Resume

Pro Tip: Apply in October and November for summer internships.

Pro tips on how to create a resume, presented by career advisor Ann Marie Leahy.
DOWNLOAD (PDF) the presentation

Your Resume Journey

Your resume is your introduction to an employer. It presents a snapshot of your work and educational experiences. You decide what should be included based on a job description and employer needs.

Resumes have their own particular language that you’ll need to learn. Employers will scan your resume rather than read it carefully, so you want to present your information quickly and with maximum impact.

Different companies have different recruitment cycles. If you’re interested in a specific company, research when they post their internships

Do's

  • Limit your resume to one page. Recruiters spend about 15 seconds looking at your resume so it needs to be concise and designed in an easily scannable way.

  • Review your resume for spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.

  • List your relevant experience reverse chronologically, starting with the most recent experience.

  • When you submit your resume to employers send it in PDF format.

Don'ts

  • Do not include every job you have ever had.

  • Do not: include pictures, weight/height, or other personal information.

  • List salary requirements. In California, companies must share a salary range for a position, and they cannot ask you for your previous or current pay. Discuss salary after you have an offer.

  • List references or other contacts. Do not say “references available upon request.” See below on how to handle references professionally.


CLICK TO VIEW RESUME EXAMPLES

Example 1 || Example 2 || Example 3 || Example 4

Resume + Format Tracking

Electronic Resumes:

  • Please size the PDF at 8.5 x 11 (under 1 megabyte) and ensure all links are clickable.

  • Links created in InDesign often do not remain clickable.

  • It is recommended to create the hyperlinks on the PDF resume directly using Adobe Acrobat.


Got a call from an employer?

They are interested in learning more about you & your experiences


Keep track of:

  • Job descriptions

  • Which companies you are applying to

  • Which version of your resume you sent


Multiple Resumes:

A different resume tailored to each position

Trello.com is a free online dashboard:

  • Keep track of your job search

  • Store copies of resumes submitted for each job


YOU'VE GOT MORE EXPERIENCE THAN YOU KNOW—SHARE IT

What Counts As Experience

  • Class Projects

  • Work Experience: Full time, part-time or freelance

  • Volunteer Experience: www.volunteermatch.org

  • Internships: www.smc.edu/internship

  • Leadership roles in clubs

  • Organization memberships

  • Freelance work, hobbies and interests


From the job boards below, set up daily alerts for multiple titles.

These may include such titles as Graphic Design Intern, Social Media Intern, Interaction Design Intern, UX designer intern, UX research Intern, Design Intern, and UX/UI Design Intern.

Job Boards

  • www.linkedin.com: LinkedIn is a social networking website and job posting site designed for professionals in all industries.

  • www.glassdoor.com: Search millions of jobs and get the inside scoop on companies with employee reviews, personalized salary tools, and more

  • www.indeed.com: The #1 job site worldwide! Excellent resource for current positions. Search for internships, occupational research, and companies.

  • www.builtinla.com: Built In Los Angeles is the online community for Built In Los Angeles startups and tech companies. You will find the many design jobs posted here, so you can know who is hiring in your field. There is also articles about the companies and what they are working on posted on this site. Silicon Beach often posts networking mixers on this site as well and you are encouraged to register and attend these events.

  • www.smc.edu/hiresmc: Hire SMC is a free searchable employer database, like Indeed.com or LinkedIn, but it is just for employers seeking to work with Santa Monica College students. The following opportunities can be found on this website: Off-campus jobs, Internships & On-campus jobs.


Freelance Work

  • Creative Market (https://creativemarket.com): Start selling your work now!

  • Upwork (www.upwork.com): Upwork connects businesses of all sizes to freelancers, independent professionals, and agencies for all their hiring needs.