membership in an honors society, dean’s list,  academic research and projects, this shows the person’s commitment to the graduate program that they’re pursuing,” Shreve Blake explained.

Candidates may also include study abroad program, a list of relevant classes you’ve taken, your thesis title, certifications you’ve obtained and any other relevant educational experience.

Next, you should dive into your work experience. Highlight the jobs you’ve held — especially ones that demonstrate why you’d be a fit for the graduate program — as well as any pertinent volunteer positions and internships.

“I think showing the work experience and how it relates to the graduate degree is really a key point, especially if you’re going to grad school … for a job,” Shreve Blake said. “Depending on what type of grad program you’re going for, they’re going to want to see certain types of experiences, so make sure you have [ones] that are unique and specific to that particular grad program. For example, if I want to get a master’s in social work, I’m going to show that I worked in the community and … similar experiences, even though I’m not a social worker yet.”

Shreve Blake added that your job history might be a requirement for some graduate programs, such as an MBA: “They may require three to five years of business work experience before you’re even qualified to be considered for an MBA at a premier institution,” she said.

Tips for How to Write a Graduate School Resume

Ask yourself whom you’re writing for. If you’re feeling stuck in the initial stages of crafting the perfect resume, consider your target, Shreve Blake advised.

“We need to think, when we’re writing, who are we writing for? What are they going to want to see? Put yourself in their place. If I’m hiring for a job, why? What am I looking for? If I’m admitting someone for a PhD in neuroscience, what kind of experiences am I looking for? How are you showing that you are an academic even before we make you one and actually admit you to the program? You have to show that you’re doing the job or at least trying to go down that path before you even get admitted,” she expanded.

Be detailed and specific about your accomplishments. While listing off your various past achievements, you want to make sure you’re being as clear as possible about what you’ve accomplished in the past. This helps you tell a better story about your experience and really gives the admissions committee insight into your successes.

“My advice to grad school applicants is to quantify. Tell a story in those bullets. Don’t just tell me, ‘I researched sleep to determine synapses.’ That’s not enough. You researched the brain to determine synapses, resulting in a publication in the American Medical Journal. That’s what we want to see — quantifying numbers, if you’ve worked with any big names … Or say, if it’s for an MBA, it’s going to be more, what did you do in business when you were working? What did you do that really made an impact at your workplace?” Shreve Blake said.

Keep it concise. The point of the graduate school resume is to truly expand on your accomplishments so the school knows why they should be rushing to admit you. Of course, that doesn’t mean sending in pages and pages about every course you’ve taken or internship you’ve held. Per Shreve Blake, the golden rule is a one-page resume if you have zero to nine years of experience, and a two-page resume if you have 10 years of experience.

Is the skill or experience relevant to the program at hand? If not, you can leave it out. Information from your high school days probably isn’t relevant, either, if you’re an older candidate returning to your studies.

Be smart about your social media. These days, it seems everyone has a robust online presence — and you can be sure it’ll come up when someone Googles your name. The reality is, your online presence will be examined when you apply for a graduate school program, so make sure any public profiles are professional.

Social media can also be a major asset — Shreve Blake recommends updating your LinkedIn profile and using it as a professional website for yourself. Link the URL in your resume, so they have easy access to a digital version of your achievements.

Maintain a professional aura. Above all, make sure you keep it professional with your graduate school resume. There is no need to include photos of yourself, for example, or too much personal information. While you want the admissions committee to get an idea of your values, you’re leaning on your accomplishments here, not personality or personal experiences.

“When you’re trying to get into a graduate school, it’s still a business transaction, right? You’re selling yourself. So, you’re just not going to have a lot of personal information there,” Shreve Blake emphasized.

Should You Use a Template to Write Your Graduate School Resume?

While it may be tempting to take advantage of a graduate school resume template or lift from examples, Shreve Blake said to steer clear of using a pre-set template.

“What I absolutely hate — and I think people can see this a mile away — is using a resume template. Don’t use a resume template,” Shreve Blake insisted. “The formatting is often off, and it’s not really what people like to see.  I would definitely say don’t use a resume template, use a blank Word document, and kind of work through your resume that way.”

Crafting an original resume will help you stand out from the crowd. After all, each graduate school resume is unique: It needs to fit both the program you’re applying to and your own past.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all for a job resume, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all for a graduate school resume,” Shreve Blake concluded.

For more information, visit the  Office of Graduate Admission at USC  and explore USC Online’s graduate school timeline .

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• 7 Simple Tips for Writing a Compelling Grad School Resume

So, you’re preparing to apply to graduate school. There’s lots to do, like ordering transcripts, taking any necessary exams, writing a statement of purpose and asking for letters of recommendation.

But there’s one more item you shouldn’t overlook: writing your graduate school resume.

Wait … what?

Yes, you generally need to submit a resume with your grad school application. A grad school resume is similar to a standard professional resume, but it has a specific focus: how your previous education and experience have prepared you to undertake advanced study. And like a professional resume, it should tell a compelling story about you.

How do you go about writing a standout grad school resume? We asked two admissions experts from the University of Washington for their top tips. Here’s what they shared.

1. Put Your Education First

Resume Template

How should you organize your grad school resume? Check out this template for one layout example.

Because the specific objective of this document is to get admitted to graduate school, you should list your education on the first page. This section should prominently include details like:

• Undergraduate degree and major (including the school you graduated from)
• Your undergraduate GPA
• Other degrees or certificates you’ve earned

You can also include academic awards and roles with campus organizations here. Or, if you have enough of these, they might warrant their own section (see tips 3 and 4).

