Resume Tips and Improving Verbs
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Transcript of Resume Tips and Improving Verbs
Career Center
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 • Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor • 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708
Resume TipsStructure
•Usetheactiveratherthanpassivevoice.•Beginwithastrong,activeverbthatbestrepresentswhatyoucontributed.•Usepresenttenseforcurrentactivitiesandpasttenseforpastactivities.•Avoidthephrases“responsiblefor”or“dutiesinclude.”•Prioritizesectionsbasedonmostrelevantinformationfirst.•Writesectionheadingsbasedontailoringthemtotheposition.Forexample,“WorkExperience”becomes“ResearchExperience,”whileanothersectioncouldbe“AdditionalEmploymentExperience.”
•Withinyourbullets,organizethesedescriptorssothatthemostrelevantappearfirst.
Formatting
•Maintainsufficientwhitespacetomakeiteasilyreadableanduncluttered,whilestillincludingthoroughdescriptionsofyourexperiences.
•Beconsistentwithstylingandformattingthroughoutallsectionsoftheresumeasyouusebold,CAPS,italics,andunderlining.
•Placeimportantinformationtowardthetopofthedocument,becauseHRmanagersoftenscanresumesquickly.ThesesectionsincludeEducation,RelevantExperience,and/orLeadershipExperience.
•Eachsectionshouldbeorganizedinreversechronologicalorder.•Usereadablefont,suchasCambria,Calibri,Times New Roman,Garamond,orArial.•Fontshouldbesize10,11,or12pointandeasytoread.•Yournameshouldbe16+fontsize,inbold,andNOTincaps.•Marginsshouldbeintherangeof.5”to1”onallfoursides.•Usenumbersinsteadofwritingthemout,forexample,use5insteadoffive.•Useblackink.•Don’tincludetablestoorganizethedocument.•Avoidpersonalpronounsintheresume.•Don’tusefullsentencesorparagraphstodescribeyourexperiences.
General Tips
•Keepyourresumeto1pageinlength.•Proofreadtoavoidspellingorgrammaticalerrors.• IncludetheGPAifitisa3.0orabove.•Courseworkmustberelevanttotheposition.Irrelevantcoursesorstandardcoursesexpectedofastudentwiththestatedmajorshouldnotbelisted.
•Evaluateyourlanguageskillshonestly,usingwordssuchas“beginner,”“intermediate,”“advanced,”or“nativeproficiency.”Youcanseparateyourexperiencebetweenwrittenandconversationalaptitude.
•Technicalskillsshouldincludeyourlevelofproficiencywithlanguagesuchas“proficientin”and“familiarwith.”
•Aphotoisnotrecommendedonaresume.ForLinkedInprofiles,aphotoofyouinprofessionalattireiscommon.
• Ifprintingthedocument,usewhiteorivoryresumepaper.•Referencesshouldbeonaseparatepage,sodon’tmakethemapartoftheresume.Dorepeatyourcontactinformationatthetopofthereferencepage.
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 • Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor • 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708
Improving Your Active Verbs
Good Better Best
Worked Contributed ImprovedDid Performed ProducedResponsiblefor Managed SpearheadedAttended Participated OrchestratedSaw Observed AnalyzedLearned GainedExperience ImplementedTried Tested Developed
Formoreinformationonresumes,seetheDukeCareerCenterSlideShareaccountathttp://www.slideshare.net/DukeCareers/tag/resume