Format and Structure
Your resume must be one page. No exceptions. One page for students, one page for recent graduates. This constraint forces you to prioritize ruthlessly, every line must earn its place.
Section Order: The Standard Hierarchy
Use this order for most applications:
- Header (name, contact, portfolio)
- Education
- Professional Experience
- Academic and Studio Projects
- Technical Skills
- Activities, Leadership, and Awards
Alternative Order: When Experience Dominates
If you have substantial firm experience (2+ internships or co-ops), you can move Experience to slot 2 (right after Header), pushing Education to slot 3. This signals that your professional work is your strongest credential.
| Section | Recommended Space | Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Header | 5-10% | Name, email, phone, city/state, portfolio URL |
| Education | 15-20% | Degree, institution, graduation date, relevant coursework, thesis/capstone |
| Experience | 30-40% | Most important section; use 2-4 bullet points per position |
| Projects | 15-20% | 2-4 strongest studio or capstone projects with brief descriptions |
| Skills | 10-15% | Organized by category (Design, Visualization, Documentation, etc.) |
| Activities | 5-10% | AIAS, competitions, awards, relevant volunteer work |
Typography and Margins
Font: Use a clean, professional serif or sans-serif font. Inter, Helvetica Neue, Garamond, and Georgia are all acceptable. Avoid anything decorative or handwritten.
Name: 12-14pt, bold
Section headings: 11-12pt, bold
Body text: 10-11pt
Margins: 0.5" to 0.75" on all sides
Line spacing: 1.0-1.15 (single to slightly loose)
PRO TIP: Use consistent alignment. Left-align position titles and right-align dates. This creates a clean visual grid that mirrors the precision expected in architectural documentation. White space matters, a cramped resume signals poor design judgment.
What NOT to Include
- Headshots or photos
- Graphic bars or infographic-style skill ratings
- Full mailing address (city/state only)
- GPA in the header (only in Education section if strong)
- Objective statements ("To obtain a position...")
- "References available upon request" (it is assumed)