Creating a Resume
Leda Goodman, CPRW
Covenant College, April 2014
In addition to our original guide for resumes, we have decided to add info on how to write ATS friendly
resumes. Content is still very much the same, but the format is very different. For instance, at this time
most ATS software cannot read a two column resume format. This poses a problem with our original
two column guide. We will continue to update our guides to allow you to use a format that is easily
customizable for various jobs, with information that is relevant and accessible to potential employers.
Below you will find information on how to write an objective statement, cover letter, and your resume.
Please read the information provided, before customizing the template of your choice with your own
information. Our tips should help you communicate more effectively and minimize mistakes. Once you
have a working resume and cover letter, email them to centercc@covenant.edu, so we can help you
strengthen, proofread, and effectively target your submissions.
We can also be reached at 706-419-1160.
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The goal of a resume is to make it easy for employers to imagine your fit with their needs, and if
they should invite you for an interview.
Potential employers will spend 5-7 seconds looking at your resume. Be consistent, concise, and
accurate. Conveying a strong picture of how you do your work – in the reader’s mind.
When using any of our templates, remember to remove the border lines on your final resume.
(Set your borders to be invisible: Format > Borders and Shading > Borders > None.)
We recommend you submit your resume in .txt or word, and .pdf. Read and follow all
submission directions closely for each job you apply for.
Cover letters, statements of purpose, and letters of inquiry are all very similar. We highly
recommend sending a cover letter with your resume. But, if you do, make sure it is well written!
Do not include references on your resume, unless you are an educator.
Crafting Your Resume Header
We encourage you to experiment with layout and formatting to make your resume stand apart.
Remember that your resume should be professional, clear, and easy to read. Addresses are no longer
necessary. LinkedIn or blog addresses are encouraged.
Note: if the job description or directions mention submitting a “résumé” make sure to use the accent
marks every time you write that word. If they do not use accent marks, do not include them yourself.
Here are two sample ideas to get you started:
Your Name
14049 Scenic Highway, Box ###  Lookout Mountain, GA 30750  706-456-1234  Youremailaddress@gmail.com
Your Name
LinkedIn.com address | Youremailaddress@gmail.com | 706.456.1234
Your Professional Objective
There is an ongoing debate about whether or not objective statements are needed. My rule of thumb is
this: If you are trying to break into a new career/field—write an objective!
If your current field and experience strongly qualifies you—no written objective is needed.
If you are applying for graduate school—no written objective is needed.
A professional objective is a brief, concise description targeted to the specific position you are pursuing.
Everything on your resume supports your objective. Plan for the initial reader to be an administrative
assistant or computer software (ATS) , that reviews numerous resumes for multiple positions.
Your professional objective/profile should include the following:
 The position for which you are applying and at what organization
 What you hope to offer in this role (or if this is an internship, what you hope to gain)
Examples of Strong Objectives:
 To secure an internship at Cigna where I can further expand and apply my business education as
I consider a full time career in underwriting.
 To secure a position with W&S as a graphic designer with particular interests in information
design, packaging, exhibits, and audio-visual presentations.
 To gain experience in family counseling through securing an internship with the United Way
assisting with objective implementation in an urban social services environment.
References
Do not include references on the same page as your resume. Do not write “references available on
request” as that is no longer acceptable. Instead, use the same header as your resume to create a
separate reference page. DO NOT PROVIDE REFERENCES UNTIL ASKED (unless you are an educator).
Include the following information for each reference:
Mr./Ms./Dr. First and Last Name
Title and/or Relationship to you
Company/Institution Name
Address
City, ST, Zip
Phone number
Email address
What do you need to know before writing a cover letter?
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The goal of the cover letter is to establish a relationship with the potential employer. The cover
letter complements the (factual, non-personal) resume by being relational, professional, and
showing off your writing skills. The goal is to persuade the reader to consider your resume more
thoroughly and connect the dots in their mind.
Avoid beginning every sentence with first person language. Limit yourself to one sentence per
paragraph that starts with either “I” or “my.”
Carefully proofread your letter. It should be error-free, clear, concise, and professional.
Avoid using slang terms, contractions, gimmicky language, or puritan wording. Field lingo and
acronyms can be used, but only as appropriate.
