Resume Guidelines

• Format
  • Page length: One page. If multiple pages are submitted, only the first page will be included in the resume book.
  • Software: Create in Microsoft Word
  • Page size: 8.5” x 11”
  • Font style: Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Garamond or Tahoma
  • Header font size: Your name serves as the title and should be in size 12 - size 22. Your contact details should be listed underneath in a smaller font.
  • Body font size: Size 10 - size 12
  • Margins: Minimum 0.5” on each side
  • Consistency: Use one font throughout, no bold or italics
  • Maximum sections: Four to five (see below for exact sections)
  • Language: Set proofing language on Word to reflect the dominant language used by the company you're applying to. E.g. If the company is based in the U.S., set the proofing language to "U.S. English".

Sections

• Header
  • Name (Resume title): Legal first name followed by legal last name
  • Address: Where to mail physical offer letter
  • Phone number: U.S. number with three digit area code (without +1)
  • Email: Must be professional and if using a preferred name, change your email “display name”’ to reflect this format. We strongly recommend utilizing your Columbia email address.
  • Website (optional): Include any professional websites such as your LinkedIn profile or personal blog
• Section 1: Education
  • Order: Start with your most recent qualifications and work backwards
  • Qualifications: Only include higher education qualifications. Do not list high school qualifications
  • Format: Institute, location, degree program, award, and month and year of graduation
  • List of courses (optional): If applicable, include a list of courses undertaken during your degree
  • Key projects/thesis (optional): If applicable, include a brief summary of key projects/thesis
• Section 2: Professional, Research and Academic Experience
  • Order: Start with your most recent experience and work backwards
  • Format: List the organization, location, title of position and duration (month and year you started and finished)
  • Experience: List your key responsibilities, projects and achievements in bullet point form
  • Tailor your resume: Align your experience to each job specification. Highlight key skills, using similar phrases and words that were included in the job specification.
  • First person: All bullet points should be in first person but do not use pronouns (I, we etc.). E.g. Developed and maintained project plans, schedules, and budget.
• Section 3: Skills and Certifications
  • Technical skills: List your key skills such as language(s), computer, finance, programming, software knowledge etc.
  • Soft skills: List any soft skills that are transferable and relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, leadership, communication, negotiation skills etc.
  • Certifications and licensure: List any additional qualifications. For example, Chartered Financial Analyst.
  • Interests and activities: Including your extracurricular interests adds individuality to your resume