Undergraduate student: 2-page resume a death sentence?

[IlyaKEightSix]

I am wondering: since I am working with a highly experienced former Wall-Street employee, she tells me that it's fine if my resume runs longer than one page (right now, it barely fits two). It's like my old one, but in a more improved format, aside from the page length. Is this page length a death sentence for me as an undergraduate senior?

The format sort of got fudged due to the text boxes, which I used to list qualities with bullets side by side in two 3-point columns.

I was told to say not only what I did, but list it only if it was more unique than just part of my school curriculum, and the results of all projects.

From a Wall Street person's point of view, is there anything on this resume that'd turn you away that can be reworded, or you think should be removed? Anything that looks like a selling point?

I've attached it if anyone has any advice if I you think it can be improved. Thanks ahead of time.

****

Name​

U.S. Citizen​

email Phone
Home: Address University: Address

Junior Analyst​

Objective: To obtain an analyst position applying a combination of engineering, finance, and leadership skills.

Employment Experience​

Actuarial Intern(Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)Summer 2008
Created template to perform paperwork pre-audit check for 30 office clients in one week, beating two week expected time frame. Template designed to efficiently check strength of pre-audit paperwork trails, in order to avoid litigation.

Research and Project Experience​

Tesla Roadster (Lehigh University) Spring 2008
Analyzed the investment-worthiness of the Tesla Roadster, beating atight deadline. Concluded thatsale of 800 cars in 2008 and 1800 scheduled for 2009 under $145 million equity funding provided a tremendous 41% ROE, more than twice as much as Toyota’s at that time.

Portfolio Rebalancing Research(Lehigh University) Fall 2008 (current)
Using applied nonlinear programming computer models based off of a Markowitz model to analyze performance of portfolio rebalancing, under conditions of fixed and variable transaction costs, with and without short-selling.

PHP Simulation(Lehigh University) Spring 2008
Wrote simulation in PHP, simulating video game design under information uncertainty. Users gauged option descriptions and allocated resources to various design components and marketing. Received excellent score.

Leadership and Teamwork Experience​

Python Options Platform (Lehigh University) Fall 2008 (current)
Collaborating with four other people in engineering group to write an options trading platform in Python. Trading platform will incorporate programming skills and the Rational Unified Process—a software implementation discipline.

1st Place Engineering Consulting Competition(Lehigh University) Fall 2005
Worked with a group to plan the lowest cost delivery routes for an Allentown Coca-Cola facility, averting most simulated route failures by a quick re-routing plan. Routes planned by analyzing different quantitative factors, such as driver wage, driving cost, truck capacity, and revenue.

Organizational Planning and Control (Lehigh University) Fall 2007

• Led team in preparing a report on optimizing labor efficiency. Learned that even with fully functioning equipment, inefficiencies with employee labor can slow factory production down by 15%.
• Led team in preparing a research report on hydroelectricity—including real life examples, and cost-benefit analysis of implementation. Concluded that because of high fixed costs, hydroelectric programs should be government subsidized in the near future.

EDUCATION, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS​

BS, Information Systems Engineering, Lehigh University, May 2009 (GPA: 3.23/3.40 in major)
Coursework: Game Theory, Algorithms Design, Information Systems Design, Random Processes, Optimization Models
Russian Club (fluent in Russian), Association of Computing Machinery, Investments Management Group



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If you've read down to here, thank you very much.

 

[doug reich]

Is this page length a death sentence for me as an undergraduate senior?

Yes.

This may not apply, but when we read resumes at the fund I worked at (look to fill a notch above entry-level), it was usually a quick skim and then yes-or-no. I'm not hiring you on account of the resume. Rather, I am looking to see that you have the skills and intellect I want.

Appearance, consistency, professionalism, not sounding like a schlub (too much turnover), attention to the description of the position, a cover letter count a lot more.

Put, or allude to, your greatest achievements in your cover letter.

My 2 cents.

(Note: this applies ONLY to entry level; if you are higher up the food chain, this advice is completely irrelevent).

You also have what looks like a lot padding in there (which immediately casts doubt on the whole thing). I mean:

Monte Carlo Simulation Spring 2008
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Worked on 3-person large hurricane evacuation simulation. Project ended poorly due to highly inefficient software, and first experiences with conflicts within the group. Since, teamwork skills have greatly improved, as has mental endurance.

You might want to proofread. One particularly egregious problem:

Gathered data from Lehigh University’s Dreyfus Portfolio, a portfolio managed by students. Student management group uses fundamental techniques. Current project will use only quantitative techniques.

Huh?

 

[sixthday]

I would suggest you to put "U.S. Citizen" at the top of your resume and make the font as big as your name.

Trust me, it works.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

There is no good reason for any undergraduate to use more than 1 page for resume. You have too much padding in it. If my CV is one page, so can yours.
People told me that the rule is not to stretch the irrelevant but to compact the relevant.

Most people will spend only a few seconds to scan resume.

 

[IlyaKEightSix]

Thank you all. I edited the first post with my new resume. The only trouble is that most of it is in size 10.5 point font and the top and bottom margins are .8" rather than 1.

Should I go to 12 point/1" and throw out another one of those points?

 

[doug reich]

You don't have coursework?

I wouldn't want to seem like I'm bragging that I did a project in 50% of the allotted time (project 1), which is how it sounds when I read it.

I think you've cut some fluff, but you should include more awards, courses, education, GPA, degree. People want a snapshot. You can talk about all your great projects when they interview you; include your top 2 or 3, keep them snappy.

When I read this, I feel like you're hiding something; why do I only hear that you did projects? Did you go to class?

 

[IlyaKEightSix]

Thank you. Added.

The education stuff is at the bottom. Indeed, the goal is to minimize the chance that someone throws out my resume based on GPA.

 

[doug reich]

I don't have the energy to go through many iterative rounds here, but let's do a thought experiment:

You are looking to hire someone. You have certain characteristics of this person in mind: C++ ability, basic working knowledge of finance and derivatives, mathematics and science background. Has some sign of intellect and curiosity; is interesting. Nothing too earth-shattering here.

When you are looking at resumes, you will look for those criteria. If one of those criteria is not readily apparent, doubt will enter your mind. Things you looked positively on before ("Ooh, derivatives modeling!") will now start to play mind games on you ("You expect me to believe you did derivatives modeling at a useful level?"). The inevitable typos will be noticeable. The resume gets trashed. Too long or too short lists draw attention.

You will look for GPA, type of degree, name of school, major, relevant coursework, useful (not necessarily germane) work experience. After that your eyes start to glaze over. Many projects start to make me wonder.

As I said before, explain why your GPA is low in your cover letter. Don't upset the person with a non-standard resume.

That's my next 2 cents. Just think about what they're looking for, how they'll approach it. No lipsticks on pigs; they're actually a livestock inspector, so they'll pick up on it right away.

 

[IlyaKEightSix]

Thank you. Unfortunately, no major bank is looking for derivatives modelers here at Lehigh. Right now, I'm just trying to get my foot in the door. It's mostly operations entry-level stuff.