Developing A Winning Resume
Resume Handout (pdf)
Action Verb/Transferable Skills Handout (pdf)
Other Action Verb Lists
Resume info, samples from CollegeGrad.com
Resumes/Cover Letters from Monster
What message does your resume send? Paste it into Wordle and find out!

Optimal Resume - free for WU Students - Guided resume construction program and more

Career Services offers :

Resume writing workshops
Individual resume guidance
Resume samples
Resume reference materials
Access to computer lab

WHAT IS A RESUME?

A brief summary of a job applicant's previous employment history, education, accomplishments, and skills. Its purpose is to attract a prospective employer's interest and to win a job interview.

GETTING STARTED

Do NOT use the Microsoft Resume Wizard programs!

• Identify your strengths and examine your skills
• Consider your interests
• Review your employment, volunteer or other activities
• Assess who you are, your accomplishments, and where you are going
• Frame the above items in relationship to the position
• Take the necessary preparation time required to develop a well-thought out resume

CHOOSING A FORMAT

CHRONOLOGICAL

• Most traditional format, emphasizing your career path and experience by presenting your most recent experience first
• Focuses on where you've worked, job responsibilities, job titles, and includes description of job accomplishments

FUNCTIONAL - Many employers do not like this format

• Highlights your skills; de-emphasizes work history
• Focuses reader's attention on kinds of work performed, your skills and accomplishments with those functions

COMBINATION - Many people use this format

• Incorporates both chronological and functional styles
• Highlights accomplishments, expertise, and covers employment history by listing most recent work first

APPEARANCE GUIDELINES

Your resume is a reflection of you and is the employer's first impression of you - make it an outstanding one

Keep your resume simple, attractive, and professional

Print your resume on a top quality laser-jet printer

Highlight key information in bold, italic, larger font point size, or with bullets (except when resume is being scanned)

Use the same font throughout your resume

For readability, avoid using font size smaller than ten point

Use neutral-colored cotton bond paper (white, off-white - usually marketed as "resume paper"). Use matching paper for letters (cover letter, thank you - may choose cards for thank you). Use matching envelopes or mail flat in 9x12 manila envelope.

ACTION VERBS AND PHRASES

Use action verbs to highlight your job-related
skills and accomplishments. Examples:

* Administered * Increased * Recommended
* Assisted * Monitored * Reorganized
* Coordinated * Organized * Streamlined
* Developed * Planned * Supervised
* Expanded * Prepared * Trained
* Facilitated * Processed * Updated

List of action verbs by skill type from QuintessentialCareers.com - CLICK HERE
List of action verbs from ResumeEdge.com - CLICK HERE
List of action verbs by skill type from The University of Kansas - CLICK HERE

COMMON RESUME SECTIONS

• CONTACT INFORMATION - Name, address, phone number, and E-mail address, if available
• OBJECTIVE - Be concise, specific, and tailor to the job sought
• EDUCATION - List school location, degree, major degree date, and GPA, if it's 3.0 or above. If a significant percentage of college expenses was earned and paid by you, this may be indicated.
  Listing high school information is not recommended.
• EXPERIENCE - May be full-time, part-time, internship, volunteer. List organization name, location of employer, employment dates, and job titles. When applying for a position, state your relevant past job duties. Focus on accomplishments - what made you stand out? List earned promotions, improvements made, (customer satisfaction improved 25%). Cite statistics (increased sales 20%) and figures (supervised 35 employees) when applicable. Statistics support the claims made about your skills.
• If you have little work experience, strengthen your resume by expanding on educational qualifications, highlighting upper division courses, research projects, internships, class projects, and related applications of knowledge and skills.
• ACTIVITIES - List clubs, volunteer, and other extracurricular activities. Include responsibilities, contributions, and offices held. Impressive to the potential employer, these activities demonstrate
  transferable work qualities such as leadership, organizational abilities, managerial skills, and interpersonal skills and will enhance your experience level.
• OTHER POSSIBLE RESUME SECTIONS -
  Profile, Summary of Qualifications, Professional Objective, Academic Preparation, Community Service, Computer Skills, Honors, Professional Associations, Communication Skills, Leadership, Achievements, Management Skills, Related Experience, Other Experience
  

SAMPLE RESUME FORMAT

Name

E-mail Address

OBJECTIVE
If an objective is used, be specific about the type of position desired.

