Resume Writing

    • Typical Sections Of A Resume

    • A Sample Resume

    • Top 5 Tips For Effective Resumes

    • Action Verbs For Resumes

    A Resume Typically Includes These Sections 

    Contact Information

    Name, address (optional), phone number, email address, and customized LinkedIn URL. If you need more than one page (rare for students and new graduates), include contact information on the following pages.

    Objective (optional)

    Use only if you can state clearly the type of work you are looking for. You may need more than one resume, each with a different objective.

    Skills Summary (optional)

    Short, bulleted list stating your key skills that match the employer’s requirements, e.g., superb research skills, excellent writing skills. Include languages, computer skills, and lab skills as appropriate.

    Education

    • Degrees and colleges attended in reverse chronological order. Include city, state (country) of colleges, month and year of graduation (or expected graduation), major/concentration, and minors, if applicable.
    • GPA if 3.0 or higher, honors and awards, studies abroad.
    • Key courses and academic projects relevant to the position you are seeking.
    • Include high school only if you are a first-year student or if you are a sophomore applying for your first co-op, internship, practicum, or other experiential learning opportunity.

    Experience

    • In reverse chronological order, for each experience, include job title, organization, city and state, employment dates (month and year) and bulleted description of your key job responsibilities and accomplishments. Start each bullet with an action verb.
    • You may include a variety of experiences, including class projects, internships, co-ops, relevant paid work, other paid work, and community service/volunteer positions.
    • Separate experience into different sections if you have especially relevant experience to highlight. For example, separate it into two sections, “Relevant Experience” and “Additional Experience.”
    • Whenever possible, quantify experience (e.g., Developed two- module leadership training for 20 new Resident Advisors).

    Activities/Professional Affiliations

    List professional associations and campus/community organizations you belong to. If applicable, include position held, organization name, dates, and brief description of duties.

    Interests

    If space allows, you can include interests and hobbies, especially if they are relevant to your career or industry goals.

    Resume Sample

    Your resume should show why you are qualified by sharing your work experience, achievements, expertise, skills and strengths.  Keep these 5 tips in mind.

    1 

    It’s about marketing. Remember, your résumé is a marketing document. It “sells” you and your qualifications for a job opportunity. Its purpose is to prompt an employer to invite you to interview.

    2 

    Write tightly. Résumés need to be concise. Undergraduates and new graduates rarely need more than one page to tell their story.

    3 

    Tell the truth. Always be truthful on your résumé; but you can be selective about what you include.

    4 
     No typos! Make sure your résumé is error-free. Using Spell Check on your computer is NOT enough! Have someone read your résumé for content, flow, grammar, and spelling. Try reading it out loud, too.
    5 

    Practice talking about it. Be prepared to discuss everything on the résumé in an interview. A practice interview with a career counselor is a great way to rehearse this process.

    Action Verb List for Resumes

    Most resume bullet points start with the same words.  Switch up a few of those common words with strong, compelling action verbs that will make your resume more dynamic.  Action words are specific, clarify your contributions, and bring a confident tone to your resume and list of accomplishments.

    Management Skills

    Communication Skills

    Research Skills

    Technical Skills

    Teaching Skills

    administered analyzed assigned attained chaired consolidated contracted coordinated delegated developed directed evaluated executed improved increased organized oversaw planned prioritized produced recommended reviewed scheduled strengthened supervised

    addressed arbitrated arranged authored collaborated convinced corresponded developed directed drafted edited enlisted formulated influenced interpreted lectured mediated moderated negotiated persuaded promoted publicized reconciled recruited spoke translated wrote

    clarified collected critiqued diagnosed evaluated examined extracted identified inspected interpreted interviewed investigated organized reviewed summarized surveyed systematized

    assembled built calculated computed designed devised engineered fabricated maintained operated overhauled programmed remodeled repaired solved upgraded

    adapted advised clarified coached communicated coordinated demystified developed enabled encouraged evaluated explained facilitated guided informed instructed persuaded set goals stimulated trained

    Financial Skills

    Creative Skills

    Assisting 

    Clerical or Detail Skills

    Other Verbs

    administered allocated analyzed appraised audited balanced budgeted calculated computed developed forecasted managed marketed planned projected researched

    acted conceptualized created customized designed developed directed established fashioned founded illustrated initiated instituted integrated introduced invented originated performed planned revitalized

    assessed assisted  coached counseled demonstrated diagnosed educated expedited facilitated familiarized guided motivated referred rehabilitated represented

    approved arranged catalogued classified collected compiled dispatched executed generated implemented inspected monitored operated organized prepared processed purchased recorded retrieved screened specified systematized tabulated validated

    achieved expanded improved pioneered reduced (losses) resolved (problems) restored spearheaded transformed