For college students, a resume can be one of the most important aspects of searching for a job.

Resumes exhibit a student’s history and credibility when it comes to hiring. It displays his or her work history and experiences, as well as particular skills and achievements.  Here are five simple steps in creating your professional resume.

1. Clear structure

Resumes must have a clear basic structure to them, not to cluttered. According to Dr. Cristina Gilstrap, associate professor of communication: “If someone is only looking at it for five seconds, can they clearly see just based on a quick glance that you have the strong structure that you need? That’s the use of headings, appropriate spaces in between, and that there is consistency in your structure as you go. “

Employers are not looking for a complex lengthy resume because they won’t be looking at it for more than 20 seconds.

Says Dr. Rick Maxson, associate professor of communication:

“Form is content. That’s something I didn’t learn until graduate school. The arrangement of your resume, just as the arrangement of any message, tells a story all by itself.”

2. Variety of experiences

Resumes must have a clear set of experiences and skills listed for employers to see. The skills need to be related to the occupation that you are applying for.

“You need to have a variety of experiences illustrated, so what’s your experiences with speaking, writing, leadership and project management? It should reflect a variety of skills,” says Dr. Gilstrap.

The skills and experiences listed can assist the employer is deciding whether to hire the student.

3. Grammar

Grammar is one of the most important aspects of the resume. It reflects precision as well as accuracy.

“If there is one typo, they’re throwing it in the trash can,” says Dr. Gilstrap.

Without proper grammar, the chances of scoring an interview or job are slim. “If you’re hoping to get a job, the context demands precision with regard to grammar and spelling,” says Dr. Maxson. Without proper grammar more than likely the resume will be tossed, and the potential employee will be out of luck.

4. Tells the same story as your professional portfolio

Professional portfolios express the occupation candidates would like to enter. It also displays the different sets of skills and experiences they have in order to perform their job more efficiently.

The resume must express the same details as the professional portfolio does, says Dr. Gilstrap. Consistency is essential when presenting to a potential employer.

5. Reflect the position

The resume should reflect the position being considered. It should provide the skills and experiences required to perform the job of interest.

“If you looked at a course catalog or any documentation from a university that was general four-year liberal-arts private institution, you might have been interested,” says Dr. Maxson. “But if you got a letter that described how an institution fit your values, beliefs, and your goals for the future, which school are you going to go to?”