Transfer Resume Tips
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Your resume is a record of your past. In a way, it's a journey down memory lane. What's important? What might you not include?
I provide a lot of helpful tips in this Youtube video and in a series of blog posts starting here.
A lot of the resume rules of thumb and advice to first-time freshman applies to transfers applicants. Formatting isn't particularly important, but it is wise to quantify your accomplishments, clearly define your roles and responsibilities, and if your prior experience and skills relates to your choice of major, be sure to include that at the top.
Unlike for first-time freshman, UT requires transfer applicants to submit an expanded resume.
UT recommends including the past five years worth of experience on your resume. For recent high school graduates, this means you should include your information from HS. For mid-career professionals, veterans, or adults returning back to school, you should include your relevant experience since high school.
Especially for non-traditional applicants, don't get so caught up on whether you have enough volunteer or extracurricular activities. If you are working full-time, there is no expectation that you have a similar profile to a full-time student.
I once spoke with a stressed out applicant who was the father of two kids. He worried about whether he had enough leadership activities. I told him, "You're a father of two young kids! And you have a full-time job! That's about as much of a leader as you can get."
Same goes for veterans concerned about whether their application looks like the "typical" student. I have discussed in other posts and videos that there is no typical transfer student.
In your resume, you should market what separates you from the crowd. Just like a recent HS graduate discussing what set them apart in their extracurricular activities, talk about how you excel within your work place. What are your roles and responsibilities? Do you manage anyone? Are you responsible for meeting sales quotas or completing projects under budget?
Regardless of the type of applicant, UT and other more selective universities want to see that you work hard, have at a few interests and curiosities, can write thoughtfully, and are hopefully doing something besides sitting around.
Whatever it is you are doing outside of your courses, be sure to include as much detail as possible. This is not a one-page professional resume. It can be as long as you would like.
Let's talk about how we can improve your resume and maximize your admissions chances.