Remember your job search is not ultimately about you, but about them and their needs –
Communicate how you fit into their company/organization, in relation to the specific job for
which you are applying. Your goal is to show them what may qualify you to help them address
needs, with the hope that they will bring you in for an interview.
Write your Cover Letter
1. Use a standard block or modified block letter format.
2. Greet the reader (example “Dear Mr. Jones,”). Do not address your cover letter to “To Whom It
May Concern.” Do your research and find out the name and title of the person considering your
resume. If you cannot find a name, use a title such as, “Director of…”, “Hiring Manager”, or
“Internship Coordinator,” instead.
3. If you are mailing or hand delivering, your address belongs at the top of the letter.
If you are sending your resume electronically, place your contact information below your
signature. (Do not include it in both places.)
First Paragraph
Simply mention which position you are applying for and how you heard about it. Nothing else is
needed. Imagine that this is one half of a conversation and someone has asked you “What position are
you inquiring about?”
Second Paragraph
Communicate how your specific experience, interests, skills, and even personality will be an asset to
them. Imagine the person responds to your first paragraph and asks:
 What qualifications do you have for this job? Please demonstrate how you have already been
prepared for this position.
 From your research, networking, etc., what interests you in our organization? Could you
mention your enthusiasm about our projects based on your research of our organization?
 How might your background and interests help us meet our needs? How do you hope to be an
asset to us?
 What do you have to offer or give to this position?
 (For internships) Tell me what you have to offer and what you hope to gain through this
experience.
 Close the second paragraph with a statement that shows intent and communicates excitement.
Remember: Your job search is about what you can do for employers, not what they can do for you.
Third Paragraph:
Customize as you are able:
“You will find my resume attached for your consideration. Thank you for taking time to consider me for
this position. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to learning
more about your needs and how I might be able to help you address them.”
Optional (only if needed): “I anticipate being in Your Town Name in Specific time frame, if you would
be available to meet with me while I am in the area, please let me know, so I can plan accordingly.”
Sincerely,
*Joe Student
*When sent as the body of an email, you will need to list your contact information below your name in the signature (close of
the letter), but not at the top of the letter.
How to Write an ATS Friendly Resume
What is ATS? Applicant tracking system—Computer software commonly used by employers to manage
the entire recruitment process.
ATS allows employers to:
 Receive and review resumes and job applications
 Screen and test potential candidates
 Schedule interviews
 Send follow-up emails
 Check references
 Facilitate the hiring process
 Onboard new hires
 Commonly used for regulatory compliance based on data collection and reporting capabilities
Why do you need to write a resume for ATS? ATS systems have been used since 1988. In 2000 only 22%
of resumes were electronic, however now, over 90% of resumes are submitted electronically. This has
enabled employers, both large and small, to meet complex government reporting and fair hiring
regulations. In the past, ATS were primarily used by big companies and software could only read .txt
files. However, with new software reading more formats, small companies have jumped on the ATS
bandwagon, and are finding ATS cost effective, especially with increasingly limited manpower.
There are many things you need to keep in mind when writing a resume that will encounter ATS.
1. The best place to start is with keywords. It is critical that you identify the keywords necessary
for each position you are applying for. We suggest that you print the job description and
underline the keywords you think they are looking for, that also apply to you. Try to integrate
their lingo and keywords into your documents, but only if they are consistent with your
experience and what you have to offer.
2. Design your resume for both the human eye and the computer to read.
3. DO NOT USE: italics or underlines, graphics or logos, charts or graphs, tables or columns.
4. DO USE: Capitals, Small Capitals, Bold.
5. Bullets are fine to use, but only use standard bullets not fancy ones.
6. Only use symbols found on our keyboard. Use spaces on both sides of a hyphen or “em dash.”
7. Instead of using columns, create lists in a single word string, with an “em dash” or vertical line to
separate info that would have been in columns, examples of both – and | :
Accounts Payable – General Ledger Reconciliation
Community Development | Intercultural Experience
8. Use only standard fonts:
 Serif: Times New Roman, Cambria, Garamond, Georgia, or Palatino Linotype
 San-serif: Calibri, Arial, Arial Narrow, Tahoma, Trebuchet, or Verdana
9. Use common section headings, examples include:
SUMMARY OR PROFILE | RELEVANT EXPERIENCE OR WORK EXPERIENCE | CERTIFICATIONS
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES | COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT | PUBLICATIONS OR PRESENTATIONS
TECHNICAL SKILLS OR LANGUAGES | EDUCATION OR EDUCATIONAL TRAINING
10. List every job separately with Organization and Location (city and state) on one line, and your
title/role with the time frame you held that role, together but on a separate line from the
Organization.
