Preparing Resumes
Think of your resume as a well-crafted marketing document for yourself. It’s designed to catch the interest of a potential employer and highlight skills related to your career interests. It connects your story to future employers and includes your academic achievements, volunteer experiences, extra-curricular activities, job history and internships. Often, employers initially scan a resume for only a few seconds so you need to communicate your story clearly and concisely to land the interview.
Looking for feedback on your resume? Contact the Career Development Center to set up an appointment.
- Consistency and clarity are key to formatting a resume.
- Keep it brief. A one-page resume should be plenty of room to discuss your experiences.
- Utilize action verbs to begin each of your bullet points, but vary your word choice.
- Tailor your resume to each position.
- Highlight your unique skills and how they would encourage success in the position for which you are applying.
- Continually update your resume with each new experience, accomplishment or position.
- Have your resume reviewed by the Career Development Center, a friend or professor. A second set of eyes can find mistakes you miss.
Although every person has unique experiences as students and professionals, there are a few topics that everyone should be addressing on their resume.
Name and Contact Information
- List your name, current or permanent address, telephone number and personal email address.
Education
- List institutions you have attended including city and state in reverse chronological order.
- Include the degree you will receive/have been awarded.
- Optional Information: GPA (3.0 or above), course highlights, awards/honors, or study abroad.
Experience
- Describe work, internship, extracurricular, leadership and/or volunteer experiences.
- Include your title, name of the organization, location and employment dates.
Activities and Professional Affiliations
- Consider including optional sections that highlight your involvement outside of the classroom or place of employment.
Skills
- Consider including optional section that highlight skills not mentioned in other sections (examples: foreign language, computer skills)
Bullet points convey a concise yet complete description of experiences, transferable skills and accomplishments. Use the simple template below to create quality, informative and effective bullet points to add to your resume.
Start With
What did you do?then answer at least one of these questions.
How did you do it?
What was the purpose of it?
What was the result?
Who was your audience?
What did you do?
1) Led bi-weekly meetings with four team members.How did you do it?
What was the purpose of it?
To plan learning objectives and activities for the week.What was the result?
Who was your audience?
Additional Tips for Bullet Points
- Focus on your accomplishments, but make sure never to exaggerate your experience.
- Avoid using abbreviations. Assume the employer reading your resume is not familiar with the work you have previously done.
- Don’t state your previous salary or hours worked.
- Don’t use personal pronouns.
- Utilize compelling verbs to add interest to your resume.
Using action verbs makes your resume come alive. They keep the person reading your resume engaged and can help showcase your ability to be creative. Utilize the list below while crafting your resume to help showcase your talents and accomplishments.
| COMMUNICATION Addressed Arbitrated Arranged Articulated Assessed Authored Briefed Clarified Collaborated Communicated Composed Conducted Confronted Consulted Contacted Convinced Corresponded Critiqued Defined Deliberated Demonstrated Described Directed Drafted Edited Enabled Enlisted Facilitated Formulated Influenced Informed Interacted Interpreted Interviewed Lectured Mediated Moderated Negotiated Persuaded Presented Promoted Publicized Published Reconciled Recruited Rectified Reported Spoke Summarized Taught Trained Translated Transmitted Unified Wrote |
CREATIVE Acted Adapted Colored Composed Conceived Conceptualized Constructed Created Customized Designed Developed Devised Directed Drew Established Fashioned Founded Formulated Generated Illustrated Initiated Innovated Instituted Introduced Invented Originated Performed Photographed Pioneered Planned Produced Projected Redesigned Remodeled Revitalized Shaped Sketched Stimulated Transformed Visualized |
