Resume Checklist

Resume Outline

Your resume should be a concise, one-page document with most important attributes about you. 

There is no one way to write a resume, the information here should serve as a guide to help create your own, unique resume. 

Resumes should be dynamic documents, changing and updating as you develop in both college and your career. Having a friend/parent proofread over it for clarity and typos when you're done is a great way to improve your resume.

Education

In this section, include your degree, major, university name, expected graduation year, and GPA (if applicable). If you have relevant coursework or academic projects, highlight them to showcase your skills and knowledge.

• Bachelors of Science...
• "B.S. General Engineering" or "B.S. Computer Science General Engineering Student"
• "Virginia Tech" or "Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"
• Expected Graduation Year
• GPA
• Interests, Coursework, or Current Projects.

Experience (Most Important)

Include internships, employment experiences, club involvement, etc. If you are a freshman, don’t be afraid to put your high school experience and achievements on your resume. As you progress through college, however, try to replace these with college and professional achievements.

Highlight your achievements and demonstrate measurable results by using metrics in your descriptions. For example, instead of simply stating responsibilities, quantify them to provide a clearer picture. For instance, you can mention managing a team of 50 members or increasing performance by 20%.

• Highlight Soft and Technical Skills
• Make it versatile
• Show your work ethic and achievements

Skills

To effectively showcase your skills, start by reviewing job postings from companies or positions you're interested in. Identify the key qualifications and responsibilities mentioned—these often contain the exact skills employers are looking for.

Focus on including the skills you already possess that align with those listings. Pay special attention to keywords—employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) often scan resumes for these terms, so using the language from job descriptions can improve your chances of getting noticed.

While "Relevant Coursework" can be a helpful starting point, aim to replace it with more substantial content over time, such as hands-on projects, internships, or technical and soft skills.

Need to build more technical or soft skills? Click here to start expanding your qualifications.

Differentiate Yourself

Standing out in a competitive job market means strategically showcasing what makes you unique. Start by researching your competition—review LinkedIn profiles of professionals currently in your target role and connect with employees to gain insight into what employers value.

Ways to stand out:

• Directed Passion: Make your interests and career goals clear, especially for the long-term. Employers appreciate candidates who show focus and enthusiasm.
• Personal Touches: Include hobbies, volunteer work, unique life experiences, extracurriculars, or personal projects—especially those that reflect leadership, creativity, or initiative.
• Soft Skills: Highlight communication, adaptability, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, ideally supported by real-world examples.
• LinkedIn Presence: Your LinkedIn profile serves as your extended resume. Make sure it's updated and include a hyperlink on your resume.

You typically have 5–10 seconds to capture a recruiter’s attention—so include "eye-catchers" where appropriate:

• Security clearances or special work authorizations
• GPA (if strong and recent)
• Double majors or minors
• Language proficiencies

Professional Language

• Be concise: Avoid full sentences. Use bullet points that begin with strong action verbs.
• Use impactful language: Incorporate terms like ownership, authorship, initiative, collaboration, and responsibility to convey depth and professionalism.
• Mirror job descriptions: Use keywords and phrasing directly from job postings to align your resume with what employers are seeking.
• Minimize acronyms: Unless they are widely recognized in your field, spell out terms for clarity.