Creating a Strong Resume

A resume is a concise, informative summary of your abilities, education, and experience. It should highlight your strongest assets and skills, and differentiate you from other candidates seeking similar positions. Although it alone will not get you a job or internship, a good resume is an important element toward obtaining an interview. Tailor your resume to the type of position you are seeking. This doesn’t mean that all of your experiences must relate directly, but your resume should reflect the kind of skills the employer would value.

Resume Tips

RESUME LANGUAGE SHOULD BE:

• Specific rather than general 

• Active rather than passive 

• Written to express not impress 

• Articulate rather than “flowery” 

• Fact-based (quantify and qualify) 

• Written for people who scan quickly

TOP RESUME MISTAKES

• Spelling and grammar errors 

• Missing contact information 

• Using passive language instead of “action” words 

• Not well organized, concise, or easy to skim 

• Not demonstrating results 

• Too long
  

DO:

• Be consistent in format and content 

• Make it easy to read and follow, balancing white space 

• Use consistent spacing, underlining, italics, bold, and capitalization for emphasis 

• List headings (such as Experience) in order of importance 

• Within headings, list information in reverse chronological order (most recent first) 

• Avoid information gaps such as a missing summer 

• Be sure that your formatting will translate properly if converted to a .pdf

DON’T:

• Use personal pronouns (such as I) 

• Abbreviate 

• Use a narrative style 

• Use slang or colloquialisms 

• Include a picture 

• Include your address

• Include age or gender 

• List references 

• Start each line with a date

Action Verbs For Your Resume

LEADERSHIP 

Accomplished Achieved Administered Assigned Attained Consolidated Coordinated Delegated Developed Directed Earned Evaluated Executed Headed Impacted Improved Increased Led Mastered Orchestrated Organized Oversaw Planned Predicted Prioritized Produced Proved Recommended Regulated Reorganized Reviewed Scheduled Spearheaded Strengthened Supervised Surpassed 

COMMUNICATION 

Addressed Arbitrated Arranged Authored Collaborated Convinced Corresponded Delivered Developed Directed Documented Drafted Edited Energized Enlisted Formulated Influenced Interpreted Lectured Liaised Mediated Moderated Negotiated Persuaded Presented Promoted Publicized Reconciled Recruited Reported Rewrote Spoke Suggested Synthesized Translated Verbalized Wrote 

RESEARCH 

Clarified Collected Concluded Conducted Constructed Critiqued Derived Determined Diagnosed Discovered Evaluated Examined Extracted Formed Identified Inspected Interpreted Interviewed Investigated Modeled Organized Resolved Reviewed Summarized Surveyed Systematized Tested 

TECHNICAL 

Assembled Built Calculated Computed Designed Devised Engineered Fabricated Installed Maintained Operated Optimized Overhauled Programmed Remodeled Repaired Solved Standardized Streamlined Upgraded 

TEACHING 

Adapted Advised Clarified Coached Communicated Coordinated Demystified Developed Enabled Encouraged Evaluated Explained Facilitated Guided Informed Instructed Persuaded Set Goals Stimulated Studied Taught Trained 

QUANTITATIVE 

Administered Allocated Analyzed Appraised Audited Balanced Budgeted Calculated Computed Developed Forecasted Managed Marketed Maximized Minimized Planned Projected Researched 

CREATIVE 

Acted Composed Conceived Conceptualized Created Customized Designed Developed Directed Established Fashioned Founded Illustrated Initiated Instituted Integrated Introduced Invented Originated Performed Planned Published Redesigned Revised Revitalized Shaped Visualized 

HELPING 

Assessed Assisted Clarified Coached Counseled Demonstrated Diagnosed Educated Enhanced Expedited Facilitated Familiarized Guided Motivated Participated Proposed Provided Referred Rehabilitated Represented Served Supported 

ORGANIZATIONAL 

Approved Accelerated Arranged Broadened Centralized Changed Classified Collected Compiled Completed Controlled Defined Dispatched Executed Expanded Gained Gathered Generated Implemented Inspected Launched Monitored Operated Organized Prepared Processed Purchased Recorded Reduced Reinforced Retrieved Screened Selected Simplified Sold Specified Steered Structured Unified Updated Utilized Validated Verified