Résumé Recommendations

A collection of tips, information,

and examples of résumés

Augustana College Career Development

Community Engagement Center Sorenson 1st Floor

309.794.7339 www.augustana.edu/careercenter

Resume Recommendations

A collection of tips, information,

and examples of resumes

WIU-QC Career Development

309-762-9080 www.wiu.edu/qc/careerservices

Have your resume critiqued! Call 309-762-9080 to make an appointment with

Audrey Adamson, Career Development

Also check out other services we provide:

Interview Assistance • Job Search Planning • Cover Letters• Workshops • Fairs

Tips for Writing an Effective Resume

Resume Writing Strategy It is important to remember that there is no one right way to write a resume. There are, however,

recommendations on writing resumes, formatting them, and choosing what to include. Based on

employers’ feedback and some research done by Career Services, we have created general guidelines to

follow when writing a resume. Ultimately, the resume is your document and therefore should be a

reflection of you.

Remember, a resume…

IS IS NOT

A marketing tool An autobiography

Targeted and selective A laundry list of everything you’ve done

Customized to the position Only one generic version used every time

About relevant skills & experiences About listing personal qualities

About your qualifications for the job About you

You want your resume to be persuasive! The best resume writers take the time to research the

company/organization/graduate school they are applying to AND take a very careful look at the job or

program. Pick up on the clues they give you.

Think like the person who will read the resume. What do you want them to see, to know about you?

Whatever that is, find ways to make it obvious and clear. This strategy will shape all your decisions

about what to include and how to organize the resume.

Use the language and terminology they use. Some employers use key words to search their resume

data base, so use their terminology! Every piece of knowledge you gain helps you understand them

better and persuade them to hire you.

As you are making decisions about each item for the resume, ask yourself:

1. Is this relevant?

2. Is this recent?

3. Is this impressive?

4. Is this important?

Your answers to these questions will help you decide whether to include that item, how much space to

devote to it, and how to describe it.

STEP 1: Lay Out Your Resume

Your resume may represent your first contact with the employer, therefore the content and appearance is

critical. Create the resume yourself. Avoid using templates. Templates are difficult to edit and make

your resume look generic.

Design Guidelines Layout: Choose between placing your category headings to the left of your content or above

your content. See examples in the back of this packet.

Format: Make it visually appealing and easy to read. Be consistent in your format and use of

bold, CAPITALIZATION, italics, etc.

Font: Use a font size of 10-12 points. Choose a standard font that is easy to read (Garamond,

Arial, etc.) Do not mix more than two font styles.

Margins: Keep the margins even. Margins should be between .75 and 1 inch.

Length: Keep it to one page, unless there is enough critical information for two full pages.

Exceptions: Some majors such as education will have two pages. Resumes for graduate school

applications may also be two pages.

Presentation: Do not fold or staple your resume. If you have two pages, do not print double-

sided. Use a paper clip to keep the two pages together.

Paper: Use good quality, neutral 8.5x11” bond paper with high quality print. Do not use paper

with flecks/glitter because of poor copying abilities.

Document Format: Before submitting your resume, always save it as a PDF file. This will

preserve your formatting no matter who opens it.

Content Guidelines Style: Use long phrases, not sentences. Do not write in the first person (i.e. don’t use “I”

statements). Avoid using abbreviations or acronyms.

Order: Within each category, all information should be in reverse chronological order. Most

recent items go first.

Tense: Using past tense verbs emphasizes completion and accomplishment. Use present tense

for current experiences.

Older Experiences: Generally, you should not include high school experiences past your

sophomore year in college. Experiences older than five years should be left off unless they are

highly relevant to the position you are applying for.

SAMPLE RESUME LAYOUT 1

YOUR NAME 9870 Home Street Any City, IL 09369 Telephone: (219) 999-9999 email.address@wiu.edu

PROFILE OR OBJECTIVE

The type of position you are seeking, the type of organization you are seeking it in and 2-3 skills/experiences

you will bring to the job. Customize the objective for each position or position type.

