The Cahill Career
Development Center
[RESUME GUIDE]
Your Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) tells your professional story – your skills, experience,
and accomplishments – in a clear, compelling, and easy to read format. Whether this is your first
time writing a resume, or you are updating and revising, this guide will provide you with the
tools you need to create a document that effectively markets and brands you. Draft your resume
with a position and industry in mind then meet with a Career Advisor in the Cahill Career
Development Center for personalized feedback. Remember, there is no one “right” way to write
a resume! Your resume should ultimately reflect you and your professional goals from
employment to grad school to other post-graduate programs and activities.
For a school specific guide including sample resumes please see your Career Advisor or visit the
Cahill Career Development Center website at www.ramapo.edu/cahill.
Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Table of Contents
Resume Basics .......................................................................................................... 2
Section Headings ...................................................................................................... 3
The Top Ten Pitfalls in Resume Writing ............................................................... 4
Resume Worksheet .................................................................................................. 5
Action Verbs for Resumes ....................................................................................... 6
Transferable Skills Checklist .................................................................................. 7
Most Common Resume Mistakes ........................................................................... 9
Applicant Tracking Systems ................................................................................... 9
Where To Begin Looking For A Job .................................................................... 10
Researching Employers ......................................................................................... 10
Resume Rubric ....................................................................................................... 11
Finding References That Will Sing Your Praises ............................................... 12
Sample Reference Page Layout ............................................................................ 13
Meet Your Career Advisor ................................................................................... 14
How to Upload Your Resume to The Archway ................................................... 14
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Resume Basics
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Format – The reverse chronological resume is the most common and preferred format by
employers. We recommend a hybrid version that includes a strong profile or summary
statement that matches your skills and accomplishments to the requirements of the job.
Length – Typically, one page in length is sufficient for a new or recent graduate. A CV,
commonly used in the sciences and academia, is more comprehensive and will include
research, presentations, publications, teaching, etc., and may be several pages in length.
Content – Include your contact information, education, work and volunteer experience. You
should also refer to your academic and extra-curricular activities as evidence of your skills.
Choose content that is relevant to the position and industry you are targeting.
Layout and Design – Use simple formatting techniques such as bold headings, bulleted lists,
and white space to present your information in a visually attractive and organized manner.
Use contrast – bold, italics, underline, CAPITAL LETTERS, etc. – to draw the reader’s eye
to relevant information.
Font – Select one font for your resume. Times New Roman is a popular choice. Other fonts
to consider include Arial, Calibri, Century Old Style, Garamond, Trebuchet MS,
Verdana, and Helvetica.
Naming Your Document – The filename should always include your first and last name with
the word resume in it. Recruiters will download your resume so you want to take every
opportunity to brand your name.
Prepare a draft, and then revise. Think of your resume as a constant work in progress.
Upload your resume to The Archway and bring it to a Career Advisor at the
Cahill Career Development Center during Resume Walk-Ins for critique.
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Section Headings
Order section headings in descending order of relevance. Within each heading experiences
should always be listed in reverse chronological order with most recent first. Be selective about
what you include in your resume; never falsify or exaggerate information.
Contact Information – Make sure your name is the most obvious piece of information. Include
address, phone number, and professional e-mail address. DO NOT include personal information
such as age, marital status, health, or a photo. Be sure your voicemail is professional. You may
include a personal website, blog, online portfolio, or LinkedIn account if the url is appropriate.
Summary/Profile – Grab the reader’s attention with 3-4 lines that highlight specific skills and
talents. It should be keyword rich, brief, and focused. Emphasize your brand pulling experience
from academics, work, volunteer, and extra-curricular activities. This profile may be part of your
LinkedIn account or used as your elevator pitch. Investigate the skills, knowledge, and
experience needed to perform a desired job, or that are relevant to a particular industry. Seek
connections between your skills and accomplishments and the job target specified.
Education – List each school using the full name of the college and the city, state (e.g. Mahwah,
NJ). DO NOT include high school your after sophomore year. Include majors, minors,
concentrations, and/or certifications that you are seeking. Include academic honors you received
and GPA if 3.0 or above. State expected date of graduation. Relevant coursework may be listed
as a separate section below education if applicable. Include international education/study abroad.
Certifications – If you already have any certifications they go directly below education. Some
professions may require certifications such as CPR, teaching, financial planning, or social work.
