Creating a Resume
Your resume will often create the first impression you make on a potential employer in which they will
decide to interview you or not, so it is important to present your skills accurately and concisely.
A resume should be:
1) Concise, easy to read, and reflect your qualifications
2) A one page document listing your education, activities, interests, personal skills, and
accomplishments
3) A summary of who YOU are. An effective resume gets you an interview, not a job, by communicating
your knowledge, skills, and values. Do NOT use the words “I” or “my” unless they are being used in the
objective statement.
Parts of a Resume:
1) Personal Contact Information: Include your name, address, phone number, and email.
2) Objective: State the kind of job you want, but do NOT be TOO SPECIFIC. If a cover letter is
used with a resume, there is no need to include an objective statement in your resume. Tailor
this part of your resume to your audience and let it reflect your personality.
3) Education: List all the schools you have attended and gained a degree from, with the most
recent first. Include the school name, city, state, and graduation date. Also include the degree(s)
and minor(s) you are earning. You may additionally want to include activities, awards, such as
Dean’s list Chancellor’s List, and honor societies along with the amount of semesters you
received these awards, leadership positions, study abroad experiences, and any relevant courses
or training programs. A rule of thumb: only list your cumulative GPA if it is a 3.5/4.0 or better.
4) Work experience: List any work experience (paid and unpaid) that you have had and when
listing them, put in reverse chronological order. Be sure to Include the organization you worked
for, the dates you were employed, and a description of your duties. Note any accomplishments
or awards.
5) Activities and interests: List relevant activities, interests, sororities or fraternities, clubs, or
extracurricular activities.
6) Internship: These are very beneficial to include within a resume even if they were
paid/unpaid, for credit/not for credit. Employers really like to see these on resumes because it
shows that you have “tested” out a possible career as well as began to network.
7) References: This part of the resume typically has a minimum of three individuals names,
title/relationship to you, address, and a phone number that they can be reached at. This section
is typically on its own page. See the full list of reference criteria below.
Chronological
This type of resume style represents your experience in a date order with the most
recent/relevant experience first.
Functional
This type of resume emphasizes qualifications according to categories using job-related skills.
Work experience is placed under different skill categories, not under specific positions.
FUNCTIONAL RESUME EXAMPLE
References
WHO?
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Typically a minimum of three people are listed
Use people who have a positive opinion of you and who can describe your work –related
qualities and personal characteristics.
Try to use professional references (i.e. professors, former supervisors), and do NOT list any
family members as a reference.
WHAT?
-
Get permission before listing an individual as a reference
Verify spelling of names, also include title or relationship to you, address, and phone number
Let the people you are using as references know about jobs you are applying for
Update your references on your progress
WHERE DO I LIST MY REFERENCES?
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On a separate piece of paper from the resume. It is usually attached behind the resume.
C) Action Words
Whenever you are writing a resume, you should begin each sentence with an action verb. These action
verbs should be in the past tense or present tense if the job is current. Avoid using the words “I,” “my,”
and “me” when starting a sentence, or even within a sentence.
Skill Statements Cheat Sheet:
Action Word + Your Contribution
WHY you did it:
 Example: Toured several local factories to explore the differences
and similarities in their engineering perspectives.
HOW you did it:
 Example: Increased reading comprehension using theoretical and
evidence-based techniques.
RESULTS of the action:
 Example: Implemented a survey which resulted in healthier drink
options in the cafeteria.
ACTION WORD EXAMPLES:
Accomplished
Achieved
Acquired
Administered
Analyzed
Applied
Assessed
Assisted
Briefed
Catalogued
Chaired
Changed
Controlled
Coordinated
Corrected
Counseled
Created
Critiqued
Dealt
Defined
Delivered
Demonstrated
Devised
Directed
Evaluated
Expanded
Expedited
Explained
Forecasted
Guided
Handled
Harmonized
Implemented
Improved
Initiated
Instructed
Maintained
Managed
Moderated
Modified
Monitored
Negotiated
Ordered
Organized
Performed
Prepared
Programmed
Prohibited
Recommended
Related
Reported
Revised
Set
Solved
Specified
Spoke
Strengthened
Studied
Suggested
Supervised
Classified
Communicated
Completed
Conducted
Edited
Ensured
Established
Estimated
Interpreted
Interviewed
Introduced
Joined
Projected
Promoted
Purchased
Qualified
Targeted
Tested
Updated
Wrote
Finding Key Words:
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Look at the job description and pull out words that appear more than once. Try to use the words
you find the most important to the job description in your resume!
This is also a great way for employers to find your resume if you submit it to a job search engine
(i.e. Monster, Ohio Means Jobs).
Other Resume Tips:
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Put important information in bold
Avoid using abbreviations, unless it is appropriate for your industry
Make your achievements measurable if possible (i.e. “Managed a team of 7 to complete
a full inventory of store items.”)
Place dates on the right side of the page for easier reading
Have someone else read your resume - Make an appointment with one of the Student
Career Development staff members!