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Grad School Resume 2024: Tips, FAQs, and Templates

When applying to grad school, you’ll probably be asked to submit your resume. As grad school admissions become increasingly competitive, it’s critical that you have a strong resume to help you stand out from other applicants and impress the selection committee.

The perfect grad school resume is short and concise but persuasive enough to convince your dream grad school that you’re the perfect candidate. An academic resume is quite different to an employment resume, so it’s important to know how to write a winning CV for grad school.

Table of Contents

Why Do I Need a Grad School Resume?

When preparing your grad school application, you’re probably consumed with many tasks like chasing down your academic transcripts and preparing for the  entrance exam . Your graduate school resume might be the last thing on your mind, but you’ll almost certainly need to prepare one.

Grad school admission requirements vary depending on the school you’re applying to, but you’ll typically need to submit the following for your grad school application:

• Completed application form
• Academic transcript
• Entrance exam
• Reference letters
• Personal statement

You shouldn’t use whatever resume you have on hand from the last time you applied for a job. A grad school resume is quite different from an employment resume , so you’ll need to create one specifically for this purpose. A well-crafted and comprehensive resume helps the admissions team understand your strengths, qualifications, experience, and interests. Ultimately, this will help them determine whether or not they’ll accept you into the program.

Related: How To Prep Your Resume For Success (When You’ve No Work Experience)

Tips for Writing a Winning Graduate School Resume in 2024

Follow these tips to show any selection committee that you’re the perfect candidate for their program!

Write a Strong but Concise Introduction

Grad school selection committees go over hundreds, if not  thousands , of resumes to find candidates who meet their standards and who could be excellent ambassadors for the program. Because of sheer volume, they may spend only a few seconds reviewing each resume.

This makes the introduction critical—this part will grab their attention and persuade them to keep reading. So, take your time to write a brief but strong professional profile. In as few words as possible, mention your qualifications, experience, and relevant skills, why you want to join the program, and why you’re the perfect candidate.

Your letter of intent for admission to graduate school gives you a unique way to separate yourself from the rest of the applicants.

Include your Contact Details

Your contact details should go at the top of your resume, right below your name.

Be sure to include the following details:

• Your first name and surname
• Your physical address

Your email address

• At least one contact phone number
• Links to your social media profiles.

You don’t need to include extra information about yourself such as your race, age, or citizenship. In fact, by law, institutions are not allowed to discriminate based on these details; so, it’s best to leave them off your resume entirely.

On the other hand, social media links are important, especially LinkedIn. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile already, consider signing up for one. The selection committee may check your profile to verify your connections, work experience, internships, volunteer work, and educational background.

Pay Attention to Formatting

Good formatting is vital for any resume—a sloppy layout will make you look unprofessional and could damage your chances of getting accepted into a grad program. Keep it short, simple, and precise—make it no more than one page if possible. Don’t include any unnecessary details or information that isn’t relevant to the program.

The exact layout can vary, but your grad school resume should include:

• Your name and contact details
• Summary/introduction
• Education history and educational achievements

Awards and achievements

• Significant research projects
• Extra-curricular activities
• Volunteer work
• Skills and hobbies

Some grad schools want you to follow a standard format, so be sure to check with the admissions office if they have any grad school resume examples or templates. You can’t expect a call back from the selection committee if you can’t follow a simple format instruction!

For more on formatting, take a look at the sample CVs for graduate school admission later in this article.

Detail your Education History

Many grad schools require candidates to have a minimum level of education in order to be considered for their program. Even if a school doesn’t have strict grade prerequisites, at a minimum you will need to have completed an undergraduate degree. Your education history is one of the first things the selection committee will check when going over your resume.

Because this information is so important, you should outline your education in a prominent spot near the top of your resume. Mention the schools you’ve attended, your qualifications, GPA, and any other courses or certifications you took before or after your undergraduate studies. It’s also essential to include any teaching experience and major research projects.

Be sure to include these details in the education section:

•       Name of the school
•       Location
•       Graduation date
•       Degrees
•       Awards

Include your Professional Experience

An academic resume doesn’t need to be limited to your education experience. It’s usually a good idea to also include work experience outside of academia, along with teaching and research experience .

Detailing your diverse work experience may demonstrate additional skills and experience that is relevant to the program. It can also help to build a complete picture of your journey to grad school that will be more compelling to the selection committee. Furthermore, some programs, such as most MBAs, particularly look for professional work experience.

Related: How To Apply To Grad School

Highlight Your Awards and Achievements

Your achievements set you apart from other candidates so it’s vital to highlight them in your resume. Achievements demonstrate your skills and strengths in a very concrete way, giving the committee a good reason to choose you over other applicants. Achievements could include volunteer awards, leadership positions, prizes won as part of extracurricular activities, academic achievements such as honors, and internships. Be sure to also briefly mention what you learned from your achievements.

Detailing your academic achievements can certainly enhance your resume, but it’s not necessary to include every small award you’ve won over the years. Make this section detailed, but without any fluff. Only include awards that are relevant to the program you are applying for.

Stick with Reverse Chronological Order

The selection committee will be most interested in hearing about your latest experience and achievements. Therefore, it’s important to list everything in reverse chronological order: start with your most recent awards, projects, or positions and work backwards chronologically.

You should follow this approach for all the elements in your academic resume. This includes academic and professional work experience, research projects, publications, awards, and other achievements.

Include Key Skills and Proficiencies

At the end of your resume, you should include a section covering your skills and abilities . Detail both the hard and soft skills picked up from your undergraduate program and professional experience. You can also list your hobbies, but remember to avoid fluff – only include extracurricular activities that are relevant to your application.

This doesn’t mean that all the skills and hobbies you mention must be directly related to the graduate program; however, they should show the school that you are a strong candidate for one reason or another. For example, sporting achievements demonstrate dedication and motivation, even if they aren’t directly related to the program you’re applying for. Anything that adds value to your resume will help make your application stand out.

Wherever possible, back up your statements. Rather than just stating that you possess certain skills, provide examples of academic projects that allowed you to build a specific capability, or awards you won that recognize your proficiency in a certain area.

Don’t be Repetitive

Avoid repeating information. If you have only a few achievements to show and you’ve already mentioned them under the education section, you don’t need to create a separate section for achievements and awards. A lengthy resume filled with fluff isn’t going to help you get into your dream school. It’s always better to keep your resume short, concise, and to the point.

Proof Read to Pick up any Errors

Don’t underestimate the importance of proofreading your academic resume for graduate school. Even one or two spelling mistakes, typos, or messy formatting can be a big turn off the selection committees.

Read over your resume to check for errors. Then proofread it again. Just to be sure, ask a friend, family member, or mentor to take a look. Most importantly, make sure your contact details are accurate and up to date!

How to Write a Resume for Your Graduate School Application

Here’s a brief step-by-step guide to writing a resume for grad school applicants.

Step 1: Write a Strong Introduction

Your academic resume should start with a brief but compelling introduction to catch the selection committee’s attention and encourage them to keep reading.

Your introduction should summarize your most relevant skills and academic history, as well as mentioning your main professional objective. A strong graduate school resume objective is authentic, direct, and compelling.

Step 2: List your Academic Experience

In the next section, detail your academic qualifications and experience. Include not only your undergraduate degree and any other studies you’ve completed, but also key coursework, major academic projects and research and teaching experience.

Related: When To Apply For Grad School

Step 3: Detail your Professional Experience

The next part of your academic should cover your professional experience. If you’re a recent graduate with limited experience, list your internships, fellowships, teaching positions, or any other relevant experience you have.

Step 4: Detail your Key Skills

Next, describe your most relevant skills that will impress the admissions committee. It’s essential to include as many relevant keywords as possible, as admissions committees are increasingly using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to automatically filter applications.

Key skills and proficiencies you could add to your resume include:

• Academic research
• Business knowledge
• Social sciences
• Written communication skills
• Skills in specific disciplines, such as accounting, actuarial science, biology, calculus, cell-based analysis, cognitive behavioral therapy, economics, engineering, finance, nursing theory, psychology, social work, and statistics

Step 5: List Important Academic Achievements

Finally, highlight your most impressive academic achievements. Include details such as your GPAs, academic memberships and associations, and any awards you’ve received.

Graduate School Resume Template

Below, we’ve included three graduate school resume examples that showcase different ways to format your resume for graduate school. These graduate school resumes include all the critical information, such as academic projects, relevant skills, and professional experience in a clear, concise way.

Grad School Resume Template 1: General Academic Resume

Your First Name, Last Name

Your phone number

LinkedIn profile, other social media profiles

Introduction : 2-3 sentences outlining your qualifications, experience, why you want to join the program, and why you make the perfect candidate.

School name

Completion date – Degree name

• List of accomplishments

Work Experience

Position title Start date – End date

Organization name, address

• Responsibilities and achievements
• List of skills and proficiencies
• List of awards and achievements

Template 2: Professional-Focused Academic Resume (for MBA and similar programs)

Introduction: 2-3 sentences outlining your qualifications, experience, and main career goals.

Template 3: Recent Graduate Academic Resume

Academic Projects

Project subject, Institution, City, State

Start date – End date

• List of key courses

Volunteer Experience

Grad School Resume FAQs

Is an academic resume the same as a regular resume.

A grad school or academic resume is totally different from a resume that you might use to apply for a job. Most students have limited work experience, particularly in the professional sector. Furthermore, grad school selection committees generally look for applicants with a strong academic background. Therefore, an academic resume can focus on qualifications, achievements, test scores, and extracurricular activities.

What Should a Grad School Resume Include?

Contact information, educational qualifications, internship programs, awards and achievements, and any extracurricular activities are the basic essentials you should include in your masters degree resume or graduate school resume. You should also have a strong introduction or summary near the top of your resume which tells the selection committee what they need to know at a glance. You can add additional information, such as professional experience and other projects if it’s relevant to the program.

How Long Should My Grad School Resume Be?

Generally speaking, your grad school resume should be no more than one page. However, if you have a lot of experience and a detailed history of qualifications, you can make your resume 1.5-2 pages. But, we don’t recommend going over two pages! The most important thing is to keep your professional resume for graduate school both relevant and concise.

What is the Best Graduate School Resume Format?

There are a few different graduate school resume formats, and the best one for you will depend on your chosen field of study, as well as your level of experience. Equally, it’s important to format your resume so that you showcase your strengths and achievements in the best way possible.

If you already have professional experience, it’s usually best to open with your most recent experience, then continue the list in reverse chronological order. If you have little to no work experience, its preferable to follow your opening summary with your most impressive academic achievements and qualifications.

How do you Align your Resume with a Job Description?

When applying for jobs, you should never use a one-size-fits all resume. Instead, it’s critical to adapt your CV to the job description each and every time. If the job description mentions certain skills, ensure that your resume shows that you have these capabilities. Additionally, be sure to clearly demonstrate the experience and qualifications detailed in the job description.

Likewise, prospective graduate students should tailor their academic resume to the specific program they’re applying to. Many grad schools are highly competitive, so it’s essential that every part of your application, including your resume, helps you to stand out and clearly shows why you’re an excellent fit for the program.

How Far Back Should a Resume go for Grad School?

Your graduate school application should be as comprehensive as possible, but you don’t need to go overboard. Therefore, for most graduate programs, it’s best to include your undergraduate qualifications and any other relevant certifications, but you don’t need to mention your high school GPA or SAT scores , for example.

Likewise, you should generally include professional work experience going back around 10 – 15 years, as long as it’s relevant to the program.

Wrapping Up

Getting into grad school can be tough, especially if you’re applying to one of the  Ivy Leagues . These schools receive thousands of applications, so you really need to make sure yours stands out. It’s important to take your time and make the effort to present a strong application, from your academic transcript and GPA to your winning grad school resume.

Are you putting together a grad school application? Check out this guide on how to ace your grad school interview .

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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How to Write a Graduate School Resume | Template & Example

Published on February 7, 2020 by Shona McCombes . Revised on June 1, 2023.

When you apply for graduate school , you’ll usually be asked to submit a resume or CV along with your application. A graduate school resume should give a focused, concise overview of relevant experiences and achievements.

The exact sections you include depend on your experiences and on the focus of the program you’re applying to. Ensure your resume gives full details of:

• Your college education
• Relevant work experience
• Relevant voluntary and extracurricular experience
• Any awards, honors, publications, or other relevant achievements
• Any relevant skills, certifications, and memberships

The main difference from a regular resume is that you’ll put more emphasis on your education and academic interests to show that you’re a good candidate for graduate school.

Download the Word templates and adjust them to your own purposes.

Resume template 1 Resume Template 2

Table of contents

Step 1: plan the structure and layout, step 2: create a heading with your personal information, step 2: detail your education, step 3: outline your work experience, step 4: highlight other relevant skills and achievements, step 5: proofread and save as a pdf, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about graduate school resumes.

Before you start writing, you need to decide how you’ll organize the information. Which sections you include, and in which order, depends on your experience and the program you are applying to.

If you’re applying for a research-focused program in the sciences, social sciences or humanities, emphasize your academic skills and achievements. Awards, publications, grants, fellowships, and teaching experience should take center stage. If you don’t have many academic achievements yet, you can focus on your courses, grades, and research interests.

If you’re applying to a professionally-focused program, you’ll probably want to emphasize your work experience and practical skills. Internships, jobs, and voluntary work should all be included.