Work Experience – This category includes volunteer, internship, cooperative education
experience as well as employment. Include each job title, employer, location (city, state), and the
dates you were employed. Describe each experience in bulleted statements that highlight your
results/objectives. Use appropriate action verbs and tenses when describing accomplishments.
Results are impressive – qualify and quantify experiences.
Extra-Curricular/Activities – Include activities such as volunteering, honors and awards not
listed under education, membership and leadership positions, committees, honor societies, and
public service. State dates of service or membership and location (city, state).
Skills – The two most common are computer and language skills. For specialty areas you can
include technical skills including design, equipment and lighting, and laboratory equipment and
techniques. Social media, Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office, etc should be included only if on the
job requirements include it and should be the last bullet.
Optional Headings – Depending on your experience you may wish to include additional
headings such as independent research, presentations, relevant class and/or lab assignments,
performances, portfolios, publications, and exhibitions.
References – DO NOT mention references on your resume. Create a separate file to be delivered
at the time of interview (see Reference Samples, pg. 12-13).
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
The Top Ten Pitfalls in Resume Writing
1. Too Long: Most resumes should be confined to one page. If you have a hard time
condensing see a Career Advisor for help in the Cahill Career Development Center.
2. Typographical, Grammatical, or Spelling Errors: Such errors imply carelessness and/or a
lack of interest. Rather than only relying on the computer spell check have at least two
people proofread it for you.
3. Hard to Read: A resume should have a nice clean presentation. Poorly typed or
disorganized resumes look unprofessional. Do not overuse formatting techniques.
4. Too Verbose: Describe your experience using short, concise phrases. Use action verbs and
say as much as possible with as few words as possible. Articles, such as "a", "and", and "the",
can almost always be left out. Avoid slang and use jargon appropriately.
5. Too Sparse: Provide more than the fundamentals especially when you describe related work
experience, skills, and extra-curricular activities. Include relevant coursework if applicable.
6. Irrelevant Information: Customize your resume to the position you are seeking. Be sure to
emphasize only relevant experience, accomplishments, and activities.
7. Obviously Generic: Employers receive a countless number of resumes, so make yours stand
out from the rest. Have your resume imply that you are genuinely interested in obtaining that
particular job, rather than any job you can find.
8. Too Snazzy: When presenting a printed resume use good quality paper, but avoid colored
paper, binders, photographs, and graphics. Use white or ivory paper, black ink. Your resume
should look professional both on the computer and when printed in black and white. Colored
fonts should be used cautiously depending on the field.
9. Boring: Make your resume as compelling as possible. Begin each statement with action
verbs to describe your accomplishments and avoid repeating words.
10. Too Modest: The resume is used in competition among prospective employees, so
qualifications must stand out. Avoid misrepresentation and false information.
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Resume Worksheet
Contact Information: (Name*, address, cell phone, and Ramapo or appropriate email address.)
*Be sure to use the same version of your name on all of your professional documents (e.g., resume, cover
letter, LinkedIn, etc.)
Key Qualities: (List three of your personal qualities. Eg., results oriented, analytical, organized,
responsible, etc.)
1.
2.
3.
Summary/Profile: (Clear, concise statement written in the third person that describes the type(s)
of positions of interest and the skills and experiences that you have to offer a prospective
employer)
Education: (School information. Type of degree (e.g. Bachelor of Art or Science). Major,
Minor, Concentration, Certificate. Relevant courses and GPA only if a 3.0/4.0 or above. Include
expected graduation date.)
Experience: (Related work, internship, volunteer, paid or unpaid. Reverse chronological order.
Describe work responsibilities with action verbs in proper tense.)
Name of Organization:
City, State:
Job Title:
Dates worked:
●(Bullets)Describe job duties, responsibilities, and accomplishment
Name of Organization:
City, State:
Job Title:
Dates worked:
●(Bullets)Describe job duties, responsibilities, and accomplishment
Skills: (Technology, languages, special applications/programs, and special skills.)
Activities: (Volunteer activities, student groups, leadership roles, scholarships, academic awards,
and research.)
