RESUME GUIDELINES & SAMPLES FOR MASTER’S STUDENTS

A resume is a summary of your abilities, accomplishments, and experiences. Its main purpose is to persuade a potential employer to bring you in for an interview. Note that this guide is only an introduction to writing your resume. We recommend that you have a career counselor critique your resume before using it.

HOW TO BEGIN

To develop an effective resume you must first have a thorough knowledge of the product you are selling - YOU! Before you begin, reflect on the key talents, skills, accomplishments, and experiences that you are marketing to the employer. If you don’t have a lot of experience, highlight your extracurricular activities as well as relevant academic projects.

Once you have clarified what skills and knowledge you have to offer, the next step is learning what qualifications are valued by employers in your field. Do different organizations in the same field look for similar or different qualifications? How much do you know about the position for which you are applying? Are any specific skills stressed in the job description? Be sure to emphasize the aspects of your experience which are most relevant to the job.

RESUME FORMATS

1. Reverse Chronological: This is the most common format and preferred by most recruiters. It is particularly appropriate for individuals whose most recent work and educational experience match closely with their career/job objective. All sections are included in reverse chronological order, from most recent going backward in time.

2. Functional: This is less frequently used and is most appropriate for people who are changing careers or do not have experience in their chosen field. It is designed to highlight specific transferable skills that would be relevant to an employer, rather than focus on chronology or employment history.

3. Combination: Combines reverse chronological and functional formats.

LAYOUT AND FORMATTING

Although the content in your resume is paramount, its appearance can determine whether or not it gets read. Your resume must look professional and inviting, but not flashy. It should be printed on high quality paper of neutral color.

• Length: One Page is preferable in nearly all cases. Two-page resumes are appropriate only in certain industries and if you have a great deal of relevant experience. If you use two pages, add your name and “page 2” at the top or bottom right corner of the second page.

• Margins: Margins should be at least 1/2-inch and consistent on both sides.

• Font type and size: Use 10-12 point font size, depending on space and font type – a conservative font type is preferred such as Arial or Times New Roman. It should be consistent throughout the document.

• Headings: Use clear and bold headings throughout, utilizing bold, underlining, and italics to draw attention.

• Proofread: Have others proofread your resume for clarity, grammar, and spelling. Errors can cause your resume to not be reviewed by an employer.

KEY SECTIONS TO INCLUDE:

• Identifying Information: This includes your first and last name, address, phone number and email (preferably NYU).

• Education: List in reverse chronology. Include institution, location, school division, degree, graduation date month and year (even if it is a future graduation date), all majors and minors, and GPA if above a 3.0.

• Experience: Include paid employment, internships, volunteer work, and military service. List employer/organization, location (city and state only), job title, dates of employment, and a brief job description. This can be divided into different sections to highlight relevant experience.

• Skills: Include all computer, foreign language, and technical skills, even if you are less than proficient in them. Characterize your level of ability using phrases such as “familiar with,” “knowledge of,” or “experience in.” Computer skills and languages may be used as separate categories.

OPTIONAL SECTIONS TO INCLUDE:

• Objective: If you choose to include an objective, mention a specific position that you are seeking. Do not state that you want a “challenging career opportunity.”

• Summary of Qualifications/Profile: This includes a short summary of your key skills that relate to the specific job you are applying to.

• Honors: List any honors, scholarships, or awards you have received, including any received from community or civic organizations. This can also be included with Education.

• Relevant Coursework: List courses - even if outside your major - that are relevant to the position. Focus on electives and upper-level courses. This can also be included with Education.

• Activities: Include NYU club memberships, student government, community service, and participation on athletic teams. Emphasize leadership duties, if any. If the bulk of your experience was gained through an activity, list it under your experience section, and describe your work as recommended above.

• Interests: This section adds a personal dimension to the resume. Be specific (see samples). Travel experience may be included. Use this section only if you have room for it!

