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Resumes: What You Need to Know

The resume is an opportunity to market yourself to a prospective employer. It should be succinct, target an employer's needs, and distinguish you from your competitors. Before you get started, think about your strengths, weaknesses, personal preferences, and motivations. You should also consider the company's needs, who your competition might be, and your unique skill set. The best way to convince employers that you will add value is to show them that you've done it before.

Alumni Resume Book

Our Alumni Resume Book connects you with organizations looking for talent. Visit 12twenty (our recruiting platform) and upload your resume to get started. You should complete your Profile in 12twenty by updating your Background tab which contains information about your career experience, skills, preferences and more. Ensuring your Background tab is complete and accurate will greatly improve your chance of being contacted by an organization. Looking to connect with fellow HBS alumni? Upload your resume to the Alumni Networking Resume Book to kick start those connections.

Resume Makeover Using VMock and Aspire

Gain instant feedback on your resume and LinkedIn Profile

VMock is a smart career platform that provides instant personalized feedback on your resume and LinkedIn Profile to help improve aspects like presentation, language, and skills.

VMock Smart Editor tool will enable you to:

• Receive an objective score on your resume based on recruiter criteria
• Review line-for-line targeted feedback on your resume
• Re-upload your resume up to 10 times to track improvement

Sign up using your HBS email address. Account requests are granted within 24 business hours. During holidays and winter break (December 24th – January 1st) turnaround time will be delayed until the CPD office reopens. Please note, we recommend you review your resume before considering it final.

Resumes: Sections, Templates & Examples

• Contact details - Let others know who you are and how to get in touch with you. In addition to your name, you should list your mailing address, phone number, and email address. It is expected to be found at the top of the page. No need to include it on additional pages.
• Professional history - Start with your most recent role and list in descending chronology. For each role, provide a sentence or two that describes the scope of your responsibility. Then in bullet format, provide accomplishment statements. To write an accomplishment statement, state the problem you encountered, the action you took and the result or impact of your actions. For example, "Led team in implementing a new general ledger package by providing expertise and encouragement, which contributed to a successful, on-time project completion."
• Education - Spell out your degree so it will stand out better. It is not necessary to include your GPA or GMAT score. Do not list courses. Do list any leadership roles or study abroad experiences.
• Summary/Profile - A great opportunity to tell the reader exactly what you want them to know. It should be 3-4 sentences in paragraph form following your contact information. Be careful not to load up on overused resume jargon and avoid listing previous jobs/education as it is redundant. Instead, focus on your branding statement, unique themes in your career path, and skills.
• Key skills - Listing your skills is a great way for the reader to quickly evaluate your skill set. List skills that are relevant to your next position. For each skill, you will need a proof statement in the form of an accomplishment stated in the professional experience section. A good way to set up this section is in 2 or 3 columns with 3-4 skills in each column. The heading could be "Key Areas of Expertise" or "Core Competencies".
• Personal/Interests - Only include if it helps tell your story.
• Additional roles - If you participate in organizations outside of your professional employment, you may list these in a separate section. Headings are typically "Volunteer Leadership Roles" or "Community Service".
• Licenses and Professional Certifications - If you possess a license or certification, these should be called out in a separate section.
• Objective - No longer in style. Do not include in your resume.
• References available upon request - No longer in style. Do not include in your resume.
• Zip file of all resume templates (login required)

Chronological - This is the most commonly used layout. Recommended for a mostly consistent record of employment showing progression/growth from position to position. Not recommended for gaps in employment dates, those out of job market for some time, or changing careers.

• Template 1 (login required)
• Template 2 (login required)
• Template 3 (login required)
• Template 4 (login required)
• Sample 1: C-Level Resume (login required)
• Sample 2: Consulting to Operating Company Resume (login required)
• Sample 3: VP with Long Tenure Resume (login required)
• Sample 4: C-Level Biotech resume (login required)
• Sample 5: Exec. Ed. with Long Tenure Resume (login required)
• Sample 6: Financial Services Resume (login required)

Streamlined Chronological - This layout also shows progression from one job to the next, but does not include extra sections such as Summary/Profile or Areas of Expertise. Recommended for recent alumni.

• Template: Streamlined Chronological (login required)

Chronological/Functional Hybrid Resume - In this layout, you can highlight your employment history in a straight chronological manner, but also make it immediately clear you have filled a variety of roles that use different but related skill sets. This is useful to provide a few accomplishments in the beginning to show a theme. Each role would also have specific accomplishment statements.