Keep the layout clean and simple. Make sure all headings are the same size and font, and use text boxes or dividing lines to separate the sections.

Example of a resume outline

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting.

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

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See an example

At the very top of your resume, you need to include:

• Your name (usually in a larger font size)
• Your address
• Your email address
• Your phone number

You can also include a sentence summarizing your background and stating your objective.

• Don’t write “resume” in the heading – just your name is fine.
• Do include links to relevant professional or academic profiles, such as LinkedIn, Academia.edu, or ResearchGate.

A graduate school resume should always start with your educational history. For each program you’ve completed (or are soon to complete), always list:

• The degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts in English Literature)
• The college and location
• The month and year of graduation

If you’re applying for a research-focused program, you can also give the title of your thesis and go into slightly more detail about your studies – for example, by listing 2–3 advanced courses that demonstrate relevant academic skills.

• Don’t include your high school education.
• Do include other applicable information such as your minor(s), study abroad programs, and other relevant educational experiences.
• Awards and honors

If you’ve received any awards, honors, scholarships, or grants, make sure to include these too. If you have several such academic achievements, it’s worth including a separate section on your resume to make sure they stand out.

Next, your resume should give an overview of your professional and voluntary experience. If you have varied experience, you might want to split it up into separate sections:

In a resume for an academic program, you could include headings for teaching experience and research experience.

A professionally-focused resume could be divided into sections for employment, internships, and voluntary work, or headings for managerial and administrative roles.

Each section should be organized in reverse chronological order. For each role, list:

• Your job title
• The dates of employment
• The organization’s name and location
• A bullet-point list of your main responsibilities

Be concise and specific when describing your work.

• Don’t attempt to list everything you did in every job.
• Do pick out some key achievements that show what you learned and how you succeeded.

For example, instead of:

• Made lesson plans
• Taught students
• Graded papers
• Attended departmental meetings

You could write:

• Designed lessons in academic writing skills
• Taught classes of 20–30 undergraduate students
• Graded practical assignments and coordinated peer feedback sessions
• Contributed to the evaluation and redevelopment of the curriculum

The other sections of your resume depend on what you want to emphasize. You can include some of the section headings listed below, or combine them into larger sections.

Publications and presentations

Publishing in academic journals or presenting at conferences is a big selling point on a graduate school resume. List any publications (including co-author credits) or papers you have presented.

You can also include pending publications – that is, articles that have been accepted by a journal but not yet published. Make sure to note what stage the publication is at (e.g. under review, in press).

Certifications and memberships

If you have participated in professional development or other relevant training courses, list your certifications.

Are you a member of any professional bodies or organizations? You can list these too to demonstrate your involvement in an academic or professional community.

Languages and technical skills

If you speak more than one language, list your level of fluency (with certification if applicable).

There’s usually no need to include standard computer skills like Microsoft Word, but do highlight your proficiency in specialist softwares or tools relevant to the program (such as statistical programs and design software).

Extracurricular activities

Don’t include irrelevant hobbies or try to show off how busy you were in college, but do list any community or voluntary activities that demonstrate your skills in things like leadership and communication, or that are directly related to the subject you want to study.

Examples of the kinds of things that are worth including might be:

• Organizing events
• Editing a college paper, magazine, or journal
• Being president of a club
• Being involved in a community project

Make sure to carefully proofread your resume (and the rest of your application) before you submit. Also, check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services to see what we can do for you.

To ensure your formatting stays consistent, it’s generally best to save your resume as a PDF file (unless the university specifies another format).

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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A resume for a graduate school application is typically no more than 1–2 pages long.

Note, however, that if you are asked to submit a CV (curriculum vitae), you should give comprehensive details of all your academic experience. An academic CV can be much longer than a normal resume.

Always carefully check the instructions and adhere to any length requirements for each application.

The sections in your graduate school resume depend on two things: your experience, and the focus of the program you’re applying to.

Always start with your education. If you have more than one degree, list the most recent one first.

The title and order of the other sections depend on what you want to emphasize. You might include things like:

• Professional experience
• Voluntary and extracurricular activities
• Publications
• Skills and certifications

The resume should aim for a balance between two things: giving a snapshot of what you’ve done with your life so far, and showing that you’re a good candidate for graduate study.

No, don’t include your high school courses and grades. The education section should only detail your college education.

If you want to discuss aspects of high school in your graduate school application, you can include this in your personal statement .

A resume is typically shorter than a CV, giving only the most relevant professional and educational highlights.

An academic CV should give full details of your education and career, including lists of publications and presentations, certifications, memberships, grants, and research projects. Because it is more comprehensive, it’s acceptable for an academic CV to be many pages long.

Note that, outside of the US, resume and CV are often used interchangeably.

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McCombes, S. (2023, June 01). How to Write a Graduate School Resume | Template & Example. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/resume/

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5 Expert Tips for Writing a Stand-Out Grad School Resumé

Congratulations! You’re investing in your future by applying to graduate school. The application is complete, you’ve gathered your recommendations, written your statement of purpose , and you’re working on developing another important component—your resumé.

Your grad school resumé is an integral piece of the admissions process, says Jared Pierce, former associate director of enrollment quality assurance at Northeastern University. Admissions counselors rely on resumés as an assessment of the student, his or her strengths, work experience, skills, education, and interests, he says, to help them decide whether a prospective student is a good fit for the program.

Your grad school resumé is similar in many ways to a resumé you’d submit as part of a job application: You should use crisp language to describe your experiences, a clean and organized layout to make it easy to read, and it should be free from typos and grammar errors. But they’re different, too: Grad school resumés should emphasize your education, work and volunteer experience, and specific skills relevant to the particular program you’re applying to.

“We’re interested in a student’s background and how it’s relevant to the program he or she wants to enroll in,” Pierce says. “If they’re enrolling in a communications program, for example, we’re interested to see whether they’re coming from a social media background or a marketing background, and how that experience applies to what they’re looking for in grad school.”

Attention to detail is paramount when creating your resumé for grad school. Here’s a look at what should be included on your resumé, plus five tips to help you craft one that’s memorable and impactful.

What to Include in a Resumé for Graduate School

In general, your grad school resumé will be similar to a resumé you’d create when applying for a job. Keep in mind, however, that this document should be tailored to your desired program of study in order to show the admissions team that you’re a good fit.

Your graduate school resumé should include:

• A header, including basic information like your name and email address
• Your education history , including your undergraduate degree and institution
• Relevant experiences, such as current or previous professional roles, internships, and leadership experience
• Research and publications, including any research projects, articles, or other publications you’ve contributed to through your academic or professional career
• Skills and certifications, especially those closely related to your field of study
• Volunteering and extracurricular activities, if applicable to your program of interest

If you’re unsure whether a particular experience or skill should be included on your resumé, ask yourself how it relates to the program or institution that you’re applying to. If it doesn’t speak directly to your interests and strengths, it’s likely unnecessary to include.

Writing Your Grad School Resumé: 5 Tips for Success

1. tailor your resumé to the program..

When graduate schools review your resumé, they’re weighing the relevancy of your previous experience and education with the program you’re applying to. In other words, they want to see a correlation between what you’ve done and where you’re going.

Pierce recommends reviewing the homepage of the program you’re interested in before writing your resumé. Some programs require two or three years of work experience or a portfolio, so make sure you qualify for the program you’re applying to.

If you’re interested in the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program, for example, review the program’s webpage and make note of its requirements, objectives, core requirements, and any relevant keywords it uses. Then, make sure you check those boxes as you write your resumé.

2. Highlight all relevant experience.

While some prospective students apply to grad school from the field, others apply to programs upon completion of their undergraduate degree. For this reason, not all students will have professional experience to list on their resumé—and that’s ok, Pierce says.

“It’s a misnomer that if you don’t have professional experience, you can’t write a resumé,” he says. “There are other types of experience that are just as important and useful, so make sure you highlight everything that is relevant.”

Other than professional experience, admissions committees are interested in volunteer work and internships you’ve completed. This experience is just as relevant. For all experience—professional or otherwise—it’s important to showcase the duties you performed in those roles, and both the hard and soft skills you learned. This might include leading teams or projects, honing communication skills, or specific software or programs you learned and became proficient in.

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3. Showcase your skills.

Your resumé should include a skills section that highlights technologies, skills, and other competencies relevant to the graduate program you’re applying to, Pierce says.

If you’re applying to the Master of Science in Computer Science program, for example, your resumé should list the programming languages you know (e.g. Python, C++, Ruby on Rails), computer applications you’ve used, and software or systems that you’re experienced in.

4. Include professional achievements.

In addition to your experience and skills, admissions committees are interested in the professional certifications you earned, professional training you’ve completed, professional organizations of which you’re a member, and any instances in which you’ve been published.

Prospective students interested in the Master of Science in Project Management program, for example, should list any PMP certifications they’ve earned, while students interested in a Master of Science in Human Resource Management should note their membership to the Society for Human Resource Management, Pierce says. These achievements and memberships add another dimension to your resumé, showcasing your efforts outside your job, volunteer work, or internships to further your career and improve your experience.

5. Keep it clean.

Your grad school resumé should be succinct, only rarely exceeding one page, Pierce recommends. It should go without saying, too, that your resumé should be clean, well-formatted, easy-to-read, and free of typos or grammatical errors.

“We’re looking for a well-organized resumé that shows that care has been taken in creating it,” Pierce says. “Don’t just list out your experience in bullet points; tell us what duties you performed and how it correlates to the program you’re applying to. Your resumé is a reflection of you—we want to see that it’s polished and detailed, and understand what your background is like and what your experiences have been.”

Grad School Resumé Support

Applying to graduate school can be both exciting and stressful. Luckily, admissions teams and enrollment coaches are available to help you along the way and make the process as smooth as possible. If you have questions as you’re preparing your application and related materials, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. At the end of the day, admissions teams want to ensure that you’re a good fit for their program, and in effect, that their program is a good fit for you. 

At Northeastern, there are various resources and experts you can leverage for support throughout the application process. Don’t hesitate to contact faculty members in your program of interest with specific questions about the degree program. With more general questions about the application process, paying for your degree , or the institution as a whole, speak with an enrollment coach for help along the way.

For more information on applying to Northeastern’s graduate programs, visit our attend an application and enrollment session to get your questions answered. 

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How To Write A Graduate School Resume (With Examples)

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Although resumes are often associated with pursuits in a career, you’ll also need one when applying to graduate school. A graduate school resume will serve a similar function as a professional one, which is to catch the reader’s attention as a promising candidate.

Learning how to write an effective and concise graduate school resume is a crucial part of the higher education application process.

Key Takeaways:

Graduate school resumes are used to evaluate candidates and is similar to both an undergraduate application and a professional resume.

The education section, relevant coursework, and relevant experience are crucial parts of the graduate school resume.

Accomplishments and achievements from experiences should precede responsibilities.

Use concise language and tailor your resume to the specific program for application.

A graduate school resume should be one page long.

What Is a Graduate School Resume?

How to write a graduate school resume in 6 steps, tips for a successful graduate school resume, template for a graduate school resume.

Example of a Graduate School Resume

Graduate School Resume vs. CV

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A graduate school resume is a brief and organized description of an applicant’s background, skills, education, and any other aspects that would make them qualified for admission. It’s submitted along with an application to provide all the information that an admissions committee will need in contained space.

Graduate school resumes are used to evaluate many potential candidates easier by establishing a bullet-point list of their characteristics.

Including a graduate school resume in your application package illustrates who you are, what your experience is, and why you should be submitted to the program neatly on a single page .

Writing a graduate school resume can be confusing for many people; should it be more similar to a school application or a professional resume? The perhaps unsatisfying answer is that it is a bit of both.

Complete the following steps to create a graduate school resume containing information needed for admissions while being in a resume format:

Think about formatting. Although most resumes have typical structure guidelines, there’s still room for creativity in formatting a graduate school resume. There are some formatting rules you should adhere to, such as keeping your graduate resume about a page long and making your contact details boldly noticeable.

Pay attention to the education section . Since the point of submitting a graduate school resume is to be admitted to an educational program, there should be a clear focus on your prior academics.

Unlike a professional resume, which focuses primarily on career experience, a resume for graduate school should speak about the candidate’s educational background first and foremost.

Include information such as your:

School Name

Grade Point Average (GPA) (Only if 3.5+)

Field of Study

Dates of Attendance

Extracurriculars, Clubs, or Groups (if relevant)

Awards and Acknowledgment

Test Scores (If Applicable)

Include relevant coursework. Relevant coursework might come under your education section or your experience section, depending on which part needs more love. In any case, you’ll want to include the specifics of the classes you’ve taken so that admissions boards know that you’ve got the prerequisite training required to excel in your program.

List relevant work experience. Your prior experience in jobs shouldn’t be the center of attention in your graduate school resume.

However, positions related to the program you’re applying for should be included in your resume. Internships and volunteer experience that can be applied to the program’s field of study can also be helpful in a graduate school resume.

Include notable accomplishments. A graduate school resume is an appropriate place to keep a running tally of your achievements because you want to impress an admissions team. While you can make a dedicated “accomplishments” section, we recommend tactfully weaving achivements throughout your resume’s sections.

Your resume summary statement is a good place to include one, eye-catching accomplishment. And your undergraduate education probably involved some big project or thesis if you’re keen enough on the subject to continue onto graduate school, so that’s at least one major accomplishment for your education section.

Achievements from internships or even minor jobs should always precede boring job responsibilities.