EDUCATION
Begin by listing your most advanced degree, major, institution, location of institution, date of
graduation, GPA (if 3.0 or above), and honors, if applicable. List all degrees.

EDUCATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS (or RELEVANT COURSES)
May list strong upper division courses emphasizing experience/expertise gained in relationship to job requirements.

SKILLS
When applying for a position, you may choose to summarize briefly several skills you hold that are particularly relevant to the position: software, laboratory procedures and equipment, etc. Be very specific or do not use this section.

EXPERIENCE
List your job title, organization name and location, dates of employment, and job accomplishments, highlighting with those most relevant to the position being sought.

ACTIVITIES
Include activities showing leadership, interpersonal and organizational skills. Emphasize volunteer,community, professional or campus involvement and related transferable work qualities.

REFERENCES
It is NOT necessary to state "Available upon request" or "Furnished upon
request." You may add this if resume runs short, but employers know you will have reference available when they are ready for them. (Reference names and contact information should be on a separate page.)

COMMON RESUME MISTAKES

• Typographical, grammatical, or spelling errors
• Not clearly communicating what candidate can do for employer
• Using complete sentences or paragraphs
• Include irrelevant information
• Resume too long - typically, a new graduate should be able to organize all relevant information on a one-page resume (For the experienced applicant, a second page may be valuable, allowing the scope of relevant experiences and accomplishments to be presented)
• Information scanty - not providing enough details when describing work experience, activities or skills
• Poor appearance - loud colored paper, excessive graphics
• Not following a consistent layout of information
• Not customizing resume to position sought
• Including personal information on resume - age, gender, marital status, ethnic background
• Return addresses and phone numbers incorrect

WHAT EMPLOYERS TYPICALLY LOOK FOR IN A RESUME

• Information organized and presented in a layout which allows employer to quickly determine the needed information (Average time length resume is initially scanned by employers is 30-60 seconds)
• Concise, well-written information directly relating to job
• Applicant skills translated into employer benefits
• Strong work ethic, organizational skills, computer skills, interpersonal abilities, communication skills, intelligence, aptitude for learning, leadership potential, motivation
• Good GPA
• Community activities, extra-curricular activities, campus leadership positions, outline of achievements
• Internship experiences

RESUME TIPS

• There is no "right" way to format a resume. Resumes vary as much as individual personalities do. The key factor determining whether your resume is effective is whether you are getting interviews.
• Browsing sample resumes found online and in career search books and publications can give you insight into layouts and techniques that are effective. See Career Services, Morgan Hall 123.
• Call the employer's human resources office and request the job description for the position you are applying. Compare what they require with your skills and experience.
• After discovering the employer needs, determine if you're a suitable job match. Present proof of similar experience or evidence that you have the adaptable skills needed to perform the job.
• Highlight your job match. Make it easy to see the logical connection between what you've done or are capable of and the job you are applying.
• Emphasize your accomplishments. Strengthen your job history by reinforcing responsibilties with details.
• Say as much as possible with as few words as possible and avoid using the pronoun "I."
• Always lead off with your strengths. If you are a recent graduate, your strength is your education. If you are an experienced professional, lead with your experience.
• Present your distinct combination of qualifications on your resume in a well organized manner. Reveal to the reader what makes you unique as a prospective employee.

BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR RESUME

• Remember, with resumes, one size does not fit all. Once you have a basic resume, it is relatively easy to customize it to specific job openings. Make sure you have done that.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread your resume carefully. Check spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Have another person look over your resume for errors. Consider arranging an appointment with Career Services to have your resume reviewed.
• Compose a separate cover letter to accompany each resume. Always send a cover letter with your resume. Avoid using "Dear Sir or Madam" in cover letters and address the letter to a specific person.
• Make sure you have an appropriate phone message on your answering machine for employers who might be calling you after reading your resume.
• Keep in mind that excellent candidates lose job interviews and companies lose excellent candidates all because... the candidates' resumes screened them from consideration. Impress prospective employers with your winning resume and you will receive that sought-after invitation to interview.