It’s also valuable to include info about courses you’ve taken that are related to the degree program you’re applying for. (Here’s an example of a place where you might tailor your resume to fit the exact program you’re applying to.)

“The resume is a great place to showcase courses that meet prerequisites for the program,” says Crystal Galván, a graduate adviser in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at UW Bothell. “Even though you’ll also submit your academic transcripts, you can use the education section of your resume to highlight particularly relevant courses.”

2. Show all your work

The admissions committee wants to see the evolution of your career and get a full sense of who you are, so go ahead and include your entire professional work history — even if it stretches the document to two or three pages.

“More is better on the grad school resume,” says Randell Hernandez, director of admissions for the Executive Master of Business Administration at the UW Foster School of Business. “In the Executive MBA program, for example, we’re looking to understand the totality of an applicant’s experience — to get a sense of your career growth and the impact you’ve had in different roles.”

For someone applying to an MBA program, for example, that means including specific details about leadership or management responsibilities in each role. It also means quantifying the impact you had (e.g., “Led department to 20% increase in sales year-over-year”). If you’re applying to law school, you’ll want to emphasize any experience that relates to the legal field. And so on.

3. Don’t Forget Research Projects and/or Fieldwork

Any research experience — including capstone or research projects you are or were involved in — is important to include [on your resume]. — Crystal Galván, graduate adviser, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at UW Bothell

“Any research experience — including capstone or research projects you are or were involved in — is important to include,” according to Galván. “This demonstrates your engagement with academia, and that you’re up-to-date with research in the field. If you’ve hosted community workshops or presented at any academic conferences, be sure to include those as well.”

Did you win any academic awards? Be sure to include those, either in the Education section (noted above), in this section or in a separate section (if you have more than one).

Your research experience can be listed in its own section on your resume. This allows it to stand out and makes it easier for admissions readers to find.

4. Unpaid work counts too

Remember that a prospective graduate program will value all your experience, not just what you were paid for. Internships and volunteer roles (both on and off campus) help illustrate what you're passionate about and how you took the initiative to make a difference in your profession or community.

“We appreciate leadership experience in all areas, including professional associations, civic groups, etc.,” Hernandez says. “Recruiting and motivating a group of volunteers requires next-level abilities that can directly apply to an MBA student’s ‘day job.’ And these commitments also offer a window into a candidate’s humanity.”

This content can be placed in its own section (possible header: “Leadership and Extracurricular Activities”). It should be located below your professional experience.

5. Write clearly and proofread carefully

Nothing spoils a first impression like typos and grammatical errors in a resume. If this isn’t your strong suit, have a friend who’s good with words read it over for you. Many times, fresh eyes can catch things that you miss.

Also, it’s possible that you use a lot of cool abbreviations and insider terms in your field. Those should be left out of (or spelled out on) your grad-school resume.

“I see a lot of acronyms in applications, especially from people coming from the tech field or the military,” Hernandez says. “Remember that you’re giving this to an admissions reader who may know little or nothing about your particular job function or industry. It’s important to use terminology that people outside your field would understand.”

6. Link to your LinkedIn

The world often judges us by our online presence, and grad school reviewers are no different.

“It’s natural to want to Google someone, so it’s a good idea to include a LinkedIn profile link on your resume,” Galván says. “LinkedIn is a great way for applicants to illustrate their expertise, professional experience, skills and education — beyond the resume.”

7. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

When in doubt, reach out! The advisers and other staff at the graduate schools you’re interested in are there to answer your questions about the application process.

“People do themselves a disservice sometimes by not seeking guidance from the graduate program about what their resume should include,” Hernandez says. “Most of our MBA programs at the Foster School offer application workshops, which include detailed guidance about resumes. We also supply that content on our website .”

Want to discover more helpful content about grad school? Check out our go-to guide for applying to graduate school for links to additional articles.

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David Hirning

David Hirning is an accomplished writer and editor with extensive experience in both tech and higher education. He began his career in journalism, then spent over a decade as an editor at Microsoft, where he worked on Encarta Encyclopedia and related reference products.

David worked for six years as a full-time writer and content manager at UW Professional & Continuing Education. He also operated his own editorial consulting business, with stints at leading companies like Amazon and Expedia, and taught English for two years in Costa Rica.

David has served as an instructor for the UW Certificate in Editing program and as a teaching assistant for the UW Certificate in Storytelling & Content Strategy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Stanford University and a Certificate in Literary Fiction from the UW.

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6 Tips for Perfecting Your Resume for Graduate School Application

Most graduate programs require applicants to send in a variety of documents, including a resume. While you likely have already written several resumes in your adult life, don’t expect to simply dust off your latest version and send it in.

In order to make the best impression on the reviewers who will be reviewing your application, it’s best to start from scratch and customize your resume for the program you’re applying to. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to crafting a solid resume for graduate school.

The difference between a resume and CV for grad school

You might be surprised to learn that “resume” and “curriculum vitae” (or “CV”) are not interchangeable terms in the United States, although in Europe they are often used as synonyms. A resume focuses on your professional and extracurricular experience, whereas a CV focuses on your academic achievements. (Both documents should include contact information, education, work experience, relevant professional skills and language proficiencies.)

A good resume is concise, easily scannable and specific to the job for which you’re applying. The vast majority of graduate school applicants will probably have no trouble getting their resume to fit on one page. A CV, however, goes into far more depth and detail, which means it should be “as long as needed,” since it includes things like research projects, fellowships or grants, teaching experiences, publications, conferences, presentations and references.