“Answered emails” and “made spreadsheets” don’t exactly pop off the page, but “Responded to 20+ customer queries each day” or “Developed Cloud-based spreadsheet for interdepartment project planning and budgeting” sound a lot better — even if they describe the same jobs and tasks.

Skills and certifications. Including a skills section in a graduate school is recommended if you have the chops to back it up. You should stick to mentioning hard skills in a graduate resume that apply to the field of study you’re hoping to pursue.

This area of your graduate school resume can also be used to mention any certifications you’ve received outside of formal education.

Examples of possible skills and certifications to include on a graduate school resume include:

Fluency in a programming language

Experience in particular computer systems or applications

Speaking a second language

A technical skills training program

An online or in-person certificate in a specific field, like digital marketing or agile management

Tailor your resume to the program you’re applying for. When top applicants apply for new jobs, they go back to their resume and make edits to optimize it for the position they’re hoping to land . Successful graduate school applicants do the same. Every graduate program emphasizes different skills and experiences.

It’s okay to speak highly of your accomplishments. Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of speaking freely on all their outstanding accomplishments because they worry it makes them out to be conceited .

While you should maintain a humble attitude when discussing your achievements (especially in interviews), it’s recommended to get into the nitty-gritty of what you’ve done well in the past in a resume.

Use crisp, concise language. Start your bullet points with strong action verbs. Never include the words “I, me, my, or mine” in your resume. Use as few words as possible and embrace white space.

Include both hard and soft skills. There are probably some hard skills that the program you’re applying for requires, depending on the field of study. Besides listing the hard skills that you have, include soft skills that apply to your personality and work ethic.

Soft skills describe who a candidate is beyond their accomplishments or technical skills . An admissions team will use soft skills to assess if you’re the kind of student they want in their program.

Be honest about your experience and skills. Although it’s essential to catch an admissions counselor ’s attention with your resume, the information you include needs to be true. Bending the truth eventually becomes evident to experienced admissions professionals.

Proofread. Once you’ve finished writing a graduate school resume, the final thing to do is proofread it. Careless spelling and grammatical errors will turn off an admissions counselor reading your resume because it will portray you as sloppy or lazy.

You understand what information should be included on a graduate school resume. Now you use a template to structure the information properly.

Below is a template to guide you through creating your own graduate school resume.

First and Last Name City, State | Phone Number | Email Address | Social Media or Website Resume Summary Statement (Do not label your resume summary statement — just write it) A few sentences outlining what your graduate school resume will go on to say and what your goals for the future are. Education School Name , Degree Title, and Major Graduation Date Grade Point Average (GPA) (If 3.5+) Areas of Study Prior Research Awards, accomplishments, and acknowledgments Extracurricular activities and clubs (repeat if you have multiple schoools) Professional Experience Job Title Company Name, City, State Dates Employed One major achievement with numbers Job responsibility with mention of your impact on results More achievements (repeat for multiple jobs, internships, and volunteer experiences) Relevant Skills list 4-8 skills Give more hard skills than soft skills Additional Section (this section can be dedicated to certifications, volunteer experience, language fluency, independent projects, publications, or another optional resume section)

Aaron Blakely Denver, CO | (753)-585-5866 | [email protected]| LinkedIn.com/AaronBlakely A devoted and creative recent graduate from the University Of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and former research experience. Seeking higher education with the University of Washington’s computer science graduate program. Education The University Of Denver , B.S. in Computer Science 2020 3.9 GPA Studied computer science with a minor in creative coding Conducted research into biotechnology and virtual reality (VR) Achieved the Dean’s List all four years of college Vice President of the computer coding club Professional Experience Computer Coding Student Intern Larson’s Technology, Denver, CO 2017-2018 Created a process workflow that reduced average project turnaround time by 12% Helped mid-level developers write and debug code for client websites of over 1 million monthly visitors Reviewed engineers code and tested software patches before roll-out Sales Associate and Tech Help Desk Attendant Best Bet Computer Repair, Denver, CO 2012-2017 summers Served an average of 40 customers each day, aiding in selection of electronic goods Won employee of the month in June 2015 Received an an average customer review rating of 4.89/5 at tech help desk Scholarships 2016-2020 Outstanding Student Scholarship Awarded for academic accomplishment and community involvement The amount of $40,000 over four years of undergraduate education Relevant Skills Java HTML MS Office Suites Windows Mac OS X Communication Problem-solving Dependability Creativity Resourcefulness Certifications 2018 HTML Fluency Course, HTML programming language A 12-week course outlining the basics of HTML language Accompanied by assignments, six tests, and a final exam HTML basic fluency achieved

While this article focuses on graduate school resumes , it is important to note that some graduate schools might request a curriculum vitae, or CV, instead.

Graduate school resumes and CVs share a lot of similarities. They both act as documents to highlight an applicant’s qualifications, experiences, and contact information as part of an application process.

However, there are noticeable differences with CVs. These include:

Length. CVs tend to be two or more pages long. They are designed to provide an in-depth profile of your qualifications and achievements.

Purpose. CVs tend to focus on academic and research experience, as well as accomplishments such as fellowships, academic positions, and scholarships.

Content. CVs are more detailed. They cover a complete academic history of the applicant.

Audience. Academic and research heavy programs tend to request CVs because they want to see your abilities in these fields. This can include social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities programs.

As you can see, a CV has significant differences, which means you need to make sure whether you should send a resume or a CV. Luckily, most applications will specify which one they want to see.

However, if you ever have any questions, reach out to the graduate school program for clarification.

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Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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Gre prep online guides and tips, 4 successful graduate school resume and cv examples.

Crafting the perfect resume or CV for graduate school can be difficult to accomplish if you don’t have a graduate school resume sample to refer to. To help you construct your own high-quality resume for graduate school, we’re offering you  four original resume and CV samples  to use as examples.

First, we’ll explore what features make a great graduate school resume. Then, we’ll provide you with our own graduate school resume examples, giving you tips on what to include on your resume and how to showcase your strengths. Finally, we’ll leave you with our picks for the best online resources for graduate school resume and CV samples.

What Characteristics Make a Great Graduate School Resume or CV?

One easy way to make your graduate school application stand out is to create a compelling, eye-catching resume . But in order to ensure your resume will be memorable, it must be:

Graduate school resumes should highlight all of your major academic and professional experiences and accomplishments —  particularly those most relevant to your field of study . This means you should tailor your resume to your field of study and avoid padding it with too many irrelevant experiences. (That said, some programs may ask you to include your entire professional history, irrelevant positions and all. In this case, don’t leave anything out!)

In addition, don’t go overboard with your descriptions . Each entry (even those that are highly relevant to your field) should only contain as much detail as is necessary without devolving into verbosity. Generally, anywhere from two to four bullet points per entry should suffice.

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Clear and Easy to Follow

Structure is also an important feature of a graduate school resume. All resumes should include a header with your name and contact info ; clearly defined sections with headings; descriptions (usually as bullet points); and page numbers if your resume exceeds one page.

I also recommend arranging your entries in reverse chronological order (most recent to earliest). This way admissions committees will know right away what you’re currently working on as well as what your most recent experiences and accomplishments are.

Professional

The resume is a professional document and isn’t an opportunity to get overly creative. It’s perfectly OK to customize your resume, just as long as you’re adhering to the basic rules of professionalism : use an easily readable font (such as Calibri, Tahoma, or Times New Roman), stick primarily to black and white, and avoid inserting clip art or any other extraneous shapes and images.

Free of Errors

Finally, a great graduate school resume is completely free of errors . This means there are no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or formatting. (You can eliminate the potential for formatting errors by saving your resume as a PDF. Most graduate schools prefer PDFs anyway!)

Moreover, your resume should  abide by all of your program’s rules , including page limits, header and footer requirements, etc.

Graduate School Resume and CV Samples

Now that we know what makes for an excellent graduate school resume and CV, let’s look at a few high-quality samples. Graduate school resume examples are helpful resources because they give us ideas as to how to organize our resumes and what to include on them.

Below, we give you four original graduate school resume and CV samples . Each sample is unique and offers a variety of features you may incorporate into your own resume, if desired.

We’re also giving you one annotated graduate school resume sample and one annotated sample CV for graduate school . These annotated samples each contain notes explaining what features make them strong contenders for graduate school.

Graduate School Resume Samples

• Graduate School Resume Sample PDF
• Graduate School Resume Sample Annotated PDF

Graduate School CV Samples

• Sample CV for Graduate School PDF
• Sample CV for Graduate School Annotated PDF

Additional Resources for Graduate School Resume and CV Samples

In addition to the four graduate school resume and CV samples above, there are a ton of resume samples you can access for free online. To find high-quality samples, we recommend going to  university websites, specifically university career center webpages , as these are most likely to offer you direct guidance on resume and CV writing.

Before we proceed to the resources, however, note that a majority of the following resume and CV samples are actually  job oriented . The major differences between job-oriented resumes and graduate school resumes are the focus and the use of references. Graduate school resumes and CVs typically emphasize education and do  not  contain any references (since you’re already supplying letters of recommendation).

In spite of these differences, though, you should still be able to use some of the samples below as inspiration for your own graduate school resume or CV.

The Best Resources for Additional Grad School Resume Samples

Here are our picks for the best online resources for graduate school resume examples.

Through its Career Services department, UPenn offers a wide array of resume samples  for both those who’ve completed undergrad and  those who’ve completed additional graduate education (master’s degrees, Ph.D.s, etc.). Each of the graduate-level resume samples contains detailed commentary on key features and areas that could be improved.

This PDF focuses on how to write resumes if you’re a current master’s student (but can certainly be used for those applying to graduate school, too). The four samples are on pages 5-8. Each resume contains helpful introductory information explaining the purpose of the resume and how it’s organized.

Elon University

This university offers several high-quality resume samples for various career paths, including the arts and humanities, the sciences, education, and business. It also offers a generic graduate school resume  sample, which you can use to get a feel for the kinds of sections or topics you might want to incorporate into your own resume.

The Best Resources for Additional Grad School CV Samples

Here, we give you two top-notch resources for CV samples.

UPenn’s Career Services department offers a large variety of CV samples in addition to the resume samples listed above. Although all of the CV samples are geared toward employment purposes (they were all submitted by Ph.D. holders), they’re still solid resources you can use as models while crafting your own graduate school CV — especially if you’re entering the science, engineering, or math sectors.

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University of Illinois

This PDF offers two full-length CV samples and instructions detailing how to write a CV and what to include on it. Note that both CV samples are employment oriented (they both contain references and Ph.D. work); however, you can still use the general layouts of the samples to help you come up with ideas for your own CV.

Summary: Graduate School Resume and CV Samples

Most graduate school applicants will need to submit either a resume or a CV along with their graduate school applications. This is the only opportunity you’ll have to summarize  all of your academic and professional achievements in a single document.

But how can you ensure your resume or CV will impress admissions committees? Generally speaking, a memorable graduate school resume will be one that’s:

• Focused without straying too far into irrelevant territory
• Clear and easy to follow, with a header, headings, and bullet points
• Professional, with easy-to-read fonts and a basic color scheme
• Free of errors in regard to grammar and formatting

Resume and CV samples can help you figure out how to structure your own resume or CV  and give you tips on what kinds of sections and topics to include . We’ve provided you with four original resume and CV samples you can use as references while drafting your own resume or CV for graduate school. For additional samples, try browsing university websites and career center webpages.

Remember, if you can produce a compelling graduate school resume, you’re bound to leave a positive impression on admissions committees! So don’t be tempted to slack off with the resume portion of your application — it could very well be what ultimately entices a school to accept you.

What’s Next?

In addition to samples, we’ve got a quality collection of graduate school resume and CV templates — and they’re entirely free for you to use!

Need tips on what to include on your resume or CV?  Read our expert guides on  how to write a graduate school CV and how to write a graduate school resume !

When should you apply to graduate school? What do you need to apply?  We answer all of these questions and more in our articles on graduate school requirements  and graduate school deadlines .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

How to Craft a Competitive Resume for Your Graduate School Application

While applying to graduate school may sound like a demanding process, the steps and application requirements are fairly similar to prepping for your undergraduate degree, including collecting letters of recommendation , writing a personal statement and securing any necessary transcripts.

However, there are key differences between the applications, especially depending on what kind of master’s degree, graduate certificate or doctoral program you’re considering.

One asset most prospective students are asked for is a graduate school resume. Sure, it sounds familiar — essentially anyone who has applied to a job has had to write a resume — but what exactly should it include? And how do you make sure it conveys you’re a great candidate for the program?

We spoke with Lori Shreve Blake , senior director of career engagement at the USC Career Center , to determine how a graduate school resume differs from an employment resume, as well as crucial tips for how to write a stellar one.

What Is a Graduate School Resume?

First things, first: A graduate school resume is a document that gives the school’s admissions committee the information it needs to determine what you bring to the table as a candidate. It’s in this resume where you can really expand on your skills and qualifications that may not have come up in other parts of your application.

While it is quite similar in many ways to a work resume, the grad school resume places a great emphasis on education and academic achievements, as well as work experiences that relate to the program you’d like to join.

“Similar to a job resume, where we say tailor your resume according to the job, it would be tailor your resume according to the grad program and what their requirements are for admissions,” Shreve Blake told USC Online.

What Should Your Graduate School Resume Include?