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Action Verbs for Resumes
Leadership and Management
Advocated
Enforced
Approved
Enlisted
Authorized
Ensured
Counseled
Examined
Determined
Explained
Developed
Formed
Diagnosed
Founded
Directed
Governed
Disseminated
Guided
Hired
Influenced
Initiated
Inspired
Installed
Instituted
Instructed
Integrated
Led
Administrative and Organizational
Arranged
Developed
Assembled
Disseminated
Catalogued
Distributed
Collected
Examined
Coordinated
Executed
Explained
Formalized
Implemented
Initiated
Installed
Communication and Interpersonal
Advised
Composed
Answered
Conducted
Apprised
Constructed
Assessed
Contacted
Authored
Corresponded
Briefed
Demonstrated
Clarified
Drafted
Managed
Moderated
Monitored
Motivated
Negotiated
Operated
Originated
Oversaw
Presided
Prioritized
Processed
Produced
Promoted
Recommended
Recruited
Represented
Responded
Reviewed
Spearheaded
Sponsored
Staged
Started
Streamlined
Strengthened
Supervised
Taught
Trained
Maintained
Monitored
Operated
Organized
Planned
Prepared
Processed
Recorded
Reorganized
Reviewed
Routed
Scheduled
Streamlined
Strengthened
Updated
Edited
Educated
Explained
Facilitated
Handled
Informed
Instructed
Interpreted
Interviewed
Introduced
Lectured
Planned
Presented
Projected
Proofread
Publicized
Published
Reconciled
Recruited
Reported
Scheduled
Screened
Spoke
Summarized
Taught
Trained
Translated
Wrote
Analytical, Research, Technical
Administered
Conducted
Analyzed
Consulted
Assessed
Designed
Audited
Detected
Charted
Developed
Classified
Devised
Compiled
Discovered
Computed
Documented
Drafted
Edited
Evaluated
Examined
Explanted
Forecast
Formed
Gathered
Generated
Identified
Improved
Increased
Inspected
Installed
Instituted
Integrated
Interfaced
Interpreted
Interviewed
Launched
Maintained
Operated
Programmed
Reduced
Researched
Restored
Searched
Streamlined
Surveyed
Systematized
Tested
Wrote
Creative and Innovative
Arranged
Created
Authored
Conceived
Composed
Edited
Conceptualized
Designed
Developed
Directed
Established
Formulated
Modernized
Initiated
Invented
Launched
Originated
Performed
Planned
Presented
Produced
Revitalized
Shaped
Stimulated
Counseling and Helping
Aided
Collaborated
Assisted
Comforted
Attended
Contributed
Counseled
Facilitated
Fostered
Guided
Helped
Instilled
Mentored
Provided
Settled
Supported
Treated
Tutored
Marketing and Selling
Arbitrated
Developed
Attained
Dissuaded
Boosted
Documented
Broadened
Educated
Centralized
Ensured
Consulted
Established
Convinced
Exceeded
Excelled
Expanded
Expedited
Gained
Generated
Implemented
Improved
Increased
Influenced
Integrated
Launched
Led
Maintained
Marketed
Mediated
Negotiated
Performed
Persuaded
Produced
Promoted
Proposed
Publicized
Published
Secured
Sold
Solicited
Strengthened
Supplemented
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Transferable Skills Checklist
Transferable skills are skills in which people learn through education, professional experiences,
and interpersonal encounters. These skills are valued by employers across all disciplines and are
often forgotten or left out of the resume. Use this checklist to start thinking about some of the
skills you learned and utilized. They can then be incorporated with the keyword or action verbs
to highlight skills that will be useful in any setting, regardless of the relevance to the field.
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
To start brainstorming about relating your transferable skills to your previous expeiericnes use
this worksheet. Fill out the five most important skills, combined with where you learned them,
and examples of you implementing the skills.
Skill
Example
1. __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
2. __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
3. __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
4. __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
5. __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
Adapted from Missouri State Career Center
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Most Common Resume Mistakes
Employers often look for
quick reasons to “blow the
whistle” on a candidate.
Accountemps surveyed executives
asking, in your opinion, which of the
following is the single most common
mistake made on discounted
resumes. They found that...
34% of resumes will be
discounted due to typos
or grammatical errors!
Courtesy of www.jobweb.com
Applicant Tracking Systems
Companies and organizations use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage their Human
Resource (HR) functions. This software allows recruiters to search hundreds of resumes based on
relevant keywords and skills. Always use the job description to ensure your resume includes the
language and terminology that recruiters will be using when searching. The technology will
“scan” your resume to identify your skills, experience and other qualifications to match the
requirements of the positions.
