Application Materials
When applying to any opportunity, your application materials are often the employer’s first impression of you. Your documents should present who you are as a candidate in a clear, concise, and compelling way, that is tailored for the position to which you are applying. Utilize the CHHS Resume Guide and CHHS Cover letter Guide to get started, then follow up with a counselor with CSU’s Career Center for individualized feedback and support.
Quick Tips
- Identify the “message” in what the position is looking for through the keywords and requirements and make sure that your resume reflects that “message.”
- Build a “master resume” including all your experiences, leaving nothing out. For each position you apply for, craft a “target resume” using select experiences from your master resume.
- Describe your experiences by your accomplishments instead of simply what you were “responsible” for. Utilize resources such as the CSU Career Center to help create strong descriptions.
- Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and accurately reflects your skills, interests and values. Recruiters often look to LinkedIn to find out more about a candidate.
- When creating your resume, avoid using lots of color or fancy graphics in order to stand out.* Aim instead for an easily readable resume where the content sets you apart from the competition.
*This may differ for more creative fields, such as design or marketing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my resume have to be one page?
You can absolutely have a resume that is longer than one page, and you want to make sure that all the experiences/accomplishments/certifications/etc. you’re including are relevant to the skills the job is looking for. Make sure to include your heading section on both pages if you have two pages.
How do I “stand out” with my resume?
The best way to stand out with your resume is by having a resume that is easy to read, easy to follow, and by having strong content that clearly identifies your skills and how you’ve brought your strengths to each experience. Having images, symbols or color might seem like the way to stand out, but it impacts the reader’s ability to gather the information they need. In most cases, “boring” = best.
Should I include my high school diploma on my resume?
For the education section, no. Because you’re at a university, the reader will know that you’ve graduated from high school.
What can/should I include for the education section?
Only include institutions where you have or are currently working towards obtaining a degree.
That would mean that someone with an associate’s degree would include this on their resume. Someone who transferred from another university would not, unless they earned a degree from that institution.
How do I include a seasonal or short term (one day or one week) job on the resume?
You can do this by saying “Summer 2019” for your dates, or for multiple summers you could say “Summers 2017-2019” or “Summers 2016, 2018, 2019”. For short term you can include the month and year you did the job, or the specific day(s) you did the position.