How to write a resume for graduate school

Before you sit down to write, take some time to gather all the information you need. It’s imperative that all the dates, names, titles and other data included are accurate. And remember: the best graduate school resume examples are ones that start from scratch and are tailored to the specific program and school to which you’re applying.

If it’s been a few years since you’ve been in school, take some time to refresh your memory on what you achieved during your time as an undergrad. Review your transcripts, papers, publications, essays and projects and take notes on things you want to include. Once you’ve done that, continue on to the first step below.

1. Start with a simple template

Although it may be tempting to try out a creative format in hopes of standing out in the crowd, resist the urge to make your resume overly designed. For the purpose of this document, the content is much more important than fancy graphics or an elaborate layout. Reviewers want to see a resume that’s proofed, easy to read, well-organized and full of relevant information.

You can find a grad school resume template to get yourself started. Microsoft Word offers dozens of options to download for free. Don’t stress if you don’t find one that’s perfect, you can always customize it to accommodate other sections or information as needed. Whichever template you choose, it should include:

• 11- or 12-point font size 
• Bold headlines 
• Bulleted lists 
• A serif font (e.g., Times New Roman, Georgia or Garamond)

2. Craft a clear and compelling objective

Your graduate school resume objective is a short statement at the very beginning of the document that describes what you hope to gain from attending grad school and why you’re qualified to enroll. In just two sentences (or less), you must describe yourself, your strengths and/or relevant work experience, and what you want to accomplish in the program.

An example of a solid resume objective might be:

“An innovative educator with eight years of classroom experience seeking to join the Educational Leadership program in order to develop the skills needed to increase their impact by pursuing a position in school administration.”

3. Write in detail about your previous education

Include all the schools you have attended in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Be sure to list the full name of the institution, city and state, exact title of the major and the degree you earned, and your graduation date. Any impressive test scores, Dean’s list awards or other relevant achievements can also be listed in this section.

4. Highlight work and life experience

Graduate school applicants come from all walks of life. You might have a wealth of professional experience or practically none. Either way, your grad school resume should illustrate how the responsibilities and tasks you’ve taken on in the past make you a good fit for the program.

Be sure to include your current and previous jobs. While you may be tempted to leave off past employment that’s unrelated or may not seem “good enough,” this could backfire and lead to questions about transparency or gaps in a resume.

In addition to employment, you can include things like:

• Internships 
• Extracurriculars 
• Tutoring or mentoring 
• Study abroad experience 
• Professional or academic affiliations/clubs
• Volunteer work (only include longer-term commitments — not one-time events)

In each entry, include two or three bullet points that cover your duties and accomplishments. Be sure to use action verbs and mention specific achievements where possible. For example,   “Responsible for overseeing purchasing team and managing department budget” is much less illustrative than “Supervised six direct report employees on the purchasing team and managed a $200,000 annual budget”.

Pro-tip: Carefully read through the program page and identify important words and phrases. Incorporate these terms throughout your resume, where applicable.

5. Include a list of relevant skills

This section of your graduate school resume is a great opportunity to illustrate your strengths. Don’t forget to mention hard and soft skills, as both are important for  success in graduate school . Make sure they are all relevant to the work you want to accomplish in the program.

Some examples of hard (technical) skills include:

• Mastery of computer programs and software 
• Language proficiency 
• Coding ability  
• Analytics 
• Project management skills 
• Grant writing (or other specific writing tasks)

A few examples of soft (transferable) skills include: 

• Teamwork 
• Conflict resolution 
• Leadership 
• Communication 
• Problem solving 
• Reliability

6. Make sure it’s clean and error-free

One of the biggest mistakes you can make on your resume for grad school is submitting something that contains typos, sloppy formatting or other such errors. This can imply to admissions committees that you are lazy or don’t pay attention to detail. Luckily there are many ways you can avoid this scenario.

Once you’re happy with the content of your resume, run the document through spell check and review it carefully one last time. Then, slowly read the entire document out loud. You’d be surprised at how many mistakes or improvements you’ll discover using this method.

You should also consider asking someone you trust to proofread it for typos that you may have missed. When it comes to an important document like this, having several pairs of eyes on it is a prudent idea.

Pro tip: If you don’t have someone available to proofread your resume, copy and paste text from your document into a program like what is available on Grammarly.com  for a comprehensive and free review of spelling and grammar.

Make a great first impression

Now that you have this actionable advice for creating an impressive resume for graduate school, you can begin working on this important part of the application process. As you continue collecting all of the other necessary materials, you’re likely curious about the financial side of things.

To better understand your options, check out our article “ How to Pay for Grad School: 6 Things to Consider .” 

Curious about what else you need to create a top-notch graduate school application? Review the requirements for Creighton University by visiting our  How to Apply page .

Considering grad school?

Regardless of where you are in your journey, our admissions advisors are ready to help you take the next step.

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Resume for Graduate Schools: How to Write your Graduate Application Resume?

Your bio-data or resume is a crucial part of getting ready to apply to graduate school. The university officials carefully analyze your resume for graduate schools to determine your eligibility and potential. You can increase your chances of getting accepted to graduate school by reading up on an institution's requirements for the application and learning the best practices for drafting resumes and CVs.

In this blog, we will be looking at why we write a resume for graduate schools and why a graduate program resume is so crucial while providing you with the graduate program resume examples for your understanding.

What is a Resume for Graduate School?

