Getting Started on Your Resume – Brainstorm!
Creating a resume can be a daunting task. To get started, try this exercise:
Step 1: Choose a format for your official resume
- This will be a casual place to brainstorm everything that can go on future resumes. You can find helpful templates on our Resume Page.
Step 2: Start to list any experiences you’ve had in the past few years
- Try to find the date(s) that you were involved in each experience. Don’t worry about formatting, just get all of the information down.
Examples: internships, full-time work, part-time work, summer jobs, volunteer/community service, campus activities, student organizations, and your educational experiences.
Step 3: For each experience, jot down a few things about that position that stand out to you.
- This can include specific tasks you were assigned, accomplishments, or ways that you personally contributed to the experience. Don’t worry about the wording, just make notes that you can make sense of.
Step 4: Save this document as “Primary Resume”
- You will want to save this document in an easily accessible place (e.g. Google Docs) so that you have a running history of your work, academic, volunteer, and extracurricular experiences. You can always update information in this document, then copy and paste it into tailored resumes that you are creating. This running “Primary Resume” will be especially helpful if you ever decide to apply for academic/research careers (which require a Curriculum Vitae) or a job with the U.S. government (which requires a federal resume).
Now you have a resume draft! You can use this document to store all of your information for years to come. Simply edit the information you need for each new resume you make.Now you have a resume draft! You can use this document to store all of your information for years to come. Simply edit the information you need for each new resume you make.
