Résumés
You can use optimal résumé to:
- Design high-impact resumes based on your major and career goals
- Easily create resumes in several formats, including Word® Compatible, Plain Text, and HTML
- Manage up to 5 unique resumes
- Include your résumé in your own professional website, which you can update, deactivate, and reactivate as your career progresses
A résumé gets you the job, right? Wrong! A résumé primarily gets you in the door. It is your marketing tool.
Elements of a résumé
Categories that Must be included on a résumé
Name, one address, phone number and e-mail. Add a second address if you are getting ready to move, but include dates you will be residing at each address.
Education includes degree, institution, location of institution, G.P.A. (if > 3.0), and date of graduation.
Experience arranged in reverse chronological order with the most recent dates first.
Categories that Should Not be included on a résumé
Demographic data such as Height, weight, age, marital status, sex, race, health, picture of yourself, *social security number, *salary, reasons for leaving previous job.
* Some demographic data are required for Federal or International resumes. Contact us for more information.
Categories that Could be included on a résumé
Objective concisely describes what kind of job you are seeking.
Leadership/Activities include student government, fraternities, sororities, sports, bands, clubs, and organizations.
Honors, Awards, Foreign Languages, Research Projects, Publications.
Computer Skills includes the software packages that you are able to use. For example: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
Additional Headings for résumé
Checklist for a Winning résumé:
- Your résumé should have a visual appeal that is easily read. Use a clean font (such as Arial) with 11 - 12 point type. Be consistent with formatting - always place information in the same place within each entry.
- Proofread your résumé to ensure there are no spelling, typographical, or grammatical errors.
- Choose a good quality 100% bond paper in a conservative color such as white or off-white.
- Organize information to have maximum impact on the reader - use reverse chronological order because your most important and applicable experiences, education, etc. are likely to be most recent.
- When describing your experience use actions words to create more powerful sentences.
- Results sell - include quantifiable measurements and stress actions that resulted in accomplishments. Avoid filling up the résumé with a laundry list of functions and responsibilities. Instead, grab the employers attention with specific projects, skills that you used, and initiatives that you took.
- Speak the employer's language. Include industry specific jargon, computer experience, trends, required skills that you have experience with.
- Include a targeted cover letter addressing the specific requirements in the job description.
- Avoid "I", "responsible for" and "duties included" before each description.
Accomplishments
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Responsibilities included customer service | Provided customer service through resolution of problems, explanation of bank services and policies, and knowledge of financial planning, resulting in greater customer satisfaction. Selected as Customer Service Employee of the Month for June, August, and October. |
| Duties included monitoring staff retention programs | Implemented strategic staff monitoring and incentive programs which resulted in: enhanced staff morale; optimized productivity levels by 77%; and reduced staff turnover by 20%. |
| Responsible for Clerical Duties | Successfully designed and implemented systems to streamline office procedures, increasing productivity. |
| I was responsible for marketing program to new clients. | Developed a creative marketing strategy that increased customer base by 18%. |
Links to Great résumé Information:
- Résumé Writing Guide
- www.jobweb.com/resumes_Interviews/resume_guide/restips.html - helpful article on résumé preparation includes examples
- www.acinet.org/acinet/resume/resume_intro.asp - easy to use résumé tutorial
- www.sjcme.edu/pdfs/Educationresume.pdf - an informative résumé worksheet for teacher education majors
- www.resumania.com/index.html - a fun website that describes real life examples of how not to write a résumé
What Does a Good Résumé Look Like?
Résumé Worksheet (pdf)
Résumé 1 (pdf)
Résumé 2 (pdf)
Résumé 3 (pdf)
Résumé 4 (pdf)
Federal Job sample résumé (pdf)
Scholarship résumé 1 (pdf)
Scholarship résumé 2 (pdf)
Student Affairs sample résumé (doc)
Curriculum Vitae (pdf)
Curriculum Vitae 2 (pdf)
Additional Examples:
- http://waltoncollege.uark.edu/careerdevelopment/default.asp?show=resumes
- http://www.jobweb.com/Resources/Library/Samples/default.htm
Headings for résumé
| Academic Background Achievements Activities Additional Skills Affiliations Certifications Community Service and Activities Computer Languages Computer Skills Credentials Education Exhibits and Shows Experience Honors and Awards Interests |
Internship Experience Languages Leadership Military Service Presentations Publications References Related Courses Research Experience Scholarships Special Skill(s) Study Abroad Travel Abroad Volunteer Activities Workshops Attended |
Action Verbs for résumé
| accelerated accomplished achieved acted administered adapted advised analyzed answered anticipated applied appraised arranged assembled assessed assisted attained audited authored briefed budgeted calculated cared for categorized clarified classified coached coded communicated compiled completed composed computed concluded conducted conserved contracted contributed coordinated counseled created cultivated decided decreased defined delegated delivered demonstrated designed determined developed devised diagnosed |
directed dispensed displayed dissected distributed diverted edited eliminated enabled encouraged enhanced enforced engaged engineered enlarged entertained established evaluated examined expanded expedited experimented explained financed formulated formed gathered generated governed guided harmonized headed heightened helped hurried hypothesized identified illustrated improved improvised increased influenced informed initiated inspected inspired installed interacted interpreted interviewed introduced invented lectured |
led located logged maintained managed mastered maximized measured mediated mentored minimized moderated monitored navigated negotiated operated organized outlined oversaw packed participated performed persuaded photographed piloted planned predicted presented presided printed processed procured produced programmed projected promoted proposed protected proved provided publicized published purchased raised realized received recommended recruited reduced referred refined regulated rehabilitated |
rendered renewed reorganized repaired replaced reported represented researched responded restored restructured revamped reviewed revised revitalized scheduled screened separated served serviced set-up shaped shipped showed simplified sketched sold streamlined strengthened studied structured succeeded summarized supervised supplied supported surveyed symbolized synthesized talked teamed with trained transcribed translated treated tutored united updated upgraded utilized verified volunteer wrote |