• Template: Chronological/Functional Hybrid (login required)
• Sample: Accomplishment Focus Resume (login required)

Cover Letter Writing

It is essential to send a cover letter with your resume to provide a recruiter with insight into your qualifications, experience, and motivation for seeking a position. The letter also conveys your personal communication style, tone, and professionalism. An effective employment letter should:

• Be targeted and personalized
• State why you are interested in the company
• Explain how you can fill a need
• Convey your enthusiasm about the opportunity
• Suggest next steps for communication and action

Guidelines & Examples

Investigate your target company. What is the company's "breaking news?" What drives their business? What are their greatest challenges and opportunities? How can you contribute? eBaker can help with your research.

Outline your objectives using relevant information that attracts the attention of the reader.

• Salutation Address the letter to a specific person. Capture the reader's attention and briefly introduce yourself. Mention the referral/company contact, if applicable. State the purpose of your letter.
• Body Describe relevant information you discovered about the company. Discuss the position offered or the position you are looking for. Detail how your skills will benefit the company.
• Closing Convey your enthusiasm. Anticipate response.

Pay close attention to sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation. Always print your letter to check for typographical errors. Have a friend, colleague, or family member review your letter whenever possible.

Cover letters are the place to briefly and directly address the gap in your career. For example, "I am returning to the workforce after a period of raising children." Then address your strengths, qualifications and goals. Emphasize your excitement and preparedness to re-enter the workforce now.

Response to Identified Advertisement (pdf)

Branding You

Resume writing tips  , creating visual impact.

A concise, visually appealing resume will make a stronger impression than a dense, text-laden document. Respect page margins and properly space the text. Learn to appreciate the value of "white space." Limit a resume to one or two pages but not one and ¼. Ensure content is balanced on both pages. A CV is typically longer because it includes additional sections such as publications and research.

Use Parallel Construction

Select a consistent order of information, format, and spacing. If one experience starts with a brief overview followed by bullet points, subsequent experiences should follow a similar form. Parallel construction—including the use of action verbs (pdf) (login required) to start all phrases—greatly enhances a resume's readability.

Always Proofread

Pay close attention to margin alignment, spelling, punctuation, and dates. Read your resume backward to check for typographical errors. (You will focus on individual words, rather than the meaning of the text.) Better yet, have a friend, colleague, or family member review your resume.

Use Action Verbs

Action Verbs List (login required)

Improve Your Writing

Common questions, past program resources  .

How to Build a Resume that Stands Above the Competition

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The Best Cover Letter I Ever Received

• David Silverman

In my last post I talked about how to make your résumé more likely to catch the attention of a hiring manager. As a follow up, I’d like to discuss cover letters. Here’s my basic philosophy on them: don’t bother. That’s because the cover letters I see usually fall into one of three categories: The […]

In my last post I talked about how to make your résumé more likely to catch the attention of a hiring manager . As a follow up, I’d like to discuss cover letters. Here’s my basic philosophy on them: don’t bother.

• David Silverman has had ten careers so far, including entrepreneur, executive, and business writing professor. He is the author of Typo: The Last American Typesetter or How I Made and Lost 4 Million Dollars and of the April 2011 HBR article, Synthesis: Constructive Confessions .

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How to Write a Great Resume and Cover Letter

Linda Spencer offers helpful tips and resources to help you write your resumé and cover letter.

What makes a great résumé and cover letter? Linda Spencer, associate director and coordinator of career advising at Harvard Extension School, shares examples of a few strong résumés and explains what makes them stand out.

Perfect Your Marketing Documents

Spencer stresses it’s important to know that your résumé and cover letter are marketing documents. Also keep in mind that the average employer takes about seven seconds to review these documents. They’re not reading: they’re skimming. So you need to make it clear right off the bat how you can add value.

Strong résumés don’t have to be lengthy. One to two pages that feature your most top accomplishments works well.

Use Action Words and Customize Your Pitch

When highlighting your professional experience, use accomplishment statements rather than descriptions of your role. Start with an action verb. Then detail the impact that action had: Did you increase, decrease, modify, or change anything in your work? Finally, be sure to quantify the accomplishments. Data helps.

Your cover letter should be one page, highly customized to each position you’re applying for. It answers two questions: why are you the right fit for the position? And how will you add value to the organization?

While it’s important to have a strong résumé and cover letter, it’s also important to remember that the number one job search strategy is networking. You don’t want to simply be reactive, applying blindly to job postings. You want to conduct a series of informational meetings so that you build a network of people you can reach out to when it comes time to start your job search.