Much like a work resume, a graduate school resume should start off with a clear header that includes the basic information about yourself, such as your name and your contact information, and contains your address, phone number and email address.

From there, you should highlight your past education experience and any academic highlights.

“Graduate school candidates should highlight academic achievements including membership in an honors society, dean’s list,  academic research and projects, this shows the person’s commitment to the graduate program that they’re pursuing,” Shreve Blake explained.

Candidates may also include study abroad program, a list of relevant classes you’ve taken, your thesis title, certifications you’ve obtained and any other relevant educational experience.

Next, you should dive into your work experience. Highlight the jobs you’ve held — especially ones that demonstrate why you’d be a fit for the graduate program — as well as any pertinent volunteer positions and internships.

“I think showing the work experience and how it relates to the graduate degree is really a key point, especially if you’re going to grad school … for a job,” Shreve Blake said. “Depending on what type of grad program you’re going for, they’re going to want to see certain types of experiences, so make sure you have [ones] that are unique and specific to that particular grad program. For example, if I want to get a master’s in social work, I’m going to show that I worked in the community and … similar experiences, even though I’m not a social worker yet.”

Shreve Blake added that your job history might be a requirement for some graduate programs, such as an MBA: “They may require three to five years of business work experience before you’re even qualified to be considered for an MBA at a premier institution,” she said.

Tips for How to Write a Graduate School Resume

Ask yourself whom you’re writing for. If you’re feeling stuck in the initial stages of crafting the perfect resume, consider your target, Shreve Blake advised.

“We need to think, when we’re writing, who are we writing for? What are they going to want to see? Put yourself in their place. If I’m hiring for a job, why? What am I looking for? If I’m admitting someone for a PhD in neuroscience, what kind of experiences am I looking for? How are you showing that you are an academic even before we make you one and actually admit you to the program? You have to show that you’re doing the job or at least trying to go down that path before you even get admitted,” she expanded.

Be detailed and specific about your accomplishments. While listing off your various past achievements, you want to make sure you’re being as clear as possible about what you’ve accomplished in the past. This helps you tell a better story about your experience and really gives the admissions committee insight into your successes.

“My advice to grad school applicants is to quantify. Tell a story in those bullets. Don’t just tell me, ‘I researched sleep to determine synapses.’ That’s not enough. You researched the brain to determine synapses, resulting in a publication in the American Medical Journal. That’s what we want to see — quantifying numbers, if you’ve worked with any big names … Or say, if it’s for an MBA, it’s going to be more, what did you do in business when you were working? What did you do that really made an impact at your workplace?” Shreve Blake said.

Keep it concise. The point of the graduate school resume is to truly expand on your accomplishments so the school knows why they should be rushing to admit you. Of course, that doesn’t mean sending in pages and pages about every course you’ve taken or internship you’ve held. Per Shreve Blake, the golden rule is a one-page resume if you have zero to nine years of experience, and a two-page resume if you have 10 years of experience.

Is the skill or experience relevant to the program at hand? If not, you can leave it out. Information from your high school days probably isn’t relevant, either, if you’re an older candidate returning to your studies.

Be smart about your social media. These days, it seems everyone has a robust online presence — and you can be sure it’ll come up when someone Googles your name. The reality is, your online presence will be examined when you apply for a graduate school program, so make sure any public profiles are professional.

Social media can also be a major asset — Shreve Blake recommends updating your LinkedIn profile and using it as a professional website for yourself. Link the URL in your resume, so they have easy access to a digital version of your achievements.

Maintain a professional aura. Above all, make sure you keep it professional with your graduate school resume. There is no need to include photos of yourself, for example, or too much personal information. While you want the admissions committee to get an idea of your values, you’re leaning on your accomplishments here, not personality or personal experiences.

“When you’re trying to get into a graduate school, it’s still a business transaction, right? You’re selling yourself. So, you’re just not going to have a lot of personal information there,” Shreve Blake emphasized.

Should You Use a Template to Write Your Graduate School Resume?

While it may be tempting to take advantage of a graduate school resume template or lift from examples, Shreve Blake said to steer clear of using a pre-set template.

“What I absolutely hate — and I think people can see this a mile away — is using a resume template. Don’t use a resume template,” Shreve Blake insisted. “The formatting is often off, and it’s not really what people like to see.  I would definitely say don’t use a resume template, use a blank Word document, and kind of work through your resume that way.”

Crafting an original resume will help you stand out from the crowd. After all, each graduate school resume is unique: It needs to fit both the program you’re applying to and your own past.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all for a job resume, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all for a graduate school resume,” Shreve Blake concluded.

For more information, visit the  Office of Graduate Admission at USC  and explore USC Online’s graduate school timeline .

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•       Resources       Building a Standout Graduate School Resume

Building a Standout Graduate School Resume

Examples and advice on curriculum vitae & grad school resumes.

Graduate school often requires a resume or curriculum vitae for admission. Understand the difference and see examples of how to create a standout graduate school resume or CV.

Nearly all graduate programs require a grad school application resume. Prospective students need to craft a curriculum vitae (CV) or an academic resume showing their educational background, employment history, research experience, internships, volunteer work, and academic achievements.

A resume for applying to graduate school needs to make a strong impression quickly. According to research from Glassdoor , recruiters look at a resume for just six seconds before deciding whether to reject an applicant. The guide below offers future graduate students help with creating a CV or resume. Students can peruse templates, advice from experts, and other resources to create a standout resume that should impress an admissions committee and lead to a positive decision.

Graduate School Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae

Most graduate schools request a CV or a graduate school resume as part of the admissions process. While fundamental differences exist between a CV and a resume, both can help an admissions officer understand an applicant's background, experience, and knowledge. Therefore, using a good curriculum vitae template or following excellent grad school resume examples can boost a prospective student's chances of admission.

Why do graduate schools want CVs?

Graduate school admissions offices usually want to see a CV for the same reason human resources officers want to see a resume. This easy-to-read document helps them understand who an applicant is and whether or not they might make a good candidate to accept into the school or workplace.

What do grad programs usually request?

Most graduate programs in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences request CVs; admissions committees in these disciplines want to know about a prospective student's academic and research abilities. Alternatively, business schools and law schools may request a resume since these programs focus more on career preparation for executive-level work.

How are CVs and resumes similar?

Both CVs and resumes contain a brief written history of an individual's accomplishments, experiences, and skills. Both act as marketing documents that help an individual land an interview with a potential employer or university program. Both also provide key contact information.

How are CVs and resumes different?

A CV usually includes a longer, more detailed account of a person's academic history and research background, while a resume focuses on their employment history and applied achievements. A CV may consist of 2-3 pages of information -- even for an entry-level candidate -- whereas a resume rarely runs more than a single page.

The following table provides more details about the differences and similarities between a CV and a resume.

Ten Characteristics of a Standout Graduate School Resume or CV

For a graduate student's resume or CV to stand out, it must catch the interest of the admissions team. The following checklist can help keep a resume or CV on track.

• Keep It Focused: A resume should highlight career achievements and academic work. Avoid including irrelevant experiences and save most descriptors for cover letters and interviews. Bullet points can help sharpen a resume's focus.
• Include Internships and Volunteer Work: A resume can include more than paid employment. Internships and volunteer work that demonstrate skills and talents needed for the prospective program or job can boost a resume's content.
• Mention Academic Accomplishments: A CV or resume can include a student's GPA, a list of academic awards, or even a sample of coursework. However, make sure included information is relevant to the target program.
• Employ an Easy-to-follow Format: Every so often, a creative new resume format appears online. However, many managers and admissions officers find these formats confusing since they are accustomed to reading resumes in one of four or five standard styles.
• Error-free Text: Admissions committees facing a stack of resumes often use errors as a way to sift through the pile. A well-proofed resume should contain no spelling errors, and it needs to demonstrate consistency in spacing and alignment.
• Include Technical Competencies: Listing relevant technical skills, such as proficiency with programming languages or operating systems, can help make a resume stand out. Specific examples should support any claim of technical competency.
• Call Out Awards, Grants, and Honors: Many potential graduate students have received awards, written successful grant proposals, and/or achieved an academic honor. Resumes can include this information -- either in a separate section or embedded in the standard education or employment sections.
• Use Professional Styles: An easy-to-read style often trumps a creative presentation. Students should write resumes and CVs using 12-point font, bolded headlines, bullet points, and Times New Roman or another serif font.
• Makes Use of Strong Verbs: As in all writing, verbs form the basis of powerful expression. The best resumes rely on verbs instead of adjectives to demonstrate a robust educational and professional background.
• Flows Logically: An admissions team wants to see that a candidate can organize information in a systematic and logical way. Doing so on a resume can set a candidate apart as a clear and organized individual.

Templates of Successful Grad School Resumes and CVs

Writing a resume or CV can feel daunting, especially when you are trying to stuff years of education and research into one or two pages. Thankfully, you can organize your information logically by using a template. Look over the following examples of academic resumes and CVs from various institutions.

• Resume Template Library

Completed Examples

• Sample CV for Master of Environmental Studies
• Sample Resume for Master of Liberal Arts
• Template for a CV in Sciences and Engineering
• Template for a CV in the Humanities
• Sample CV for Students in Policy-related Programs
• Sample CV for Students in Teaching-related Programs

Need to write your statement of purpose?

Use this guide to learn what academic departments look for, how to structure a winning statement, and what our expert has to say on the matter.

Writing a Successful Grad School Statement of Purpose

Expert FAQ: Additional Answers About CV and Grad School Resume Building

Erin lewis, career liaison.

Erin Lewis has worked in the Center for Career and Professional Development at Clarion University for the past 12 years and currently serves as a career liaison to education and training, arts and communication, and human services. As a professional staff member who specializes in resume writing, Erin trains and supervises the peer resume review team at Clarion University and has developed a resume assessment rubric for use with multiple courses.

Erin has an interest and specialty in online career services. She created virtual delivery of services through the university's online learning platform, which includes topics on the basics of resume writing, applicant tracking system resumes, keywords on resumes, and customizing resumes for a job search. Erin also created video resume reviews for students who are unable to meet in person for resume consultations.

What problems do you see grad students running into a lot when they are building out their resume?

A common problem for graduate students who are just building a resume is becoming overwhelmed. They have acquired many skills and experiences and don't know where to begin, what to include, or how much to include.

What advice do you give grad students who are building a resume but might not have a lot of job experience?

When I work with graduate students who might not have a lot of job experience, I first work with the individuals to assess and inventory their skill sets. From talking with employers, we know that a high value is placed on candidates who possess communication, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, information technology application, and leadership skills; professionalism; and career management and global/intercultural fluency.

Candidates who can provide evidence on their resume of how they have gained these skills and applied them in a multitude of settings can be just as successful as candidates with work experience. Job experience is beneficial, but students should never discount the skill sets they have gained from clubs and organizations, volunteerism, classroom projects, or study abroad experiences.

Using the right words to articulate your skills on a resume clearly and concisely is extremely important. Incorporating industry-specific keywords and highlighting your KASE (knowledge, achievements, skills, and experiences) is critical to stand out in today's competitive job market!

Should grad students include a line about their references in their resume?

A line about references really depends on each application. If you are applying to a position that has already requested your references, it is not necessary to include any phrase on the resume regarding references -- simply include them in your application materials.

If you are attending a career fair or similar networking event, a line regarding references available upon request is acceptable but often unnecessary.

What kind of licensure or certifications should grad students list?

Every resume should be customized and tailored for each specific application. Your first priority is to include any licensure or certifications that the position description lists as required. Your second priority is to include what is preferred, followed by any additional licensure or certifications that will help to differentiate you from the competition!

Keep in mind MORE does not always mean BETTER. Employers, on average, spend 6-8 seconds on your resume. Include what is most relevant and keep descriptions clear and to the point.

Should someone's resume look different if they are an undergrad student vs. a working professional?

Every resume is as unique as the person who is writing it! Even students who sit in the same classes together are going to have varying experiences to include on their resumes. This means that while the basics of resume writing are the same for all individuals, working professionals may have different section headings and a different content order compared to a traditional undergraduate student. Additionally, working professionals will most likely have more work experience and content to include on their resume.

If you are a working professional looking to revise your resume, consider listing your work experience section first -- employers typically place a high value on this section. Additionally, any other relevant skills and experiences that relate to the position you are applying for should emphasize abilities and qualifications that match the job description. Remember, one of the most critical actions you can take with your resume is to tailor it to the company or position to which you are applying.

Should students always include a cover letter? Or just when it is indicated in an application description?

A cover letter is almost always important, even when it isn't specifically indicated in an application description. If you email your resume to a particular individual, the body of the email becomes your cover letter. If you upload your resume into an online database and there is no space for a cover letter, it is best to copy and paste your cover letter into the comment box of the application.

Be cautious with your writing communication. Your correspondence with potential employers should always be professional -- whether via email or online forms.

What is the best format to send a resume in?

The best format in which to send a resume is how the employer requests it. Be sure to read the job posting for specific application instructions. If there is no request for a specific type of document format, save the file as a PDF and send it as an attachment.

The name of your resume file matters! If you use a file name such as "resume" or "new_resume," you won't stand out and your file can be difficult to sort. It can also give the impression that you don't really care about the job enough to pay attention to details. Instead of a generic file name, use a format such as "Firstname_lastname_resume" to make it easier for an employer to find your documents.

When you are emailing your job documents, be sure to use a clear subject, such as "First Name Last Name Application." Carefully proofread all of your documents and correspondence to avoid errors.

