The resume can make or break any student's potential job prospect.
In an interview with Forbes magazine, Tony Beshara, author of "Unbeatable Resumes," said the average time spent looking at a resume is 10 seconds.
Katie Mantooth, career counselor at the Auburn University Career Center, said using a resume template found online, in books or Microsoft Word is a bad idea.
"(Using a template) says that the person doesn't have the initiative or word skill-set to write a resume on their own," Mantooth said.
Mantooth said students should be careful about using different fonts and color. She said while a bolder font is acceptable for headings, the body should be in a standard font.
"Most people are sitting at a desk with a generic black printer, so while it looks beautiful on the computer screen, when its printed it may come out looking like a pixelated mess," Mantooth said.
She said the only exception to this are jobs in the design field.
"It's important to make sure your resume is printer friendly," Mantooth said. "If you have to use color, stick to darker colors because they translate better on paper."
The objective portion of a resume is the first time a potential employee can market oneself.
"Read the job description and highlight those skills that they know they possess," Mantooth said.
She said an alternative to an objective would be a summary of qualifications.
"(It should consist of) three to five bullets of skills that are true and that are taken from the job description," Mantooth said.
Christopher Harris, senior in finance, said his five years serving in the Marine Corps gave him skills he wants his resume to emphasize.
"I want to portray to an employer that I am the best for the job above my peers because of my experience, leadership skills, honor and commitment," Harris said.
Mantooth said a resume should present all relevant experience, but should be kept as short as possible.
"The feedback we consistently get from the majority of recruiters is, if you have less than 10 years of experience, you need a one page resume," Mantooth said.
The University Career Center offers free E-Resume Review. It can be emailed to eresume@auburn.edu and will be returned within two business days.
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