Please give an example of what you DO like to see on a resume:
Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.: “Essentials for college resumes: GPA, graduation date, major/minor, contact information for school and permanent address, specific dates of employment (i.e. 8/01-10/02).”
ChevronTexaco: “Must have Overall GPA - not just in-major GPA. Expected Grad date. Work experience especially industry related (summer at Engr Co). Activities and honors - especially leadership positions held (i.e. Vice President, Chairman, Team Leader, etc). Final words - a resume without GPA goes directly in the garbage.”
Chicago Bridge & Iron: “Work experience related to major, % of college expense paid by student”
Durotech: “I do like to see outside interest from students other than school work. I do not like to see an "Objective" category. They are too general and are not relevant for a new graduate.”
Hope Lumber & Supply Company: “I do want to see all work history including numbers of hours worked, overall GPA and major GPA, clubs and social activities, and hobbies.”
Horizon Offshore Contractors, Inc.: “I believe that bullet points are good. They look clean and well organized on a resume. Resumes that contain crowded paragraphs of experience without separation are difficult to read and uninviting to the reader.”
J.D. Edwards & Company: “CUM GPA is a must have as well as current email address as things to include on a resume.”
Enterprise Rent-a-Car: “DO put ALL experience on a resume, some people leave off “non-professional” experience such as waiting tables or retail experience, if the person is looking for a sales related position this is vital experience.”
Ernst & Young: “Like to See on a Resume - a strong GPA, involvement in outside activities, leadership roles, work experience.”
IBM: “Always include all significant leadership experience, especially those outside of the classroom environment such as student government, RHA, church and academic organizations. Demonstration of leadership ability and aptitude can be THE key differentiator when all the candidates have similar
GPA's.”
Kennedy Consulting: “I DO like to see relevant work experience with good project descriptions. Describe what you did on the project and give a brief description of the project (cost, size, unique features). Getting relevant work experience prior to graduation is extremely important. Write your experience like your describing a painting not a stick figure.”
Matheson Tri-Gas: “If your hobby shows abilities you have that are job related - include them. We hired an A&M student with an Engineering degree because he listed auto mechanics as a hobby. This particular position is extremely hands on and we needed someone who wouldn't mind getting his hands dirty at work. If your hobby is not related to the position you want, do not list it on the resume.”
Merial: “Do: work experience, internships, activities, leadership activities, GPA, dates (of jobs and school), scholarships, whether they financed school on own.”
Mykrolis: “… I prefer resumes that are clear. By this, I mean not a lot of fancy writing or long paragraphs. I look for content and skills...bullet points work out well. Keep in mind, sometimes HR people are going through 100+ resumes. They will not take the time to read through every piece of information.”
Ryan & Company: “I like to see someone show their initiative in paying for college, e.g., "Earned 40-50% of expenses through work and scholarships." This demonstrates to me that the student values education enough to work for it.”
Smith & Associates: “I DO like to see a resume that is tailored to the position for which a candidate is applying. This takes a lot more work - but it's worth it. It is a much more direct, results-oriented way of searching for a job. For example, match your qualifications and achievements section to the employer's job requirements. This is great, as many recruiters basically go down a resume and mentally check off how many requirements each candidate meets. Also - DO send your resume via email to companies where it is an option. Your resume will arrive before the competition. Make sure you attach your resume as a Word document – Word is a universal application that anyone can open. Not everyone has Zip, Adobe, etc. And do put a brief, to the point note in the email rather than attaching a cover letter. Focus on what VALUE you bring to the company.”
Teague Nall and Perkins, Inc.: “My company really looks at activity involvement, and asks about it in interviews. Anyone can have a good GPA, but what makes candidates stand out to us is their proactive efforts to be leaders, work in groups, and help others. We have an extensive training program, so we're not looking at current engineering skills per say. We're more concerned with hiring good people with a strong work ethic, an eagerness to learn, and a positive attitude. We also put a heavy weight on work experience and like to see details as to what they have done at previous jobs. Internship experience is good and it shows that you are taking college seriously and trying to get some sort of experience under your belt.”
The Trane Company: “Tell me what your career objective is and be specific. If you want to get into sales then say sales. To many times the objective is sales, management, procurement etc. When I am recruiting for salesman, the resume needs to say ‘I want to sell!’”
TXU Energy: “I want to see GPA, always.”
UPS: “Two words: ONE PAGE...if you can't fit it on one page, don't bother.”
Westin Engineering, Inc.: “Include extracurricular activities such as involvement in civic organizations, employment, etc. In my opinion, someone who works or is involved in many activities while attending school has shown their ability to not only manage time, but also a desire to work hard to reach their goals. If comparing two students with similar credentials, I will almost always look closer at the one that has had to work harder to complete their degree even if they may have a lower GPA.”
