Resume Building Tips

You should put effort into developing a strong resume because it’s often your first impression to employers, and it can make or break your chances of landing an interview. A well-crafted resume clearly highlights your skills, experience, and accomplishments in a way that shows you're a strong fit for the role. It helps you stand out in a competitive job market, especially when hiring managers spend just a few seconds scanning each resume. Putting effort into it shows that you’re professional, detail-oriented, and serious about the opportunity. It’s not just a document, it’s your personal marketing tool

Here is a link to CU Boulder's ProReady Career Services, an engineering specific career service which offers resume building and cover letter resources, plus much more! 

Building the Contents of Your Resume

We reached out to Blue Canyon Technologies, an aerospace company based out of Lafayette that focuses on building small satellites and space buses. We asked Blue Canyon intern coordinators what they look for in a resume, and this link will bring you to an example resume they put together. Here are a few tips they had for building an outstanding resume: 

• Employers look for your educational experience, especially if you are applying for an internship or entry level position. If you are still in school, an anticipated graduation date is appreciated.
• Put your skill section at the top. This way, it's one of the first thing employers see, instead of the last.
• It is recommended that your resume be between 1 and 1¹/₂  pages long. More than that can be a bit too much and take too long to read when employers may be looking at hundreds of applications.
• It is ok to explain a gap in employment on your resume. Employers appreciate that you are being honest and direct. Whether it was due to personal reasons, medical reasons, or family responsibilities, being upfront helps build trust with potential employers.
• You do not need to put your address on your resume. Contact information is helpful, but employers will not be contacting you via your address. 

More Tips for Building Your Resume: 

Pick the right resume format

• Use clean, easy to read fonts and consistent spacing. Resumes can be formatted in a variety of ways. Some example formats include chronological, functional, skills-based, or combination. Chose the one that is right for you and makes sense for the job. 

Choose the Right Sections to Include

• There are necessary sections to have in your resume such as contact information, skills, relevant experience, and education. However, you may want to include other sections such as certifications, a resume summary, volunteer experience, leadership experience, relevant coursework, achievements, or awards. 

Tailor Your Resume for Each Job

• Try to include keywords from the job description. Highlight the experience, projects, and skills most relevant to the position. By taking the time to tailor your resume to each job, you are showing employers that you care about the position and have put effort into presenting yourself. Here is a link to more tips to use when tailoring your resume. 

Focus on What You Have Done, Not Just What You Were Assigned

• Instead of listing duties, explain what you achieved, created, improved, or learned. Employers want to see initiative, impact, and growth, not just a list of job duties.

Keep It Honest and Up to Date

• Employers value integrity just as much as qualifications. If you overstate your experience or skills, it can backfire quickly in interviews or on the job. Understating yourself can hurt you too. Don’t leave out impressive accomplishments just because they feel “small.” Keeping your resume current ensures you're always ready for opportunities. It’s hard to remember details later, so update after each internship, project, or major achievement

Online Tools for Resume Building

Quinccia - The online AI resume review tool that gives you instant feedback

Canva Free Online Resume Builder - Create an eye-catching resume using one of Canva's professional designed templates

CU Boulder ProReady - Engineering specific resume building recommendations