Seminar: Resume Workshop

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Training Material

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What is a Resume?

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• A resume is a summary of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience for the purpose of securing an interview and providing potential employers a summary of what you can offer.

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• Note:
• It is important to tailor your resume for each job application, relevance is key.

What to include

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Name and contact info
• Education
• Skills
• Working Experience
• Research Experience
• Internship Experience
• Project Experience

The Art of Detailing Work Experience

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Job Responsibilities:
• Concise and clear descriptions of your roles using action verbs.

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• Accomplishments:
• Highlight key achievements using quantifiable metrics when possible.

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• Relevance:
• Tailor your listed experiences to the job requirements.
• Some experience is good but not relevant.

How to describe your experience

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Be concise but specific, because you need to tell a story in one bullet point.

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Examples:

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Good:

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Designed and developed a cloud-native online e-commerce platform using Java, Spring Boot, and Kubernetes within a microservices architecture, enabling service decoupling, fault tolerance, and horizontal scalability.

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Optimized system performance by implementing Redis caching and asynchronous messaging with RabbitMQ, reducing latency by 10% while ensuring high availability and responsiveness under heavy traffic.

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Bad:

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Responsible for e-commerce development using java and microservices.

Implemented core functionality using mysql, java, and spring boot.

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How to describe your experience

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Software Engineer Intern | CompanyName June 2024 – August 2025, Northridge, CA

• Description 1
• Description 2
• Description 3
• Description 4

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Required Information:

• Position name (e.g. software engineer intern)
• Company name
• Time period (month, year)
• Location
• Description
• The first line can be Bold

How to describe your experience

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Example:

• https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-software-engineer-resume-example

How to describe Skills

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Organize by categories, group related skills together so a recruiter can scan at first glance.

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Example:

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Programming Languages: Java, Python, C++, Go

Web Frameworks: Node.js, React, Django, Spring Boot

Databases: MySQL, MongoDB, Redis

Tools & DevOps: Git, Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins

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Put your most familiar technology at the front.

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Education Section

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• List of degrees: (required)
• Name of degree, institution, and year of graduation.

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• Certifications and courses: : (optional)
• Relevant additional educational achievements.

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• GPA and honors: (optional)
• Include if they are strong and relevant.

Resume Dos and Don'ts

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Dos:
• Proofreading, using consistent formatting, keeping it concise.
• Make skills and important data in your experience description bold

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• Don'ts:
• Ssing unprofessional information and irrelevant experience, lying or exaggerating.

ATS-Friendly Resumes

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• What is the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)?
• An automated systems that filter resumes before they reach human eyes. Read more about it through these links:
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applicant_tracking_system
• https://www.oracle.com/human-capital-management/recruiting/what-is-applicant-tracking-system/
• How to make your resume ATS-friendly:
• using standard section headings, avoiding images or graphics, including relevant keywords.
• Importance of ATS optimization is to increase the chances of your resume being seen by a hiring manager.
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-beat-applicant-tracking-system-ats-lee/

ATS-Friendly Resumes

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Include things they want (from job description)
• Include things that you are good at

Cover Letters and References

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• The role of a cover letter:
• provides more detailed personal introduction and reasons for applying to the job.

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• How to draft compelling cover letters:
• show you've done your research, illustrate how you're a great fit.

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• Preparing your references:
• choose professional references who can speak positively about your work, and let them know in advance that they may be contacted.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Spelling and grammatical errors:
• importance of proofreading and using tools to assist.

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• Irrelevant information:
• ensuring everything on your resume adds value and relevance to the role you're applying for.

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• Generic resumes:
• importance of tailoring your resume to each specific job application.

The Importance of Continuous Improvement

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Keeping your resume updated:
• regularly add new experiences and skills.

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• Seeking feedback:
• request others to review your resume and provide constructive criticism.
• ask feedbacks from people working in industry and HR
• Lifelong learning:
• taking additional courses, workshops, and acquiring new skills to keep your resume fresh and competitive.

What is Overleaf?

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• What is Overleaf?
• Overleaf is an online editor that's easy to use and offers real-time collaboration, templates, and more. It offers high-quality typesetting system often used for technical and scientific documentation due to its ability to handle mathematics and references effectively, but it's also frequently used for creating professional-looking resumes.
• For resumes, Overleaf provides a range of templates created by the community which you can use as a starting point. You can customize these templates to fit your personal information and job application needs.

Overleaf and LaTeX

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Overleaf uses LaTeX
• What is LaTeX?
• LaTeX is a software system for document preparation. It is not a word processor like Microsoft Word. Instead, it works more like a programming language for documents.
• You write plain text files that include special commands (or "markup") that instruct LaTeX how to format the text. For example, to make text bold in LaTeX, you would write \textbf{bold text}.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaTeX

Overleaf - Getting Started (1)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

1. Create an account on Overleaf: If you don't have one already, go to the Overleaf website and sign up for a new account.
2. Find a resume template: Once you're logged in, you can go to the templates section and search for "resume" or "CV". You can preview these templates and find one that suits your style and needs.
3. Open the template in Overleaf: When you've selected a template, click on 'Open as Template' to create a new project with this template in your own account.
4. Edit the template: Now you can start adding your own information to the template. LaTeX commands begin with a backslash and can be used to format text, add sections, and more. If you're new to LaTeX, Overleaf has a rich set of documentation to help you understand the syntax.

Overleaf - Getting Started (2)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

5. Preview and download: As you make changes to your resume, the preview pane will update in real time. Once you're satisfied with your resume, you can download it as a PDF.
6. Collaboration and Version Control: Overleaf also allows you to collaborate with others in real time, and maintains a version history so you can always go back to a previous version if necessary.

Overleaf - Templates

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Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Pick any template for this exercise.

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

Overleaf - Creating an Account (Exercise)

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Please practice creating your resume using a template in Overleaf (5 - 10 mins)

Job Websites

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• LinkedIn (more connections)
• CSUN REU LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14286103/
• Connect with your faculty mentors and your teammates
• Handshake (using school accounts)
• Indeed (more categories)
• Glassdoor (company reviews)

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LinkedIn Profile

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications

• Choose a professional photo (this is important)
• Write a Compelling headline and summary
• Detail your experience with achievements
• Showcase skills & Get endorsements (that’s why connections are important)
• Customize Your URL (linkedin.com/in/YourName instead of linkedin.com/in/awlehifwljwaef)
• Keep It Up-to-Date
• Example: https://www.linkedin.com/business/talent/blog/product-tips/linkedin-profile-summaries-that-we-love-and-how-to-boost-your-own

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Thank you

REU Site: Applying Data Science on Energy-efficient Cluster Systems and Applications