11. Keep in mind that ATS are looking to qualify you or eliminate you; be competitive and
remember that networking is still the number 1 way to secure a job. If you know you are
encountering an ATS, reach out to someone you know and let them know that you have applied.
12. If the HR department asks for you to take a personality or skills test, take it seriously and answer
it in light of who you are and the position you are applying for. Be professional.
ATS Friendly Template
Insert your header with contact information
Descriptor / Objective Statement / Profile Summary (header may not be necessary)
Your concise and targeted objective here. See the Your Professional Objective section for guidelines.
Profile Summary of Skills Related to a Specific Position (header may not be necessary)
Hard skills (equipment or technology) | Soft skills (interpersonal) | Other
(Choose skills that illustrate what you have to offer to the specific position)
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Insert your major here, Expected graduation: Month 20XX
Minor: Subject
Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA
GPA: x.x/4.0; Dean’s List: (which semesters?)
Self-funded approximately 40% of tuition and college expenses (*do not state this if percentage is less than 40%)
Bachelor’s Thesis: Insert Sip Title
(*Once you are out of school and working, this section will move to the bottom of your resume.)
Relevant Coursework: Only list classes if they directly apply to your objective.
Related Experience
Job Title, Month Year - Month Year
ORGANIZATION, City, ST
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Do not simply list job tasks or job description. Instead, focus on specific transferrable skills,
accomplishments, knowledge gained, and quantifiable results
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Use the bullet feature in MS Word to list each item; do not manually insert bullets or add spacing
Keep everything aligned to the left instead of using standard settings
Do not include punctuation at the end of bullets
Use an action verb only once, then retire it
Departmental Intern, May 2009 - August 2009 (seasonal)
ORGANIZATION, City, ST
 Example of knowledge gained related to objective statement
 Communication of transferrable skills and/or quantifiable results related to the objective statement
 Major accomplishments include…
 Write these in past tense
 Don’t tell them something, show them how you have accomplished work and met goals, without using first
person language
*Note: People do not care if you were paid for your previous work; they care about what you gained through
those experiences, especially if it is relevant to them.
Appropriate Section Header
Title or Role, Organization, Location, Consistent Time Frame Format
Vice President, Campus Stewardship Committee, Covenant College, August 2009 - Present
Regular Contributor, Student Newspaper – Bagpipe, Covenant College, April 2009 - Present
Academic All-Conference Athlete, Men’s Soccer Team, Covenant College, November 2008
Other Appropriate Section Header
Volunteer, Widows’ Harvest International, Chattanooga, TN, Month Year - Month Year
Senior High Youth Leader, Some Church, City, ST, June 2008 - May 2009
Note: The borders on this template need to be removed on the final version. Highlight the text in each table (there are 2) and right- click, and
then select Borders and Shading. Choose “None” and click “OK.” Each section will also need a balance of white space between sections when
the boxes are taken off, to make it easier on the reader’s eye.
Non-ATS RESUME BODY
Insert your header with contact information
Objective
Your concise and targeted objective here. See Your Professional Objective for guidelines.
*Everything that exists below the objective statement either to supports it or to shows what else you have to offer, relevant to
this position.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Insert your major here, Expected graduation: Month 20XX
Minor: Subject
Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA
GPA: x.x/4.0; Dean’s List: (which semesters?)
Self funded approximately 40% of tuition and college expenses (*do not state this if percentage is less than 40%)
Bachelor’s Thesis: Insert Sip Title
(*Once you are out of school and working, this section will move to the bottom of your resume.)
Related
Coursework
Only list classes in this section, if they directly apply to your objective (this whole row can be deleted
by right-clicking and selecting “Delete cells”, then “Delete entire row”).