OR, write a SUMMARY or PROFILE instead, and summarize your strongest qualifications in bullet points.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Business Degree, Western Illinois University, Moline, IL Anticipated May 2016

Major: Minor: (if none, then delete)

Overall G.P.A.: X.X/4.0 Major GPA: X.X/4.0 (optional)

Honors: Add any honors, honor societies, awards or scholarships, indicating years you received them.

Include “Dean’s List”, if applicable, and indicate the # of semesters.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Position/Job Title (MOST RECENT JOBS FIRST!) Dates of Employment

NAME OF COMPANY/ORGANIZATION, CITY, STATE

Bullet your best accomplishments or most significant duties on the job, starting with action verbs.

Quantify information if possible, use numbers, statistics, percentages to strengthen each bullet.

Position/Title, Department Dates of Employment

NAME OF ORGANIZATION, CITY, STATE

Include not just what you did, but what you learned and the results of what you did.

If all of the experiences are “Relevant”, delete the “Other Experience” section.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Position/Title , NAME OF ORGANIZATION, CITY, STATE Dates of Employment

Description

Position/Title , NAME OF ORGANIZATION, CITY, STATE Dates of Employment

Description

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Add any student organizations and off-campus activities that you have been involved in, the dates you

have been involved, and any leadership roles you have had in them.

Example: Any Student Organization, 2007-present: President, 2008-2009

RELATED SKILLS

List your computer skills, especially software, and anything related to your career field.

Also add any language skills you have, training or certifications, or other skills relevant to the job that

are not mentioned elsewhere on your resume.

SAMPLE RESUME LAYOUT 2

Your Name Address: Mailing Address, City, State Zip

Phone Number Email Address

__________________________________________________________

PROFILE/ What can you do for the employer? Expresses your interest in a specific job or tells OBJECTIVE the reader about your career goals. Profile can be bulleted and highlight skills and

relevant experiences that are expanded upon later. EDUCATION List schools (most recent first) include degrees, locations, majors, minors, and GPA

(if 3.0 or higher). You may also include honors such as Dean’s List (unless you choose to make this a separate category) and/or study abroad experience.

RELATED You should include your jobs, internships, or volunteer work that is most related to EXPERIENCE your area of study. List title held, company’s name, the location (city, state), and

dates of employment. Start by listing your most recent experiences.

Use bullet points to describe what, why, and how you performed the duties of your job in short descriptive statements while focusing on positive outcomes.

List job tasks in order of importance so the most relevant information is conveyed first.

Begin each statement with an action verb. (See List of Action Verbs)

Avoid using any personal pronouns like “I”.

Try to quantify results using numbers and percentages when appropriate.

ADDITIONAL Use this section to highlight any other paid or unpaid experiences which are notable, EXPERIENCE not as relevant to your area of study or the job in which you are applying. Highlight

transferable skills (communication, customer service, organization, teamwork, time management). You may also include part-time or summer employment, civilian or military. Highlight these experiences more briefly than your relevant experiences.

HONORS & Highlight your co-curricular activities, leadership roles, student interest groups, or ACTIVITIES honors/scholarships that you have been awarded during your time at WIU. Focus

on your accomplishments. Find ways to get involved both on and off campus that will help you expand your resume.

SKILLS Do you have specific computer, laboratory, or language skills? This is a section for

you to highlight skills that will make you more marketable to the employer.

Step 2: Choose Resume Headings

Objective or Summary:

Internship Objective

Career Objective

Professional Objective

Summary

Summary of Qualifications

Profile

Special Skills and Training:

Related Skills

Computer Skills/Technology Skills

Special Training

Certifications

Language Competencies

Areas of Knowledge/ Expertise

Professional Skills

Licenses or Licensure

Education:

Educational Background

Study Abroad/International Experience

Relevant Coursework - if related to

position/field

Senior Research Project

Activities:

• Campus Leadership

• Campus & Community Activities

• Community Involvement

• Campus Activities

• Volunteer/Service

• Professional and Community Activities

• Leadership Activities

• Co-curricular Activities

Experience:

