Although first published in 2019, this post is continuously updated.
Since 2015, I’ve been helping Irish and US graduates prepare and apply for jobs, in NYC. And, in that time, you begin to notice some common patterns and pitfalls in the application process.
If you are wondering how to write a resume (particularly a J1 Graduate resume), here are some pointers that have gotten hundreds of graduates employed over the last decade.
CV vs Resume
Let’s get the terminology and structure correct. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a long-form document where you record your achievements, chronologically, with a high level of detail. I don’t get so hung up on the length and layout of this document as I’ve never submitted one when applying for a job. I do encourage you to maintain one, however, and keep it continuously updated, so that you have a record of all past career achievements.
By contrast, a resume is a tailored, short-form document (typically one page) that you will actually end up submitting in your job application. It gives an overview of your most appropriate career highlights that are most applicable to the job you wish to apply.
The idea behind maintaining the two documents is so that you have a record of all your career specifics when you want to pick and choose what to include in your resume, to tell the appropriate story. It is not one-size-fits-all, it needs to be tailored for each application, using the language of the job description.
Getting Started
First, ensure the position you are applying to is appropriate for someone at your level of experience.
A good resume should be long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.
As a recent graduate, your resume should almost definitely be one page in length. The first purpose of your resume is to catch the attention of the recruiter, to convince them to interview you. People are busy and your resume will be read quickly, so make things simple and concise by keeping it to one page.
Be aware of the size of your document. American Letter size is wider and shorter at 8.5in x 11in compared to international A4 paper size which is thinner and longer at 210mm x 297mm – you will need to convert your resume to US paper size (the one on the left, below).
Use a clear and modern typeface – I like Helvetica.
Use a single column layout – most applications are first reviewed by an Applicant Tracker System (ATS) that scans for keywords and content. The job of the ATS is to reduce the overall number of interviews a hiring manager needs to conduct. Generally ATS have not done a good job of parsing two-column layout resumes so stick to one.

The structure of your resume should flow from top to bottom as follows:
- Name & Contact Details
- Experience
- Education
- Technical Competencies
(Note 2. and 3. are somewhat interchangeable in order, depending on where you are in your career). Do not title the document Resume at the top as this is a waste of space.
At this point, you should have the correct size, blank document in front of you. Save it with an appropriate file name like Ross-O’CarrollKelly-Sales-Intern.docx – don’t name it resume.docx or the recruiter is going to end up with a folder of applicants with resume file names like this:

Summary
Summaries are difficult to get right and can be a great way of using up valuable space unnecessarily.
If you are set on including a summary consider what information you are adding to this section (does it add value?) and has it already been included elsewhere in your application (e.g. cover letter or answers to questions asked elsewhere in the application process). Keep it concise.
If you find your summary amounts to “high-motivated professional with keen attention to detail, experience working in a fast-paced environment, works well on a team or individually, seeking job opportunities in NYC”, then eliminate your summary entirely.
Name & Contact Details
This shouldn’t take up any more than two lines at the very top of the page and should consist of your phone number, location, email address and LinkedIn profile.
- Phone Number: If you are applying for a job in NYC, don’t use your Irish / International phone number. Get a free Google Voice US number at a minimum.
- Location: The recruiter won’t be coming over to visit so you don’t need to give your exact address – they’re looking for an indication that you are in the area so list where you will be living / your general location e.g. Brooklyn, NY
- Email: This is pretty simple. Use a reputable email service and ensure the naming convention is appropriate like [email protected] – don’t use your overseas college email address. Those in tech or marketing roles should consider having a personal domain email address (if you don’t have a portfolio on your domain, you can forward it to your LinkedIn page).
- LinkedIn: This is becoming more important as it publicly validates your profile to the recruiter. Ensure you hyperlink your profile so the recruiter can navigate to your profile in one click.
- DO NOT INCLUDE:
- Headshot
- Nationality
- Date of Birth
- Religious beliefs
- Your mother’s maiden name

Experience
Consider who you are writing this resume for and the verbiage in the job description. Not only do you want to educate the recruiter about your skills and experience to date, the purpose is to highlight how you apply those skills and experience, to offer incremental value to the organization. What would make you a better prospective employee than any other applicant? Provide what was requested, in the language of the job description.
Title the section “Select Professional Experience” and list only your recent positions that are most relevant to the job opening. I like to list the position first, then the company, as it highlights the level of responsibilities you have previously held.

