RESUME WRITING

GETTING STARTED

LISTING YOUR EXPERIENCE

WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS

REFERENCES

RESUME RESOURCES

GETTING STARTED

Create a list of all your past and present jobs and accomplishments. (For help, see our Pre-Resume worksheet).
Write about what you did in each list item
Research job descriptions and pick out key skills & qualifications to highlight in your resume
Get familiar with the resume standards in your field

Here are some sample sections you can include in your resume. Once you have created a list of your experiences, you can begin to group them under categories. For a visual, see one of our resume samples.

Heading – Include Name, mailing address (current and permanent, if needed), and an appropriate email address. Make sure your name stands out at the top of the page.
Education - Spell out your degree (Bachelor of Arts in …), include graduation year (or expected month and year), any minors, study abroad programs, and GPA. Listing High School information is optional, but not encouraged in your Junior/Senior year.
Relevant Experience- Include full-time, part-time, volunteer, internship and/or leadership roles. Think about which skills and experiences are most relevant to the job and list here.
Additional Experience- Can include summer jobs, work study, student leadership roles, etc. Even if these experiences are not as relevant to the job for which you are applying, employers want to know you have a well-rounded skill set, such as customer service or teamwork.
Activities – List leadership experiences, membership in clubs, community service, or other involvement. This section does not need descriptions, but do include dates involved.
Optional Sections:

Honors & Awards – List scholarships, dean’s list, “Work Study Student of the Month”
Presentations/ Publications – Demonstrates research and public speaking skills
Skills – Can be grouped by “Language Skills,” “Technical” or “Computer Skills” as a few examples

WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS

The purpose of accomplishment statements is to indicate the skills, knowledge, and experiences you have had in the past. The key is to describe your experience in a way that allows employers to see you as a good match for the position.

Avoid simply listing duties at a previous job, and instead make it very clear to the employer what transferable skills you have to offer
Start your descriptions with an action verb that identifies the type of skill you used in the job. View our list of Action Verbs.
Think about your responsibilities in the past and decide which are most relevant to the desired position
For each experience highlighted on your resume, list accomplishment statements describing your relevant skills and accomplishments

Examples:

Instead of “Sold clothes” →Produced $1000 in daily sales by providing prompt and friendly service to patrons

Instead of “Responsible for campers” →Created a positive, safe environment by planning and coordinating activities and field trips for 30 children, ages 6-12

Keys to writing bullet points:

Organize bullets with the most important information first
Begin bullet points with verbs & be consistent with tense
Stress results, skills and accomplishments rather than duties performed
Include numbers, percentages and awards

REFERENCES

Don’t include your references on your resume, don’t write “References Available Upon Request”
Have a separate page for your references, use the same heading that appears on your resume
List 3-5 Professional References (professor, supervisor, advisor, coach, etc) NO Family members
Provide contact information: Name, Title, Organization, Address, Phone, Email