For example, identify your computer skills specifically by name. If a job description requires
Excel and your resume says MS Office, it may not get picked up through ATS. The content of
this resume is no different from your regular resume, just sans formatting. It may not look as
pleasing to you, but a computer will be able to easily pick out keywords. When called in for an
interview you should bring a presentation copy of your resume.
Tips for Electronic Resumes
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Name only on top line.
Text only- no lines, shading, borders or other graphics.
Plain text- avoid italics, script, underlining and bold fonts.
Text should be left justified. Do not use tabs or columns.
According to a study released by TheLadders online job search engine,
employers only look at your resume for six seconds! Make them count!
Image courtesy of www.Expandabrand.com
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Where To Begin Looking For A Job
Research is important preparation for your job search. Do not apply for a job without thoroughly
researching the company, industry, type of position you are applying for, and the person who
will be interviewing you. Available on The Archway is free access to Vault.com.
You should also directly visit employer websites to research jobs. Learning more about the
company and field will allow you to create a more targeted resume.
Another excellent resource is professional organizations. Many of them have public websites
where you can find information. Find time to learn the "jargon" and "buzz words" of the field to
prove competency and interest in the occupation.
Researching Employers
Where Should You Begin?
Start by developing a list of organizations in which you might be interested—companies that
have the types of jobs or do the type of work that interests you. These could be organizations that
visit your campus for career fairs, information sessions, and interviews, or they might be
companies you have identified on your own as potential employers. An added bonus: You may
discover lesser-known organizations that might be a match for your skills and interests
Research companies to obtain information in each of the following categories:
 Organizational overview: age, size, financial outlook, growth, and structure
 Trends/issues in the industry
 Mission, philosophy, objectives
 Public or private or foreign-owned
 Location of plants, offices, stores, subsidiaries
 Products and/or services
 Names of key executives
 Competitors
 Sales, assets, earnings
 Growth history and current growth activity
 Current challenges
 Major achievements and activity, issues, news
 Career paths, training, benefits
 Company culture
Look at Social Networking Sites, including LinkedIn.
LinkedIn has become a leading source of inside information about organizations
 On LinkedIn, find companies of interest and once found, click on the “Follow” tab to receive
updates posted by the company
 Join groups related to any career interest appealing to you
 Contribute to discussions and connect with other members
 Use the advanced search to find alumni working in companies in which you are interested
Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Resume Rubric
Resume should
Resume could land
effectively land you an you an interview
interview.
(borderline case).
This resume fills the page
but is not overcrowded.
There are no grammar or
spelling errors. It can be
easily scanned.
This resume almost fills
the page, but has some
uneven white space.
There may be a single
spelling or grammar
error.
Resume is average,
Resume needs significant
needs improvement
improvement and would be
to rise to the "top of
discarded during screening
the stack."
The font and spacing of
this resume are not
appealing and cannot be
easily scanned. There are
spelling errors and
grammatical mistakes.
This resume is either one-half
page or two to three pages long.
The font is too big or may be
Format
hard to read. There is more white
space than words on the page.
There are multiple spelling
and/or grammar errors.
This section is organized, This section is well
Information such as
This section is missing the most
clear, and well defined. It organized and easy to
institution and its
crucial information. Institution is
highlights the most
read. It includes
location, graduation date, listed, but not its location and
pertinent information and institution and its
and major are included, graduation date is missing. The
Education includes: institution and location, graduation date, but degree and GPA are major is included, but not
Section
its location, graduation major, and degree.
not listed. This section is degree. No GPA is stated.
date, major, degree, GPA, GPA and “extra”
not well organized and
study abroad (as
information, such as
there is no order to how
appropriate), and any
study abroad and course information is formatted.
relevant course work.
work are missing.
This section is well
Places of work, location, Descriptions are not
There is no order to the
defined, and information titles, and dates are
presented in bulleted lists descriptions of each position.
relates to the intended
included for each
that begin with action
Descriptions are not detailed and
career field. Places of
position. Descriptions are verbs. Instead, complete don't illustrate the experience.
work, location, titles, and formatted as bullets
sentences in paragraph No locations and dates of
dates are included for
betinning with action
form are used to describe employment are listed.
Experience
each position.
verbs, but are not
positions. Places of work
Section
Descriptions are clear and detailed enough to help are included for each
formatted as bullets
the reader understand the position, but not
beginning with action
experience. Information locations, dates, and
verbs. (This section could does not relate 100
titles.
be split into related and percent to the intended
other experience.)
career field.
