15 Things You Should Not Include in a Resume
- Resume objective statement.
- Unprofessional email.
- Full mailing address.
- Multiple phone numbers.
- Outdated or irrelevant social media profiles.
- Personal details.
- Headshot.
- Buzzwords.
Using exact dates clutters up a resume. Unless you are asked to provide exact dates (usually a feature only seen on online fill-in forms) use months and years. Employment dates expressed in years only is also acceptable and beneficial if you have short gaps in employment.
Start with the most relevant experience
“Now, create an outline of your resume. Include only those of your jobs that are relevant to the opening. If you aren't a recent graduate or senior executive baby boomer, you'll probably include no more than five positions that span a total of no more than 10-15 years.”When to include your GPA
“GPA itself is applicable on a resume mostly when the applicant has recently graduated from the program, and only if above 3.5 on a 4.0 scale,” executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx tells CNBC Make It. “This indicates high achievement.”The most important job skills to put on a resume include:
- Active Listening.
- Adaptability.
- Communication.
- Creativity.
- Critical Thinking.
- Customer Service.
- Decision Making.
- Interpersonal Communication.
How Far back should you go? Generally, it is reasonable to go back 10 – 15 years in your work history. If you have a longer work history than that, you can divide your work history into two sections, "recent" and "relevant", or include a separate paragraph that summarizes all relevant prior experience.
"Should I Put My GPA on My Resume?"
- Only put your GPA on your resume if it was 3.0 or higher.
- If your total GPA was under 3.0, but the GPA in your major was higher, put THAT on your resume.
- Relevant summer jobs or internships will strengthen your resume more than just a high GPA, so don't laser-focus on grades.
The following is a curriculum vitae example for an entry-level candidate for a faculty position in the US. This CV includes employment history, education, competencies, awards, skills, and personal interests.
There is no need to limit yourself to two pages when writing an academic CV, and the document will become longer and longer as your career progresses. Academic CVs also do not include bullet points expanding on the duties of each position.
While you're writing your resume for graduate school, keep these five tips in mind to help it stand out:
- Pay attention to program requirements.
- Highlight your accomplishments.
- Be concise.
- Proofread.
- Submit as a PDF.
As you might imagine, academic resumes are comprehensive documents that do not abide by your typical CV- or resume-page-length rules. For example, if you are a researcher with 20+ years of experience, your academic resume could be up to 15 pages long.
A resume can be two pages, but most should be one page. That's true for entry-level candidates and those with less than 5 years' experience. If the job requires Elon-Musk-level accomplishments, or you can't cram your achievements on one page, write a two page resume.
The difference between a CV and a resume lies in the length, layout, and purpose of these documents. CVs have no length limit; resumes are typically one to two pages long. A CV details the whole course of the candidate's academic career; a resume summarizes skills and work experience.
Information to include in your resume education section
- The name of your school.
- Location of your school.
- The degree you obtained (if applicable)
- Your field of study.
- Graduation year (if applicable)
- Your GPA (Note: You may not want to include this if it's not above 3.4)
I am a little surprised that the two answers so far have avoided the obvious: getting a C- grade in two required courses in your major certainly has a negative effect on your chances of getting into graduate school. We can admit students who got good grades in all the key courses, and we usually do.
7 Ways to Stand Out as a Graduate School Applicant
- Relax. The application process is a major learning experience, and applicants often learn as they go.
- Be yourself.
- Give yourself enough time.
- Follow the directions.
- Be professional.
- Focus on content and presentation.
- Ask questions that show you did your research.
Any grad school will require official transcripts, so they will definitely see the F. Just call a school or two that you're interested in, and ask them about this.
Normally it's fine to do your Masters and undergraduate at the same place, or to move between undergraduate and Masters and then stay at the same place for PhD. The situation is very different in Europe.
As with undergrad acceptance rates, grad school acceptance rates vary widely, from extraordinarily selective (less than 5 percent) to incredibly lenient (nearly 100 percent).
Unfortunately, there isn't a precise answer because the exact GPA needed for grad school depends on the program you're applying to. While some programs are OK with 2.5 or 3.0 GPAs, others balk at anything lower than a 3.5! Unlike undergrad admissions, it's very common for grad schools to have specific GPA cutoffs.
Improve Your Chances of Getting Into Grad School as an Undergrad
- Gain leadership through clubs and activities.
- Earn strong grades.
- Carve out time to study for the GRE or other admissions test.
- Choose your classes wisely.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Visit the career center.
- Take on service learning and internship opportunities.
- Gain experience with on-campus jobs.
Maintain a strong GPA.
To be a competitive grad school applicant you'll need to maintain an above-average GPA. At the very least, you should strive to maintain a 3.0 at the undergraduate level, though some programs may require a 3.5 GPA or higher.According to my experience, GPA is more important than your GRE score. Although, many times it happens that if your GPA is average and your GRE is good, you will be considered but if your GPA is bad and GRE is good, then there is very less chance of you getting through.