Work
Experience
Job Title, Month Year-Month Year
Organization, City, ST
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Do not simply list job tasks or job description. Instead, focus on specific transferrable
skills, accomplishments, knowledge gained, and quantifiable results
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Use the bullet feature in MS Word to list each item; do not manually insert bullets or add spacing
Keep everything aligned to the left instead of using standard settings
Do not include punctuation at the end of bullets
Start each bullet with an action verb and use it only once, then retire it
Intern for Institutional Capital Markets, May 2009-August 2009
First Trust Portfolios, Wheaton, IL
 Developed customer relationships through phone contact
 Provided research support for client portfolios
 Participated in investment forums for commercial banking clients
Appropriate
Common
Heading
*Leadership
Activities, Awards,
Presentations, or
Publications. Don’t
combine headings.
Ditto
(*such as
community service,
etc.)
Personal Profile
Title or Role, Organization, Location, Consistent Time Frame Format
Vice President, Campus Stewardship Committee, Covenant College, August 2009 - Present
Regular Contributor, Student Newspaper – Bagpipe, Covenant College, April 2009 - Present
Academic All-Conference Athlete, Men’s Soccer Team, Covenant College, November 2008
Volunteer, Widows’ Harvest International, Chattanooga, TN, Month Year - Month Year
Senior High Youth Leader, Some Church, City, ST, June 2008 - May 2009
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Choose skills that illustrate what you have to offer to the specific position
Formally trained pianist – ten years
Enjoys interacting with people from various cultures
Speaks fluent German
This section could easily switch places with the education section, especially if you have already
graduated.
Note: The borders on this template need to be removed on the final version. Highlight the text in each table (there are 2) and right- click, and
then select Borders and Shading. Choose “None” and click “OK.” Each section will also need a balance of white space between sections when
the boxes are taken off, to make it easier on the reader’s eye.
Extra Help and Examples
Note: There are various ways to make text stand out: Bold, ALL CAPITALS, and SMALL CAPTIALS. Some
examples are shown below, in the left hand column. Whichever one you choose, it should be consistent
throughout your document. Color is not used, unless you are a graphic designer or artist. Note that
these are listed in a Non-ATS format, but they could easily be incorporated into the ATS format.
Publications
Sealy DP, Pekarek L, Russ D, Sealy CD, Goforth G. Vital Signs and demographics in the Preparticipation Sports
Exam: Do They Help Us Find the Elusive Athlete at Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death? Cur Spor Med Rep, 6:9
Nov/Dec 2010, pg338-341.
Presentations
Cochran, Diana and Wiersema, Anna. Fostering Spiritual Development Through Entering Unamuno's “San
Manuel Bueno, Martir.” North American Christian Foreign Language Association Conference. Point
Loma Nazarene University. 28 March 2009.
Langue et identité dans la littérature maghrebine. Senior Integration Paper Presentation. Covenant
College. April 2012.
Professional
Skills
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Research
Experience
Research Assistant/Intern, June 2010- July 2010
HARVEY A. FRIEDMAN CENTER FOR AGING, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, St. Louis, MO
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Researched articles related to neuropsychology, the brain, and aging; Submitted findings for review
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Utilized SPSS and Sigma Plot
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Interacted with human research subjects from scheduling and completing informed consent
documentation to administering individual research tests and recording results
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Delivered a presentation on research data analysis, Age Effects on Spatial Navigation Strategies: Pilot
Data; Successfully identified and addressed issues related to ongoing study
Advanced knowledge in biological and chemical fields of science
Speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys interacting with people from various cultures
Quick learner especially regarding concepts and images
Analytical mind; Solid organization, interpersonal and management skills
Formally trained in music for over ten years