Additional Resources for CV and Resume Help for Grad School

The list below includes a selection of articles from various websites related to job searching, resume writing, and bridging the gap between graduate school and the work world. Some websites target the general population, while others specifically focus on the academic community.

• CareerOneStop : Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this site offers extensive job search resources. Students can find a wealth of articles on writing resumes, crafting cover letters, and acing interviews.
• How to Write a Curriculum Vitae : Published by the American Academy of Family Physicians, this guide provides a template for graduate students to use when creating a CV for jobs. The article includes a list of headings along with formatting tips.
• How To Write Your Human-voiced Resume : Published in Forbes, this article offers a new take on creating a resume using storytelling, person-to-person language, and anecdotal evidence for career claims. The advice in this article could also help a student write a cover letter.
• Resume Builder : Resume Builder helps users craft an effective resume using its online tool. The site also offers templates, examples, formats, and tips for writing both resumes and cover letters.
• Resume Help : This site provides a variety of resources for job seekers, including a free tool that lets users put data into a professional resume template and then export the result to Microsoft Word or to a PDF.
• Succeeding in Grad School : PhDs.org is a data-based site that helps doctoral students choose a program and achieve success. It published this list of 10 articles discussing success in grad school, including advice on finding a job.
• Tips, Ideas, and Advice for Making the Most of Graduate School from GoGrad : This site offers extensive resources for graduate students across a variety of subjects, including how to write a winning personal statement and how to write a successful statement of purpose.
• Versatile PhD : A total of 62 higher education institutions participate in the Versatile PhD -- a site that helps doctoral students create a bridge to professional careers. Users can use the site's tools to identify career options, participate in events, and learn about career searches.
• What Predicts Grad School Success : This article from the American Psychological Association looks at the various factors that research shows are keys to finishing a graduate program, including curiosity, conscientiousness, native intelligence, and emotional intelligence. 
• Writing the Curriculum Vitae : One of the internet's most extensive and authoritative resources for academic writing, the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University published this comprehensive article on writing a curriculum vitae.

• Knowledge Base
• Free Resume Templates
• Resume Builder
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• Free Resume Review

How to write a resume for grad school?

[ Click here to directly go to the complete Grad school resume sample ]

The first hurdle you encounter when you start applying for a grad school is that they all require you to submit a resume for grad school application.

But hold on!

You don't have any idea how to make a resume for grad school!

You don't know what the differences are between a graduate school resume and a professional resume.

These questions can make it really difficult for you to write a resume for grad school.

But don't worry! Writing a graduate school resume is not that difficult.

In this blog, we will tell you everything you need to know about writing a resume for grad school.

Here's a summary of the blog:

• Why do you need a resume for grad school
• How graduate school resume is different from other resumes
• What admission committee look for in a grad school resume
• What are the characteristics of a resume for grad school application

Things to include in your graduate school resume

Why do you need a resume for grad school.

[ Back to Table of Content ]

"I'm not applying for a job! Why do I have to create a resume for grad school application?"

This question might come to your mind when you are filling up your grad school application. Ideally, resumes are not only for jobs. Its primary function is to give a brief introduction to your professional or academic background.

Your resume objective for grad school is the same. It helps the school committee understand your academic qualifications.

Grad schools get a lot of student applications each year. They try to sort those applications and select the candidates who are most suitable for the curriculum.

And, graduate school resumes are the best way for candidates to showcase their interests and stand out among other applicants.

In the next part, we will walk you through the things you need to include in your resume for grad school application to get in front of the competition.

Sample grad school resume

To help you understand how a grad school resume looks, we have included a grad school resume sample for you.

• Conducted primary research to interview 30 + branch managers of various banks & created a report based on the results
• Identified the prevalent lack of knowledge on the topic of mutual funds in the hills of Alabama
• Recommended that Apple Records Sales Representatives conduct presentations in branches to spread knowledge
• Gained proficiency in the domain of Foreign Exchange in concepts such as currency risk , forwards , and options
• Liaised with accounts payable , treasury and payroll teams, and worked on OCS data migration
• Conducted verification of disbursements , overtime claims , insurance details, vouchers and cheques
• Successfully completed multiple internal audits at the firm
• Rendered assistance in administering the authentication of multiple payments including Foreign Exchange Payments
• Carried out all allocated tasks within the stipulated timeline & with zero errors
• Successfully ensured ZERO error rates by 100% control adherence and focus on accuracy
• Built and maintained cordial relationships with interns from Operations as well as the Front Office
• Conducted regression tests on the data to test the validity of the CAPM model
• Carried out Literature Review of CAPM and discussed the extensions of the model in the project
• Concluded the following after completing the entire research:
• The model succeeded in explaining the linear relationship between risk and return but failed in explaining risk completely
• Due to certain sources of error , complete accuracy of the study’s results could not be established
• Computed the Cost of Capital and Net Present Value (NPV) of Valkyrecords
• Calculated the NPV of Valkyrecords as positive to conclude that:
• Long term projects were expected to produce more income than what could be gained by earning discount rate
• The company should go ahead with the project
• Participated as a team member in Blizzart Half Marathon Feb ' 17
• Participated as a team member in Inter-college Volleyball Match '16
• Languages : English and Spanish

Feel free to use the sample to understand the structure of your grad school resume.

If you want to create your grad school resume, go to Online Resume Builder and create one for yourself, or you pick one from our pre-built resume templates.

How does a graduate school resume differ from professional resumes?

Graduate school resumes are similar to professional resumes, but there are many fundamental differences between them. You can not use the same elements of a professional resume in a grad school resume.

Here are a couple of ways a resume for grad school differ from a professional resume:

No strict length restriction

Professional resumes generally stretch between one to two pages. But a grad school resume can extend beyond two pages. This gives the student more space to include their academic achievements and other experiences.

That doesn't mean you can write a novel in your resume. It's still preferable to wrap up your resume within two pages. But it's nice to have the option to add more pages if needed.

Detailed education details

When you're applying for a grad school, you don't have much work experience to show for. So it makes sense to focus on your educational details more.

For example, your graduate school resume should include your GPA, projects, any thesis you've written, any paper you've published, any classes you've taken relevant to your grad school application, etc.

Some grad schools specifically tell what information they need in the graduate school resume to make things easier. Even if they don't, it's a good practice to include detailed academic achievements in your resume.

Importance of internship and volunteer experience

Professional resumes give importance to the past work experience of the candidate. But since grad school applicants don't have full-time work experience, grad schools prioritize candidates' internship and volunteer experience in the graduate school resume.

So, don't shy away from adding all your volunteer and internship experience into your resume.

What admission committee looks for in a grad school resume?

Grad school admission committee gets thousands of applications every year. And they want to make sure they are selecting the right candidate who will be an excellent fit for the grad school program or curriculum.

So, make sure that your resume stands out from thousands of other graduate school resumes.

Here are some characteristics of a standout graduate school resume:

Tailor your resume to the specific program

Add the academic achievements and skills that are important for the program you're applying for. That will give you a higher chance of getting selected for grad school.

Mention your academic details

A rule of thumb for your resume for grad school is to include a detailed academic overview in it. Include your GPA, any academic award you've achieved, or even coursework you've done.

This shows you've been serious with your studies and likely to work hard for your grad school studies as well.

Include internships and volunteer works

If you have a decent internship and volunteer work experience in your resume, it shows the admission committee that you are determined and a hard-working person.

So, don't be afraid to put even the smallest of your internship and volunteer work experience on your grad school resume.

Include your grants or award

If you have received any awards in your undergraduate school or written any grant proposals, include these in your grad school resume.

It looks impressive on your resume and increases your chances of getting selected for grad school.

Make the resume easy to follow

If you search online, you'll see thousands of designed graduate school resume templates available. But often, these designed resume formats are confusing and difficult to read.

Grad school admission committees have to go through hundreds of resumes every day. And they prefer simple formatted resumes that they can understand easily.

So, make sure your resume is well-structured and easy to read.

Format your resume professionally

Do not go for a creative template for your grad school resume. Instead, use a professional resume style. Here are some points for resume format:

• Use sans serif fonts
• Make font size between 10-12 points
• Leave minimum 1-inch margins on all sides
• Use bolded headlines, bullet points to highlight important information

Read this resume format guide to learn more.

Use powerful verbs

Strong verbs get the reader's attention. So, use strong verbs to demonstrate your academic and work experience.

For example, use "Assisted in inventory management for university library" instead of using "worked as an inventory manager in the university library."

Here is a list of power verbs you can use in your resume.

Make sure your resume flows logically

A well-organized resume is easier to read. The grad school admissions committee wants to see that you are organized and know how to present information logically.

Use the reverse chronological resume format to write your information on the resume for grad school. For example, when you give your education information, put the most recent on top, and go in descending order from top to bottom.

There are no definite guides online to show students what to include in a resume for grad school application.

To be honest, there is no single best way to write your graduate school resume. But, there are simple structures that need to be followed. Here is a list of things that you should include in your resume for grad school:

• Personal information- name address, phone number

Resume objective

• Research Experience
• Teaching Experience

Internships

• Volunteer Work experience
• Honors & Awards
• Professional Affiliations
• Academic Publications
• Memberships
• Skills & Abilities
• Community Involvement

Extracurricular activities

• Educational Travel

Note : Do not try to use all these sections on your graduate school resume. Use the ones that are relevant to the program you are applying for. The most important thing is to keep everything clear and concise.

Personal information

Personal information is a standard for resumes. It goes on top of your grad school resume. However, make sure you add just the right amount of information, not too overly personal information on this section, i.e., date of birth, gender, etc.

Here's what you must include in your grad school resume personal information:

• Email address
• Mailing address
• Contact number
• Linkedin profile link

Here are some tips for nailing your personal information on resume for grad school:

• Make sure to use a decent email address with your name on it, i.e. [email protected] , not [email protected]
• Give your personal mobile number than the home telephone number
• Make sure to optimize your Linkedin profile and keep everything up-to-date

Use Hiration's LinkedIn Profile Review to prepare your Linkedin profile for graduate school application.

A suitable resume object will help to grab the committee's attention and convince them that you are the right candidate for their program.

The resume objective for grad school should not be more than two or three sentences and focuses majorly on your academic achievement and future goal rather than any specific skills.

Things to include in resume objective:

• Undergraduate degree
• Internship/volunteer experience
• Admission goal

*Undergraduate computer science student (3.95 GPA) with six months software engineer internship experience with AT&T Labs. Seeking admission into Cornell University for a master's in computer science program. *

This is the most important section for your resume for grad school application. It gives the admission committee a clear picture of your academic career and performance.

So put a reasonable effort in writing the education section on your grad school resume, and write it in reverse chronological order.

Here's what you should include in your education qualification:

• Degrees you've achieved
• School/college name with state
• Graduation date (year)
• GPA you scored
• Awards and honors you've achieved

Note : High school degrees are irrelevant for a grad school resume. You can choose not to include it on your resume.

Here's an example of the education section on grad school resume:

Education Major in Mathematics (B.S) UCLA, Los Angeles, California Graduation:2019 GPA: 3.8/4.00 Honors: Magna cum laude

Research and teaching experience

Once you're done with the education section, the next section should address your work experiences. This section can be broken down into research experience, teaching experience, internships, and volunteer work.

Make sure the information you are adding is relevant to the program you are applying for.

Example of research experience :

Research Assistant May 2018- April 2019 Assisted Dr. G. Regts in his research paper "Weighted counting of solutions to sparse systems of equations."

Example of teaching experience :

Laboratory Teacher Assistant UCLA, Los Angeles, California March 2018- May 2019 Assisted and instructed 40 undergrads in organic chemistry laboratory Prepare chemical solutions for experiments before each class Maintained chemistry laboratory equipment

Don't have many academic achievements or experiences?

Don't worry! You might have internships or volunteer work experience under your belt worth sharing. It shows that you are hard-working and have the dedication to complete the master's program.

Here's what your internship section should look like:

Internships example :

Software Engineer Intern AT&T Labs, Manhattan, New York March 2017- September 2017 Developed software for clients Assisted in testing new software for clients Collaborated with beta testers and improved existing software

Your volunteer experience addresses your commitment towards society and also addresses your skills.

Here's what your volunteer experience section should look like:

Volunteer experience Example :

Volunteer Teacher XYZ Volunteer Teacher Program, California June 2018- May 2019 Manages a class of 40 students taught English, Mathematics, and Science

Honors, awards, or grants

Having a study grant, scholarship, or teaching assistantship is an incredible achievement in your academic career. And it looks impressive on a resume for grad school application.

You can arrange this section by importance. That means the most important achievement goes first, followed by the rest of the achievements.

Make sure you don't repeat the same honors and awards mentioned in the education section. Also, make sure to add the award name, providing organization, and date of receiving on the graduate school resume.

Grants Alan Moore Memorial Scholarship, University of Prince Edward Island, 2018 Honors & awards Dean’s list for 2018 & 2019, UCLA, California

Affiliations & memberships

If you are a part of any affiliated professional body or a member of any professional group, you can add it to your resume for graduate school. Make sure to include:

• Name of the organization
• City and state
• Affiliation/membership timeline

Note : Only include the membership you are currently part of—no need to include past memberships or affiliations.

Academic publications

Have you published any article, paper, or book anywhere? If you have, add those to your resume.

Note : Ask your prospective graduate school for the correct citation format to follow. Also, bold your name to put emphasis on it.

