Your résumé is the document that advertises you as a candidate for a job, internship or other position. The first step to catching a recruiter’s eye or passing through an electronic screening system is to create a résumé that effectively shows off your qualifications, experiences and skills.
We'll walk you through how to do it!
Your résumé should highlight your knowledge, skills, abilities, experiences and accomplishments as they relate to your career goals.
Common Résumé Sections
Your résumé connects your experiences and skills to the position you apply for and shows why they make you the ideal candidate. Elaborate on the skills you gained from your experiences, don’t just list them. Tailor each résumé to a specific opportunity. Every company and field is different; get advice on résumé norms from a professor, advisor or someone working in the industry.
Education
- Breakdown of undergraduate and graduate education, study abroad and internships.
- Include GPA if it’s requested or above a 3.0. You may use your cumulative or program-specific GPA.
Work Experience
- Dynamic, action- and results-oriented summary of professional experiences.
Study Abroad
- Explanation/description of study-abroad programs.
Volunteer Experience
- Summation of volunteer and community involvement.
Projects
- Projects, research, field work or specific coursework that relate to the position.
Summary of Qualifications/Professional Summary
- Replaces the traditional objective statement.
- One to three lines or bullet points at the top of the résumé that summarize your top skills for that employer. Avoid personal pronouns.
Leadership and Involvement
- Clubs, community engagement, experiences in athletics, fraternity and sorority involvement, and leadership activities.
Skills/Languages
- Proficiencies in computer programs, languages, etc.
Awards/Acknowledgements
- Work, educational and other awards and scholarships describing the award and listing the date and awarding organization.
Relevant Coursework
- Top 4-8 courses that relate specifically to the position. Avoid jargon and course numbers, use the full course titles instead.
Additional Section Examples
- Scientific fieldwork
- Computer languages
- Intercultural experience and languages
- Technical skills
- Communication experience
- Professional memberships and activities
- Licenses and certifications
- Military service and training
- Practicum experience
- Teaching and coaching experience
- Public speaking experience
Power Statements
Power statements create a more powerful résumé. They highlight your achievements, illustrate your tasks, quantify your results and show your impact in a role. Jobs, internships, community service, club involvement, military experience and projects should all be backed up with power statements. A power statement should be no more than two lines.
A power statement is made up of an action component (an action word plus a concise description of a task), followed by a results component (quantified results and other concrete evidence).
Action component: Describe your actions to complete a task or solve a problem by using an action word.
- Describe your actions to complete a task or solve a problem by using an action word.
- Focus on key skills and words found in your industry.
- Use the position description of the job you are applying for as a guide on what skills and words to use.
Results Component: Your results illustrate how your efforts can translate to the organization to which you are applying.
- Quantify with numbers, including percentages, dollars or volume.
- Only quantify when appropriate. This can be overdone if forced into every bullet point.
Power Statement examples
Baseline
- “Served sandwiches to satisfy customer requests.”
- This is a description of responsibilities. While it supports that you have customer service experience, it lacks connections to your transferable skills.
On Your Way
- “Provided excellent customer service by listening to successfully serve customers.”
- This statement is more appealing because it demonstrates transferable skills and includes a desirable outcome.
Finish Line
- “Provided excellent customer service by listening and responding to customer needs and diffusing tension during rush times. Implemented new processes to reduce ingredient waste by 30% over the year. ”
- This statement encompasses the positive aspect of the two previous examples. It also explains efforts and includes a quantified desirable outcome that translated to various fields and positions.
Action Words
Use action words to illustrate your skills. Each statement in your résumé should begin with an action word. Use present tense for current positions and past tense for previous ones.
Communication
Advertised
Collaborated
Explained
Informed
Presented
Represented
Synthesized
Creative
Authored
Composed
Created
Customized
Illustrated
Invented
Photographed
Financial
Appraised
Audited
Calculated
Estimated
Invested
Maximized
Minimized
Leadership
Achieved
Coordinated
Developed
Expanded
Generated
Managed
Streamlined
Organization
Assigned
Completed
Incorporated
Organized
Processed
Scheduled
Updated
Research
Analyzed
Collected
Conducted
Documented
Experimented
Identified
Synthesized
Technical
Adapted
Designed
Engineered
Modeled
Programmed
Restored
Specialized
Helping
Accommodated
Assisted
Counseled
Encouraged
Guided
Served
Supported
Teaching
Advised
Counseled
Educated
Evaluated
Individualized
Instructed
Trained
Use VMock, a 24-7 online résumé review tool, to get instant personalized feedback on your résumé or CV.
Want to proof your résumé manually? Download our checklist of things to look for before you submit your résumé.
Need an offline guide to all things resume-related? Download our comprehensive resume handout!
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