When applying for master's degree programs, you should prepare a résumé for graduate students. A grad or Ph.D. student's CV can surpass the restrictions in terms of both page count and the specifics of experience; however, a master's student's resume differs in that it is far more streamlined and typically contains only about 1-2 pages.

A CV for graduate program is a professional document that summarizes your seasoned qualities, such as your talents, credentials, relevant employment experience, and noteworthy achievements. Your CV can help you showcase your skills and persuade admissions committees that you are qualified for the program.

Additionally, your qualifications should be listed on your resume clearly so that recruiting supervisors can review them.

Suggested: Unweighted vs Weighted GPA

Why do we need a Graduate Application Resume for Admission?

There are numerous parallels between resumes for work and graduate school, but also some variances. You cannot just cut and paste a résumé that you have written to apply for employment into your graduate school application. The same as resumes sent for jobs, your graduate school resume aids colleges in learning more regarding you and your credentials.

Graduate programs get a ton of applications, so they need a straightforward method to see why you'd be a perfect fit for their curriculum. You have the chance to demonstrate this on your graduate school CV.

Grad schools can determine if you'd be a suitable candidate for their school by reviewing your schooling and professional history, which can show them what you currently know and how you've established yourself.

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What Entails a Graduate Degree Resume?

These are the following components of a Graduate resume:

Contact information

Name, address, phone number, and email are all included. To ensure that the admissions office can readily get in touch with you, this information ought to appear at the beginning of your resume.

This part ought to be between two and three lines long and should not contain any personal pronouns. As you discuss the precise school and degree that you are applying for, be mindful to emphasize your comprehensive qualifications.

Include both professional and interpersonal abilities while describing your skills. Include abilities that might be useful for a student when you are applying to graduate degree programs.

Educational qualifications

Comprise degree you got, the name of the college or university, the number of years you studied, and any pertinent curriculum you took while you were there. You may also include your GPA if it is strong, if not, then don’t mention it until asked.

Career background

The admissions staff must see that you are driven to engage in professional opportunities and positions linked to your field. Incorporate your job position, the firm identity, its specific location, the periods you worked there, and a thorough account of your duties in reverse chronological order.

Noteworthy Achievements and Awards

If you have any noteworthy academic accomplishments, the program directors may consider them.

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Graduate Application Resume Sample

Now that we know what to include and what not to include in the CV for Graduate application, it’s time to look at the format in which you need to prepare your Graduate program CV. We described the format in detail for you to follow to create the ideal resume to make it easy for you to grasp.

Part 1-Header

• First name last name
• Street address, city, state, pin code
• Professional email address
• Contact number

Part 2-Summary

• 1-2 sentences describing your professional background. Do not use personal pronouns.

Part 3-Skills

• Include a list of skills in bullet points
• Make sure to draw attention to your communication and technical skills

Part 4-Educational Qualifications

• Most recent degree

Part 5-University Name

• Start date - end date
• Cite any pertinent coursework

Part 6-Work Experience

• Company name, city
• Responsibilities
• Include volunteer and internship experience
• Create a list of three to four bullet points
• Start with action verbs and use concise, yet thorough, language
• Lengthen each bullet point to two to four sentences

Part 7- Noteworthy Achievements and Awards

• Personal Achievement Title
• One or two sentences outlining the circumstances behind and reasons for your title

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Tips for Writing a CV for Graduate Admission

Following are a few tips that will help you in writing an appropriate CV that will help you increase your chances of getting shortlisted. As colleges receive tons of applications, it is important to distinguish ourselves from the crowd.

• Unless specifically requested in the application requirements, do not list a GPA below 3.0 on your résumé.
• It is already assumed that you have completed and finished high school if you list an undergraduate degree.
• Avoid using I or me or other personal pronouns in your resume. 
• Try to keep paragraphs to one to three sentences in length. 
• Do not add contact details of references if not asked.
• When explaining your professional knowledge and any distinctions or medals you have won, be sure to include as much detail as you can.

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Now that you have an understanding of why you need to write a suitable resume and the dos and don’ts of resume writing, better get started on writing one for yourself. For any further queries, feel free to contact our team of excellent counselors by subscribing to Yocket premium .

Frequently Asked Questions about the Graduate Admission Resume

Why do we need to make a resume for university admission?

Graduate programs get a ton of applications, so they need a straightforward method to see why you'd be a perfect fit for their curriculum.

What Should one not do when writing a resume?

Do not mention your GPA (if below 3.0) until they have asked to mention it. You wouldn’t want to ruin your first impression.

How is a college resume different from a resume made for work?

Graduate school resumes are more focused on your academic background not work experience. Work experience is just an added benefit to telling the university you do have an understanding of the professional world.

What do colleges see in a resume?

The colleges seek to know your noteworthy accomplishments, education, and professional background based on which they provide admissions.

Is a resume a necessary document for admissions?

Yes, it is a necessary document as it is a summarized way of providing details about your credentials and qualifications.

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Resumes and cvs.

Depending on the type of job, you will need to create a curriculum vitae (CV) or a resume. Both documents put your qualification in writing, but they are used for different audiences and use a different format.

When to use a Resume

In the United States, most employers use resumes for non-academic positions, which are one or two page summaries of your experience, education, and skills.  Employers rarely spend more than a few minutes reviewing a resume, and successful resumes are concise with enough white space on the page to make it easy to scan. 

For more information on developing your resume, please visit Cornell Career Services’ Career Development Toolkit . Students often find it helpful to review resumes from graduate students who got their first job outside of academe.

