Addressing Your Top Resume Concerns

Wondering if you should include your GPA on your resume? Do you have an employment gap? If these questions are relevant to your current situation, don’t fret! There are several effective strategies for overcoming concerns that you may have when it comes to crafting your resume. Remember that you have the power to develop your narrative! Taking ownership of your experiences and creating a plan to address your concerns in a well thought out manner is key. It is possible to make a great impression on your reviewer no matter your situation. Learn more about common resume concerns below and the ways to solve them so you can stand out from other candidates and get that interview you have been dreaming about.

“I have a low GPA.”

If your cumulative GPA is not as high as you would like it to be, it is important to know that you are not alone and that you have options. If you are performing well in your engineering courses, consider listing your major GPA in place of your accumulative GPA on your resume. Or list both! Know that recruiters may view GPA differently when making their hiring decisions. Be sure to explicitly state "Major GPA" if that is the one you choose to list. Remember that your path may be different from your peers, so it is best to evaluate each situation on a case-by-case basis. Talk with an ECS Career Advisor to determine the best case for your situation.

Not sure how to find you major GPA? Here is how you can find it:

1. Log in to your Student Center. On the right sidebar titled “Enrollment Information,” select “Degree Audit.”
2. In the Self Service window, select “Request Audit.”
3. Confirm that your major is underneath “Run Current Programs.” If so, scroll to the end of the page and select “Run Audit.” (Note: If your major is not given under “Run Current Programs,” fill out fields underneath “Run Selected Programs” and select “Run Audit”)
4. After the degree audit finishes loading, select “View Audit.”
5. On the next page scroll down and select “Standards of Academic Performance.”
6. Your major GPA will be listed underneath this section.

“My resume is too long, and I am not sure what to cut.”

ECS recommends one page per degree for resumes. If you still have high school experiences listed on your resume, consider replacing this with your most recent experiences. If listing high school is not the case for you, think about what experiences relate most to the qualifications of the positions for which you are applying. For example, if the qualifications list certain skills such as communication, problem solving, or technical skills, make sure to list those experiences and take away the others that are not as relevant. Remember that anything listed on the resume is open for a recruiter to ask about! So, if you feel as though you wouldn’t be able to explain a particular experience in depth, this may be a good indicator to take it off the resume.

“I have an employment gap.”

If you have a gap in your employment, know that there are plenty of valid reasons for one. Maybe you spent time focusing on your coursework, traveled, had a difficult time finding something that interested you, or had a cancelled internship due to COVID-19. Whatever the case may be, it is important to be open and honest if you get asked about your employment gap. During your employment gap, did you spend time volunteering, complete a personal project, or engage in professional development opportunities such as conferences or workshops? If so, those are experiences worth listing on the resume as it shows your desire to grow professionally.

“I lack experience.”

You might have more experience than you think! Have you listed your coursework or class projects on your resume? If not, this is a great way to show recruiters what technical skills you are learning in the classroom. Refer to the course syllabus for keywords and a refresher when creating the bullet points. If you already added your projects, there are lots of ways to gain experience on and off campus. Whether it’s through project teams or getting involved in an engineering student organization, you can impress employers by listing your unique contributions in activities like these. Review our "Alternative Experiences" resources within Handshake for more ways to gain experience. Once you start, list it on the resume! You can always add to the bullet points as you learn and develop new skills.

If you have additional questions about the topics above or other resume concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to an ECS Career Advisor. We are here to support you in your career needs!

“Your success is determined by your ability to find solutions.” - Unknown Author