HOW TO DESCRIBE EXPERIENCE

When writing the job description, be concise and concrete. Use action verbs. Describe responsibilities as well as skills used. Emphasize results and accomplishments! When possible, include numbers and other specific information to highlight the scope of your work. Do not lead with “Duties” or “Responsibilities.” Omit pronouns.

Include specific details of the experiences that are relevant to your job objective. Six or seven lines of information are enough. For less relevant experience (e.g., babysitting, when you want a job in broadcasting), summarize the responsibilities in one or two lines.

SENDING YOUR RESUME

Most resumes are sent via email or through an online system. It is important to follow ALL requirements when applying. See below for tips:

• Email/Online: Attach your resume and cover letter as two separate documents and/or use your cover letter as the body of your email. Convert to a PDF whenever possible to maintain formatting. Be sure to include your last name in the title of the document.

• Print: Print your resume on 8 1/2 by 11 inch white, ivory, or light beige bond paper (look for ‘resume paper’ at an office supply store). If your resume is on two pages, print it on two pieces of paper and attach them together with a paperclip.

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This publication is available in alternative formats for individuals with disabilities upon request

Harold N. Maude 123 West 10th Street, New York, NY 10006

(212) 998-4730, hnm@nyu.edu

EDUCATION New York University, New York, NY May 2013

Master of Science in Public Relations, minor in Corporate Communication, GPA 3.6/ 4.0

Benson Idahosa University, Benin, Nigeria June 2009 Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication First Class Honors, 4.53/ 5.0

EXPERIENCE Simon & Schuster, New York, NY Media Relations Intern March – July 2012

• Frequently wrote and distributed media advisories and press releases to over 80 journalists in about 50 countries

• Wrote articles for the organization’s website on weekly basis while editing the website monthly • Updated regularly the organization’s media contact lists • Liaised with journalists and spokespersons, scheduling interviews as appropriate • Monitored relevant media outlets for media mentions of company. Reported such mentions as required

Edelman, New York, NY Public Relations Coordinator December 2009 - February 2012

• Provided client service administration support; attend meetings, handle scheduling, logistics and provide billing support

• Researched, compiled and analyzed client media coverage • Wrote, edited and proofread materials including press releases, pitch letters, fact sheets and client

correspondence Great Rock Global Resources Ltd, Benin City, Nigeria

Public Relations Personnel June - October 2009 • Helped in handling media relations issues such as pitching the media, making and receiving media calls • Organized press conferences, and public exhibitions • Prepared publicity brochures, newsletters, magazines while managing purchasing for advertising space

African Independent Television, Lagos, Nigeria Reporter July –September 2008

• Involved in daily news gathering, reporting, editing, and camera operations (video coverage, and editing)

Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Nigeria Writer and Photojournalist for the newspaper “Herald” and the magazine “Faces of BIU” 2005-2009

• Served as a Reporter and Contributor to the University’s newspaper “Herald” NON-PUBLISHED WORK

The Influence of Television Advertisement on Product Promotion in Nigeria ACCOMPLISHMENT

Volunteer Organizer NYU Relay for Life August 2011-Present Editor-in Chief Faces of BIU Magazine (Innovated the first edition in May 2009, leading a team of 22 students) Produced a Documentary on Benson Idahosa University Hostel Accommodation (initiated and led a team of 15)

COMPUTER SKILLS

MLA and APA Writing Styles, MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Prezi      

LANGUAGES Fluent in Nigerian; Intermediate French    

Reverse Chronological Format Email should be

professional, preferably use NYU address

Experience section can include unpaid

opportunities if extensive

ANNA MEYERS

7 Cleveland Street, #4F New York, NY 10016 (212) 555-5555 student@nyu.edu

PROFILE • Over three years of experience in a non profit setting. • Excellent oral and written communication ability. • Active team member in collaborative projects in assessing needs and developing creative solutions.

