Resume for Recruitment
 

Alrighty, I will be attending Formal Fall Recruitment. I'm in the process of writing (and rewriting) my resume to send to the Alumnae who will be providing me with recs and letters of support. My problem is that I have been involved in so many activities that I'm not sure what to include! Someone PLEASE help me out here.

Name
Address
Phone
Education
GPA
Work Experience
Activities
Service
Leadership positions
Awards
Interests/Hobbies/Sports
References (usually at least one academic and one personal)

I'm not sure what is so different about your situation?

I understand that I need to include the personal info, etc., but if I include all of my extracurriculars and activities my resume is over two pages long... Should I only include what I think are the highlights? I'm afraid that I might leave off something that someone else might find important even though I don't think it is.

I recommend a bulleted one liner of your extra curricular activities. That way, if the employer wants more info, they can ask you about it. It will take up a lot less space than a full description and give you something to point out or discuss if asked.

Thanks, I appreciate your advice but would that apply to resumes going to sorority alumnae who are writing recs and letters of support, too? I understand that much of the info would be the same but if someone was class president for 2 years, should they bullet the line and say "Class President-2 years?" Also, what if a person participated in the same event every year and had a different outcome, i.e. placing, or was in the same event multiple years, but in a different category every year?

One page front and back is great - just make sure to save paper and print it front and back.

^^good suggestion

I would prioritize them. List the ones you are most proud of at the top and give them maybe two lines of info. Then follow up with smaller accomplishments or positions you've held.

This is all going to come down to how much information you want to provide. Personally, I like reading about things that people have accomplished as this gives insight into how they think and what they think is important. I wouldn't sell yourself short to save space.

Thank you guys! These are really helpful suggestions. I guess I'm feeling overwhelmed that I'm not going to "do it right." Unfortunately, I'm a visual person so I like to see an example of how someone else has done it in the past, and I haven't been able to find something like that online (just templates). It seems more simple now.

This is SO much easier to do that it used to be, but personalize the resumes. If you've been volunteering with ANY of the philanthropies which a sorority sponsors, play it up. Using the bullet system, you would prioritize say, Literacy Works when sending out a resume for Pi Beta Phi, or Breast Cancer Walk for the Cure for ZTA. But don't even attempt it if you think you'll mix it up!

List the activity as a bullet, and the major accomplishments as a sub-bullet. Choose the three or four biggest accomplishments to list. Like so:

-- Wilson High School Forensics Team
--- State champion, Impromptu Speaking, 2011
--- Junior varsity Conference Champion, 2009

you could say: junior class president, senior class president

Two major things: first, if you have an award or club that's a huge big deal in your area but women at OSU may not know what it is, enlighten them! Our kids' high school had a multiracial dance team that was really hard to get into and they were so good that they were in the 1996 Olympics opening ceremonies. Now if a PNM had just put "Color Connection" on her resume, the sorority women may have wondered what it was and ignored it. If she had briefly explained about CC, that surely would have been a major item in her favor.

Another thing: eliminate the little fillers, like 1 year of I don't know, the Birdwatching Club or a semester of Spanish Club. They'll only detract from your major activities.

I will be a sophomore at Oklahoma State next year and it looks like you are off to a great start with your recruitment! Don't let your nerves get the best of you, it's easy to get overwhelmed right now (especially with things that you're unfamiliar with like sending in the resumes) but everything will work itself out. I wish I could help more but since I am only a sophomore I'm not even sure what is the best way to format it. Good luck!

Even if you participated in them for FOUR years, some activities look like filler. At my school, Spanish/French Club pretty much consisted of having a meeting once a month... no real activities, no impact. So if you were so involved that you're trying to figure out what to cut, cut those in general and it will free up some space for more involved activities.

I say - when in doubt, put it ALL down!

I do like things divided by class years, though I tend to discount the 9th and 10th grade activities.

Don't forget to list church activities, if you have them...and I always like to see part-time jobs.

If you're looking to make easier for a sorority to 'connect' with you, make sure you don't leave out your intended major (if you have decided). That way, when you go to a sorority's house (or chapter room, or wherever...) you'll be able to already have something in common with some of the sisters you meet. In fact, some sororities at some schools (the more competitive ones) will actually 'match you' as a PNM to an active with similar interests or a common major when you come to their house for recruitment. So, anything that you think may spark a commonality with a group is a MUST-HAVE on a resume!!

Good luck!

^^^
Great Advice. Anything to spark a connection.

In addition to the above, I always tell PNMs to list:
* rank in HS class (like, 7th out of 320 or Top 10)
* SAT or ACT score
* major / minor
* scholarships (name of scholarship, not how much)
* what year they'll be (i.e. Incoming Freshman) -- if you're an upperclassman, also list your college info (school, GPA, activities, etc., just like HS)
* if they have any Greek affiliations (like Aunt was in XYZ sorority @ State College or Dad was in AAA fraternity @ a certain university)
* and add a photo to the resume

Talents
 

Be sure to include any special talents you may have. I know of a pnm who is going through at another university who plays four instruments and speaks 4 or 5 languages.

Some students have traveled extensively due to parents who have been in the foreign service or the military. Include this kind of information.

I am going to a school where rush is not until January. I have a resume already made up (it includes my HS GPA, extracurriculars, community service, sports, leadership, awards, work experienc ect.) Should I also include what I will be involved in during college during my first semester?

Don't include it until you actually do it. :) I know that sounds kind of silly, but you may be going there with all intentions of being on (example) the newspaper staff and for one reason or another it doesn't work out.

If you're asking for recs now, just put what you have actually done in your resume. If you are going to be on an athletic team and your letter of intent is already signed, put in your cover letter "I will be a member of the XYZ University tennis team." Other than that, I would skip it - believe me, if I had done what you are proposing, I would have had one lying resume. ;) If you want to include college activities, then wait until college actually begins to ask for your recs.