Employment/Work Experience

Internship Experience

Related Experience

Leadership Experience

Research Experience

Career Related Experience

Study Abroad/International Experience

Teamwork Experience

Sales Experience

Marketing Experience

Research Experience

Business Experience

Accounting Experience

Public Relations Experience

Tutoring/Counseling Experience

Honors/ Awards:

Activities and Distinctions

Honors and Awards

College Honors

Special Honors

Dean’s List

Scholarships

Athletic Honors

Publications or Research:

Research Interests

Research Experience

Presentations

Academic Research

Step 3: Write Content for Each Section

Resume Sections: PROFILE or OBJECTIVE

The resume profile is different from the resume objective statement. The first one is more focused on

the customer (employer) and what benefits he or she will receive if hiring you. The objective is more

focused on the candidate. For this reason we do recommend to use a resume profile instead of an

objective as it is stronger choice for most.

Resume profiles statements feature your skills, accomplishments, and career level, and can also include

your career objective as well, but with the advantage to look more attractive and interesting to recruiters.

PROFILE CONTENT (PREFERRED)

4-6 bullets of your top selling points

Describes your specialization, experience, responsibilities that are relevant to a specific position

Relays your value to the organization in a summarized format

Utilizes keywords found in job description

PROFILE STYLES

Bullet Points:

Over ten years customer service experience.

Exceptional planning and organizational skills.

Well developed interpersonal and written communication skills.

Introductory narrative with bullet points:

Public relations professional with over 10 years experience in the not for profit and community welfare

sectors. Has a demonstrated track record of success in relation to:

Developing and maintaining excellent relationships with print and electronic media.

Business development and fundraising.

Image development and brand repositioning

Bullet points with accompanying narrative:

Well developed written communication skills - Has produced work for a variety of audiences

including public and private sector clients, the higher education sector and academia, management and

consumers.

Narrative:

Charismatic, energetic and results focused with extensive general management experience in a diverse

range of fields including tour wholesaling, the conventions industry and the hospitality sector

OBJECTIVE CONTENT (Optional, or as part of profile)

1-3 lines in length. Use long phrases in bulleted form, not complete sentences.

Conveys key information to the employer about what you have applied for, including any job

number.

Tells the audience why you are writing and key skills that you can contribute.

OBJECTIVE STYLES

Position-Oriented: Human Resources Assistant position with Trinity Hospital, position number_____

Field-Oriented: To obtain a position in the field of …

Skills Oriented: Seeking a position that uses/utilizes/capitalizes upon skills in… (leadership, communication,

organization, computer science, foreign language, etc.)

Knowledge-Oriented: To obtain a position that will utilize knowledge/strong background in… (economics,

chemistry, etc.)

Combination (various pairings can occur such as the following):

-Field and Position: To obtain an accounting position at XYZ accounting firm.

-Field and Skills: Desire a position in elementary education that uses skills in creative lesson planning, flexibility,

and fluency in the Spanish language

OBJECTIVE/PROFILE FORMATTING TIPS Tailor to each position or employer you apply

Do not use obvious comments such as: “To work in a challenging environment.” Most employers would

like to think that the candidate possesses enough initiative to challenge the environment.

Focus on the specific position you are applying for and utilize their keywords.

Resume Sections: EDUCATION

Required Content

Degree Level (Bachelor of Science, Master of Science)

Name of College

Location of College (city, state)

Graduation Date (month, year)

Major(s), Minor(s), and Concentration(s)

Optional Content

GPA, if over a 3.0 (Example: 3.0/4.0)

Can also include your major GPA

Relevant Coursework (a short list of 3-4 courses)

Honors and Awards (or could be its own section)

Study Abroad Experience (ditto)

Example Education Sections

Bachelor of Science, Western Illinois University, Moline, IL Anticipated May 2014