Any Extension student can attend first-come, first-served 15-minute call-ins (via phone or Skype) with Linda. See Career Services for more information.

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Learn how to remove filler words from formal speeches to present with confidence.

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More Than 180 Harvard Faculty Sign Letter Urging Garber to End Pro-Palestine Encampment

More than 180 Harvard faculty urged interim University President Alan M. Garber ’76 and interim Provost John F. Manning ’82 to end the pro-Palestine encampment in Harvard Yard in an open letter.

The letter — which asked Harvard to enforce its conduct rules against protesters and described the occupation’s continued presence as “an atmosphere of lawlessness” — was sent to Garber’s office Thursday afternoon.

Since the letter was sent, protesters revealed they met with Garber Wednesday evening to discuss ending the encampment. Protesters refused to accept an off-ramp to end the encampment and avoid involuntary leave of absence notices. On Friday morning, the University began placing encampment participants on involuntary leaves of absence.

Though Garber remained mostly silent on the encampment until his threat of leaves of absences in a Monday email, his offer to the protesters — made during the Wednesday meeting — is precisely the type of approach the letter urged against.

“Prompt removal of the encampment should be followed by civil dialogue with those representing the views of the protesters who remain in good standing with the university,” the letter read. “The sooner the encampment is removed, the sooner a meaningful conversation can begin.”

The letter also urged Harvard not to “make concessions to protesters that would have not been granted had they followed the rules,” arguing that to do so would violate the principles of “civil discourse” and encourage future disruptions.

University spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain declined to comment on the letter.

College and University officials have repeatedly told the students in the encampment that they are violating Harvard policy since it began late last month. At least 30 students have been called before the Harvard College Administrative Board and are likely to face disciplinary action.

But Garber offered a meeting with more top University officials and said students would not be put on involuntary leave if they immediately dismantled the encampment in the Yard.

Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine — the organization staging the encampment — said they rejected the demands in an announcement early on Friday, and by Friday morning, students had begun receiving notices that they were placed on leave. Students placed on involuntary leave may not complete final exams, stay in Harvard housing, or be present on Harvard’s campus until they are reinstated.

The letter encouraged protesters to accept disciplinary consequences, arguing that a willingness to do so is the “difference between civil disobedience and mob rule.”

The letter represents a growing rift among Harvard’s faculty over how the University ought to handle the encampment as Commencement approaches. It follows a Tuesday open letter from more than 300 faculty members urging Garber to negotiate with the students.

However, Harvard officials — Garber included — have been unwilling to engage with the students’ demands, which include disclosing and divesting from all companies and institutions with ties to Israel. Swain said the Wednesday meeting was “not a negotiation of protesters’ demands.”

Garber “reaffirmed the University’s commitment, as an institution where debate and discussion are central to our mission, that there would be more opportunities for constructive dialogue on these issues across our community in the coming months,” Swain wrote in a statement early Friday.

The Thursday letter’s signatories include psychology professor Steven A. Pinker and former Harvard Medical School dean Jeffrey S. Flier — both leaders of the Council on Academic Freedom at Harvard, a faculty group whose members have been prominent in free speech debates following Oct. 7.

Three members of Harvard’s task force on combating antisemitism — Medical School professor Jerome E. Groopman, Harvard Law School professor Jesse M. Fried, and Computer Science professor Boaz Barak — also signed. Law School professor emeritus Laurence H. Tribe ’62 joined both Thursday’s letter and the open letter on Monday urging Garber to hold conversations with protesters.

In addition to faculty signatories, the letter was signed by several other Harvard affiliates, including Shabbos “Alexander” Kestenbaum, a Harvard Divinity School student who is a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit accusing Harvard of failing to address campus antisemitism.

Its authors cast the encampment as a threat to academic freedom and a burden on University operations, writing that Harvard police and administrators “have been stretched to the breaking point.”

The letter contended that the encampment has “prevented the use of a central campus space by many students” and displaced rule-abiding student groups from activities they might otherwise conduct in Harvard Yard.

Removal of the encampment would be consistent with time, place, and manner restrictions on free speech, the letter argued.

“We fully support your efforts to end the encampment swiftly and as peacefully as possible, so that the academic missions of our community, including exams and commencement, can go forward without further disturbance,” the letter concluded.

—Staff writer Tilly R. Robinson can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on X @tillyrobin .

—Staff writer Neil H. Shah can be reached at [email protected] . Follow him on X @neilhshah15 .

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