Early Career Professionals How To Toolkit

How to Create a Resume

What is a Resume?

A resume is a concise, one-page summary of your qualifications, experiences, and skills tailored to a specific role.  Unlike a CV or Curriculum Vitae, which is used often in academic or research settings to detail an individual’s entire education and professional accomplishments, a resume emphasizes career highlights, relevant skills, and measurable outcomes for a particular position or purpose. 

 

 

Elements of a Good Resume?

A good resume: 

  • Aligns your experience with the job posting using specific language and keywords 
  • Highlights diverse experiences, including internships, volunteer work, and leadership roles 
  • Clearly shows the skills and impact you made in previous work experience 
  • Demonstrates key competencies such as communication, data literacy, commitment to equity and cultural humility
  • Uses a clean, professional format (PDF, consistent fonts, and spacing)

Format and Structure

You can use Word, Google Docs, Canva and/or any other word processing or document layout programs to build your resume, but always save and submit as a PDF. Maintain a clean and consistent layout, adhering to any required formatting instructions (e.g., single-page format, standard margins). Exclude photos or personal details.

Section

What to Include

Contact Info

Name, professional email, LinkedIn profile, and (optionally) city/state.

Professional Summary

1–3 sentences or sentence fragments that highlight your values, strengths, and career goals. Example: “Equity-driven MPH graduate passionate about community-engaged research and systems change.”

Education

Degree(s), graduation date, relevant coursework, thesis/practicum titles, certifications (e.g., CHES, CPH).

Experience

Jobs, internships, and volunteer roles. Use action verbs and give measurable outcomes to show your impact.

Skills

Both technical skills (e.g., GIS, SPSS, policy analysis) and interpersonal skills (e.g., collaboration, communication, adaptability).

Additional Highlights

Awards, publications, capstones, or class projects that demonstrate initiative and leadership.

 

Tips for Success

 

  • Tailor your resume to each job and mirror the language in the job description. 
  • Use short sentences, sentence fragments, and bullet points that show what you did and why it mattered 
  • Avoid:
    • Generic or vague summaries 
    • Including unrelated info 
    • Typos or inconsistent formatting 
    • Listing tasks without highlighting your contributions or outcomes 

Crafting a compelling resume is an important step in your job search. By focusing on relevant experiences, clearly showcasing your strengths, and tailoring your content to reflect your commitment to health and equity, you’ll stand out in a competitive public health job market.

 

Featured Resources

Key Elements of a Resume

This resource offers advice on crafting a resume that effectively showcases your experiences, skills, and qualifications to potential employers, particularly fo...
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