Major: Management

GPA: 3.27, Major GPA: 3.4

Study Abroad: Morocco Spring 2011

Bachelor of Science degree, May 2012

Western Illinois University, Moline, IL

Majors: Engineering

GPA: 3.42

Resume Sections: EXPERIENCE

Possible Experience Categories/ Headings

Career-Related Experience

Internship Experience

Additional Work Experience

Volunteer Experience

Leadership Experience

Coaching Experience

Teaching Experience

Experience Content (Include for EACH experience)

Position title

Organization name

Location (city, state)

Dates of service (month, year-month, year) For summer jobs: Summers 2009-2010

Description of responsibilities, achievements, skills in bulleted phrases

Provide information to prove to prospective employers that you have experience which will qualify you

as a candidate. Point out relevant experience and skills. Use the language from the job description.

Description of Experiences

The description you provide under your jobs and experiences is very important!

Carefully craft bulleted phrases (with the job description in mind) that include:

1) What you did, 2) What you accomplished, and 3) What you learned or gained.

Specific details. Show them what you can do so they can judge your fit for the job.

Action verbs (see the list at the end of this packet) with each bulleted phrase.

Numbers, such as how often you did something, how many people you supervised, etc.

This is not the time to be shy. Show them clearly what you are capable of!

Transferable Skills Transferable skills are skills that are applicable across several settings. Instead of just describing your job duties,

highlight transferable skills. For example, in your fast food position, did you display coolness under pressure,

work with the team to accomplish goals, provide excellent customer service, or demonstrate organization through

your work habits?

Chances are that in your part-time work experience, you have learned and practiced abilities that employers value,

such as:

Communication Flexibility Organization

Leadership Computer Skills Time Management

Problem Solving Work under pressure Customer Service

Teamwork Reliability Decision-making

Resume Sections: ACTIVITIES, HONORS, & SKILLS

Possible Categories/ Headings (see complete list on under Step 2 above)

Campus & Community Activities/Involvement

Volunteer Service/ Volunteer Experience

Honors and Awards

Professional Development

Skills

Technology Skills

Activities Content (Include for EACH activity or volunteer experience)

Position title (if any)

Organization name

City and State

Dates of involvement (month, year-month, year)

Description of duties and accomplishments (optional)

Possible Content for Activities/Volunteer/Honors sections Ask: “Will this information help them see my qualifications or understand how well I can do this job?” If yes,

include it.

LEADERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES

Cross Country and Track (2005 – Present; Division I Varsity Athlete)

Independent Women’s Service/Social Organization (2005 – Present)

o Executive Board Member: attended monthly meetings, upheld and enforced policies, oversaw

various committees.

o Service Chair: encouraged organization members to participate in numerous service-oriented

programs including Boys and Girls Club.

o Homecoming Committee Co-Chair: coordinated with co-chair group participation in

homecoming festivities. Motivated members.

Student Government Association (2008 – 2010)

Service Trip to Augusta, GA (2011)

Contributed to the building of a house for Habitat for Humanity

HONORS AND AWARDS

Dean’s List Midtown Lions Club Scholarship for Service

Trustees Academic Scholarship Outstanding Senior in Marketing Award

SKILLS

Able to quickly establish rapport with students and staff.

Possess strong written and verbal communication skills.

Comfortable in both individualized and team settings.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS

Familiar with Mac and PC

Proficient with Microsoft Office, iMovie, iPhoto, Inspiration, Zangle Gradebook, and web design

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Virtus Training: Learned to recognize warning signs of sexual abuse and communicate concerns

Project WILD, Aquatic, and Project Learning Tree Workshop: Learned various ways to facilitate learning

Action Verbs for Your Resume

Management Skills Administer Analyze Assign Attain Centralize Chair Coach Conduct Consult Contract Consolidate Coordinate Decide Delegate Develop Direct Devise Evaluate Execute Guide Improve Increase Initiate Instigated Instituted Interview Lead Monitor Motivate Organize Oversee Negotiate Plan Prioritize Produce Recommend Reduce Relate Review Schedule Strategize Strengthen Supervise Teach Communication Skills Address Arbitrate