When to use a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A CV is a longer synopsis of your educational and academic background as well as teaching and research experience, publications, awards, presentations, honors, and additional details. CVs are used when applying for academic, scientific, or research positions. International employers often use CVs as well.

A CV is a comprehensive statement emphasizing:

• professional qualifications
• accomplishments
• special qualifications

A CV can vary from two pages to several pages. Professionals seeking academic positions and non-academic positions in science, higher education, research, and health care typically use a CV. It is also used to seek a fellowship or grant and is expected for some positions overseas. Consult with faculty members in your field to determine what is expected and appropriate for your field.

Guidelines for Preparing a CV

• The order of topics in a CV format is flexible.
• Arrange sections to highlight strengths for the position you are seeking.
• Elaborate on accomplishments and skills within categories.
• List items within each category chronologically, the most recent appearing first.
• Include additional headings when appropriate to reflect certifications/licensures, workshops/training, languages, book reviews, etc.
• Present information in an easily accessible and attractive style.
• Faculty advisors are the most knowledgeable resource for determining what constitutes effective content in your discipline.
• For formatting assistance and to see more examples of  CVs, visit the Cornell Career Services Library in 103 Barnes Hall. The following books also may help:  How to Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae  and  The Curriculum Vitae Handbook .
• Non-academic samples from the University of California, San Francisco
• Academic samples from the University of California, San Francisco
• Samples from Columbia University
• Samples from University of Pennsylvania
• Chronicle of Higher Education’s CV Doctor

Electronic Version of CV

When sending electronic versions, attach a file or cut and paste the CV into the text of the email message. State your objectives and career interests in the first few lines since they may be the only items seen on a screen. Other tips:

• Use language and acronyms recognized in your field.
• Avoid using bold, italics, underlining, lines, or graphics. Use all caps for emphasis.
• Put your name at the top followed by address and each phone number on a separate line.

Many employers use websites for applicants to apply for positions. Although each form may be different, some elements may be similar. Save parts of your CV in a format that can be cut and pasted for each individual web-based form, such as saving a bulleted list of work experience.

Transforming Your CV into a Resume

You may need both a CV and a resume for your job search. Sending the appropriate document (CV or resume) tells employers that you can distinguish the differences between the academic and non-academic environments and that you can adapt your skills to either environment. Most employers in industry prefer a resume. When rearranging your CV to make it a resume:

• Do not exceed two pages.
• Re-evaluate your experience. Think creatively about how your academic experience can be translated into the necessary skills for a non-academic environment. Consider skills of project management, leadership, teamwork, effective communication, and meeting deadlines. 
• Choose action verbs to describe your experience.
• Put your strengths first. List your professional experience or your degree first, depending on which is most important for a specific position.  
• Include a well-written job objective; state the type of position and work setting you are seeking, skills or abilities you possess, and long-term goals. Be sure that your resume supports your job objective.
• Emphasize skills and accomplishments.
• List relevant presentations, publications, and papers, but not all. 
• Have someone proofread it.

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Developing a strong CV for Your Graduate School Application: How it Differs from a Resume

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Embarking on your journey to graduate school involves creating a Curriculum Vitae (CV) that stands out. While a CV can be quite similar to a resume in some aspects, for graduate school applications, it serves a very different purpose. Unlike a resume, which is typically concise and focused on work experience, a CV for graduate school is more detailed and academically oriented. Developing a strong CV is not a one-size-fits-all process. The advice provided here stems from one of many perspectives, other valid opinions also exist, especially from your advisors and within your field of study or discipline. There is no guaranteed format that will ensure success in securing a place in a program or a job, but suggestions towards what institutions are looking for.

How a CV Differs from a Resume

Length and Detail : A CV is typically longer than a resume because it includes more detailed sections on education, research, publications and other relevant academic data. While resumes are usually one to two pages, a CV can run several pages if the experience warrants it.

Purpose and Focus : The resume is a brief snapshot of your skills and experiences tailored to a specific job, emphasizing brevity and relevance to the job market. Conversely, the CV for graduate school is an exhaustive record of your academic journey, meant to showcase your intellectual background and readiness for rigorous scholarly work.

Content : Resumes often begin with a career objective or summary statement and focus on professional achievements and skills. A CV, instead, begins with your educational history and delves into academic achievements, including any research, publications, and detailed descriptions of academic projects.

Readability: The Crucial Element

With the potential of hundreds of CVs landing on an evaluator’s desk, readability is important. A CV that’s easy to navigate can make all the difference. Here’s how to enhance the readability of your CV:

• Use a clear, legible font of at least 12 points; never go below 10 points to ensure clarity.
• Maintain margins of at least one inch, but not smaller than 0.5 inches, for an organized layout.

Common CV Sections

Your CV should include (but is not limited to) the following sections:

• Publications
• Presentations
• Professional or Work Experience
• Community or Academic Service
• Honors & Awards

This list is not exhaustive, but it illustrates the comprehensive nature of a CV. Its purpose is to give the admissions committee a holistic view of your academic experience and strengths and potential as a researcher or a professor.

Tips for Crafting Your Graduate School CV

• Tailor Your CV : Customize your CV for each graduate program you apply to, emphasizing the experiences and accomplishments that are most relevant to the field of study.
• Highlight Your Academic Achievements : Put your educational background and any research, teaching, or academic work at the forefront.
• Be Specific : Provide details about your research projects, including the objectives, methodologies, and conclusions, as well as any contributions to publications or academic conferences.
• Professional Presentation : Format your CV clearly and professionally, using headers, bullet points, and consistent font and spacing to make it easily readable.
• Proofread : A CV with typos or grammatical errors can detract from its professionalism. Make sure to proofread your CV several times and consider having a mentor or career consultant review it.