Here is an example of the Publication section on your grad school resume:

Publications 2019, John S , Trever C., "Optofluidics: Basics, Devices, and Applications" University of California Press. March 2019.

If it's possible, include a couple of references on your resume for graduate school. If you've already included your references on the grad school application, no need to add them to the resume. Here are things to include in the reference section:

• Reference name
• Their professional designation
• Their contact information

Example of reference section on grad school resume:

References Alan Finch Professor, Department of Physics University of California [email protected] (416)234-2343

Skills & abilities

Through your undergraduate degree, internships, volunteer works, you have developed a lot of useful skills. Use the skills and abilities section on your resume to highlight those skills that are relevant to your graduate school application.

However, the importance of certain skills depends on the program you are applying for.

For example, if you apply for a master's in mathematics, your coding skills will not be relevant to the program. Keep that in mind, when adding your skills to the resume.

Add the most relevant skills at first and least relevant skills at last.

Skills & abilities Mathematica Matico lab Ansys Coding language: Java Language: Spanish

Fluency in another language is an impressive addition to a grad school resume. Usually, it's included in the skill section, but if that language is essential for the program you are applying for, highlight it in a separate section.

Leadership experience

If you have worked in any leadership position, add it to your resume. It projects your leadership skills.

Content Lead MBA Insider's blog, UCLA, California May 2017- April 2018 Managed a team of 10 student writers Increased organic traffic by 20% YoY

Grad school does not look for only academic excellence. They want a candidate with broad exposure to different areas. In this extracurricular activities section, you can include various types of activities you have done.

For example, if you are a music player and have been a part of your university music club, you can add it to this section.

Lead Guitarist Music Club of UCLA June 2017- April 2019 Composed songs for UCLA band "Voice of the Moon." Taught guitar to 20+ students

Educational travel

Have you been to another country for educational or research purposes? If so, add that to your resume for grad school application. It shows that you are interested in personal development and have exposure in different cultures.

Things to include:

• Name of the country
• Date of trip
• Purpose of trip

South Africa, June-October,2019 Conducted research for the "Sustainability of Livestock Farming in South Africa" paper.

Key Takeaways

Hopefully, you have got all the answers you needed for your graduate school resume. To sum it up, here are the key takeaways:

• Unlike a professional resume, resume for grad school focus on academic experience more
• Your graduate school resume must be tailored to the graduate program you are applying for
• Use reverse chronological order to format your graduate school resume
• Use a simple format to create resume for grad school
• Do not include overly personal details on your graduate school resume
• Include your research, teaching experience, internship, and volunteer experience to showcase your skills
• Give emphasis on awards, grants, extracurricular activities, publications, etc.

With that, we have come to the end of this blog. If you want to create your graduate school resume, head over to Hiration Online Resume Builder , and get your resume in minutes.

Online Resume Builder

Hiration's Online Resume Builder comes with all of these resources:

• Option to save unlimited resumes
• Full rich-text editor
• 25+ resume designs
• Auto bold feature
• LIVE resume score
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• 100+ pre-filled resume templates
• Unlimited PDF downloads
• A sharable link
• 1-click design change
• Intuitive next text suggestion
• LIVE resume editor

Try our Online Resume Builder and get the perfect resume for grad school application.

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Make sure to review your Linkedin profile with Hiration's LinkedIn Profile Review before adding it on the grad school resume.

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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Resumes and cvs.

Depending on the type of job, you will need to create a curriculum vitae (CV) or a resume. Both documents put your qualification in writing, but they are used for different audiences and use a different format.

When to use a Resume

In the United States, most employers use resumes for non-academic positions, which are one or two page summaries of your experience, education, and skills.  Employers rarely spend more than a few minutes reviewing a resume, and successful resumes are concise with enough white space on the page to make it easy to scan. 

For more information on developing your resume, please visit Cornell Career Services’ Career Development Toolkit . Students often find it helpful to review resumes from graduate students who got their first job outside of academe.

When to use a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A CV is a longer synopsis of your educational and academic background as well as teaching and research experience, publications, awards, presentations, honors, and additional details. CVs are used when applying for academic, scientific, or research positions. International employers often use CVs as well.

A CV is a comprehensive statement emphasizing:

• professional qualifications
• accomplishments
• special qualifications

A CV can vary from two pages to several pages. Professionals seeking academic positions and non-academic positions in science, higher education, research, and health care typically use a CV. It is also used to seek a fellowship or grant and is expected for some positions overseas. Consult with faculty members in your field to determine what is expected and appropriate for your field.

Guidelines for Preparing a CV

• The order of topics in a CV format is flexible.
• Arrange sections to highlight strengths for the position you are seeking.
• Elaborate on accomplishments and skills within categories.
• List items within each category chronologically, the most recent appearing first.
• Include additional headings when appropriate to reflect certifications/licensures, workshops/training, languages, book reviews, etc.
• Present information in an easily accessible and attractive style.
• Faculty advisors are the most knowledgeable resource for determining what constitutes effective content in your discipline.
• For formatting assistance and to see more examples of  CVs, visit the Cornell Career Services Library in 103 Barnes Hall. The following books also may help:  How to Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae  and  The Curriculum Vitae Handbook .
• Non-academic samples from the University of California, San Francisco
• Academic samples from the University of California, San Francisco
• Samples from Columbia University
• Samples from University of Pennsylvania
• Chronicle of Higher Education’s CV Doctor

Electronic Version of CV

When sending electronic versions, attach a file or cut and paste the CV into the text of the email message. State your objectives and career interests in the first few lines since they may be the only items seen on a screen. Other tips:

• Use language and acronyms recognized in your field.
• Avoid using bold, italics, underlining, lines, or graphics. Use all caps for emphasis.
• Put your name at the top followed by address and each phone number on a separate line.

Many employers use websites for applicants to apply for positions. Although each form may be different, some elements may be similar. Save parts of your CV in a format that can be cut and pasted for each individual web-based form, such as saving a bulleted list of work experience.

Transforming Your CV into a Resume

You may need both a CV and a resume for your job search. Sending the appropriate document (CV or resume) tells employers that you can distinguish the differences between the academic and non-academic environments and that you can adapt your skills to either environment. Most employers in industry prefer a resume. When rearranging your CV to make it a resume:

• Do not exceed two pages.
• Re-evaluate your experience. Think creatively about how your academic experience can be translated into the necessary skills for a non-academic environment. Consider skills of project management, leadership, teamwork, effective communication, and meeting deadlines. 
• Choose action verbs to describe your experience.
• Put your strengths first. List your professional experience or your degree first, depending on which is most important for a specific position.  
• Include a well-written job objective; state the type of position and work setting you are seeking, skills or abilities you possess, and long-term goals. Be sure that your resume supports your job objective.
• Emphasize skills and accomplishments.
• List relevant presentations, publications, and papers, but not all. 
• Have someone proofread it.

Preparing for Graduate School: 8 Tips to Know

Table of contents

Alana Chase

Graduate school can be the academic adventure of a lifetime, but preparing for it can feel like a whirlwind of uncertainty.

Where do you focus your attention first? How can you ensure you stay organized and balance coursework with life’s other demands? And what about making new friends and prioritizing your well-being?

As someone who has prepared for graduate studies in the US and abroad, I’ve been in your shoes and felt these exact jitters.

That’s why I’m here to lend you a hand. In this guide, I’ll show you how to prepare for graduate school so you can embark on this new chapter with excitement and confidence.

Key Takeaways

• To prepare for graduate school, first figure out your tuition coverage, accommodation, transportation, and class schedule.
• Next, research apps and resources for studying, time management, and note-taking. Also, focus on updating your mindset from “memorizing information to pass my classes” to “absorbing information to become an expert in my field.”
• Look into your school’s resources, such as student associations and study rooms, and connect with your program’s students and faculty members.
• Finally, build a self-care routine that prioritizes your well-being and your friends, family, and hobbies.

8 useful tips to prepare for grad school

Let’s dive into my top tips to help you prepare for graduate school.

1. Sort out tuition coverage, accommodation, transportation, and your classes

First, determine how you’ll pay your tuition, where you’ll stay, how you’ll get to and from campus, and which classes you’ll take.

Depending on your situation, you might explore scholarships, student loans, employer sponsorships , or grants (such as the Federal Pell Grant or grants from your school) to cover tuition costs. You can apply for student loans and some grants through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

Your options for accommodation will also depend on your circumstances — specifically, whether you plan to move from where you currently live. If that’s the case, research housing options on or near campus, such as dormitories, apartments, or rooms for rent .  

Pro tip: If you plan to live on campus, look for housing specifically for graduate students first. Many schools have separate dorms or buildings just for them, which can help you meet fellow grad students.

As for transportation, consider how far away your accommodation is from campus. Will you need a car, bike, or public transit ? Or can you walk there ? It’s a good idea to look into student discounts for transit passes and parking permits, too. Most schools and local governments or organizations offer them.

For classes, start by checking the course catalog or requirements for your graduate program and seeing which classes you need to take — including prerequisite courses. Schedule those first, then add electives (if applicable). 

Of course, schedule classes around your ongoing commitments , such as work or childcare responsibilities.

Pro tip: Explore Rate My Professors , where students share reviews and ratings about course difficulty and professors’ teaching styles. This can help you decide which courses to take and know what to expect.

2. Change your mindset

Graduate programs can be noticeably different from undergraduate programs in terms of course delivery and how you’re assessed. 

While undergrad courses are often lecture-based and rely on quizzes, exams, and various assignments, grad programs typically involve seminars, research projects, more self-directed learning, and fewer but more intensive assignments .

The material and work are also more challenging overall , and your professors will likely have stricter standards for grading. 

So, you can’t approach the material or study the same way you might be used to. You’ll need to change your mindset.

Instead of thinking about memorizing information for an exam — which may have worked in an undergrad program — you’ll want to actively engage with the material and focus on critical thinking. Prepare to challenge yourself with understanding why things work the way they do, not just what they are. 

Remember that in grad school, learning isn’t just about recalling facts and passing tests — it’s about deepening your understanding and gaining expertise in your field.

3. Build your “academic toolkit”

The right tools can make your graduate journey smoother and more productive. So, in the time leading up to the start of your program, assemble an “academic toolkit” of resources and apps for studying , productivity and organization, research, note-taking, and more. 

Below are some of my favorites:

⏱️ For time management and productivity: Be Focused , Todoist , and Pomodone .

📓 For note-taking and brainstorming: Notion , Evernote , OneNote , Coggle , and Obsidian .

🧠 For studying: StudyBunny , MyStudyLife , Anki , and Quizlet . (There are also some fantastic YouTube channels that can help you study .)

📎 For reference and resource management: Zotero , EndNote , Mendeley , and Calibre . 

📅 For task-tracking: Asana and Trello . 

✍️ For writing: Wordtune .

AI tip: Wordtune’s AI-powered Editor can enhance your writing by suggesting improvements, rephrasing sentences for clarity, and more. You also can use its Summarizer tool to condense resource articles, YouTube videos, and other text into short, easy-to-read summaries. 

The Summarizer is great for note-taking, too, and it lets you store links, files, and more in a personal digital library — perfect for reference management!

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

Pro tip: Don’t go overboard with tools. Test out a handful, and stick with the few that suit your needs and preferences.

4. Research your school’s resources

Universities and other institutions offer various resources designed to help students thrive academically and personally. Taking advantage of these can truly enrich your graduate school experience.

Browse your school’s website to discover the services it offers, and jot down the ones you might use when your grad program begins. 

Here are the ones I recommend looking into: 

• Student associations in your degree program or department — e.g., English MA Club or Postgraduate Engineers Society. Joining these can allow you to participate in academic events and workshops, connect with peers, and build a support network.
• Your school’s writing center. Here, you can speak with tutors and receive guidance on improving your academic writing skills.
• The student support center. You can get counseling, academic advising, and assistance with any personal or academic challenges you might face.
• Professors’ office hours. Attending these can help you clarify doubts, seek academic guidance, and build relationships with faculty members.
• Study rooms. These on-campus spaces provide a quiet, focused environment for group or individual study sessions.
• Career services. You can receive help with resume writing, searching for jobs, and planning your career after graduation.

5. Read syllabi and map out your schedule

Once syllabi for your classes are available, read them carefully to understand course expectations, assignment deadlines, and grading criteria. 

Highlight key dates for exams, assignments, required readings, and preparatory tasks. Then, use this information to create a detailed schedule for the semester .

For example, if one syllabus shows Exam 1 is on October 20, mark that in your calendar and schedule study time in the weeks leading up to it.

This way, you can avoid last-minute cramming, missed deadlines, and unnecessary stress.

6. Connect with peers in your program

Making friends in your grad program can allow you to form study groups, help you build a support system, and open doors to future research opportunities, collaborations, and more.

Plus, as Stanford University Ph.D. student JH Shen writes, “Grad school friendships provide more than just help in difficult situations — they also make the daily grind so much more fun .” 

Here’s how you can start connecting with your peers before your program begins:

• Register for orientation and student mixers. These events are perfect for meeting others and getting the inside scoop on campus life, especially from second- and third-year graduate students.
• Join social media groups and forums , such as Facebook groups or your university’s subreddit, where students in your program are active. These are a great place to introduce yourself, meet others, and ask questions. You can even form a group chat or organize virtual meet-ups to chat with classmates before your first day of class.
• Sign up for student clubs related to your program. During eventual club meetings, you can connect with people who share your interests and can offer study tips, resources, and even opportunities to collaborate on cool projects.