Arrange Author Correspond Define Demonstrate Describe Develop Direct Draft Draw/illustrate Edit Enlist Explain Formulate Influence Interpret Lecture Listen Mediate Moderate Negotiate Persuade Promote Publicize Read Reconcile Recruit Report Speak Translate Write Research Skills Analyze Attain Clarify Classify Collect Combine Compile Control Coordinate Critique Diagnose Document Estimate Evaluate Examine Extract Formulate Hypothesize

Identify Inspect Interview Investigate Obtain Organize Research Review Specify Study Summarize Survey Synthesize Systematize Test Utilize Technical Skills Assemble Build Calculate Compute Convert Design Devise Engineer Fabricate Forecast Maintain Operate Overhaul Program Remodel Repair Solve Train Upgrade Teaching Skills Adapt Advise Clarify Coach Communicate Coordinate Develop Enable Encourage Evaluate Explain Facilitate

Guide Inform Initiate Instruct Persuade Present Set goals Stimulate Support Financial Skills Administer Allocate Analyze Appraise Audit Balance Budget Calculate Compute Decrease Develop Forecast Maintain Manage Market Plan Project Research Creative Skills Act Built Compose Conceptualize Create Design Develop Direct Establish Fashion Form Found Illustrate Inspire Institute Integrate Introduce Invent Modernize Originate

Perform Plan Revitalize Shape Helping Skills Assess Assist Clarify Coach Counsel Demonstrate Diagnose Educate Expedite Facilitate Familiarize Guide Redesign Refer Rehabilitate Represent Detail/Clerical Skills Approve Arrange Calculate Catalogue Classify Collect Compile Complete Correct Dispatch Distribute Execute Generate Implement Inspect Monitor Operate Organize Prepare Process Purchase Record Reorganize Retrieve Screen Specify

Example Resumes

Jared Student

PO Box 123, 625 38th St, Moline, IL 61265

jaredstudent@wiu.edu 815-555-9433

Summary of Qualifications: Ability to produce in team-oriented environments

Marketing research and implementation experience

Proficient with social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Education: Bachelor of Science

Western Illinois University, Moline, IL May 2013

Majors: Marketing

Cumulative GPA: 3.539/4.00

Honors: Dean’s Scholarship 2009 - Present

Marketing Experience: Marketing Intern, Articulate Promotions, Cary, IL Summer 2011

Contributed contact information and sponsorship leads

Developed market research skills

Worked successfully in teams

Intern, Bernel Foundation, Palatine, IL Summer 2011

Researched population data and school contact information to establish a target service area

Wrote and created memos, brochure, business cards, and data bases

Presented proposal and brochure to Board of Directors

Work Experience: Landscaper, JRF Property Maintenance LLC, Crystal Lake, IL Summer 2008 – 2011

Landscaped commercial and personal real estate properties

Maintained outdoor appearance and presentation of properties

Tennis Assistant, Crystal Lake Country Club, Crystal Lake, IL Summer 2007 – 2008

Coached tennis lessons daily for clients

Recruited club members for tennis lessons

Honors and Activities: WIU Men’s Varsity Track 2009 – Present

Student Government Association 2011 – Present

Technology Skills: Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word Microsoft Power Point Facebook

Microsoft Publisher Adobe Photoshop LinkedIn Twitter

Heather Student heather.student@gmail.com │ (847)-555-2671314 S. Washington Ave., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056

EDUCATION

Western Illinois University; Moline, Illinois May 2012 Bachelor of Arts: Communication and Psychology GPA: 3.7/4.0

Academic Honors: Deans List, Lambda Pi Eta, Psy Chi, Chad Meyer Scholar

INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

Lead Conference Coordinator, 2012 IFTA World Congress April 2011-Present The International Family Therapy Association: Rock Island, IL

Plan and execute major aspects of the conference in Vancouver, with expected attendance of 500

Build and maintain master databases to manage presentations, payments, and conference schedule

Manage other team members: delegate tasks, monitor progress and organization of the project

Marketing and Special Events Intern June-August 2011

The Quad City Botanical Center: Rock Island, IL

Organized two of the organization’s largest fundraising benefits with over 200 guests in attendance