EDUCATION

New York University, New York, NY 09/13 Master of Science in Global Affairs GPA 3.5 State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY 05/11 Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Bachelor of Science in International Studies Minor in French and Leadership GPA 3.46 Cum Laude

RELATED EXPERIENCE

United Nations Childrenʼs Fund, Performance Management Intern, New York, NY 01/12-Present Analyze data, performance trends, and statistics to strengthen UNICEFʼs worldwide programs. Proofread and translate materials. United States Mission to the United Nations, Management and Reform Intern, New York, NY 09/11-12/11 Collaborated with U.S. delegates to the General Assemblyʼs Fifth Committee on administrative and budgetary matters. Assisted on behalf of the U.S. Department of State with the 67th UN General Assembly. The Mirror Foundation, Thai Citizenship Project Intern, Chiang Rai, Thailand 05/11-08/11 Wrote grant proposals and articles, maintain website, data collection. Taught English to the Hilltribe children. Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons, International Programs Intern, Washington, D.C. 05/10-08/10 Coordinated information management for FY 2012, program management at U.S. Department of State. Office Liaison with over 500 organizations about grant decisions, research on human trafficking toolkit. U.S. Consulate Vancouver, Political/Economic Intern, Vancouver, Canada 05/09-08/09 Drafted diplomatic cables and assisted with U.S./Canadian relations with U.S. Department of State. Attended over 15 meetings on behalf of the U.S. Consulate Vancouver.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Administrative Assistant, NYU Bobst Library, New York, NY 8/11-Present Research Assistant, Bartles & Flomm, Esq., New York, NY 1/07-8/08

SKILLS

Fluent in Spanish, Experience in French, Proficient in Microsoft Office, Mac OSX, Beginner HTML

AFFILIATIONS

Young Non-Profit Professionals Network Association for International Affairs

Reverse Chronological Format

This can be added to summarize key skills related to the position

Keep all dates in the same format.

Dividing experience into two sections emphasizes relevant work

Focus should be on hard skills (i.e.: computer, language) instead of soft skills (i.e.:

interpersonal, communication)

MEI JEN (JANE) LEE Local: 654 E. Boston Avenue, #6J • New York, NY 13579

Permanent: 123 Willow Avenue • Austin, TX 78622 (646) 555-5555 • student@nyu.edu

EDUCATION:

New York University, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York, NY Master of Science, Computer Science, September 2012 GPA: 3.52

New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ

Post Bachelor’s Program, Computer Science, September 2006 – May 2007 GPA: 3.74

Howard University, Washington, DC Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy, May 2005 GPA: 3.98

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Programming Languages : Java, C/C++, XML, VBA, HTML, SQL/PLSQL Scripting Languages : Perl, CGI, Javascript Operating Systems : Windows, UNIX, Linux Web Site Development : Java Servlet Programming, TCP/IP Programming, HTML, MS FrontPage, Dreamweaver, Ruby on Rails Database Development : MS Access, MySQL, Oracle Other Tools : Eclipse, MS Office, Macromedia Flash 5.0

ACADEMIC PROJECTS:

Fixed Income Portfolio Analytics (C++, Excel, VBA) Summer 2012 Created application for analyzing portfolio of bullet bonds. Calculated day-over-day change in notional, risk and LGD for each ticker and quality code. Analyzed portfolio sensitivity to yield curve shifts.

Replicated Concurrency Control and Recovery System (Java) Spring 2011

Implemented a distributed concurrency control algorithm for transactions using two phase locking, multiversion read consistency and deadlock avoidance mechanism. Handled failure and recovery in a multiprocessing environment.

Global Comment Spam Razor (C++, Perl) Fall 2010

Designed and developed a spam filter for blog hosting servers. Developed CSR protocol based on TCP/IP for communication between blog hosting server and comment spam razor server.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Rockwood Systems Ltd, Jersey City, NJ 2007 – 2009 Software Assistant Power Communication Reimplementation (Zoho CRM)

Configured the call center application for a network communication provider using Zoho tools. Wrote business services using e-Script. Created workflows to automate the business process.