For the details underneath each position, you want to highlight your achievements and your skills – particularly those that set you apart from your competition.
DO NOT JUST DESCRIBE THE JOB.
This is both lazy and boring. Consider the following:
“I managed social media for this company”
So far you have given the recruiter zero meaningful insight (apart from suggesting you probably have social media accounts). List, in 3 to 5 bullet points, quantifiable data of what you did – use statistics. What did social media management look like before you started the role and what does it look like now? How did you increase audience traffic by x%? How did you improve conversion rates to increase sales? What proprietary systems did you use? Did you have a team? How many people were on the team and how did it grow under your supervision?
Additional suggestions:
- Structure each sentence considering WHAT-WHY-HOW. What was the thing you did? Why did you do it? How did you do it? Start your sentences with action words e.g. “Implemented strategic sales initiative…” rather than “I did x and then I did y“
- Consider the language of the job description – if they say “we are looking for someone who can do abc“, include that, not only did you do abc for your previous employer, but here is the measurable outcome by which you improved abc. Use the keywords of the job description.
- Do not lie or exaggerate – this should be obvious. Don’t describe yourself as ‘Assistant Regional Manager’ when you were really just ‘Assistant To The Regional Manager’
- Do not list outdated positions – your previous position working in a restaurant has little applicability to the digital marketing job you are now applying to.
Education
This section may include more or less information than the below pictured example, depending on your previous job positions and how applicable they are.
Only include education details since college – American employers generally do not know what a ‘Leaving Cert’ is. Include the college name and year of study. If you have space, you can also include some core subjects / modules that are relevant to the job opening. Do not include “Second Glass Honors,” nor the GPA conversion – it is not necessary.
If you find that your experience section is lacking, you can include relevant college projects / side projects / coursework / volunteering in this section also. Treat those projects as you would like a job in the experience section but outlining the project demands and demonstrating how you applied knowledge to lead to a successful outcome.

Technical Skills / Competencies
In this final section of your resume, you can list items that you really haven’t had the opportunity to mention elsewhere in your resume. These should be hard skills that have been learned and can be validated. Such examples might include software like Excel / PowerPoint etc. or any other proprietary systems that could be used in your next role.
Think sales tools like Salesforce or finance tools like Bloomberg terminal or marketing tools like HootSuite / Google Analytics etc. – whatever is relevant to you. Perhaps you know some basic programming skills.
Do not exaggerate these skills either. ‘Advanced Excel capabilities’ is a common listing, until you flip the laptop around and ask the candidate to run a pivot table on a set of data.
Do not use this section to describe how you are ‘detail-oriented’ or ‘intellectually curious’ or a ‘hard-worker’ – these are soft skills that really have no meaning.
Wrapping It All Up
Here are some final items to be consider when writing your resume:
- Save your resume as a PDF. This will ensure consistency in formatting and make it difficult for a third party to alter.
- Spelling mistakes are unforgivable (particularly when you’ve just described yourself as detail-oriented). Be aware of the differences in the spelling of certain words in the US. Have a friend or family member give the final document a proof-read for you.
- Do not say “References Available Upon Request” – if the recruiter wants references, they will ask for them.
- I suppose I have softened on including an ‘Interests’ section over the years… Generally I would say its probably not applicable but if there is something that could be appropriate or interesting to include then do so, but keep to a maximum of one line.
- Do not include a line to thank the recruiter for reading your resume.
Bottom Line
Applying for a job is tough, especially in New York City where competition is fierce. Spend time working on your resume and seek advice from those in your field. But make sure you reach out with a clear request of what help you are specifically looking for.