In conclusion, while a resume might be your go-to for job applications, developing a CV is a critical step in the journey to graduate school. It’s a chance to comprehensively represent your academic career and to persuade the admissions committee that you are an ideal candidate for further study. Remember, the CV is not just a summary of your past; it is a document that speaks to your future potential in the world of academia.

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Graduate School Application Checklist

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What’s on a grad school application?

Applications vary, but graduate programs will typically ask you for:

• An online application form and fee
• What is your primary goal? What will you do with this degree?
• What is the evidence that you are prepared to do the work?
• Note, these elements might be divided into multiple essay prompts.
• CV or résumé
• Who knows you best? Who can speak to what the program cares about?
• Transcript (unofficial is usually OK but official might be required)

Additional requirements might include:

• Diversity statement or other essays
• A writing sample
• For most programs, this is the GRE . However, it’s becoming more and more common for GRE scores to be optional or not accepted at all.
• Professional programs (healthcare degrees, law school, business school) have their own standardized tests.
• Test scores and GPA go together: a great score can balance out a low GPA, and a strong GPA can give you leeway on your test score

Recommended timeline for applications:

Start by working backwards from your application deadline. For instance, December 1 is a typical earliest deadline for PhD programs and for most master’s degrees. Here’s an ideal timeline for that case:

• Talk to mentors & alumni to learn about good programs in your field
• Make a list of programs with deadlines, application components, and other relevant info
• Determine if any programs require the GRE (Or, for professional programs, make a plan to take the appropriate standardized test.)
• Email potential advisers at these programs (optional, but often beneficial)

By end of September

• Request letters of recommendation (Tip: If you are applying after graduation, talk to professors before you leave campus and keep in touch in the interim .)
• Finalize your CV/résumé and share it with your letter-writers
• Create an account on each school’s application portal and begin filling in information

By mid-October (e.g., end of Fall Break if you’re applying during your senior year at Grinnell)

• Write a draft of your statement of purpose that can be tailored for each program
• Share that draft with trusted mentors: faculty advisers, former research supervisors, CLS advisers
• Take the GRE, if necessary

By mid-November

• Write drafts of additional essays
• Create tailored versions of your main statement for each program
• Request transcripts (do you need official, or will unofficial suffice?)

By your application deadline

• Complete online application forms
• Polish your statement of purpose and other essays
• Follow up with your letter-writers
• Submit your apps!

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Applying to Graduate School

Take a look at these five steps to get a jump start on your graduate school search and application process.

1. Determine which programs are right for you.

Is graduate school the right fit for you at this point in your life? As you consider your options, talk to your faculty members and your  Career Coach  to learn more about the graduate programs available in your field.

Some things to consider are geographic location, cost of the program, available financial aid, institutional resources, reputation of the program, and career advancement opportunities.

2. Know the testing requirements.

Not all graduate programs require standardized testing as part of the admission process, however, here are some common tests:

• GRE (Graduate Record Exam: General Test)
• LSAT (Law School Admission Test)
• MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)
• GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

The following resources can help you prepare for these tests:

• Kaplan  - The most well-known resource for test preparation (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT).
• Get Prepped  - Prep course for the LSAT.
• LSAT Practice  - Unofficial source of practice questions and test information for the LSAT.
• How to Study for the GRE  - Unofficial source of test information and sample questions.
• How to Study for the GMAT  - Unofficial source of test information and sample questions.

3. Write your personal statement.

Many programs will require a written essay addressing specific components of your field of study and related personal experiences. If there are prompts provided, use them to guide your writing. In all cases, have other people (faculty, career coach, writing center ) critique your personal statement to ensure that your essay is error-free and relevant.

4. Prepare your resume or C.V.

There is a distinct difference between a resume and a C.V. Some graduate programs will ask specifically for one or the other, so it's important to know the difference.

• The main differences between a resume and a CV are length, content and purpose.
• Resumes are typically one to two pages while CVs have no length restrictions but are typically between three and ten pages.
• A resume is a concise, curated summary of your professional accomplishments that are most relevant to the industry job you’re applying for. Depending on your level of professional experience and the role, you may also include descriptions of academic and personal projects or volunteer work.
• A CV is a comprehensive, in-depth document presenting your relevant academic and professional achievements that are often used when applying for teaching or research positions.
• When deciding whether to submit a resume or a CV, consider the role and geographic location of the position. If you’re in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask a representative of the organization such as the hiring manager, recruiter or an HR representative to help you decide.

*Adapted from indeed.com

For help with your resume or C.V., please review the information on our resume website and reach out to your career coach for personalized attention.

5. Gather common application materials.

Some common required documents are:

• Letters of Recommendation
• Official Transcripts

Your career coach is a resource available to help support your graduate application process.

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How to Include Personal and Academic Projects on Your Resume

Step 1: List Out the Basics

Step 2: brainstorm details, step 3: clarify your goals, step 4: delete irrelevant details, step 5: organize what remains, the bottom line.

Personal and academic projects can add depth to your resume and are especially useful if you’re a new college graduate or have limited experience. But that doesn’t mean you should include every project you’ve ever done. Having too much project info can clutter your resume and make it less appealing to recruiters and hiring managers. For this reason, you need to take a close look at your projects and include only the ones that support your goals for your job search.

