Resumes
Your resume is the most important document in your internship or job search - so spend some quality time on it. Employers spend an average of 30-45 seconds per resume - that's exactly how long you have to convince them to bring you in for an interview. Content and format are important - a great resume that's hard to follow can hurt your chances of getting an interview as much as a great looking resume where you haven't spent time developing the content.
Resume Basics Online Workshop
OptimalResume
OptimalResume is an excellent tool for creating and editing multiple copies of your resume. The online resume-builder has been fully customized for Kelley Indianapolis students and alumni and contains examples and advice for each section of your resume. Click on the icon below to get started.
Selecting a Resume Format
- Reverse Chronological - List your work experience in reverse order, beginning with your most recent job and working back. Each position is generally followed by a series of bullet points. This the most common format used by business undergraduates.
- Functional - Highlight your skills based on the requirements of the job. Skills are not necessarily correlated with specific positions.
- Combination - Combines aspects of both the reverse chronological and functional formats, with groups of skills highlighted within positions.
Resume Sections
You should select the sections to include based on your experiences, skills, and qualifications. Below is a list of the most commonly used resume sections, which can be adapted to suit your individual needs and can appear in various orders.
- Objective
- Education
- Experience (Professional, Part-time, Internships)
- Internships
- Skills (Language, Computer, etc.)
- Honors and Awards
- Activities
- Volunteer Work
- Leadership
- Research/Publications/Presentations
Each section should also use strong, descriptive words to describe your experiences, skills, and qualifications. Click here for a helpful list of action verbs.
Resume PowerPoint Presentation (detailed)
Cover Letters
Your cover letter should be as outstanding as your resume. Cover letters are your introduction to the employer, and if your cover letter isn't excellent, the employer may not proceed to your resume. Rather than being a summary of your resume, a cover letter is used to expand on the information in your resume. This may include mentioning someone who referred you to the position or explaining an item listed on your resume. Refer to the material below to guide you through the cover letter writing process.
Cover Letter Basics Online Workshop
OptimalCoverLetter
OptimalResume also has a feature for cover letters. The online cover letter-builder contains examples and advice for each section of your cover letter. Click on the icon below to get started.
Cover Letter Sections
There are several sections to a cover letter:
- Heading and Greeting
- Business Letter Format
- Find the contact's name!
- First Paragraph
- State the position you are applying for
- Where you heard about it
- Why you are applying
- Second Paragraph
- Sell yourself!
- Elaborate on your resume
- Third Paragraph
- Ask for an interview
- Reiterate your strengths as a candidate
- Closing
- Your signature
For personal assistance with writing your resume and cover letters, please visit the Career Planning Office. Walk-in hours are from 9-11am and 2-4pm, Monday-Friday. Please call 317-278-0506 if you would like to make an appointment.