Proficient Excel skills; Experience using SPSS
Operant Conditioning Experiment, August 2008-December 2008
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT, COVENANT COLLEGE, LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, GA
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Completed Skinner Box Operant Conditioning (positive reinforcement and extinction)
Work
Experience
Resident Assistant, August 2009-May 2010
COVENANT COLLEGE, Lookout Mountain, GA
 Responsible for enforcing school policies and ensuring good condition of facilities
 Cooperated with staff members to organize events and foster community among residents
Teaching
Experience
Student Teaching Placement II, Kindergarten EIP classroom, March 2010 – April 2010
DADE ELEMENTARY, Trenton, GA
Student Teaching Placement I, 4th Grade, January 2010 – March 2010
CHATTANOOGA VALLEY ELEMENTARY, Flintstone, GA
Field Experience, 2nd Grade, September 2009 – December 2009
BATTLE ACADEMY, Chattanooga, TN
Student Practicum, 2nd Grade, September 2007 – December 2007
DADE ELEMENTARY, Trenton, GA
Power Words
absorbed
accelerated
accommodated
accomplished
accounted for
achieved
acquired
acted
adapted
addressed
adhered
adjusted
administered
advanced
advertised
advised
advocated
affirmed
alerted
alleviated
amended
analyzed
answered
anticipated
applied
appointed
appraised
approved
arbitrated
articulated
ascertained
aspired
assembled
assessed
assigned
assimilated
assisted
assured
attended
audited
authored
awarded
B
balanced
began
benchmarked
benefited
built
C
calculated
cared for
catalogued
collaborated
communicated
compiled
complemented
completed
complied
composed
concentrated
conceptualized
condensed
conducted
connected
conserved
considered
consolidated
constructed
consulted
contacted
continued
contracted
contributed
controlled
cooperated
coordinated
corresponded
counseled
created
critiqued
cultivated
customized
D
decreased
dedicated
delegated
delivered
described
designated
designed
developed
differentiated
directed
drafted
E
edited
educated
effected
eliminated
enabled
encouraged
equipped
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
exceeded
executed
exercised
exhibited
expanded
expedited
experienced
experimented
explained
explored
expressed
extended
extracted
F
facilitated
factored
familiarized
fielded
focused
founded
fulfilled
functioned as
G
gained
generated
guided
H
handled
headed
held
helped
hired
honed
hosted
I
identified
implemented
improved
improvised
increased
influenced
informed
installed
integrated
interacted
interpreted
invented
inventoried
invested
investigated
invigorated
invited
involved
isolated
issued
itemized
J
joined
judged
justified
L
launched
learned
lectured
led
lessened
leveraged
licensed
lifted
limited
linked
liquidated
listened
litigated
loaded
located
logged
M
made
maintained
managed
mandated
maneuvered
manipulated
manufactured
mapped
marked
marketed
mastered
maximized
measured
mediated
memorized
mentored
merged
merited
met
minimized
mobilized
modeled
moderated
modified
molded
monopolized
motivated
mounted
moved
multiplied
N
named
narrated
navigated
negotiated
netted
neutralized
nominated
normalized
notified
nurtured
O
observed
obtained
optimized
ordered
organized
oriented
originated
oversaw
owned
P
participated
partnered
passed
perceived
perfected
performed
persuaded
photographed
pinpointed
planned
prepared
presented
preserved
prevented
prioritized
processed
procured
progressed
projected
promoted
proofread
provided
publicized
purchased
pursued
Q
qualified
quantified
R
raised
ranked
rated
reached
received
recognized
recorded
recruited
reduced
registered
regulated
reinforced
reported
represented
requested
researched
restored
retained
retrieved
revamped
reviewed
revised
S
scheduled
screened
secured
selected
served
signed
simplified
solved
spearheaded
specialized
specified
spoke
sponsored
standardized
streamlined
Useful Nouns and Modifiers
Ability
Competent
AchievementCompetence
oriented
Confident
Actively
Consistent
Adaptable
Creative
Alert
Decisive
Ambitious
Dependable
Articulate
Diligent
Assertive
Direct
Attentive
Dynamic
Capacity
Effective
strengthened
structured
studied
submitted
succeeded
summarized
supervised
supplied
supported
surpassed
systemized
T
targeted
taught
trained
transitioned
translated
traveled
treated
tutored
U
updated
Energetic
Fluent
Initiative
Open-minded
Persistent
Persuasive
Proficient
Persuasive
Proficient
Qualified
Resourceful
upgraded
utilized
V
validated
verified
visualized
volunteered
W
wrote
Responsible
Substantially
Self-motivated
Team-player
Technical
Thorough
Versatile
Vigorous