15 Resume Help Sites

Some places to find resume templates.

• Canva* (lots of customizable templates; $1 per resume)

• Columbia

• EnhanCV (learning curve, full-access $14.99 per month)

• Novo resume (templates)

• Hloom (resume templates)

• Indeed Resume Builder

• LiveCareer

• MyPerfectResume (some templates lacking)

• NovoResume (Denmark-based, good tips but templates lack variety)

• Resumania

• Resume Companion

• Resume Genius

• Resume Nerd (easy-to-use)

• Talent Tapes (compare your news video tape)

• Zety (free templates though all are similarly styled)

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Formatting your Resume

Formats for Resumes:

1. Chronological
Possible Headings: Experience, Education, Activities and Skills (computer, language),

2. Functional or Skills
Possible Headings: Experience, Education, Skills (computer, language),

Professionnal experience

• A resume should begin with the job candidate’s experience in the field in which they are applying, especially jobs, internships or work for student media or the college rather than the candidate’s education.

• All experience that reflects the career goals, whether paid or unpaid.

• Internships and assigned responsibilities.

• Paid volunteer positions that reflect interests and skills, especially when it included a title.

Education

• GPA if 3.5 or above

• Coursework and papers can be highlighted as a special subsection under “Education.” For instance, one candidate was helped getting a position at CNN by taking Media Ethics and Media Law. For formal academic papers related to the field, include a one-sentence description of the length, focus, and scope of the paper or project. For instance, “Analyzed and compared journalistic styles in the Washington Post, Washingtonian magazine and Washington Business Journal.”

• Awards and scholarships including the Dean’s List, etc.

• If your education was self-financed or you paid a large percentage of your college expenses.

• Conferences or special meetings you've attended having to do with the area of the job for which you are applying.

• If you worked while attending college.

International Experience

International experience, including semesters abroad and other significant travel. Living in another country or having spent time overseas, shows a broad range of life history, the ability to adapt and experience with diverse groups.

Skills

A list of computer programs you are proficient using that are not assumed. For instance, an ability to use Microsoft Word or Google Docs would be assumed but not experience with Adobe Premiere Pro.

Activities (or interests)

If you have any odd skills or abilities, you might consider adding them under "interests" or a similar title. For instance, winning a chess tournament. While it might not directly relate to the job, including it suggests the candidate is smart, has diverse interests and self-displiined.

References

The cliché "references available upon request" is not worth including. If they want references, they will ask. Just be ready to present them. Including a list of references will take up vital real estate on resume, especially when it's just one page. Besides, when you are asked for references, it's an alert that you are truly being considered in the final batch for hire. Otherwise, you might not know that you are under serious consideration or a finalist.

If you decide to include references, make a courtesy call and ask each person for permission to use them as a reference. Tell them who might be calling and which of your skills you’d like them to emphasize. Include their relationship to you, such as “former supervisor.” It’s good to have a letter of recommendation on file in case you are asked by prospective employers to provide them on short notice.

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