FINANCIAL Adjusted Administered Allocated Analyzed Appraised Audited Balanced Bought Budgeted Calculated Conciliated Cut Decreased Developed Dispensed Disbursed Distributed Doubled Downsized Eliminated Economized Exceeded Figured Financed Forecast Funded Gained Generated Increased Invested Maintained Managed Marketed Planned Projected Purchased Reconciled Reduced Reported Researched Retailed Saved Secured Sold Solicited Sourced Specified Supplemented Systematized Tested Tripled Underwrote Upgraded Upsized Vended |
GENERAL Accelerated Accomplished Achieved Adapted Adhered Advanced Appraised Arranged Assured Attained Augmented Changed Chose Collected Communicated Conceptualized Conserved Contributed Coordinated Demonstrated Evaluated Excelled Executed Expanded Facilitated Founded Guided Improved Increased Initiated Integrated Launched Led Optimized Organized Originated Overhauled Performed Pioneered Prioritized Promoted Proposed Reduced losses Resolved problems Restored Solved Spearheaded Stimulated Streamlined Strengthened Trained Tailored Traveled Updated Upgraded Validated Visualized Won |
| HELPING Advanced Advised Aided Arbitrated Assessed Assisted Attended Augmented Backed Braced Boosted Clarified Coached Collaborated Comforted Consoled Consulted Counseled Diagnosed Educated Encouraged Expedited Facilitated Familiarized Fostered Guided Helped Inspired Instilled Mediated Mentored Ministered Motivated Negotiated Nourished Nursed Nurtured Optimized Promoted Reassured Referred Rehabilitated Represented Served Settled Supported Supplied Stabilized Streamlined Translated Treated Tutored Unified Volunteered |
LEADERSHIP/ MANAGEMENT Administered Advised Analyzed Approved Assigned Attained Authorized Chaired Consolidated Contracted Coordinated Delegated Determined Developed Directed Enforced Ensured Evaluated Executed Formalized Guided Headed Hired Initiated Influenced Instituted Launched Led Managed Mediated Monitored Motivated Negotiated Organized Originated Oversaw Pioneered Presided Prioritized Produced Promoted Recommended Represented Responded Reviewed Scheduled Sponsored Streamlined Steered Strengthened Structured Supervised Trained |
OFFICE Administered Allocated Arranged Assisted Balanced Budgeted Catalogued Charted Collected Compiled Completed Contributed Corresponded Defined Determined Dispatched Distributed Documented Drafted Enlarged Evaluated Executed Filed Followed up Formalized Hired Identified Implemented Inspected Justified Maintained Managed Monitored Operated Ordered Organized Packaged Planned Prepared Processed Procured Proofread Provided Purchased Recorded Resolved Scheduled Screened Secured Solved Specified Systematized Tabulated Transcribed Word processed |
RESEARCH Administered Amplified Analyzed Applied Articulated Assessed Audited Augmented Balanced Calculated Charted Clarified Collected Compared Compiled Concentrated Conducted Constructed Consulted Critiqued Detected Determined Diagnosed Discovered Documented Evaluated Examined Exhibited Experimented Explored Extracted Focused Forecast Found Generated Grouped Identified Inspected Integrated Interpreted Interviewed Invented Investigated Located Measured Obtained Pinpointed Planned Prepared Processed Researched Reviewed Screened Searched Summarized Surveyed Systematized Unearthed |
| SALES Arbitrated Bargained Bought Catalogued Centralized Consulted Convinced Documented Established Familiarized Identified Implemented Improved Increased Influenced Inspired Installed Investigated Judged Launched Led Maintained Marketed Mediated Merchandized Moderated Negotiated Obtained Ordered Performed Planned Processed Produced Promoted Proposed Publicized Purchased Realized Recruited Reduced Reported Researched Retailed Reviewed Routed Saved Served Set Goals Sold Stimulated Summarized Surveyed Translated Vended |
TEACHING Acquainted Adapted Advised Answered Apprised Augmented Briefed Built Certified Charted Clarified Coached Collaborated Communicated Conducted Delivered Demystified Designed Developed Directed Distributed Educated Effected Empowered Enabled Enacted Encouraged Evaluated Expanded Explained Facilitated Formulated Generated Graded Grouped Guided Implemented Influenced Informed Initiated Innovated Instituted Instructed Integrated Lectured Listened Originated Persuaded Presented Revolutionized Set Goals Stimulated Summarized Taught Trained Translated Tutored |
TECHNICAL Analyzed Assembled Built Calculated Charted Compiled Computed Conceived Conducted Designed Detected Developed Devised Eliminated Engineered Expedited Fabricated Facilitated Forecast Formed Generated Improved Inspected Installed Instituted Integrated Interfaced Launched Maintained Mastered Modified Molded Operated Overhauled Pioneered Prepared Processed Programmed Reconstructed Remodeled Repaired Researched Revamped Solved Streamlined Supplemented Surveyed Systematized Tested Upgraded Validated |