Launch Application Resume Resources
Whether you are creating your resume for the first time or simply looking to make some minor tweaks, these are standard reccomendations for building a strong resume. These are generally agreed upon do's and don'ts for any resume, regardless of your target industry.
If you are applying to Launch, keep in mind that your resume for the application doesn't have to be pro-level or filled with experience relevant to your skill track. Our team is looking for effort and attention to detail. If you join the program, our team will provide additional resume instruction, editing, and a 1:1 review before hiring managers see it.
If you are applying to Launch, keep in mind that your resume for the application doesn't have to be pro-level or filled with experience relevant to your skill track. Our team is looking for effort and attention to detail. If you join the program, our team will provide additional resume instruction, editing, and a 1:1 review before hiring managers see it.
#1 Be Concise.
Everything should fit comfortably on one page. No matter how much experience you have, we strongly advise against multi-page resumes. Think you have too much experience? Read this and reconsider!
You should also be concise in your writing (e.g., no personal pronouns like "I" or "me").
#2 Consistency is key.
The formatting should be the same throughout your resume. That includes the font, font size, spacing, margin size, and dates. For example, date formatting should be the same throughout all sections (e.g., Jan. 2019 or Jan. '19) - pick one format and stick with it. For fonts, use a standard font like Cambria or Times New Roman.
#3 Keep the organization simple.
List Education, Work Experience, then everything else (e.g., Skills or Extracurriculars). Work experience is reverse chronological (newest to oldest). You can use this Resume Template for an example of what this can look like.
#4 Show, don't tell.
Emphasize numbers-based results first, then skills. Example: "Managed events to educate people on Latinx culture" → "Managed a 5-person team to plan and run 10 events for 120+ people on Latinx culture" or instead of "Used SEO strategies to boost site traffic" → "Increased site traffic by 50% and doubled conversion KPI's with targeted SEO strategies"
#5 Include your non-traditional experience.
When you are just starting out in your career, it can be difficult to feel like you have enough experience to include on a resume. Our advice is to include your non-traditional experience, which can include extracurriculars, volunteer work, personal projects, and coursework.
If you are a leader in a club, definitely include that. If you created a new process, took the lead on a project, or streamlined an existing process those are all great things to include. Side projects are also great to include -- these can be personal projects that you have done on your own or with a group (e.g., a personal website, an app, an Etsy storefront, etc.). Relevant class projects are also okay to include.
#6 Name your file.
Whenever you submit your resume, submit it as a PDF file and label it as FirstnameLastnameResume.pdf. This is really simple, but often overlooked. You don't want to be overlooked because you submitted a resume named "theverylastfinalfinal2.pdf".
Everything should fit comfortably on one page. No matter how much experience you have, we strongly advise against multi-page resumes. Think you have too much experience? Read this and reconsider!
You should also be concise in your writing (e.g., no personal pronouns like "I" or "me").
#2 Consistency is key.
The formatting should be the same throughout your resume. That includes the font, font size, spacing, margin size, and dates. For example, date formatting should be the same throughout all sections (e.g., Jan. 2019 or Jan. '19) - pick one format and stick with it. For fonts, use a standard font like Cambria or Times New Roman.
#3 Keep the organization simple.
List Education, Work Experience, then everything else (e.g., Skills or Extracurriculars). Work experience is reverse chronological (newest to oldest). You can use this Resume Template for an example of what this can look like.
#4 Show, don't tell.
Emphasize numbers-based results first, then skills. Example: "Managed events to educate people on Latinx culture" → "Managed a 5-person team to plan and run 10 events for 120+ people on Latinx culture" or instead of "Used SEO strategies to boost site traffic" → "Increased site traffic by 50% and doubled conversion KPI's with targeted SEO strategies"
#5 Include your non-traditional experience.
When you are just starting out in your career, it can be difficult to feel like you have enough experience to include on a resume. Our advice is to include your non-traditional experience, which can include extracurriculars, volunteer work, personal projects, and coursework.
If you are a leader in a club, definitely include that. If you created a new process, took the lead on a project, or streamlined an existing process those are all great things to include. Side projects are also great to include -- these can be personal projects that you have done on your own or with a group (e.g., a personal website, an app, an Etsy storefront, etc.). Relevant class projects are also okay to include.
#6 Name your file.
Whenever you submit your resume, submit it as a PDF file and label it as FirstnameLastnameResume.pdf. This is really simple, but often overlooked. You don't want to be overlooked because you submitted a resume named "theverylastfinalfinal2.pdf".