Rippin’ the Resume

It seems that when it’s time to turn in applications, every single one needs a resume attached. It also seems that a resume can never be perfect enough! October for me came quickly—and it has also come with many deadlines. Scholarships, applications for various awards, and new job opportunities take advantage of the new fiscal year as a great due date.

My roommate and I have been filling out many of the same applications the last few weeks. In preparation for the applications, I had the honor of ripping apart her resume! English has always been my favorite subject, but editing a resume goes beyond just looking at grammatical errors.

When revising your resume, the most important thing to remember is consistency! Consistency fixes so many problems. If margins are even and every single item is formatted the same, the resume will have a neat, attractive appearance. Even in the activities or accomplishments have little relevance to the job you're seeking, consistency with the presentation and organization will “wow” your reader.

The modern, up-to-date resume today has to grab the employer’s attention. On my resume, I actually have my name and heading in royal blue. The blue is not Legally Blonde’s resume on pink paper by any means, but it does add that little pizzazz which (hopefully) will cause an employer or scholarship critique to take a second look at it.

With the help of the CAFNR Career Services, I have worked on continuously on editing my resume. They can help you too—set up an appointment with Stephanie Chipman to get your resume ripped apart today!

-Charlotte Jackson
Sophomore, Agricultural Education