What general advice on resumes would you like to share?

• Your resume should be thought of as a marketing tool, not an autobiography.  When deciding what to put on your resume, you should ask yourself “why would this make them want to hire me?”
• You should be prepared to talk about and explain everything on your resume.
• Instead of just stating levels of proficiency with software or programming languages, try to give examples of projects, explaining how that software/programming language was used. 

Maxwell’s Comments About Resumes

• Be honest.
• Describe yourself.
• Put items on your resume that you would like to talk to a potential employer about.
• Under an Education heading, I recommend that you include your expected graduation date.  Employers might be more able to determine if you are seeking an internship or full-time employment.  I also recommend that you include the name of your degree (e.g. Bachelor of Science in Mathematics: Option 1: Actuarial Studies).
• Do not use undefined acronyms like Society of Actuaries (SOA) or FCAS.  Be sure to define most acronyms at first mention.  FCAS stands for a Fellow in the Casualty Actuarial Society.
• You probably want to include your grade point average (GPA).  If you have an uncompetitive GPA, then the solution is to improve your GPA.
• Under a Skills/Programming section, I recommend that you indicate the level of your ability.  Remember that “proficient” means “expert”.  Use “proficient” like you would use “fluent” to describe your level of language acumen.
• You may mention relevant coursework.  But once you show mastery of a subject, you remove the mention of relevant coursework.  For example, students passing SOA Exam P would no longer list M362K – Probability as relevant coursework.  Once you earn an FCAS credential, you no longer list SOA exam P / CAS Course 1.
• I like to put items that have yet to happen in italics (e.g. Expected Graduation May 2035, Sitting for SOA Exam FM – Financial Mathematics February 31, 2037)
• A resume will not get you a job, but it could permanently cost you an opportunity (e.g. you misrepresent yourself, submit unprofessional/inappropriate resume, and/or list a non-existent date).
• Update your resume every year AND every time you earn new credentials like passing an exam or being elected a student-club officer.
• Your resume will quickly evolve. 
• Know how to edit.
  • If you have an internship in your field, then focus on the skills you learned and you can remove mention of the paper route that you had when you were 14.
  • In most cases, it is time for high school accomplishments to be removed from your resume.
• #1 advice: Ask others (peers, potential employers, career services staff) for their comments about your resume.
  • Feedback from potential employers is the best.
    • If I had a dollar for every time a student asked me “what do employers want to see on a resume” and my response was “I don’t know, ask employers”, then I would have a whole lot of dollars.
    • Students have access to willing employer feedback during Mock interviews. 
  • Frequently, company representatives present during student club meetings and then open the event for questions.   Presenters will frequently bring colleagues to act as additional resources for low stakes resume discussion.
  • Feedback from peers is great.  Commenting on each others resume allows both participants to take suggestions, answer questions, and learn better ways to describe their credentials and ability. 
  • You certainly should get feedback from the professional staff in the College of Natural Sciences career services office. 
• #2 advice:  You are encouraged to judge all feedback and decide to accept, or reject, suggestions and examples.