For instance, you can include your technical projects, either school assignments or personal projects you've done on the side. You can also list the key classes you've taken. Finally, you should definitely list any technologies and languages you've learned, such as Java, C++, Linux, etc.
As an example, compare the resume snippet below:
Education:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2008 (Expected)
Personal Information:
- Captain, Intramural Football team
- Member, French Club
- Member, Student Council
- Member, Young Entrepreneurs’ Club
- Eagle Scout
- Competitive distance runner
Education:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2008 (Expected)
Major: Computer Science with focus on Web Development
GPA: 3.2 overall, 3.4 in major
Key Classes Taken:
- Data Structures (arrays, lists, graphs, trees)
- Algorithms (sorting, searching, recursion, NP-completeness)
- Databases (SQL, normalization, indexing & search)
- Networking (sockets, synchronous & asynchronous I/O)
- Java
- C++
- Linux
- PHP
- Class project: Simple e-commerce site using PHP.
- Personal project: Web-based photo slideshow using Python.
- Volunteered as PC systems administrator at youth club.
As a hiring manager I'd find the second version of the resume to be much more useful.
Note however that I am not recommending that you completely purge all references to extracurricular activities from your resume. If you are active with organizations that are relevant to your profession, such as ACM or IEEE, that may be worthy of space on the page. And you should definitely list membership in academic honor societies such as Phi Beta Kappa.
5 comments:
On a similar topic, can you comment on how to sell yourself when you're fresh out of graduate school? I got lucky last fall and on my 3rd interview, the CTO was a PhD in the same field that I got my PhD in (not related to the work we do now), so he was able to recognize that I would be able to do the work even though I didn't have all the buzzwords on my resume. But I did have problems in the first two interviews where they were concerned that 1) I'd want to go back to academia, and 2) I didn't have all the buzzwords checked off.
I was starting to get frustrated that I wasn't going to be able to sell my PhD to anyone. Any hints on how to convince people that a post-graduate degree generally means you've been trained on how to learn stuff?
Hmm, that's not a situation I have encountered much, so it wil require some thought. I will try to blog on that topic in a future post.
*thumbs up*
Both versions leave something to be desired.
The first shows the candidate shows dicipline and leadership. Both are good traits. They also have a diversity of interest.
The second candidate set my BS detector off. It reads like, here is every techonolgy I've ever touched. Heck, the languages listed for the important projects aren't even on the list of technologies the kid knows.
Neither resume tells a story. It is important that the resume gets the main points across.
For example, when showing leadership, positions and activities held in clubs can be used.
Some clubs can be used to demonstrate communication skills, or areas of interest.
It seems like the real lesson is that space is limited, so you need to carefully consider each item for the resume in terms of the value it will add. And generally, the message for new graduates should be "I know a lot."
What I'm really wondering, is why leadership skills are so important? I feel that I'm far more useful in a behind-the-scenes helper position.
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