Resumés
Purpose of a Resumé
Your resumé is an introduction to a potential employer. More often than not, employers will scan your resumé and make an assessment very rapidly. Your resumé should stimulate an employer's interest in meeting you. IT SHOULD GET YOU AN INTERVIEW.A resumé IS a marketing tool that distinguishes you from the competition by highlighting your major accomplishments and related experience. It is a presentation targeting the potential employer's needs and emphasizing YOUR CONTRIBUTION to previous organizations.
A resumé IS NOT an autobiography that describes your life to date or a laundry list of everything you have ever done in your previous jobs.
Stop by the Career Center
While the information in these pages will get you started in creating your resumé, the FCC staff is available to critique your resumé, answer questions, or provide additional information on any of the abovementioned topics. Developing a resumé can take time and effort that will be well worth it in creating opportunities along your career path.
Q: Do I still need to have my resumé approved my senior year in order to
apply for jobs on MiTRAC?
A: No. The Feld Career Center Center is excited to announce a new process
that allows students to apply to positions for which they qualify without going
through the formal resumé approval process in their senior year.
After successful completion of SM411 and an approved resume through the
class in your sophomore year, you may apply for internships opportunities. All
seniors may apply to full-time jobs that they are qualified for without going
through the formal resume approval process. If you are registered for SM411
in your senior year, you will need to have your resume approved during the
course in order to apply to full-time positions.
We do, however, encourage all students to have their resume reviewed by a
career counselor in order to help highlight skills and accomplishments, thus
increasing the odds of being selected for an interview. Also, based on employer
feedback, we still require that your resume follow the BU SMG format.
Please utilize Career Peers, walk in hours, smgrez@bu.edu and individual
appointments for your resume review. Call our front desk at 617-353-2834 to
schedule an appointment.
Q: I want to start using the Career Center right away. At what point should I start developing my resumé for approval?
A: The Career Center is here to assist you in navigating your job or internship search, regardless of whether you've had your resumé approved or not. In fact, we'd love to help you in person through the resumé creation and approval process! Your resumé needs to be approved sophomore and senior year for undergraduates, and as an MBA, during your first year in Career ToolKit. As you review this section, remember that if you have any questions, get stuck, or need editing suggestions, you should come by the Career Center for walk-in hours or to make an appointment with a career counselor.
Q: What kind of "experience" can I include in my resumé?
A: Any experience will do; it doesn't have to be for pay and it doesn't have to be a job. The important thing is to highlight your key skills, talents, and capabilities. Part of the creation of a resumé involves developing Accomplishment Statements. Sometimes the most difficult part of formulating these statements is brainstorming examples of your accomplishments. Give yourself some time to make a list of these accomplishments—there is value in a variety of your experiences. For instance, having a campus job during the school year is definitely relevant. Employers are interested in information that sets you apart from the competition. If you are able to maintain a strong GPA and participate in number of activities or work a 20-hour week, you send a strong message that you are able to manage your time effectively, multi-task, and have good stress management techniques. You could also use an experience when you have held a position in a club or organization. Regardless of the type of position, it is important to consider what you have learned in the role and how you contributed to the organization, group or team. Refer to the section on writing strong Accomplishment Statements.
