Resume Writing
What is a resume?
A resume is used by job seekers and is a summary of relevent educational accomplishments, job history, qualifications, skills and achievements. Resumes are often used as a first line of contact with a potential employer and is the first impression they will have of a job candidate. A well written resume will attract the interest of an employer and get you one step closer to the internship, cooperative education experience, or job that you desire.
An entry-level resume should be an overview of your past and present experiences and written in a way which will allow potential employers the opportunity to see how you would enhance the organization's objectives and make a valuable impact. It is your opportunity to "sell" yourself and your qualifications. The most effective resumes are clear, well organized and focused on the position for which you are applying. Resumes come in a variety of different formats and styles. Resumes can be an reflection of your personality, but should be presented in a clear, clean and organized manner.
Tips for creating a resume
- Avoid using ornate fonts which can be difficult to read.
- Use nothing smaller then 10 point font- remember potential employers may have hundreds or thousands of resumes to read, they will skip yours if it is too difficult to read.
- Create a resume which is in a format that is easy to read and is pleasing to the eye.
- Do not overdo bold and/or italic type.
- Use bulleted phrases instead of paragraphs which can sometimes be more difficult to read and/or remember.
- Use the past tense for past jobs and the present tense for your current jobs/activities.
- Be concise and clear in job descriptions. You do not have to get into detail with every job duty you had, but highlight the major responsibilities of a job, focusing on the requirements of the position you are applying for.
- Be consistent in the format of your resume. If you bullet job details for one job, don't explain the duties of another job in a paragraph format. If you use a bold type font to highlight your job title do so for each job. By being consistent your resume is neat and has a pleasing appearance.
- Be honest. Potential employers can and will verify the content of your resume.
- Use action verbs to grab the readers attention. Whenever possible, list accomplishments when describing your job duties.
- PROOFREAD! Employers are looking for people with good written and verbal communication skills. Errors on your resume send up red flags and won't get you a second glance- forget an interview!
Action Verbs
Below are some attention grabbing action verbs you can use to describe your job duties or responsibilities. Whenever possible highlight your accomplishments to spark the attention of a potential empoyer. For example, instead of saying:
- Responsible for retail sales
You could say:
- Responsible for assisting costumers make purchasing decisions by providing knowledgable information regarding product lines
Or, instead of saying:
- Responsible for clerical duties
You could say:
- Contributed to organization by assisting to develop and implement clerical procedures to increase employee productivity
Refer to the list below to assist you in finding creative and accurate action verbs to enhance your resume:
| Accomplished |
Directed |
Monitored |
| Achieved |
Documented |
Motivated |
| Acquired |
Drafted |
Negotiated |
| Adapted |
Edited |
Obtained |
| Addressed |
Educated |
Operated |
| Administered |
Effected |
Organized |
| Advised |
Eliminated |
Oversaw |
| Advocated |
Enabled |
Participated |
| Aided |
Encouraged |
Planned |
| Allocated |
Enforced |
Prepared |
| Analyzed |
Established |
Presented |
| Assembled |
Evaluated |
Processed |
| Assisted |
Extracted |
Promoted |
| Assured |
Facilitated |
Provided |
| Attained |
Formulated |
Publicized |
| Attended |
Generated |
Recommended |
| Budgeted |
Guided |
Recorded |
| Caused |
Hosted |
Reduced |
| Clarified |
Illustrated |
Reinforced |
| Coached |
Implemented |
Reorganized |
| Collaborated |
Improved |
Reported |
| Collected |
Incorporated |
Researched |
| Communicated |
Increased |
Restored |
| Compiled |
Influenced |
Revamped |
| Composed |
Installed |
Revised |
| Conducted |
Instilled |
Scheduled |
| Consulted |
Instituted |
Selected |
| Contributed |
Instructed |
Served |
| Created |
Interpreted |
Simplified |
| Defined |
Introduced |
Solved |
| Delivered |
Investigated |
Streamlined |
| Demonstrated |
Launched |
Strengthened |
| Designed |
Located |
Suggested |
| Detected |
Maintained |
Summarized |
| Developed |
Managed |
Supported |
| Devised |
Measured |
Trained |
| Diagnosed |
Mentored |
Utilized |
Additional helpful hints and advice for creating your resume can be found in the Job Search Guidebook available through Career Services. The Job Search Guidebook will provide you with more information about resume writing, how to create a resume that will work for you based on your experiences and background as well as provide you with information about how to conduct a job search, how to write cover letters and follow up thank you notes, the interviewing process, and how to secure a job.
Sample Resumes
Career Services at the University of Connecticut offers a site which allows you to see sample resume formats based on area of expertise or field studied. In addition, there are samples of cover letters, follow up letters to send to an employer after an interview or career fair meeting, or letters of application to internships, cooperative education experiences and fulltime employment. Click here to view these samples and get some innovative and creative ideas for putting together the resume which best suits your needs and the job to which you are applying.
|
