CENTER FOR VOCATION AND CAREER

resume

A step-by-step instructional guide to writing your resume

guide

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A resume is your chance to tell your story. Before an employer meets you, this is your introduction. So the purpose of a resume is to speak clearly and convincingly about the qualifications that set you apart from your competitors. Everything in it must answer the question: “Why should this employer hire you?” The strongest, most effective resumes are those that intrigue and convince a prospective employer that you are different from everyone

else and deserve in-depth consideration and an interview.

The initial review of a resume lasts an average of 6 seconds. For an employer or recruiter, a resume is used as a screening device. Employers are looking for a particular individual who best fits a posted job description and they are choosing from the dozens of resumes they may read each week.

Tailor Your ResumeTo prepare a successful resume, you should have a clear understanding of your skills, strengths, and accomplishments. The most effective resumes are designed with a specific job in mind. In other words, what are the qualifications and responsibilities required for this opportunity? This means there is NOT a “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to writing a resume. You can best market yourself by highlighting the specific experiences and skills you have through the lens of the job description, which means you need multiple versions of your resume.

Below are examples of hard and soft skills valued by employers. However, the best resource for this information will be the job description.

The Purpose of a Resume

For a more detailed understanding of developing your skills, check out

myStory.

SOFT SKILLS

Customer Service Editing/Proofreading Flexibility/AdaptabilityOpen-MindednessOwnership/CommitmentPrioritizationReceiving FeedbackTeachability

HARD SKILLS

Adobe Suite C++MATLABMicrosoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint JavaSocial Media Management System Administration

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Gather all the relevant information for the different sections of your resume. You may need to create an Excel document to stay well organized.

Section 1: Contact Information Professional email address, yourname@gmail.com, and a cell phone number. Do not include your physical address or mailing address.

Section 2: Education Official name of your degree, study abroad programs, certificates, i.e., Honey Rock, HNGR, Wheaton in Chicago, etc. Licensure and endorsement you are seeking, if applicable.

Section 3: Experience Write accomplishment statements which will describe your achievements. Quantify your work whenever possible and avoid generic statements. (See example on page 5)

Section 4: Additional Skills Foreign language, software (except Microsoft Suite, unless the job description specifically mentions a distinct program), coding programs, service trips overseas.

Before You Write Your Resume

Generic, vague statement:

Event Coordinator January 2018 – PresentLocal Philanthropy Society, Wheaton, IL

• Planned charity events

Strong, descriptive, quantified statement:

Event Coordinator January 2018 – PresentLocal Philanthropy Society, Wheaton, IL

• Coordinated three fundraising events for local shelters which raised over $8,000 (20% over goal) and greatly improved community awareness.

Crafting Accomplishment Statements

Brainstorm your experience and skills.

Lab Assistant January 2018 – PresentApplied Health Sciences Department, Wheaton, IL

• Perform fitness tests on 25 students, including flexibility and strength tests, and anthropometric measurements which result in data collection for research project conducted with professor.

EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2

Coordinated

Perform

three fundraising events for local shelters

fitness test on 25 students including flexibility and strength tests, and anthropometric measurements

which raised over $8,000 (20% over goal) and greatly improved community awareness

which result in data collection for research project conducted with professor

Coordinated three fundraising events for local shelters which raised over $8,000 (20% over goal) and greatly improved community awareness.

Perform fitness tests on 25 students, including flexibility and strength tests, and anthropometric measurements which result in data collection for research project conducted with professor.

