At the Walter Center for Career Achievement, we know that building a strong resume is key to landing that internship or job you’ve been eyeing. So why not use a few hours over Spring Break to give your resume a glow-up? Here are five easy ways to elevate your resume while still making time for beach days and binge-watching!

🌟 Update Your Experiences and Accomplishments

Think about the past semester (or year). Did you:

✔️ Take on a leadership role in a student organization?

✔️ Complete a major project for a class?

✔️ Pick up any new skills, like coding, graphic design, or public speaking?

Add these to your resume! Use skill verbs (like "developed," "led," or "organized") to make your accomplishments stand out.

Need help brainstorming some good skill verbs? OurCareer Plannerfeatures a list broken down by category!

✍️ Quantify Your Impact

Numbers make a big difference. Instead of saying "managed social media," say "increased social media engagement by 40% over three months." Employers love to see measurable results — it shows you can deliver real value!

💼 Tailor Your Resume to the Position You Want

If you already have a specific internship or job in mind, tailor your resume to match the language and qualifications listed in the job description. Use keywords from the posting and highlight relevant experiences that align with the role.

💡 Helpful tip:Try printing out the position description and highlight the verbs that they use. These are the skills they are looking for in a potential hire. Use these skill verbs to start out your accomplishment statements for that extra tailored touch!

🔎 Check the Formatting

A clean, easy-to-read format is a game-changer. Keep it simple:

General Format

✅ Use a professional font (like Arial or Calibri)

✅ Keep the size between 10–12 pt

✅ Stick to bullet points (3–5 per job) for easy reading

✅ Keep it to one page (unless you are using a CV)

Header

Be sure to include:

✅ Your name is the first item on the page, and displayed prominently

✅ Email, phone, location (city and state)

✅ LinkedIn URL or Portfolio Link

Education Section

Be sure to include:

✅ Include Indiana University and Bloomington, IN

✅ Degree is spelled out (Ex. Bachelor of Arts)

✅ Any majors, minors, concentrations, certificates, or specializations

✅ Month and year of expected graduation date (Ex. Expected May 2026)

✅ GPA, if above 3.0 out of 4.0 (Ex. 3.35/4.00)

Need some examples? Check out ourCareer Plannerfor more information!

📖 Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

Typos and grammatical errors can make or break your resume. Take a beat, come back with fresh eyes, and then double-check everything.

💡 Helpful tip:Visit our Career Studiolocated on the second floor of Ernie Pyle Hall to meet with one of our professionally trained undergrad peer coaches. They can help review your resume to make sure it is application ready!

🚀 Next Steps

Spring Break is all about balance — so enjoy your time off while setting yourself up for success. A little career prep now means less stress later when internship deadlines roll around. You’ve got this!