Resume Writing for
Pre-Professional Students
Presented by:
Brittany M. Wampler
Coordinator, Pre-Professional Health Programs
b.m.garner71@csuohio.edu
218 Main Classroom Building
www.csuohio.edu/sciences/preprof
What are we going to do?
• Provide general information about
resumes
• Information on how to best
articulate your own experiences
• Resources both online and at CSU
First, what do professional
schools want?
• Skills
• Communication
• Empathy
• Integrity
• Reliability
• Teamwork
• Social Skills
• Service-oriented
• Cultural
Competence
• Ethical decision
making
• Positivity
…Everything!
Why is Resume Writing so
difficult?
Common Resume
Concerns
• I don’t have to write one often, so I
don’t know where to begin.
• I know there are particular ways to
do it, but no one ever taught me.
• I don’t know how to make my
resume stand out.
• I don’t know how to describe what
I’ve done.
There’s no right way to do
it, but there are a lot of
wrong ways to write a
resume!
Resume Basics
• Every resume will look different
• One/Two page limit for your first
resume
• High school experiences: yes or no?
• Professional Document is a
representation of you as a professional
• No room for spelling and grammar
errors
Headings
• Headings should catch someone’s attention
• Your name should be centered in a larger font size.
• Other important information: Complete address
(everything spelled out), e-mail, phone number.
• If you have two addresses (permanent & school)
you can include both so you can be contacted
over breaks. If you have only one, center it under
your name.
Different font for
name and
information!
ASHLEY SNYDER
CAMPUS ADDRESS
PERMANENT ADDRESS
134 South Hall
3550 West Market Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Akron, Ohio 44300
(330) 672-3234
(330) 898-2547
(Until May 20, 2015)
asnyder@yahoo.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
JAMIE PEER
4335 Summit Street · Lakewood, Ohio 44107
(330) 678-4629 · j.m.peer@vikes.csuohio.edu
Different use of font and
spacing! Notice, no mention of
“email” or “phone.”
Education
• Remember, only put your college
education!
• GPA on resume?
• Putting your education on your
resume is very specific! Follow the
rules!
Education
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, May 2016
Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio
Majors: Biology and Chemistry
Minor: Psychology
Cumulative GPA: 3.68
Additional Coursework in Biology:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Immunology, Human Gross Anatomy,
Histology
Optional to add
coursework.
What comes next?
• You can choose to order your resume
as you like. You want to have the most
relevant experiences at the top.
• Examples of other topics to include:
Pre-Professional Experience
Leadership Experience
Volunteer Activities
Shadowing Experience
Research Experience
Skill Areas
Headings
Pre-Professional Experience
All of these state the
same information, but
consider using the
ones that draw your
attention!
Pre-Professional Experience
PRE-PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Pre-Professional Experience
Organizing within Headings
Making the eye move
– Utilizing bold, italics, smaller fonts, etc.
• How do I organize:
–
–
–
–
Job/Leadership Position
Company/Organization
Dates worked/involved
Location
Experience Headings
University Hospitals of Cleveland, Twinsburg,
Ohio
July 2013-Present
Emergency Department Paramedic
– Worked directly with physicians, physician
assistants, and nurses
– Implemented patient care in a team environment
– Assessed nature and extent of illness/injury and
patient's history
Bullets
• Use detail and talk about numbers… How
frequently? How many? How often?
• No Abbreviations/Acronyms
• Do not repeat experiences/bullets
• Use action words!!!!!
• Never exaggerate or be untrue about
your abilities and experiences
Action Verbs
• Why are action verbs so important?
• Adding variety is the spice of life!
– Do not use an action verb more than
once in your resume.
– Utilize action verbs that highlight a
variety of skill sets
• http://www.tbrnet.com/resumes/actionverbs.php3?w
YOUR TURN! Turn these
statements around and
make them shine…
• Volunteered at Cleveland Clinic,
Lakewood Hospital
• Tutored kids in Principles of Biology I
and II
• Shadowed three doctors
• Served as a research assistant in a
Chemistry faculty lab
• Managed caseload of 600+ students varying in
pre-medical, dental, pharmacy, and
veterinary programs by tracking appointments,
notes, and serving as the sole support service
for the path to professional programs
• Oversaw management of the Individualized
Pre-Professional Post Baccalaureate Program
of 70-80 students
• Created 10+ workshops on various topics to
aid pre-professional students on their path as
well as created a campus advertising
campaign and evaluation structure
• Partnered with Honors and Scholars, Athletics,
and the College of Sciences and Health
Professions to ensure that students were
receiving accurate information for their
advisors
Shadowing Information
• Include Hospital Name and
Information
• Location
• Physician/Dentist/Pharmacist You
shadowed
• Specialty
• Dates/Total Hours
Shadowing
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Main
Campus, Cleveland, Ohio
Dr. Amy Rak, Internal Medicine
June-August 2014 (48 hours total)
Research Information
• Include PI, Faculty Information
• Overview of purpose, key findings,
techniques learned
• Your role and contributions
Research Experience
Research Assistant, Cleveland State University
Department of Chemistry, Cleveland, Ohio
May- December 2014
• Served as a research assistant analyzing the
molecular process of cell death and proliferation
control during the genotoxic stress response
• Measured cell responses during chemotherapy
treatments
Publications/Presentations
• Use correct citation for the field
• List in reverse chronological order
(most recent first)
• Include relevant publications,
conference presentations, poster
presentations, and items accepted
for publication
Leadership Experience
• Include role in organization and
responsibilities unique to your role
• Include skills obtained, projects led
• Accomplishments while in the
position
Cover Letters
Cover Letter Headings
• Headings should catch someone’s
attention
• The heading of a cover letter is the
beginning of a professional letter.