7. Build professional relationships with faculty members

Before your program starts, take the opportunity to connect with faculty members — specifically, professors whose courses you’re taking, those you might want to approach as your dissertation advisor(s), and the head(s) of your department.

A friendly email is a great place to start. Express genuine interest in their work and courses, and see if they allow incoming students to pre-book office hours.

Here’s an example email you might send:

Dear [Dr./Professor First and Last Name], 

My name is [Your Name], and I am starting the [Program Name] at [University Name] this [fall/spring].

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself and share that I am [excited to be a student in your (Name of Class) course this semester] OR [interested in your research on (specific topic or project they’ve worked on)]. 

I wanted to inquire about the possibility of pre-booking office hours for incoming students; I would appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your work and seek guidance for the upcoming semester.

[Your Name]

Building these academic relationships early on can lay the foundation for valuable mentorship opportunities and make you feel more at ease when classes begin.

8. Prioritize yourself

Grad school can be academically and emotionally demanding, so it’s important to look after yourself. I recommend building a self-care routine before your program starts .

Here’s how to do it:

• Make time for your friends, family, and hobbies. Schedule time in your calendar for activities you enjoy — for example, an hour each evening to read a book or Saturday mornings to go rock climbing. Also, book in time to see friends and family regularly — e.g., by organizing weekly dinners or weekend outings. Scheduling this time in advance goes a long way in helping you maintain a healthy school-life balance.
• Prioritize sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Also, try avoiding screens before bed (studies have shown that blue light can disrupt sleep patterns ) and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule — i.e., going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
• Stay active if you can. All physical activity — stretching, going on a leisurely walk, swimming, hitting the gym, etc. — can help improve energy levels, mood, concentration , and more. If physical activity is difficult for you, try practicing mindfulness and meditation , which can offer similar benefits.
• Learn to set boundaries. Practice saying “no” to extra commitments or tasks that you don’t have the time or energy for. The more you set boundaries, the easier it will be to maintain balance and avoid burnout while in graduate school.

Preparing for graduate school can be stressful, but with this guide, you can avoid that feeling and set yourself up for success. 

First, sort out how you’ll cover tuition, where you’ll stay, how you’ll get to class, and what your schedule will be. Then, adopt a new mindset around schoolwork and studying, focusing on becoming an expert in your subject. 

Next, prepare an “academic toolkit” of tools you’ll use to study and stay organized. Also, research your school’s resources and connect with faculty members and fellow students.

Finally, remember to make time for your friends, family, and — most importantly — yourself. 

Want more insights on succeeding in school? Check out Wordtune’s guides on productivity hacks and time management tips for students.

How many hours should a graduate student study?

The hours a graduate student should study vary depending on the program’s requirements, the student’s learning style, personal commitments, etc. However, it’s often recommended that grad students study 2-3 hours for every hour they’re in class .

Can you do a master’s while working?

Yes, you can pursue a master’s degree while working. You might take online courses, sign up for evening or early morning classes, or even pursue your degree part-time to balance work with education.

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10 Best Resume Builders to Create A Great Resume – 2024 Guide

A re you exhausted from investing endless hours into creating an impeccable CV? This article introduces the top resume builders that will revolutionize your job application approach. Bid farewell to monotonous formatting and greet a remarkable resume that distinguishes itself from the rivalry. Prepare yourself to secure your dream job with self-assurance effortlessly!

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10 Best Resume Writing Services

• Super Star Resume - Best overall
• ZipJob - Best for guarantees
• Resumeble - Best with custom bundles
• Let’s Eat, Grandma - Best for range of career service
• ResumeSpice - Best for job seekers of any level
• TopResume - Best customer service
• Resume Writing Services - Best for affordability
• Craft Resumes - Best for quick turnaround
• Resume Companion - Best value resume writing service
• Resume.com - Best free service

When creating this compilation, we considered different elements such as affordability, ease of use, accessibility, the privacy policies of the companies involved, and more. The highest-rated services offer advice, templates, and tools and allow you to consult with experts who can help you craft an impressive resume highlighting your strengths to potential employers.

Our collection comprises free services and those that make use of professional writers’ skills. Some options require a subscription or one-time payment.

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Super Star Resume - Best Resume Builder Overall

Star Rating: 4.9/5

Super Star Resume is an innovative resume builder that completely transforms creating professional resumes. By offering a user-friendly interface and a range of powerful features, Super Star Resume enables individuals to produce exceptional resumes that effectively showcase their abilities, accomplishments, and work history.

• Skilled and seasoned writers
• Customized strategy aligned with unique career objectives
• Timely delivery of resumes
• More significant expense compared to certain other resume writing services
• Restricted selection of additional services
• Availability may be restricted depending on demand and geographic location
• Intuitive resume builder: An intuitive interface that simplifies the resume creation process, offering modern templates for a professional look.
• Customization choices: Users can personalize their resumes by selecting from various font styles, colors, layouts, and sections to align with their unique style.
• Comprehensive content suggestions: Access to a collection of expertly curated bullet points, action verbs, and industry-specific phrases to craft impactful resume content.
• Real-time previews and editing: Real-time previewing and editing capabilities ensure a visually appealing and error-free final resume.
• Integration with professional networking platforms: Integration with LinkedIn allows users to maintain consistency between their online presence and resume.
• Tailored resumes for different job applications: The duplication feature facilitates the creation of multiple resume versions, each customized for specific job applications or industries.
• Resume analytics and tracking: Users can monitor the views and downloads of their resumes, gaining valuable insights to optimize their job search strategies.
• Professional Resume : $169
• Resume With Cover Letter : $199
• All-Included : $199

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ZipJob - Best Resume Builder for Guarantees

Star Rating: 4.7/5

ZipJob is widely regarded as an excellent option for resume creation, especially for those who value guarantees. Their impressive 60-day assurance ensures that individuals searching for employment will experience a surge in interview invitations within this period.

If this desired outcome cannot materialize, ZipJob proactively offers a complimentary review and revision of your resume. This guarantee highlights their commitment to client contentment and showcases their unwavering belief in the superior quality of their resume writing services.

• The starting package is cost-effective
• Complimentary ATS check included
• 60-day interview assurance with higher-tier packages
• The design and layout made it challenging to read the resume
• The summary section was overly lengthy and filled with clichés
• The formatting of the education and training sections was subpar
• Expert resume writers: ZipJob provides access to a team of expert resume writers with the skills and knowledge to review, evaluate, and optimize your resume for compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and hiring managers.
• ATS optimization: Meaning they ensure your resume is structured and formatted to navigate and succeed in ATS filters effectively. Employers commonly use these filters to assess and rank resumes during the initial screening process.
• Keyword optimization: The resume builder online offered by ZipJob assists you in identifying and integrating pertinent keywords and industry-specific terminology. This practice heightens the visibility of your resume, making it more likely to capture the attention of hiring managers.
• Job-specific content suggestions: ZipJob provides valuable advice regarding the most relevant and influential content to include in your resume for different job titles and industries. This guidance is invaluable in customizing your resume for specific roles.
• Cover letter writing assistance: ZipJob supports the creation of impactful cover letters that complement your resume, strengthening your overall job application.
• Unlimited revisions: One noteworthy feature of ZipJob is the option for unlimited revisions and updates to your resume. This ensures that your resume not only meets but continues to meet your specific requirements and mirrors your professional growth.
• Collaboration with resume writers: the platform facilitates direct collaboration with the resume writers, enabling you to share additional information, discuss specific requirements, and seek clarifications at any stage of the resume creation process.
• Launch Package: $139 (or $48/mo)
• Fast Track Package: $189 (or $65/mo)
• Premium Package: $299 (or $27/mo)

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Resumeble - Best Resume Builder With Custom Bundles

Star Rating: 4.3/5

Resumeble is a highly efficient and user-friendly resume builder that empowers individuals to create professional and compelling resumes. With Resumeble, crafting a standout resume becomes a streamlined process thanks to its intuitive interface and extensive range of customizable templates.

Whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or someone looking to change careers, Resumeble caters to all needs and skill sets. It offers helpful suggestions and expert advice to ensure your resume showcases your unique qualifications and achievements in the best possible light.

• A 60-day interview guarantee is included
• Budget-friendly package deals are available
• It’s more established than some other websites
• Keyword optimization: This feature helps optimize your resume by suggesting relevant keywords aligned with your target industry or job, enhancing your visibility to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruiters.
• Content import: Resumeble allows you to import your existing resume or LinkedIn profile, saving you the time and effort of manual data entry.
• Real-time editing: You have the convenience of editing and modifying your resume in real time, providing the flexibility to experiment with various formats, sections, and content.
• ATS compatibility: Resumeble ensures your resume is ATS-compatible, essential for better visibility and a higher chance of being shortlisted by employers using Applicant Tracking Systems.
• Download options: The platform offers various download formats, including PDF, Word, and plain text, ensuring compatibility with diverse application processes.
• Cover letter builder: Resumeble features an integrated cover letter builder, streamlining the creation of professional and personalized cover letters that complement your resume.
• Career Pro Package : $159.00
• Professional Package : $299.00
• Premium Package : $399.00

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Let’s Eat, Grandma - Best Resume Builder for Range of Career Service

Star Rating: 4/5

Let’s Eat, Grandma is an inventive and progressive tool for creating impressive resumes. The platform streamlines the resume-building process, making it easier for job seekers to craft exceptional resumes. With Let’s Eat, Grandma, individuals can create unique resumes that catch the eye of employers and set them apart from the competition.

This user-friendly platform offers a range of customizable templates that allow users to tailor their resumes to showcase their specific skills and experiences. Let’s Eat, Grandma also provides expert advice and recommendations to help ensure that your qualifications and achievements are effectively highlighted in your resume.

• Complimentary resume evaluation
• Choices available for individuals from entry-level to executive-level positions
• Extensive collaboration opportunities
• Not specialized in academic CVs or federal resumes
• Relatively higher pricing compared to some other services
• Potential for a longer turnaround time compared to competing services
• Expert choice: You can save your resume in multiple formats (PDF, Word, plain text) or easily share it with potential employers via email or a link, simplifying the distribution of your resume.
• Error highlighting: The builder can identify potential errors, inconsistencies, or missing information within your resume and provide suggestions or alerts for improvement.
• Section prompts: Pre-written prompts for various resume sections (e.g., work experience, education, skills) can help you structure your resume effectively and ensure you include essential details in each area.
• Customizable sections: You can add, remove, or rearrange sections to tailor your resume to emphasize your strengths and relevant experiences.
• Keyword optimization: The resume builder can recommend industry-specific keywords based on the job description, enhancing your resume’s chances of passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and grabbing the attention of hiring managers.
• Starter Package : Priced at $439, but there is an anti-inflation sale price of $389.
• Accelerated Package : $549.
• The premium Package : $689, but the anti-inflation sale price is $614.
• Executive Concierge Service : $1,899 or as low as $119/month.

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ResumeSpice - Best Resume Builder for Job Seekers of Any Level

Star Rating: 3.8/5

ResumeSpice , a renowned online resume builder, streamlines crafting professional resumes. This platform provides job seekers with a user-friendly interface and a wide selection of templates, enabling them to create impressive resumes that align with their career objectives.

With ResumeSpice’s seamless experience, users are guided through each resume section effortlessly while receiving valuable tips throughout the process. From personal details and work history to skills and accomplishments, this platform ensures that all crucial aspects of a resume are comprehensively addressed.

• Additional assistance
• Timely service
• ATS optimization
• Guaranteed interviews
• Restricted revisions
• Insufficient customization options
• Restricted refund policy
• User-friendly interface: ResumeSpice boasts an intuitive and user-friendly platform, simplifying the resume creation process and offering a seamless experience to users.
• Extensive template library: The platform offers a vast selection of professionally designed templates tailored to various industries and job positions. Users can explore different styles and layouts to find the perfect match for their needs.
• Import and export options: ResumeSpice enables users to import their existing resumes in formats like PDF or Word for easy editing and updates. Users can conveniently export their finalized resumes in multiple formats, facilitating sharing with employers or uploading to job portals.
• Mobile-friendly design: ResumeSpice is optimized for mobile devices, allowing users to create and modify their resumes using smartphones or tablets.
• Cloud storage: The platform provides secure cloud storage for users’ resumes, ensuring accessibility and updates from any device with an internet connection.
• Resume tracking: ResumeSpice includes tools for tracking the performance of submitted resumes, such as monitoring views, downloads, and application outcomes. These features empower users to evaluate their progress and make data-driven enhancements to their job search strategies.
• Entry Level Resume : $479
• Professional Resume : $589
• Executive Resume : $699

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TopResume - Best Resume Builder for Customer Service

Star Rating: 3.6/5

TopResume is an outstanding resume builder explicitly tailored for customer service professionals. It offers a seamless and user-friendly experience, enabling users to create exceptional resumes effortlessly. The platform goes beyond just providing a basic resume template, offering valuable suggestions and tips to optimize the content.

This ensures that each resume created on TopResume is unique and attention-grabbing in the highly competitive job market.

Besides its user-friendly interface, TopResume provides expert review services. These services allow skilled professionals to provide personalized feedback on resumes, helping enhance their overall quality further. By leveraging this feedback and incorporating attention to detail, customer service professionals can create compelling resumes that effectively capture the attention of potential employers.