Complete this exercise to select and organize the right project details for your resume.

First, open a new blank document on your computer and save it as “Master Projects List.” In this new document, enter a simple list of all your past projects. Include the basics: project name, dates, location, and school, if applicable.

Under each project you’ve listed, brainstorm and write down any positive details about the experience that immediately come to mind. Consider what you’re most proud of for each project and what the positive outcome was. While brainstorming, don’t worry about the order, relevance, or organization of details yet (we’ll get to that in steps 4 and 5).

Once you’re done brainstorming, scroll back up to the top of your document. Here, type out your goals for your job search, such as your target job title, duties, leadership level, industry, and company size. You may be undecided or indifferent in some areas. If so, write that down as well. For instance, if you’re open to industry, write “Industry: open.”

Save the document, and then save it as “Projects List – [Target Job Title].” (So, if your target job title is Research Assistant, save it as “Projects List – Research Assistant.”) You’ll be working on this new document for the rest of the exercise.

Now, here’s your most important task. Review your project notes in light of the goals you’ve identified and delete any details that don’t hold relevance. Take it one point at a time. For each ask and answer the same critical question: Does this overlap with the type of work you’ll be doing in your next job? Don’t be shy about deleting project details that are recent and/or objectively impressive. If they don’t relate to your goals, they don’t need to go on your resume. (At least, not this one. They may be relevant to a future version of your resume targeting a different goal. Hence the value of drafting and saving your “Master Projects List” document.)

Now that you’ve filtered out all but the most relevant details, you’re in the best position to add projects to your resume. For each project, you can organize the elements similar to a standard job description, with bullets showcasing your key points. Here’s a sample template you can adapt:

Project Name, School / Affiliated Organization, City, ST | dates

Position Title: Description of your role or standard duties.

• Bullet highlight

(If there was no school/organization or position title for a personal project, simply omit those items.)

Where to add projects

For any personal projects, create a separate resume section. You can title it “Independent Projects” (or “Independent Project Highlights” if you wound up deleting some in step 4).

For any academic project, you can choose where to add them. Either include them in a separate section titled “Academic Projects” (or “Academic Project Highlights”) or include them in the Education section of your resume.

The right choice for you will depend on how relevant your college degree is in relation to your projects. If your degree is about equally applicable, combining your projects with your Education section details usually makes sense. But you may find your college degree is less relevant than the school projects you’ve listed. Perhaps you’re moving in a different direction than your major, but through the overall degree program you did some other projects that now speak strongly to your goals. In this case, it makes more sense to put these projects in their own “Academic Projects” section. You can place them above your Education section, making the projects more prominent on your resume.

How to fine-tune dates

Another strategic choice you can make has to do with project dates. You can either list them as you do a regular job description (e.g., “January 2022 to May 2022”) or as a general time span (e.g., “Duration: 4 months”).

If listing the dates regularly lets you account for your recent experience , use that option. But if you’re already accounting for your recent experience through your work history, you can list project dates as a general time span. This option often has a tidier look, especially when you have many different projects that only lasted a few weeks or months. More importantly, it allows you the flexibility to reorder the projects by relevance to your goal. Reordering by relevance can be especially helpful when your most recent projects are less applicable than the ones you did earlier on.

If you would like to include personal or academic projects on your resume, you should select those that are most relevant to the job you are seeking. You’ll avoid putting off recruiters and hiring managers with details that don’t speak to their needs through a strict focus on relevancy. Follow this exercise, and you can be sure your projects section adds a welcome new dimension to your overall resume.

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Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

Build a Resume to Enhance Your Career

• How to Build a Resume Learn More
• Basic Resume Examples and Templates Learn More
• How Many Jobs Should You List on a Resume? Learn More
• How to Include Personal and Academic Projects on Your Resume Learn More

Essential Guides for Your Job Search

• How to Land Your Dream Job Learn More
• How to Organize Your Job Search Learn More
• How to Include References in Your Job Search Learn More
• The Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview Learn More

How To Write a Resume for Your First Job

Imagine yourself stumbling across your dream job listing. You’re reading through the responsibilities and job tasks and you find yourself getting more and more excited as the list goes on. Then, it’s time to apply. But you have no real-world job experience. You’re just a student! How will you ever write a resume for your first job when you haven’t had one yet?

Knowing how to write a resume for your first job does not come naturally. In fact, it feels like a daunting task. If you have little applicable experience yet, or you’re just entering the workforce, how can you prove you’re the right fit for the position? 

Resumes are an excellent way to tout your knowledge, training and (if applicable) skills in the field. You can create an attractive resume highlighting your candidacy without any direct experience or prior work history.

We’ll show you how to write a resume for your first job so you can kick off your work experience with preparedness and confidence.

• Do you need a resume?
• What should you put on a resume?

Crafting a resume with no experience

Finalizing your first job resume, quick guide: write your first resume in 6 steps, do you need a resume for your first job.

While a resume may not be required to apply for your first job, it is highly recommended that you do so, and it will undoubtedly set you apart from the other applicants. A resume reflects your professionalism and commitment to the job application process. It showcases your knowledge, skills, training and prior experience in an easy-to-digest and relatively standard format, making it easy for potential employers to decipher between candidates to choose the best person for the job.

Even for entry-level positions, when many applicants don’t have a prior work history, sharing a resume will give you a competitive edge when written persuasively.

The role of a resume in job applications

A resume plays an important role when applying for jobs. It serves as an introduction to potential employers and those in the company who will decide whether or not to move forward with your application. It also provides a summary of what you bring to the table for those who will be interviewing you during the application process.

