Writing a Résumé

What is a résumé?

A résumé is a very brief one- or two-page summary of your history and skills as they relate to
your professional goals. Generally speaking, the primary purpose of a résumé is to encourage a
prospective employer or search committee to invite you for an interview. Because most employers see
many résumés, initial reviews of them are often extremely brief. Consequently, we recommend writing a
“targeted résumé.”

What is a targeted résumé?

A targeted résumé is an articulation of your history and skills written with a particular type of audience in
mind. Companies wonder, “What can you do for us?” and your résumé should provide a quick and easy
response to this question. This approach to résumé-writing encourages a particular attitude and focus, and
has one fundamental principle: Know as much as possible about what is needed and desired in your field,
and have this information in mind at every stage of writing the résumé.

General principles of writing targeted résumés:

1. Eliminate the words “I” and “me” on the résumé by writing in fragments instead of sentences.
2. Write concisely by dropping grammatical "helpers," such as articles, helping verbs and
prepositional phrases, whenever possible. Thoughtfully remove irrelevant information, according
to the fundamental principle of targeted résumé writing. However, beware of removing too much
information without talking with people in the field. For example, hobbies and personal interests
may be quite relevant in certain fields.
3. Aim for a one-page résumé. You can go to two pages if necessary.
4. Tailor your language and tone to your potential reader, considering the connotations of each word
carefully. Start sentences with active verbs, as this connotes an energetic and active person.
Though terms and abbreviations familiar to a particular profession or field are permissible, avoid
obscure jargon.
5. When possible, include specific data or concrete examples to support claims.
 6. When ordering elements of the résumé, try to move the most relevant credentials to the top of the
document. Increasingly, people use a professional summary to do this, often with very reader-
friendly results.
7. For print documents, format carefully, moving your reader's eye strategically through the
document. Bold and italics are acceptable. Graphics and underlining are not advisable. Use a
simple, classic 10- or 12-point font. Top and bottom margins should be around 0.5 inches. Left
and right margins should be around 0.8 inches. Proofread very carefully, and have another person
proofread as well.
8. Although most employers will be able to open an attachment of your formatted résumé, consider
developing a plain text version as well.
9. Use the best print quality available and choose white or natural-colored, high-quality paper.
Avoid paper that looks unprofessional. Do not print the résumé back-to-back.
10. Include a cover letter.

Types of résumé formats, and how to choose one:

1. Chronological. If your employment and education history are fairly continuous, and if they progress
naturally toward the position you are seeking, the chronological résumé may be the best choice because it
makes very quick and clear sense of your experience and skills. It is the most commonly used type of
résumé, and it is often regarded as the most "user-friendly." Within basic sections (see below), arrange
elements in reverse chronological order. One problem with this type is that it can make it difficult to
accentuate elements from diverse experiences. If this is the case, consider a combination résumé.

2. Functional. If you would like to highlight certain experiences and skills instead of accentuating a
natural progression, the functional résumé may work well for you, although this type of résumé can be
confusing for readers, and they can be put off by the format. We do not encourage this choice, but, if you
use this format, organize experiences and information by theme or skill within basic sections, with the
most relevant information coming first in a more filled-out form, and with less relevant information
coming later on in abbreviated form. Consider using a combination résumé instead.

3. Combination. This type of résumé has both functional and chronological features. We often
recommend this type because in many cases, it easily succeeds in meeting the goals of a targeted résumé.
More and more, this type of résumé simply begins with a professional summary, which highlights
experiences, skills, and achievements most relevant to the particular field and position. It then proceeds
with a résumé that looks very much like a chronological résumé, but with less detail required in the lower
section.

Basic sections of a résumé

 Heading: Always include your name, address, phone number, email, and any other relevant
contact information. If you plan to graduate or relocate, use an email and phone number that will
remain consistent. Make sure your outgoing message will make the sort of impression you would
like to make with potential employers. If you include a personal website, be sure it is
professional.
 Objective Statement: We recommend including the objective statement in your cover letter
rather than your résumé, as an objective statement is vital in a cover letter, making it somewhat
redundant in the résumé. However, an objective statement may be used effectively in a résumé,
particularly if you want to connote vocational clarity, will not consider alternative positions
within the organization, or are attending an event where you will pass out multiple copies of your
résumé.
 Professional Summary: Increasingly recommended for résumés, this summarizes the
information most relevant to the field and position you seek. They may include years of
experience, ordination or endorsement, licensures, certifications, skills, achievements, honors.
The phrasing you use to title this section is flexible and can be targeted to your audience, or you
might simply insert it with no title.
 Education: Your association with Harvard is likely a good choice for emphasis, which would
suggest putting education first, especially within five years of graduation. However, for many
employers, your experience or skills will be much more important than your educational
background, so consider your audience. In the education section, be especially careful to avoid
irrelevant information. Also, if a divinity school education is rare for your professional field,
many employers in that field may not be familiar with the versatility of an HDS degree. You
might briefly include your academic focus below your degree information, or put relevant
coursework, thesis themes, or other clarifiers in your education section. Once you enter graduate
school, GPAs do not need to be included for any level of education.
 Experience: Lists are highly recommended in this section, as narrative prose is generally more
difficult to process quickly. Under each title or employer listed, add short lists or bullets of duties
and achievements. Begin each line with a clear and appealing verb. (See the Office of Career
Services tip sheet on active verbs for résumé writing). Provide information to quantify your
 abilities. Be very concise, dropping dull or irrelevant information. Also, obvious information,
such as “responsibilities included,” is likely a waste of space.
 Additional Sections: Examples include activities, special skills, languages, computer
applications, publications, certifications, licensures, special projects, affiliations, volunteer
history, awards, portfolio information, cultural expertise, etc. Avoid using “other” or “additional”
as a title, for this may suggest to the busy reader that the information is irrelevant.