Promoted the Center and the events by creating videos, flyers, brochures, and press releases

Maintained social networking accounts and online calendars

Public Relations and Advertising Intern January-February 2011 MediaSmith: Sydney, Australia

Organized PR campaigns for customers, including Lumigenix Inc. and Nature’s Goodness Australia

Wrote, edited and distributed press releases and booking forms to current and potential clients

Researched client’s products, identified target audiences and contacted relevant publications

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Service Chair; Fundraising Chair August 2011-Present Sigma Pi Delta Sorority

Coordinate and manage service projects and three large fundraising events throughout the year

Recruit volunteers and participants and encourage attendance at community service opportunities

Logistics Chairperson August 2010-Present Relay for Life

Create event schedule and floor plan for entertainment, activities, and team stations

Collaborate with entertainment and fundraising committees to plan materials and budget for event Chapter President (2011-Present); Public Relations Chair (2010-2011) May 2010-Present Best Buddies

Doubled chapter membership over a two year span through effective promotional strategies

Run chapter meetings and organize monthly special events for adults with disabilities

WORK EXPERIENCE

Team Member June 2008 – December 2010 JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts: Arlington Heights, IL

Solved problems under pressure in the retail setting and provided excellent customer service

SKILLS

Computer proficiency: Microsoft Office Suite; Adobe Illustrator and InDesign; Google Apps

Jordan Student Jordan-Student@wiu.edu

(815) 555-6010

School Address: Permanent Address:

555 38th Street 555 Shadow Lane

Rock Island, IL 61201 Bull Valley, IL 60097

SUMMARY

Motivated and hard-working individual with experience in banking, finance and management

Demonstrated ability in data management and customer service; proficient with database tools

Highly organized, able to lead and work successfully in team environments

EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, Western Illinois University, Moline, IL Anticipated May 2013

Majors: Accounting & Business Administration with a concentration in Finance

Major GPA: 3.44/4.0

Honors: Dean’s List: 2012, Presidential Scholarship: $11,500 annually for academics 2008-present

Study Abroad: Australia program, Sydney, Australia, Spring 2011

RELATED EXPERIENCE Finance Intern May-August 2011

American Community Bank and Trust – Woodstock, IL

Developed new potential banking prospects Excel database for commercial bankers

Collaborated with management on potential new banking prospects project

Researched market values and appraisals of commercial real estate properties

Learned teller procedures and duties, acted as teller 2-3 times a week

Student Services and Sports Management Intern January-March 2011

Macquarie University: Campus Experience – Sydney, Australia

Managed and organized all student groups at Macquarie into Campus Experience database

Assisted with the management of campus clubs, student administration, and sport activities

Organized invoices, contacted student groups, and planned student events

WORK EXPERIENCE Golf Shop Staff Summer 2010

Foxford Hills Golf Club – Cary, IL

Supervised starters, rangers, and outside service attendants

Booked tee times and worked the cash register in the golf shop

Counted all revenues at the end of the day and secured it into bank bags

Website Design and Data Analysis Associate Summer 2009

Block and Company, Inc. – Wheeling, IL

Entered matching product numbers from the company catalog into Excel

Inserted corresponding product pictures and descriptions onto the company website

Edited customer accounts through the company’s database

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Athletes Giving Back (AGB) 2008-present

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) 2008-present

TECHNICAL SKILLS Proficiency in: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Photoshop

Example Reference List

Your Name Address: Mailing Address, City, State Zip

Phone Number Email Address

__________________________________________________________

REFERENCES

Joe Johnson, Ph.D. Vice President of Marketing

Joe’s Company 1111 Central Drive Anytown, IL 11111

(555) 555-4567 jjohnson@email.com

Sue Swan, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology

WIU-QC 639 38th Street

Rock Island, IL 61201 (555) 555-7890

sswan@email.com

Cory Camp Manager

Burger World 543 21st Street

Jones, IL 11111 (555) 555-1234

coryc@email.com