The resume is essential for showcasing your skills. A well-crafted and persuasive resume can highlight your achievements and knowledge, even if you have limited work experience in the field you’re applying to. Because your resume is the first contact point between you and a potential employer, it’s crucial to understand how to write a resume for your first job – and how to write it well.

What should you put on a resume for your first job?

There are a few things every resume must include – and those are some of the most essential details.

Contact information

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the most important part of your resume – sharing your contact information. Start by listing your full name, phone number, email address and a link to your LinkedIn profile. Without your contact information, potential employers will have a hard time contacting you, which can prevent you from getting an interview.

Why share a link to your LinkedIn profile ? LinkedIn is now an essential part of the job search market. It serves as a shareable resume in addition to showcasing your network. Employers can see if you have any professionals in common from work or personal life, which may help build your credibility as a candidate.

Be sure to act professionally on LinkedIn. Share relevant news and insights to highlight your interest and knowledge of an industry, but be wary of getting too personal or engaging in inappropriate dialogue. Behave on LinkedIn as you would in an office setting with colleagues.

Educational background and achievements

Start by listing your educational information, such as schools attended, graduation dates and relevant academic achievements or awards. Include your major and minor, field of study and GPA. If you were enrolled in courses, projects or study abroad programs relevant to the job, include details to show your knowledge and interests.

Skills section

While you likely have some combination of hard and soft skills, a skills section will showcase the hard skills you’ve learned to prepare you for the job. Soft skills are best to be included in the bullet points to describe your accomplishments in your experience section.

• Hard skills include specific technical skills you’ve learned along the way. For example, computer proficiency, language skills, lab skills or specific training or certifications.
• Soft skills , or human skills, include job aspects that apply to many (if not all) job roles. These include communication, teamwork and problem-solving. If you’re particularly adept in any of these, showcase them and be prepared to share real examples of these skills in action.

Extracurricular activities and volunteer work

Employers look for candidates who go the extra mile to be involved in extracurricular activities. This demonstrates your commitment to becoming a well-rounded human being. Highlight clubs, sports or volunteer activities that you were involved in, especially emphasizing leadership roles or particular responsibilities you had in these activities. This extracurricular activity showcases your ability to multi-task, prioritize time and develop skills and interests.

Example Resume & Writing Guide

See a real-life example of a strong resume, including tips for gathering your own persuasive experience and skills using our Resume Writing Guide !

As a young adult or new graduate, you may wonder how to write a resume for your first job with no real-world experience. Don’t fear – there have been many in your shoes before you!

What does a resume look like for a first job?

Your resume should be straightforward with a clean and concise design. It should be easy to read with a simple flow highlighting information from most important to nice-to-have details. Do not go overboard with design details, fonts or graphics. 

Furman recommends that you use Microsoft Word to build your resume as it can be easier to make changes to a Word document than it is to change a template. However, you can use free resume builder tools online to build your resume in standard formats.

• Myperfectresume.com
• Resumenerd.com

Using strong action words and job-specific keywords in your resume for your first job will significantly impact you. Describe experiences and achievements using strong action verbs, such as:

• Collaborated
• Volunteered

What to put on a resume with no experience?

You can learn how to write a resume for your first job that impresses potential employers, even without relevant work experience, by emphasizing relevant coursework. Doing this demonstrates skills learned in a classroom or group project setting. Highlight personal or academic projects showcasing your abilities, such as experiences where you took the lead as a group or team leader.

Before submitting your first job resume, review and edit the document for mistakes or improvements.

Proofreading and editing

Attention to detail is critical to potential employers. Check your resume for typos and grammatical errors. Mistakes on your resume may eliminate you as a candidate, especially if grammatical adeptness or attention to detail is essential to the job.

Similarly, ensure a consistent design throughout your resume. Stick to one format, using one legible font and minimal design details. A professional resume appearance can set you apart from other applicants’ resumes that may appear messy or disorganized.

Seeking feedback

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from friends, mentors or even career services at schools or community centers. A peer review from your fellow students, teachers or mentors can provide invaluable input on skills you may be forgetting, plus the extra set of eyes can help detect errors and typos.

Career services at your school or library also serve as an excellent third-party validation and review resource. Furman’s Malone Center for Career Engagement offers in-depth career preparation services for students, such as resume and cover letter assistance , career fairs and networking , personalized advice from advisors and interview prep – just to name a few.

Webinar: Polishing Your Resume & Preparing Your Pitch

Watch the free Polishing Your Resume & Preparing Your Pitch webinar for an in-depth look at creating your resume and preparing a pitch to potential employers straight from a Furman career advisor.

Now, do you feel ready and excited to write a resume for your first job? We hope you jotted down notes specific to your experience as you read through the post, but in case you didn’t, writing your resume can be simplified to these simple steps.

• Start with your contact information , including full name, phone number and email address. Consider adding a link to your LinkedIn profile.
• List your education experience , including relevant projects, courses and extracurricular activities.
• List both hard skills and soft skills relevant to the job.
• Explain your roles and responsibilities in your projects and extracurricular activities, especially those where you acted in a leadership capacity, using strong action verbs.
• Proofread and gather feedback.

If this is your first time writing a resume for your first job, approach the process with confidence and positivity. Your attitude will shine through the resume, so stay positive!

The perspectives and thoughts shared in the Furman Blog belong solely to the author and may not align with the official stance or policies of Furman University. All referenced sources were accurate as of the date of publication.

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