Resume & Cover Letter

A business resume should be a marketing tool to represent the unique skills and value you would bring to an employer. Recruiters scan resumes in seconds, and having a well written, effectively organized resume can determine how far you get in the application process.

Sections in a Resume

Contact Information

Name, mailing address (if desired), cell phone number and email address. Consider adding a LinkedIn URL to showcase your completed profile.
Make sure your email address is professional; best email contains your full name.

Education

List college degrees in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
Differentiate yourself once admitted as a business student by listing your education as follows: University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business
Accurately represent current major and status (don’t list the major until you are officially accepted)
Include graduation dates, even those in the future
Do not list high school after your freshman year
GPA & Honors can be included
Relevant coursework can be included; focus on relevant topics and projects related to the position you are seeking

Experience & Accomplishment Statements

Include organization/company name, position/title, and dates of employment
Highlight relevant experience using strong action words by business function. Here is the list of Action Verbs to use.
Focus on describing accomplishments and the positive impact you made on the organization – not just your duties or responsibilities. See examples here (link to entire worksheet: Accomplishment Statements Sheet)
Don’t begin statements with “responsible for…” or “experience working in…”; Instead, describe your background in terms of achievements

Be specific about what you have done. Don’t claim you are “detail-oriented” or “hardworking” or a “team player” without giving an example.

Step 1: Action Verb	Step 2: Who/What/How Many?	Step 3: Why/Result/Goal/Purpose/Benefit?
Designed and Implemented	a training program for sales staff of 35	that clarified procedures and increased competency
Produced a set of reports	for the accounting department	in accordance with the new SBA guidelines
Provided system administration	for an information systems organization of 12 users	that resulted in more efficient daily operations
Reduced	production time by three hours on a key weekly report	getting essential information to the media by noon instead of 3 p.m.

Activities

Could include on-campus clubs and leadership, professional organizations, community involvement and volunteer work. Take a leadership role whenever you have an opportunity.
View BYU’s suggestions on how and when to list an LDS mission or other church service on your resume.

Skills

List specific relevant skills where your proficiency will add value to the organization (e.g. languages, technical skills, certifications).
This section is crucial to some majors (IS).

Interests

Include specific interests with details to serve as conversation starters.
This section is crucial to some majors (Accounting/Finance).

Resume Formatting

Chronological

Lists, describes, and provides dates for each job and educational experience separately and in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
Most employers prefer this style
Works best for those who have progressed in titles and have a good work history

Functional

Highlights your skills and how they qualify you for the desired position while de-emphasizing non-related employment and dates
Works well for those with limited education, significant employment gaps, lack of work experience, or experience in a different field; this format can be used both by recent grads and career changers.

Combination

Combines both detailed work history and skills.
May include a “skills summary” or “highlights” section.

Formatting Tips

Unless you have 15+ years of experience, limit your resume to one page only.
One-inch margins (all the way around) are standard, but may be adjusted to accommodate more information; some white space is essential.
Use bullet points, not paragraphs. Choose a font that is easy to read such as Arial or Times Roman; size 10-12 point.
Be consistent with your format throughout the document, including abbreviations, fonts, spacing, etc.
Don’t use templates or resume programs to create your resume, as it shows lack of interest and initiative.

A resume is NOT a list of everything you’ve ever done. Let the job description guide what to include and what to leave out.
There is no excuse for errors—spelling, grammar and typos can eliminate you from consideration.
Avoid italics and underlining since optical scanners can misread them; use all caps instead (sparingly) and bold to make your important work and phrases stand out.
There’s no such thing as a “one size fits all” resume. Customize and tailor your resume to audience.
Have your business career counselor or career ambassador review your resume. Upload your revised resume to Handshake.