Online Pair Coaching System (Ruby on Rails) Build the user login system and managed user sessions for the website. Developed flash component for wheel-of-life and integrated it in the application.

Experiment Tracking System (Ruby on Rails) Developed and tested a web based application for automation of lab processes and experiment tracking. Created on-the-fly workflow for experiments and managed experiment meta-data.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Fluent Mandarin Chinese

Reverse Chronological/Projects Format Include permanent address only if you are looking for a

job in that location

For technical jobs, include more detail and move to the front of resume

Darryl Johnson 35 Baltimore Avenue, #419 • New York, NY 10003 • (212) 555-5555 • student@nyu.edu

EXPERIENCE World Bank New York, New York Research Assistant September 2010-Present Research

• Analyze data in order to report on trends and growth areas in developing countries • Coordinate team proposal development processes, including preparation of proposal drafts, cover

letters, and supplemental documentation • Ensure that relevant donor and prospect data is captured, maintained, accurate, up-to-date records are

maintained on grant activity Program Management • Assist with program outreach and communication activities • Plan and execute events a variety of meetings and large-scale

events

Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, New York University New York, NY Special Projects Assistant October 2006-June 2010

Grant Writing • Performed extensive literature review regarding Title VI grant • Collaborated with Director in writing Department of Education Title VI grant, resulting in Center’s

rating as first among Middle East resource centers in the United States Administrative • Translated documents from Arabic to English • Performed office duties including copying, faxing, and reception

EDUCATION

New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York, NY Master of Arts in International Relations, May 2010 American University in Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon Intensive Arabic Immersion Program, Summer 2006 Williams College, Williamstown, MA Bachelor of Arts in Arabic, May 2006

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Save the Children, New York, NY 2008-Present Institute of International Education, Washington, D.C. Summer 2010

LANGUAGES

Fluent in Arabic, Advanced Farsi and Spanish COMPUTER SKILLS

Proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, SPSS, MAC and PC INTERESTS

Painting, languages, and international travel

Combination Chronological/Functional Format

Keep all formatting consistent within each section

Education can be moved to the bottom once

experience is more recent and/or relevant

This combination format highlights specific skills within each position

Maria L. Perez

1524 6th Avenue, Apt. 1C Hoboken, NJ 07733 (201) 555-5555 mlp@nyu.edu

OBJECTIVE

Marine Biology Research position

EDUCATION

New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York, NY Master of Arts in Biology, G.P.A. 3.98, September 2012 Related Courses: Developmental Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Microbiology, Toxicology

University of Washington, Washington Institute of Marine Biology, Seattle, WA Bachelor of Arts in Research Studies, May 2010 EXPERIENCE

Scientific Research Researched and collected data for one-week study in Puget Sound, Seattle, WA Investigated existence and population of invertebrates in various families in Lake Washington,

Seattle, WA Gained thorough knowledge of identification of marine species at Washington Institute of

Marine Biology Prepared study for skins of marine birds and reconstructed bone skeletons of marine fish and

mammals

Organization/Coordination Coordinated and wrote marine biology research projects Designed a study of forest plant files in a research project; located species and measured quantity Photographed coverage of an animal behavior study through a microscope Organized projects for an aviation company, working closely with engineers and customers;

project involved blueprints, correspondence, and manual updates EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

LIBRARY ASSISTANT, Hoboken Public Library, Hoboken, NJ Fall 2010-Present RESEARCH ASSISTANT, New York University, New York, NY Fall 2009-Spring 2010 ASSISTANT MANAGER, Katchur Development Inc., Seattle, WA Summers 2007 and 2008 OFFICE ASSISTANT, Mackes Aircraft, El Segundo, CA Summer 2006

ACTIVITIES

NYU Bioethics Forum, Member Greenpeace, Volunteer NYU Chess Club, Member

SKILLS Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Lexis Nexis, Fluent in Spanish

Functional Format

This is optional and should be specific to

each position

Experience is separated by skill in a Functional format

This is a non-traditional resume

format, please discuss with a

counselor before using.