ACTION VERB + PROJECT + RESULT = ACCOMPLISHMENT

ACTION VERB + PROJECT + RESULT = ACCOMPLISHMENT

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Action Verbs

LEADERSHIP

Accomplished

Addressed

Administered

Arbitrated

Assigned

Authored

Calculated

Chaired

Collaborated

Consolidated

Contracted

Coordinated

Delegated

Developed

Directed

Earned

Executed

Handled

Headed

Impacted

Improved

Led

Mastered

Orchestrated

Organized

Oversaw

Planned

Predicted

Prioritized

Produced

Strengthened

Supervised

COMMUNICATION

Convinced

Corresponded

Credited

Delivered

Developed

Directed

Documented

Drafted

Energized

Enlisted

Formulated

Influenced

Interpreted

Lectured

Liaised

Mediated

Moderated

Negotiated

Persuaded

Presented

Promoted

Proved

Publicized

Recommended

Reconciled

Reorganized

Scheduled

Spearheaded

Surpassed

Wrote

RESEARCH

Clarified

Collected

Concluded

Conducted

Constructed

Critiqued

Derived

Determined

Diagnosed

Discovered

Evaluated

Examined

Extracted

Formed

Identified

Inspected

Interpreted

Interviewed

Investigated

Recruited

Reported

Spoke

Suggested

Synthesized

Translated

Verbalized

TECHNICAL

Assembled

Built

Calculated

Computed

Designed

Devised

Engineered

Fabricated

Installed

Maintained

Modeled

Organized

Resolved

Streamlined

Summarized

Surveyed

Systematized

Tested

Upgraded

TEACHING

Adapted

Clarified

Coached

Communicated

Coordinated

Demystified

Developed

Encouraged

Evaluated

Explained

Facilitated

Guided

Instructed

Operated

Optimized

Overhauled

Persuaded

Programmed

Remodeled

Set

Solved

Standardized

QUANTITATIVE

Accounted for

Appraised

Approximated

Audited

Balanced

Budgeted

Calculated

Checked

Compiled

Compounded

Computed

Conserved

Converted

Counted

Dispensed

Dispersed

Earned

Enumerated

Estimated

Figured

Financed

Grossed

Increased

Inventoried

Maximized

Multiplied

Netted

Profited

Projected

Purchased

Quantified

Rated

Reconciled

Recorded

Reduced

Tabulated

Totaled

CREATIVE

Acted

Administered

Allocated

Analyzed

Appraised

Audited

Balanced

Budgeted

Calculated

Composed

Computed

Conceived

Conceptualized

Created

Customized

Designed

Developed

Directed

Established

Fashioned

Forecasted

Founded

Illustrated

Initiated

Instituted

Integrated

Introduced

Invented

Managed

Marketed

Maximized

Minimized

Originated

Projected

Researched

Stimulated

Studied

Taught

Trained

HELPING

Assessed

Clarified

Coached

Counseled

Demonstrated

Diagnosed

Educated

Expedited

Facilitated

Served

Familiarized

Guided

Motivated

Participated

Performed

Proposed

Provided

Published

Redesigned

Rehabilitated

Represented

Revitalized

Shaped

Supported

Visualized

ORGANIZATIONAL

Accelerated

Added

Approved

Arranged

Broadened

Centralized

Changed

Classified

Collected

Compiled

Completed

Controlled

Defined

Dispatched

Executed

Expanded

Gathered

Generated

Implemented

Inspected

Launched

Monitored

Operated

Organized

Prepared

Processed

Purchased

Recorded

Reduced

Reinforced

Screened

Selected

Simplified

Sold

Specified

Steered

Structured

Systematized

Tabulated

Unified

Updated

Utilized

Validated

Use action verbs to begin each of your bullet points.

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Melissa Laneousmelissa.laneous@gmail.com |678-470-1860 | linkedin.com/in/melissa-laneous

EDUCATION B.A. History May 2021 Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

• Cumulative GPA: 3.35/4.00 • Related Coursework: American Cities and Suburbs, History of Women in the United States, Topics in

Traditional Asian History, The Enlightenment Modernity and Its Discontents, and History of Christianity in North America

EXPERIENCE Resident Assistant August 2018 – PresentWheaton College Residence Life, Wheaton, IL

• Lead 40 undergraduate female students in residence hall by listening and responding to concerns, and holding students accountable to college policy

• Collaborate with 3 community leaders on floor to create, shape, and execute educational programs • Manage check-in, check-out, maintenance requests, finances, and open floors for residents• Participate in planning and implementing community building events and educational programs for

residence hall, as directed by RD in an effort to create a holistic living and learning environment for all residents

• Develop relationships with students on floor and organize regular floor fellowships to enable a smooth transition to college for first-year students and begin to create a sense of belonging

• Fulfill on-duty responsibilities one night a week and every other weekend by completing multiple building walkthroughs and being point-person for any questions, concerns, or emergencies

Teaching Assistant January 2017 – Present History Department, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

• Conduct 5 study sessions to assist students with course material resulting in improved grades for participants

• Grade approximately 45 tests and weekly homework assignments to ensure students receive timely feedback

• Provide feedback to professor about homework issues, such as multiple students making similar errors

Marketing Intern Summer 2018Freeland Marketing, Cairo, NY

• Collected quantitative and qualitative data to help identify target audience • Analyzed marketing objectives to identify customer base • Developed customized marketing plan to create market niche for client which was leveraged or used with

multiple clients• Redesigned database system to generate comprehensive, timely reports utilizing MS Excel, which cut

software budget by 10%

Young Life Leader August 2016 – May 2018 Young Life, Naperville, IL

• Planned events for up to 100 students to create a team environment for participants • Facilitated weekly discussions for 20+ high school students to talk about character building

Graphic Design Intern January 2016 – May 2017 Center for Vocation and Career, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL

• Coordinated creative content design, editing, and maintenance of CVC marketing pieces throughout year • Served with CVC professionals on design and marketing to build CVC brand on campus• Maintained clear understanding of CVC programs, services, and events to spread awareness on campus

ADDITIONAL SKILLS • Multicultural experience from extensive travel and service trips to Europe and Asia• Conversational in Finnish

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Once you’ve identified the skills you can offer, you can begin to organize your resume using some of the following categories. You can customize this generic sequence to suit your unique experiences. In general, an undergraduate resume should be kept to one page, though there are rare exceptions in certain industries.