• Other important information:
Complete address, e-mail, phone
number.
Cover Letter Headings
Option I:
Option II:
Your full address (no name)
Resume Heading
Date
Date
Company Address (with the
persons name that you are
sending the letter)
Company Address (with the
persons name that you are
sending the letter)
Dear Mr./Mrs./Dr. person,
Dear Mr./Mrs./Dr. person,
BRITTANY M. WAMPLER
45 Main Street • Cleveland, Ohio 44115
b.m.garner71@csuohio.edu • 216-687-9321
March 29, 2015
Dr. Meredith Bond
Dean, College of Science & Health
Professions
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Dear Dr. Bond,
Introduction Paragraph
• The introduction should be about
you and a pitch to your experience
and education.
• You should include:
– How you found out about the
position
– What you like about the company
– Why YOU are a good fit for the job
• What you know about the
company and how that aligns with
your goals (philosophy, values,
goals)
My name is Brittany Wampler and I
am a first year student at Cleveland
State University majoring in Biology
with a minor in Chemistry. I hope to
one day go to medical school and
have started gaining experience in a
variety of areas to build my resume. I
am writing today to share my resume
with you in the hopes that I may
connect with you to shadow your
practice.
Paragraphs Two and
Three
• Describe your experiences in more
detail.
– What do you have to offer the
employer?
– What concrete examples and you
provide relating your past experiences
to the job?
• Provide numbers where possible.
• Tell a story.
• One paragraph about you and your
experiences, the next about the job
and how your experiences match
what they are looking for in the
position.
I am very interested in your work as a
pediatrician and would love to talk with you
further about your educational background
and experience at Ohio State University
College of Medicine. I’ve been looking into a
variety of primary care areas and pediatrics
has always been an interest of mine. The
opportunity to observe your work would be a
great addition to my experience. In terms of
availability, I have a flexible schedule on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In
addition, there are several breaks in our
academic schedule that would permit me to
observe for an extended period of time.
Throughout my first year of college, I
have gained experience through
volunteering with Colleges Against
Cancer and joining the American
Medical Student Association. I’ve
completed some observation hours in
the past through a high school
shadowing experience as well. I am
also in my first semester of General
Chemistry and Biology, which are
certainly providing me with a variety
of challenges for the semester!
Conclusion Paragraph
• Highlight personality traits or skills
that you feel are important to
mention.
• Write about the next steps (“I will
follow up within…” or “I look forward
to hearing from your about the next
steps in the process…”)
• Thank the employer for
consideration.
• Reiterate contact information.
Thank you in advance for your reply. I
hope that through this email you have
been able to grasp my passion for
medicine as well as pediatrics. You can
feel free to email or call me at your
convenience and I hope that we will be
able to connect in the future. I have also
included a copy of my resume for you. I
look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Brittany Wampler
Overall Tips and Tricks
• Use concise language that is simple to
understand and comprehend.
• Use the same font and font size as your
resume.
• Find ways for your personality and
professionalism to show through the letter.
• Make sure that you mention special
qualifications that you possess that will
make you an excellent candidate.
• This is not a reiteration of what can be
found in your resume. You must go beyond
the resume.
Overall Tips and Tricks
continued
• Use professional language.
• Check and re-check for spelling,
grammar, and sentence structure.
• Illustrate with examples.
• Use action-oriented verbs and language.
• If you know someone at the company,
this is a good opportunity to mention it.
Power Phrases
• Use of phrases that advertise your
abilities or your confidence are key.
– I am confident that I can make a
contribution….because….
– I look forward to talking with you and
will call your office…
– With my educational background,
skills…I feel confident about my abilities
to…
– I would like the opportunity to further
discuss my qualifications for this
position.
Resources
• Action Verbs by Skill Set:
http://www.quintcareers.com/action_skills.html
• Cover Letter Help:
http://career.asc.ohio-state.edu/cs_workshops.htm
• JHU Resume Presentation:
http://web.jhu.edu/prepro/Forms/Resumes_premed.p
df
• Career Center:
http://csuw3.csuohio.edu/offices/career/
Pre-Professional Health
Programs Services
• Resume Editing
• Cover Letter Editing
• Personal Statement Editing
• Secondary Application Editing
• 48 BUSINESS Hours in Advance Rule
THANK YOU!
Brittany M. Wampler
Coordinator, Pre-Professional Health
Programs
b.m.garner71@csuohio.edu
218 Main Classroom Building
www.csuohio.edu/sciences/preprof