• Streamlined registration process
• Well-designed and formatted one-page resume
• The summary and Job Scope sections were overly extended
• The training section needed to have prominence
• Skill-based sections: The resume builder features dedicated sections highlighting essential customer service skills, including communication, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and relationship building.
• Expert review services: TopResume provides expert review services where experienced professionals offer personalized feedback and recommendations to enhance the overall quality of your resume.
• ATS compatibility: The platform ensures that the resumes created are compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which employers commonly use for scanning and filtering resumes.
• Download and sharing options: Users can download their resumes in various formats, such as PDF or Word, and easily share them with potential employers or upload them to job portals.
• Industry-Specific Tips: TopResume offers industry-specific tips and guidance to assist users in tailoring their resumes to the customer service field, helping them stand out among competitors.
• Cover letter builder: Besides resume building, TopResume provides a builder that empowers users to craft professional and compelling cover letters customized for customer service roles.
• Mobile accessibility: The platform is mobile-friendly, allowing users to create, edit, and update their resumes while on the go, using their smartphones or tablets.
• Entry level : Up to 200$.
• Professional level : Up to 200$-400$.
• Executive level : Up to $350-$700.

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Resume Writing Services - Best Resume Builder for Affordability

Star Rating: 3.3/5

While Resumewritingservices.org may be a different size than its competitors, it stands out due to its team of talented and experienced resume writers. The website is user-friendly and provides exceptional service. However, this service’s true strength lies in its writers’ expertise.

Resumewritingservices.org sets itself apart by offering a comprehensive consultation process and goes beyond expectations by providing unlimited calls with its resume writers. This personalized approach distinguishes them from other companies and guarantees each client receives individual attention and support.

• Experienced resume writers of the highest caliber
• Unlimited phone consultations and revisions
• More expensive than rival services
• A limited range of products
• Skilled and experienced resume writers: Resumewritingservices.org takes pride in its team of highly trained and professional resume writers who possess a deep understanding of crafting effective resumes.
• Personalized service: Resumewritingservices.org offers a personal touch by providing unlimited calls with their resume writers. This unique feature allows clients to engage in direct communication and close collaboration with the writers throughout the resume creation process.
• Competitive job market expertise: The writers at Resumewritingservices.org have knowledge of current job market trends. This ensures that the resumes they create are optimized to excel in today’s fiercely competitive job market.
• Quality Assurance: The service maintains a rigorous quality assurance process to guarantee that the resumes delivered to clients meet the highest standards and align with their expectations.
• Timely delivery: Resumewritingservices.org is committed to delivering resumes within the agreed-upon timeframe, ensuring clients receive their documents promptly.
• Client satisfaction guarantee: Resumewritingservices.org offers a client satisfaction guarantee, assuring clients are fully content with the final resume. The service is ready to provide revisions if necessary.
• Affordable pricing: Resumewritingservices.org provides pricing options that are competitive and transparent, making professional resume writing accessible to a wide range of job seekers.

Resumewritingservices.org employs a pricing system that is clear and easy to understand for their resume-building services. The initial package begins at $270 , including a comprehensive consultation with a skilled resume writer and developing an individualized resume.

They offer extra options that enable customers to personalize their packages based on their unique preferences. This adaptable pricing strategy guarantees that clients can choose the services that align with their requirements and financial constraints.

>> Use Resume Writing Services to Secure Your Dream Job

Craft Resumes - Best Resume Builder for Quick-Turnaround

Star Rating: 3/5

Craft Resumes stand out as a well-established writing and editing service known for its ability to deliver effective outcomes. Our dedication to providing a 24-hour turnaround guarantees you’ll receive the initial version of your resume promptly.

Navigating our user-friendly website is effortless, making it easy to use our services. At Craft Resumes, we specialize in crafting customized resumes to match your skills, qualifications, and aspirations for your career.

• Speedy completion
• Customized CVs
• Intuitive site
• Insufficient details
• Absence of assurances
• Quick turnaround: Craft Resumes commits to delivering the initial draft of your resume within 24 hours, ensuring a speedy and efficient service.
• Expert Writers: Craft Resumes prides itself on its team of experienced writers who possess expertise across various industries and stay up-to-date with current hiring trends. They’re dedicated to making your resume stand out and catch the attention of potential employers.
• Unlimited revisions: We provide unlimited revisions to guarantee your complete satisfaction. If you have specific changes or additions in mind, our team will collaborate with you closely to implement the modifications.
• Confidentiality and Privacy: At Craft Resumes, we prioritize the confidentiality and privacy of your personal information. You can trust that your data will be handled securely and with the utmost discretion.
• Tailored resumes: We specialize in tailoring resumes to align with your career objectives, industry, and job requirements. Each resume is personalized to accentuate your unique strengths and qualifications.
• Resume Writing : $229.00
• Basic : $279.99
• Optimal : $339.99
• All-In-One : $499.99

>> Use Craft Resumes to Secure Your Dream Job

Resume Companion - Best Value Resume Builder

Star Rating: 2.8/5

Resume Companion is a virtual platform and service that specializes in aiding individuals in creating resumes that are professional and impactful. It offers an array of resources and tools to assist job seekers in crafting interesting resumes that effectively showcase their skills, experiences, and qualifications.

A prominent feature of Resume Companion is its user-friendly resume builder. This tool allows users to select from various professionally designed templates and personalize them based on their specific requirements.

Users can effortlessly incorporate their personal information, employment history, educational background, skill set, and other pertinent details to produce a customized resume tailored to their needs.

• Intuitive user interface
• High-quality templates
• Efficiency-boosting functions
• Cost-effective choice
• Restricted editing features without subscription
• Absence of extensive customization options
• Limited availability of extra services
• Cover letter builder: Resume Companion goes beyond resumes and provides users with a tool for crafting customized cover letters tailored to specific job applications. This feature guides users through the process, helping them effectively present their qualifications and make a compelling case to prospective employers.
• ATS optimization: In today’s job market, many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes. Resume Companion helps users ensure their resumes are ATS-friendly. The platform offers valuable tips and insights on incorporating relevant keywords, formatting the document correctly, and increasing the likelihood of passing through the ATS screening process.
• Educational resources: Resume Companion extends its services by offering an informative blog and educational materials that cover various aspects of resume writing, job search strategies, interview techniques, and career development guidance. These resources provide users with valuable insights and advice to help them create impressive resumes and enhance their job search efforts.
• Download and sharing options: Upon completing their resumes, users can conveniently download their documents in multiple formats, including PDF and Word. Resume Companion also makes it easy for users to share their resumes online or print them offline.
• Customer support: Resume Companion values user satisfaction and offers customer support to assist with users’ questions or concerns while utilizing the platform. Users can access support through email or the platform’s contact form.

Resume Companion provides a cost-effective solution for individuals seeking an all-inclusive service. It’s vital to remember subscription renewal is required to access future editing services. In summary, Resume Companion offers a wallet-friendly option for those who desire a user-friendly resume-building experience without needing advanced writing abilities.

>> Use Resume Companion to Secure Your Dream Job

Our Ranking Methodology for Best Resume Writing Services

To comprehensively and objectively rank the top resume writing services, it is essential to have a thorough methodology. The first step in this process was conducting extensive research and analysis. This involved gathering a comprehensive list of reputable resume-writing services from multiple sources such as online searches, customer reviews, industry directories, and personal recommendations.

• Feature analysis: Evaluate the functionalities provided by each resume builder, considering elements like template variety and quality, customization flexibility, user-friendly editing and formatting options, import/export capabilities, spell check and grammar tools, and integration with job search platforms and professional networks.
• Template collection: Examine the assortment and quality of templates. Look for a wide range that suits various industries, job levels, and design preferences, considering these templates’ aesthetics, readability, and contemporary design.
• Editing and customization: Scrutinize the adaptability and user-friendliness of the editing and customization tools each resume builder provides. Assess the capacity to add or modify sections, reorganize content, and tailor resumes to specific job requirements.
• User interface and experience: Analyze the user interface and the overall user experience each resume builder offers. Evaluate the ease of navigation, instruction clarity, guidance or prompts, and the platform’s responsiveness.
• Integration with job search platforms: Determine whether resume builders offer seamless integration with popular job search platforms and professional networks like LinkedIn or ATS systems. Consider how well the resumes can be transferred and their compatibility with these platforms.
• Additional resources: Evaluate if the resume builders provide extra resources such as sample resumes, tools for creating cover letters, interview tips, or career advice. Consider the breadth and practicality of these supplementary resources.
• Mobile-friendliness: Gauge the mobile-friendliness and responsiveness of the resume builders, recognizing the growing trend of mobile job searching and application processes.
• Customer support: Reflect on the accessibility and quality of customer support services, encompassing options like live chat, email support, or knowledge bases. Assess the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team.
• Pricing and value for money: Appraise the pricing plans presented by the resume builders in terms of the value they offer based on features, usability, and overall service quality.
• Industry reputation: Consider the standing and trustworthiness of the resume builders, considering factors such as awards, recognition, partnerships, and user feedback from reputable sources.

Buyer’s Guide: Why Use a Resume Builder?

Crafting a well-crafted CV comes naturally to particular job seekers. However, even the most seasoned experts may need help in resume writing. If you find yourself in need of help with creating a compelling resume, here are several ways in which the best online resume builder can be beneficial:

Resume builders provide users with pre-designed templates and helpful tips, streamlining the process of writing a resume and alleviating stress.

Offers Writing Tips

Promoting oneself requires considerable effort. Only some people possess writing skills, even if they enjoy self-promotion. To showcase one’s experience and knowledge effectively, a resume builder can help select the most appropriate words and phrases.

Improves Design

In every field, there are unique standards for an impressive resume. If you need to gain knowledge in design or the tools, resume builders can provide free templates to enhance your resume’s visual appeal and quality.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Recruiters often use ATS systems to scan resumes. A good resume builder will help with formatting to ensure that your resume is easy for these systems to read.

What’s the Best Resume Builder?

The ideal resume builder for each individual may differ according to their specific requirements. If you prefer a tool that offers step-by-step guidance in creating your resume, we suggest using a builder that provides helpful tips and recommendations. If you prefer a resume builder that auto-generates a summary, we recommend using a tool that extracts information from your LinkedIn profile.

For those who enjoy having creative control over their resumes, we suggest using a platform with features. By selecting the resume builder that aligns with your needs and suits your industry and personal style, you’ll significantly increase your chances of capturing the attention of hiring managers.

Resume Builder vs. Resume Writing Service: What Matters for You

When it comes to crafting a resume, there are three options available. You can opt to create it independently, use a resume builder tool, or enlist the services of a professional resume writer. Your best choice will depend on your writing abilities, available time, and financial resources.

Do-It-Yourself

You have the choice to construct a resume entirely by yourself. The benefit of this option is that it costs nothing but requires a significant amount of effort. Along with composing all the information, you must possess graphic design skills.

This approach works well if you have these abilities, but with them, your options for creating a resume are unlimited. To overcome this limitation, you can use a resume builder or enlist the help of a resume writing service.

Resume Builder

A tool for creating resumes allows you to input your details into a template, resulting in an original appearance and layout with no design work. The top resume building tools also offer suggestions on enhancing your resume and tailoring it to match the specific job you are applying for.

While you are still responsible for writing the content, once it is written, you can quickly transfer that information into any other template with just a few simple clicks. Some of these services are free and many like to promote themselves as such, but most require a small payment to download your finished resume.

Professional Resume Writing Service

Professional resume writing services are expensive, but they offer the convenience of handling all the work for you. An experienced writer will gather relevant information about your background and transform it into a unique and engaging resume.

The process typically takes a few days, and the level of originality in the outcome largely relies on your choice of company and writer. However, we will not delve into these services further in this guide.

Are Resume Builders Worth It?

Definitely, without a doubt. An effective resume creator will guarantee that your CV is formatted correctly to navigate Applicant Tracking Systems and ultimately reach the hands of recruiters.

Is It Unprofessional to Use a Microsoft Word Resume Template?

Relying on a template will not set you apart, and there is a high likelihood that your application will be dismissed because your resume is identical to those of other job seekers.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right resume builder is crucial in today’s competitive job market. Creating a professional and impactful resume that stands out from the crowd can significantly impact your job search. With the right tool, you can save time, improve your chances of landing an interview, and ultimately secure your dream job.

When selecting a resume builder, consider your specific needs and priorities. Look for features like customizable templates, industry-specific examples, and the ability to export your resume in different formats. Consider user reviews and ratings to ensure you choose a reputable and reliable platform.

Remember, an exceptional tool for crafting resumes should give you the power to present your skills, experience, and accomplishments effectively. It should simplify and expedite creating a resume without hassle. Investing in a reliable resume builder is investing in your professional future.

Therefore, explore the different options available for resume builders. Test out their free trials or demos and choose the best fit for your objectives. Our top recommendation is Super Star Resume . This meticulously designed resume can open doors to exciting career prospects and be a dependable companion on your journey toward success.

Ahad Waseem is a business, blockchain, and cybersecurity writer who often takes on art, politics, and economics too. As a linguistic engineer who writes to solve problems, he’s written for various tech and business publications. When he’s not writing, he’s probably on horseback, caring for his houseplants, or training Bonsai trees. He can be reached at [email protected] . McClatchy’s newsrooms were not involved in the creation of this content. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links.

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