This section is well
This section includes all This section is missing This section is missing—or
organized and easy to
necessary information, key information such as contains very little—
understand. Activities and but is difficult to follow. leaderships positions
information. Organization titles
honors are listed, and
Leadership roles within held or dates of
or dates of involvement are not
Honors/
descriptions include skills organizations are listed, involvement.
included, and there are no
Activities
gained and leadership
but skills are not defined. Organizations are listed; descriptions.
roles held. Dates of
Dates of involvement are the organization, not
involvement are listed.
listed.
individual involvement
in each, are described.
Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Finding References That Will Sing Your Praises
Mention of references should not be included on your resume. Be prepared with a list of
references that can be submitted to the employer when requested. You should include the
reference’s name, title, business mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number. You should
have 3-5 business or academic references. Do not use friends, family, or peers. Obtain
permission from each of your references before you include them in your list.
The following steps may help you develop an enthusiastic panel of supporters.
 Assume your references will be checked- Most companies check references during the
hiring process. It is a misconception that employers are not going to call your references.
 Ask permission before listing a reference- Many job seekers do not inform their references
that they are being listed. Asking permission eliminates many problems, such as the
individual not wanting to serve as your reference or he/she not remembering you.
 Make sure your references are comfortable speaking on your behalf- It is not just what
your references say, but how they say it. Employers can tell immediately when someone is
not pleased to be giving a reference.
 Verify your information- Make sure the phone numbers, job titles, company names and
addresses for your advocates are correct.
 Coach your references- It is suggested that you spend 10-15 minutes talking to each person
you ask to serve as your reference. You should discuss with them things such as job goals,
outline your skills and the qualities you want emphasized, and give each a copy of your
resume.
 Keep your references informed- They should be at the center of your network. Update
them regularly on how your search is progressing.
 Choose references based on job requirements-Your references, like your resume, should
reflect the position for which you are applying. You should choose your references based on
the skills you want to spotlight for a particular item.
 Choose your references based on what they can say about you, not name recognitionMany job seekers are tempted to name drop; using your company’s president rather than your
direct supervisor. However those individuals may not be as able to comfortably talk about
you.
 Consider a reference check a good sign- An employer will only call references if a
candidate is seriously being considered for the position. It is often one of the last steps before
a job offer is extended.
Information from www.Careerjournal.com
Image courtesy of careerrocketeer.com
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Sample Reference Page Layout
Anita Neujob
7 New Street, Somerset, New Jersey, 08873 ◊ (201) 684-7444 ◊ [email protected]
Tagline/Summary/Objective from resume here
References
Mr. Pita Pan, Manager
Greek City
444 Clinton Drive
Mahwah, NJ 07430
(201) 555-1643
Email: [email protected]
Supervised my job at Greek City.
Mr. Jack Reacher, Supervisor 2011-2014
Macy's Department Store, Big Men’s Department
Paramus Park Mall
Paramus, NJ 07652
(201) 555-5511
Email: [email protected]
Oversaw my employment at Macy's
Dr. Colina Bulance
Professor of Physiology
Ramapo College of New Jersey
505 Ramapo Valley Rd.
Mahwah, NJ 07430-1680
(201) 684-7555
Email: [email protected]
Faculty advisor and mentor
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Cahill Career Development Center [RESUME GUIDE]
Meet Your Career Advisor
Resume Walk In Hours (C 209) Tuesday-Friday 1-2:30pm
ASB Resume Walk In Hours (ASB 513) Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1-2:30pm
Debra Stark
Advisor: Alumni
[email protected]
Eileen Quaglino
Advisor: CA
[email protected]
Donna Lane Baur
Advisor:
SSHS/SSHGS
[email protected]
Beth Ricca
Director
[email protected]
Nicole Videla
Advisor:
TAS/Undeclared
[email protected]
Pam Cohen
Advisor: ASB
[email protected]
Make
appointments
via The
Archway!
Hours:
Mondays
8:30am-6:30pm
Tuesday-Friday
8:30am-4:30pm
How to Upload Your Resume to The Archway
1. Go to www.ramapo.edu/cahill
2. Sign in to the Archway for Students using your Ramapo email as the username. NOTE: all
students are pre-registered. Check your email for log-on information or use the Forgot
Password option to send a temporary password to your Ramapo email.
3. Select “My Account” in the top left corner and then “My Documents”
4. Hit “Add” next to Resumes
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