The Career Center’s five top tips to improve your resume

TU students can use their new resumes at the Spring Mega Job and Internship Fair on March 31. 

Towson University students will be able to show off their resumes during the 2017 Spring Mega Job and Internship Fair on Friday, March 31 at SECU Arena. The event will take place from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
Towson University students will be able to show off their resumes during the 2017 Spring Mega Job and Internship Fair on Friday, March 31 at SECU Arena. The event will take place from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

With Towson University reaching the halfway point of the semester, no one would blame students if they were starting to look toward their futures.

That may be a summer job, the perfect  internship, or a new career after walking across the SECU Arena stage at May’s Commencement ceremony.

But for most, these new adventures don’t start during the summer. They start months before by crafting the perfect resume.

A resume gives employers the first impression of an applicant. Preparing an effective resume requires thought, time and effort, and it can also seem like an intimidating task.

But with the help of the TU Career Center, students can get a leg up.

The Career Center provides one-on-one career counseling, job interview practice, job-seeking advice, and training in creating an impressive resume.  

So to help students that are looking toward the future, here are five sure-fire tips to spruce up anyone’s resume. 

1. Focus, Focus, Focus

Before diving in, students need to make sure they are reaching the right people in a way that will resonate. In general, an all-purpose, one-size-fits-all resume is not effective. If an employer has to work to figure out how an applicant is qualified, they won’t.

Find relevant job/internship listings and mine them for key words to identify the critical skills, education, experience and qualifications your target audience is demanding, then intentionally focus your resume content on these elements.

2. So What? 

For every item on your resume, ask the question, “So what?” Be sure you’re asking this question from the employer’s perspective. Unless you’re looking for a job in food service, an employer may not care that you flipped hamburgers and operated a cash register at McDonald’s. But, they may be interested in the fact that you worked 20 hours per week while maintaining a full course load, learned to work effectively in a fast-paced and/or high-pressure environment, or were promoted three times in one year.

Use “So what?” as your resume editing tool to ensure each item on your resume answers the question effectively; if it doesn’t, remove it or refocus the content and details you’re sharing.

3. Proof Positive 

Nothing blows your chances more quickly than errors and mistakes. Remember that human resource professionals look at resumes all day long for reasons to narrow down the applicant pool. Inconsistent formatting, spelling errors, and incorrect grammar will jump out and guarantee your resume a quick trip to the recycle bin. Proofread carefully each and every time.

4. Buddy System  

Resume writing is both an art and a science. Luckily, there are people and resources readily available to get your resume in gear. With the Career Center’s major-specific resume samples, handouts on writing resume bullet points, instructional videos, and drop-in Express Hours 1:1 resume reviews, there’s no need to do it alone. 

5. Never-ending Story 

Think of your resume as a living document. It’s never finished and will change and evolve with you over the course of your career. Keeping it up-to-date and focused on your current job search goals will allow you to take advantage of both planned and unexpected opportunities as they present themselves.

Learn more about the Towson University Career Center and all its services

Students will be able to put their new resumes to good use by attending the Career Center’s annual Spring Mega Job and Internship Fair on Friday, March 31 at SECU Arena from 12 – 3 p.m. TU students and alumni of all majors are invited to meet with over 200 employers for full-time, part-time and internship positions. Students should dress professionally and bring 15-20 copies of their resume.

Learn more about the 2017 Spring Mega Job and Internship Fair

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: Creating a World-Class, Lifelong Career Center