To see the sections below in action, see Melissa Laneous' resume on the next page.

Section 1: Contact Information

This includes your full name in bold, 16-18 font size. Below that, list your cell phone number, email address, and LinkedIn url without a hyperlink. You can choose to hyperlink, but remove automatic formatting. Include only one contact number and one email address. Don’t include personal information such as Social Security number, profile picture, physical traits, race, ethnicity, or citizenship.

Section 2: Education

The education section includes your school’s name, location, official degree title, anticipated graduation date, major(s), minor(s), licensure & endorsements, and GPA (if above 3.00). Listing relevant coursework and academic honors, study abroad, and scholarships (give a brief description) is optional.

Section 3: Experience

The experience section aligns your past experiences with your current pursuits. Experience is not limited to paid experience. It may include full-time, part-time, and summer employment, student teaching, internships, practicums, academic research, on-campus jobs, clubs, and volunteer work. You can group your experiences in various categories that best highlight your skills, such as Relevant Experience, Professional Experience, Leadership Experience, or Research Experience. List experiences in reverse chronological order within the appropriate section; providing your position, the organization name and location, and dates employed. For each experience listed, include two to four bullet points (with at least one accomplishment statement per experience.) about how you applied your skills to a task or project.

Section 4: Skills

Skills is often the final section on a resume, where you further define your qualifications or showcase additional relevant competencies. Foreign language, computer proficiency (do not include Microsoft Office Suite as most employers consider this a given) and training certifications are among the skills typically listed. Make sure to include your level of expertise or fluency with each skill, such as fluent, advanced, proficient, intermediate, or beginner. Highlight multicultural experience you may have gained through service trips, or cross-cultural studies completed abroad.

Putting it Together1

2

3

4

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General Format

� Are the margins within a reasonable range, 0.5”-1” on all sides?

� Have you kept your resume to one page?

� Have you used boldface and italics appropriately for position titles and company names?

� Are dates clear and consistent? Are dates listed in reverse chronological order by end date, most recent first?

� Are job titles descriptive, e.g., Laboratory Assistant, Consulting Intern, etc.?

� Did you use a recommended font, such as Calibri, Garamond, Helvetica, Arial? (Times New Roman is now considered "old.")

� Is your punctuation consistent throughout your resume?

Contact

� Is your name clear and bold at the top? Font size range from 16-18?

� Is your cell number included? Do you have a professional voicemail recorded?

� Is your email address included? Is it professional? Is it hyperlinked?

� Did you remove your physical address?

� Is your LinkedIn account included? Is it hyperlinked?

Education

� Did you list the registrar's official name of your degree?

� Did you list the month and year you anticipate earning your degree?

� Did you consider listing your GPA if it’s 3.00 or higher, i.e., 3.17/4.00?

� Did you list coursework that aligns with your job search?

� Did you list cross-cultural studies coursework?

� Did you list the honors, accolades, and scholarships that are relevant?

Experience

� Are your bullet points written as accomplishment statements? (See page 5)

� Did you give evidence and quantify relevant information, e.g. size, frequency, budget, and staff?

� Did you begin each bullet point with a strong action verb in the appropriate tense? Past tense for past work, present tense for ongoing work? (See page 6-7)

Resume Checklist

� Have you used keywords that apply to your industry and/or the job description?

� Have you considered and included all aspects of your experiences related to the job opening?

� Have you avoided the use of personal pronouns such as I, we, she, they?

� Did you list the activities or leadership experiences that are relevant?

Skills

� Have you included all relevant skill types, i.e., programming languages, foreign language, etc.?

� Have you included multicultural service experiences?

Quick Tips

� Professional in appearance and style.

� Be consistent. If you use a period at the end of your bullets, always use a period.

� Clean, uncluttered resumes are more attractive; effective use of white space makes your resume easy to read.

� Highlight your experiences using accomplishment statements.

� Resume is no more than one page, combine experiences when similar and appropriate.

� Margins are within a range of 0.5” – 1”.

� Dates are in reverse chronological order in each section.

� Use recommended fonts such as, Calibri, Garamond, Helvetica, Arial, avoid Times New Roman.

� Font should be 11-12. Font for your name should be somewhat larger, 16-18.

� Check spelling and grammar carefully.

� Proofread your resume by reading it aloud.

Clean, uncluttered resumes are

more atractive; effective use of

white space makes your resume easy to read.

There are a number of industries that vary from this standard format. For current information and examples,

check out the Resources section in Handshake and connect with your Career Coach.

WHEATON COLLEGECENTER FOR VOCATION AND CAREER

wheaton.edu/cvc630.752.5048 | cvc@wheaton.edu

The Center for Vocation and Career's vision is that all students would develop a plan for life after graduation, have the tools necessary to implement their unique plan, and be provided ample opportunity to execute their vocational plan, as we educate them as whole persons who build the church and benefit society worldwide.