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Insights

Crafting the Perfect Resume

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University Recruiting•Culture
With any job or internship, your resume is the first step to a successful application. Our teams will use your resume as key point of reference throughout the application process in order to get to know you and determine where you would best fit within the firm. Below are some of our tips to crafting the perfect resume.

The Basics

Your resume is our introduction to you, and it is a master document that our teams will reference throughout the entire recruitment process. At a minimum, your resume should:

  • Be named appropriately and clearly. We suggest the following format:
    • Last Name, First Name_Resume
  • Include your expected graduation month and year.
  • Include if you are planning to pursue further education (with anticipated graduation month and year).
  • Include a valid email address and phone number that you check regularly.
  • Be short and sweet; 1 page is best practice.
  • Be in PDF format. Most Applicant Tracking Systems are not compatible with Microsoft Word and other document types. Submitting your resume in PDF format ensures that we receive your information in its entirety.

How to Stand Out (In a Good Way!)

Before submitting your application, analyze the job description for the role that you are applying for and revise your resume to highlight the key skills and attributes that make you a perfect fit for that role. Here are a few small changes that make a big difference to our hiring managers:

  • Format your resume with structured sections (i.e. education, experience, interests, etc.) and label them with clear headings.
    • Note: your professional experiences should include both your job title and length of your experience (Software Developer Intern, June 2021 – August 2021).
  • Order your resume in reverse chronological order with most recent experiences and degrees listed first.
  • Use a variety of action verbs that will diversify your bullet points and accurately reflect what you have accomplished.
  • Quantify your experiences with numbers and percentages.
  • Avoid writing paragraphs. One-line bullet points are best practice as they are easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.
  • Hyperlink your LinkedIn account.
  • Use fonts that are easy to read. A clean, well-structured resume with clear, appropriately sized fonts and good use of white space will always help you to stand out to your reviewers.
  • List technical skills that apply to the role you are applying to (i.e. Languages: C++, Java, Python).

Be Prepared

Keep in mind that you should be prepared to discuss everything listed on your resume at length. During your interviews we will draw questions directly from the content of your resume, so you should only list experience and examples that you are prepared to explain to the team. It’s important to list your prior experience with accuracy so you can explain them in-depth when asked. Our goal is to gain insight into how you could apply your personal accomplishments and experiences to our work here at DRW.

Ultimately, your resume is your first opportunity to put your best foot forward. Tell us what you know, what you’ve done, and who you are. We look forward to reviewing your application!