Anyone on the job market knows about the importance of the résumé. This is typically an employer’s first look at who you are and what you bring to the table. That’s why it’s crucial that you can make your résumé stand out from the rest.

1. Lead with the most relevant information. This refers to both categories and individual bullet points. You want to lead with the most important information on the top and left-hand side of the page, as well as within sections. 
   
   
2. Your personalized LinkedIn URL. At the top of your résumé with the rest of your contact information, you can add your LinkedIn URL. Need a personalized URL that’s not full of random numbers and letters? Go to your profile, and on the right side you’ll see an option to edit "Public profile & URL.” If you need assistance with this, schedule a LinkedIn appointment with a career advisor. 
   
   
3. Course projects. If your résumé is lacking in terms of work experiences, you can include projects from your classes. Just list the name of the project and/or course and include a few bullet points highlighting what you did. Remember: coursework experiences do count as work experiences! 
   
   
4. Relevant coursework. By listing relevant courses, you can demonstrate that you have foundational knowledge in key areas related to the job you’re applying for. You can also show that you’ve learned specialized skills in a specific area of study. 
   
   
5. Skills as categories. These can be comprised of hard skills (e.g., programming languages, statistical analyses, data analysis), soft skills (e.g., communication, leadership, problem-solving), and transferable skills (e.g., customer service, research skills, presentation skills).   
   
   
6. Extracurricular activities. Adding these to your résumé can demonstrate leadership potential. They also can help highlight transferable skills that you otherwise may not be able to show on your résumé.

Looking for some examples of résumés as you build your own? Download our Career Guide and review the guidelines listed on p. 26 of the PDF.  

Here at the Career Center, we meet with students whose work experiences run the gamut. If you are finding yourself lacking this area, here are some suggestions to build out your resume.

Entrepreneurship. Have a good idea and want to see what you can do with it? Consider starting a small business. By becoming an entrepreneur, you can demonstrate you’re motivated, passionate, innovative, and have good decision-making skills. You can also tie your business to your industry of interest as well. Need guidance in this area? The Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is another UMBC resource that you could turn to for mentorship and ideas.

Micro-internships. These are short-term professional assignments that allow you to work on a real project in a limited amount of time. Micro-internships are a great option if you’re still searching for semester-long work and need more experience. Go to parkerdewey.com to find available projects. You can also look into theforage.com to gain experience through their job simulations.

On-campus leadership. If you are already active with a student organization on campus you can add relevant experiences to your resume by stepping into a leadership role. You can even try to find something tied to your major depending on the organization’s needs. For example, if you’re a finance major you could be the treasurer of a student organization.

Research. As a research institution, UMBC is home to many research projects being conducted by faculty members across the university. If you are interested in learning more about research and obtaining research experience, you could inquire with faculty members to see if there’s an opening in their labs and/or research teams. If you’re especially interested in pursuing graduate school, conducting research with a faculty mentor is a great way to determine if you want to go down that path, while building experience for your resume.

Volunteer. Connect with a local non-profit or community organization that works for a cause you feel passionate about and see if they need volunteers. You can find out if they need help in your area of study to make it even more relevant for your resume. For example, if you’re a Media & Communication Studies major you could help with the organization’s social media. Another great way to get involved in service-learning and community engagement opportunities is through The Shriver Center.

As you can see, there are a number of different ways you can add work experiences to your resume outside of the more traditional internship positions. Want to hear more about how others do it? Join us at our Inside Scoop: Entrepreneurs Panel Discussion on April 15^th at University Center 312 from 12-1 PM.

In the post-COVID world of fancy tops and pajama bottoms for virtual meetings, it’s worth revisiting what constitutes work and interview-appropriate attire to make sure you’re hitting the mark. Whether you’re meeting with a future employer online or shaking hands with employers at an in-person career fair, here are some tips to make sure you’re looking your best.

• Clothing. Should be modest, wrinkle-free, and well-tailored with no holes or tears. Do not wear graphic T-shirts or anything in less-than-ideal condition. Skirts and dresses should have appropriate hemlines and tops should have appropriate necklines. No cropped shirts, off-the-shoulder shirts, or shorts. 
• Colors. For interviews and more formal business settings, stick with solid, more traditional colors. Subtle patterns can work as well. You don’t want to detract attention away from the interview/business setting because your outfit is too over-the-top and colorful. 
• Accessories. Avoid garish or excessive jewelry. No noisy jewelry as well. Stay away from accessories that are too large and distracting — that includes belts, ties, and purses. Any accessories should be tasteful additions that don’t completely pull attention at first glance. 
• Footwear. Select shoes that are in good condition and are comfortable to wear. Avoid shoes that have heels above three inches. Don’t wear flip-flops, slippers or athletic shoes. Be sure that you’re able to walk around without pain or too much effort on your part. 

By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be ready to dress for success!

Don’t have any business-appropriate attire in your closet? You’re in luck! Today is the last day to head over to Susquehanna Hall where we’ve set up our UMBC Suits You: Clothing Closet. In partnership with T. Rowe Price, you can shop and choose an outfit perfect for your next interview or job, absolutely free, from 2-6 PM.