Missoula Job Service

What is a "Resume"?

A resume is traditionally defined as a brief summary of your skills, education, experience, personal qualifications and information which an employer would want to know when considering you as a candidate for a job. However, resumes are sometimes used for purposes such as school applications, scholarships and various other occasions in which a brief presentation of your background is required.

There are a lot of people with very strong opinions about what a resume should or should not be. The truth is that there is no right or wrong format. You have two or three pages of a resume and cover letter in which to communicate your uniqueness, personal motivation, and skills. You must decide what you want to communicate.

Preparing Your Resume will outline some "traditional" steps to follow when writing a resume. Keep in mind, it usually takes two or three drafts to perfect your resume. So spend some time writing, getting advice, and then writing some more. The result will be a resume and cover letter that you can be proud of.