A resume is a very flexible document. It can be adapted to highlight your particular skills or experiences. Information can be included or deleted according to your needs. The order in which you present this information can vary as well. Click here to view a sample resume.

The chief function of a resume is to persuade an employer to grant you an interview. Thus, your resume must interest an employer by telling him or her who you are, what kind of work you can do for him, and how you are qualified. The following are several sample resumes to use as a guideline.

ALLIED HEALTH RESUME (Word Document)

BUSINESS DEGREE RESUME (Word Document)

SOCIAL SCIENCE RESUME (Word Document)

TEACHER EDUCATION RESUME (Word Document)

TEACHER EDUCATION REFERENCES (Word Document)

The content categories you choose for your resume will be determined by a number of factors, especially your strongest "selling point" relative to the type of position you are seeking. The list below gives an overview of the types of information normally included in the resume:

Identification Data. Name, current and permanent mailing address (with ZIP codes!) and phone number(s), include area code(s).

Career Objective. This is a statement which defines the type of position you are seeking. The statement should be specific without blocking options which may be of interest to you; too general a statement can be damaging.

Educational Background. Your academic experiences should be listed in reverse chronological order, most recent degree or experience first. List all schools attended, dates, degrees, diplomas, and certificates with an emphasis on highest level achieved and special training pertinent to your career objective. As you gain college degrees, it becomes unnecessary to include high school training unless it has some relevance to your current career objective.

Relevant Courses. List eight to ten courses in two or three columns that can explain your major in greater depth. List courses by name, not by number.

Work Experience. Your work experience can include not only paid full-time or part-time positions but responsible volunteer work, internships, and cooperative education experiences as well. For each position, list the organization for which you worked, the city and state where it is located, you job title, and dates of employment. Give a brief description of each of your positions, using short phrases and clauses rather than full sentences. It is particularly effective to begin each sentence with an action verb. Take credit for what you have done, especially for those activities that you initiated or supervised.

Optional Special Sections. You may choose to include additional information, particularly if it relates to your objective and/or reflects any achievements in which an employer may have an interest. Typical Special Sections include, but are not limited to: Military positions, promotions and responsibilities Publications, including articles, books, stories, etc. Research you may have done that relates to your career objective Special Skills not mentioned elsewhere, such as languages, computer operation and programming, and technical writing Extracurricular or Community Activities which can indicate your interests, willingness to accept responsibility, and leadership abilities. Honors and Awards.

Availability. Indicate to the prospective employer when you are available to start on the position.

References. There are several options for handling information on references: If the resume is relatively short, you may list names, positions, addresses, and telephone numbers of your references at the end of your resume. You may make a list of references (with above information) on a separate sheet, which will be enclosed with the resume or carried to an interview. Another option is to state simply, "References available upon request."

Never list just the name and phone number of a reference!