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Resumes are one of those very common things that almost everyone will encounter at some point in their life, but they’re also a little mysterious. There’s not really a standard template or way to put one together; there’s sort of a do-it-yourself element, with the internet being full of all sorts of (often conflicting) advice.

Luckily, the º£½ÇÉçÇø Career Centre is available to help (it’s free for current students and alumni within one year), and I was able to connect with James, a career advisor, to get some answers to my questions about making my resume better.

How long should my resume be? Is there an optimal number of pages?

Two pages is standard, but you don't have to fill the second page. Make sure to put the most important info on the first page and at the top.

What should I be including? What shouldn’t I be including?

The info on your resume should really focus on what's most relevant to the job you're going for. Make sure to highlight any experience that shows off your qualifications for the position and adds some value.

Here are some headings you might want to think about adding to your resume: highlight of skills, education, relevant experiences, additional experiences, volunteer work, memberships, licenses and certifications, professional development, technical skills and notable achievements.  

I’d suggest leaving out a list of skills without any qualifications. Generally, you don't need to list coursework unless there are specific projects you want to call out in your experience section. The phrase "references available upon request” isn’t necessary.

What if someone is just starting out (like many undergraduate students) and they don’t have a lot of work experience to list?

Having direct work experience in the role you're applying for is definitely a plus, but for those just starting out in their careers, we really focus on transferable skills. You might have picked these skills up from all sorts of experiences, like paid jobs, unpaid positions, volunteering, internships or even class projects from your coursework. If any of these experiences can help show you're a good fit for the role, they count!

I’ve heard that I should “tailor” my resume to each job I’m applying for. What exactly does this mean?

Tailoring your resume for a specific job means highlighting the most relevant details from your experiences instead of sharing your whole career story. This might mean picking and choosing which experiences to include or leave out. Also, adding keywords from the job description into your resume, as long as they match your real experiences, can be really helpful in keyword matching and aligning your experience to the employer's needs.

Do you have any other resume advice?

Keep your resume looking clean by sticking to black-and-white text. Avoid adding any images or graphics, and if you can, limit the use of multiple columns and hyperlinks.

If someone wants more help, can they make an appointment with a career advisor like yourself? How does one go about doing that?

If you need more help with your resume, feel free to stop by the Career Centre! You can set up an appointment on , or just reach out to us by email or phone to find a time. 

When you’re booking an appointment on campusBridge, make sure to choose a Document Review appointment – those sessions last an hour and can be done in person or online.