STEM Resources

Use the job description as your guide to write your resume.

It’s great to have a resume that lists all your skills. However, it’s best to tailor your resume to the position. This will be key in helping your resume stand out when employers review over hundreds of resumes. You want to make it so easy for them to see you would be a great fit for their company/organization.

After you have reviewed the job description, list as many qualities/skills that match the position and include your proficiency level (e.g. beginner, intermediate or expert). For example, name the computer programs you have experience using such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or other programs like Java, C Programming, etc. Another example is being knowledgeable in a second or third language in reading, writing, and speaking.

You want to be honest with yourself and the employer of your knowledge, experience, and skills. Write down key skills/ experiences and knowledge you hold that can be applied to the position.

Reminder: Even if the position may be a different field, your skills can be transferrable in any job to highlight your experience (e.g. excellent communication skills, conflict resolution skills, identifying problems, and leading team towards solution, etc.)

Your Name

Your name and contact information are your logo/brand, let's make it stand out. Place your full name and contact information at the top of your resume page. Be sure to be bold your name in larger font. Next, include your phone number and email address below or on the side of your name.

Your Phone Number

Ensure the phone number on your resume is a working number and accepts phone calls from unknown numbers. We don't to miss out on opportunities! Let's double check we do not have the "Silence Unknown Callers" feature under our phone settings.

On another note, ensure you have your voice mail set up and have an appropriate greeting message for your voicemail. If you don't feel comfortable creating a greeting message, use the default greeting message that restates your phone number.

Your Email Address

Your email address in your resume must also be an appropriate and professional titled email address. Let's not use the same email address where you receive junk or spam mail. Furthermore, you can create a specific email address for your job/internship seeking role.

When you are typing bullet points on your resume, make sure to highlight the most important skills first! You want to catch the employer’s eyes on your biggest, best, and most valuable examples of your skills and experience.

Experience is experience. If you have volunteer experience, you can create a separate section to show recruiters your interest outside of your job. Volunteer experience can vary and look like any of the examples below:

• babysit family members,
• tutor others
• volunteer at the local library once a week,
• held a position in a club
• led a team through a course project or
• created and contributed an idea to an organization in which you led

Let's add these to your resume!

Another example is to include your academic experience into a separate section. Create bullet points to point out relevant courses or projects you've done at West Valley College. For instance, if we want to highlight academic skills we have gained in a course, let's spell out the title of the course. For example, instead of "MATH 3A", let's add "Calculus and Analytical Geometry" and include your knowledge or skills gained from that class.

Lastly, another tip for your education experience is to include your overall G.P.A. especially if it is required for the position.

No matter your career interest, all employers want to see how you helped solved problems within the company/organization/ group that you were in and how you contributed. If you have #s or statistics to show how you improved, increased, or bettered their company/organization, make sure to add this to your resume.

For example, if you contributed to an idea that would increase efficiency by a 5% or increase production in a specific project, this is a great opportunity for you to show your work.

As a college student, place your education experience at the top of your resume page under your name and contact information. You will include the name of your college, major degree/certificate you are pursuing and dates of attendance.

On dates of attendance, you can include examples that show you are currently a student and date you expect to graduate, such as the examples below:

• August 2018 - May 2021
• June 2021 - Present
• August 2020 - Expected Graduation: May 2023

It's noteworthy to point out the importance of including achievements awards in this section. For instance, if you:

• are in the honors program
• made the Dean's List or President's List
• received an achievement award or certificate
• graduated with summa cum laude or magna cum laude honors

Be sure to include these amazing accomplishments in your resume!

If you are using Canva or another similar program in which offers a default resume template, then you might not be as concerned with the format. However, if you are creating your own, it's recommended to use Microsoft Word, not Google Docs, to play with the organization of your resume and it can also be easily converted to an Adobe PDF document.

Use an 8 ½ x11 paper. It is ideal to use a white background with black font, Calibri or Arial type font and 10 or 12 size fonts.

Ensure the spacing between lines, font, margins, bold print, underlined words, or capitalized words are aesthetically pleasing to the eye when looking at your resume page. Arrange a cohesive and uniformed resume so the employer or organization can easily find the information recruiters are looking for.