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Guide to Resume Writing
What is a Resume?
A resume is a concise summary of your experiences and qualifications as they relate to a particular career
field or position of interest. To be most effective, your resume must be employer-centered, focusing on
how you can meet the needs of the employer. It should tell the employer who you are, what you know,
what you have done, and what you can do for them.
Because a resume is a reflection of an individual, there is no one perfect way to approach writing a
resume. However, there are some basic guidelines to follow, which apply to all resumes. If you are
pursuing a position in more than one field, you will probably need several versions of your resume. You
may also want to have a career coach and a professional in your field(s) of interest critique your resume.
10 Resume Writing Strategies to Consider
1. Select a resume format that will best highlight what you have to offer: (Refer to samples of the three
types.)
 A chronological resume focuses more on dates, positions and duties in reverse chronological
order and is best suited for someone with a lot of experience that relates to one's goals or
objectives.
 A functional resume emphasizes transferable skills, qualifications and accomplishments and is
good if you lack work experience or are trying to enter a new occupation.
 A combination resume combines the best elements of both formats. It is a good choice for
recent graduates with some job experience.
2. Brainstorm
One of the best ways to craft a resume is by starting with a master list of your skills, knowledge,
experiences, etc. The idea is that you will never throw this master list away, only add to it. From there
you can pull items off your master list each time you need to make revisions to your resume.
Start with basic, objective things like:
 Knowledge (education/ licenses/ certifications)
 Skills
 Accomplishments/ awards
Then move on to your experiences:
 Clinicals
 Work experience
 Volunteer experience
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Co-curricular activities
Any other experiences you may want to include
3. Use skill phrases. Now you need to provide detail for your experiences. Beneath each experience, you
should have multiple “skill phrases” (or you can write a paragraph). The more significant the experience,
the more skill phrases. There are several different ways you can write a skill phrase, but we recommend
skill phrases:
1. Begin with an action verb (Go to the for Calling & Career tab on theRock and scroll to the 24/7
Resources portlet, then click on “Handouts & tip sheets”- there is an Action Verb handout there).
2. Explain what you did and how.
3. The result/ skill used.
Action verb
Skill used
What & how
Example: “Demonstrate attention to detail in administering medications and performing assessments.”
4. Put the most significant information first. Experiences, activities and skills that relate most directly to
your job objectives should be featured near the top of your resume.
5. Do not limit the content to just paid work experiences. Focus on transferable skills also gained through
volunteer work, service experiences, class projects, internships and activities.
6. Maintain a professional appearance. Copy your resume using a laser printer. Select quality linen paper
(20-50 pound bond paper) and choose conservative colors (white, ivory, gray or cream). An exception to
this would be a creative field such as design or marketing; in which your resume should showcase your
creativity.
7. What should be included? Below is a list of items that should always be on a resume and a list of items
that are up to your discretion. You can also view the attached sample resumes if you need guidance.
Essential

Name and contact info: This should
include first and last name, daytime phone
number, email address and mailing
address.
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Professional summary/objective: Most
recruiters now prefer a professional
summary over an objective, but it is up to you
whether or not you include this section.
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Education: Include your GPA, any significant
academic awards and graduation date (or
anticipated graduation date).
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Academic & co-curricular activities
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Awards
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8.
Optional
Related Job Experiences: Be sure to include all 
relevant job experience that you have

accumulated in relation to your intended
work-field
Professional memberships
Skills
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Volunteer experience: If you have related
volunteer experience, include it! Unrelated
volunteer experience is optional.
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Unrelated job experience: Depending on
how much major-related experience you
have, including unrelated job experience may
be necessary to fill in employment gaps.
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References
Tailor
your
resume. Many recent graduates make the mistake of sending their resume to as many employers as
possible, without tailoring their resume before doing so. For example, if you are applying to a position at a
bank, your resume should highlight different skills and experiences than it would for a job in a school
district
HINT: Use exact words from the job description! If you are being authentic about your abilities, you can use their
language. This actually makes it easier on the recruiter as they are often looking for key words/phrases.
9. Make an appointment with Center for Calling & Career to review your rough draft. Have a professional in
your field also review your resume. Make final revisions.
10. Cover Letter. Be sure to check out the CCC Cover Letter handout for assistance with perfecting your
cover letter.
Example of a chronological resume – this is shown by the focus being on the dates and positions in
reverse chronological order.
David D. Davidson
[email protected] (847) 847-8478
333 Street Avenue Urbana, IL 61801
EDUCATION
University of Illinois at Urbana—Champaign (Illinois)
Master’s degree in Biology GPA: 3.8/4.0
Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology GPA: 3.9/4.0
Expected December 20XX
May 20XX
LABORATORY SKILLS
Cell Biology: Mammalian Cell Culture, Flow Cytometry, Immunofluorescence
Molecular Biology: Calcium Quantification, PCR, DNA Isolation, Restriction Enzyme Analysis, ELISA
Protein Biology: Protein Purification, SDS-PAGE, Western Blotting
Genetics: Site-Directed Mutagenesis, DNA Cloning, DNA Quantification, Primer Design
Computer: R, SPSS, SAS, GraphPad, HTML
PROFESSIONAL & RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Biochemistry, Illinois
September 20XX— Present
 Optimized an experimental assay to fluorescently measure calcium efflux during vacuole fusion, thereby
providing improved biochemical analysis
 Designed experiments, problem solved issues and analyzed data for future publications
 Supervised several undergraduates by organizing responsibilities, designing and coordinating experiments, and training them in laboratory techniques, instrumentation, procedures, and daily tasks
 Presented data at bi-weekly joint lab meetings and departmental seminars
Project Manager, Illinois Business Consulting, Illinois
January 20XX-Present
 Promoted from consultant to project manager and managed interdisciplinary students-consulting team to
provide value-added solutions for start-up
 Participated in 5 consulting project with both startup and established companies
Teaching Assistant, School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Illinois
Spring 20XX, Fall 20XX
 Instructed undergraduate intermediate biology lab section of ~25 students throughout each week by
designing lectures, leading discussions, demonstrating procedures, fielding questions, and grading student
lab reports and presentations
 Ranked by students as Outstanding Teacher in top ten percent across campus for 2 semesters
LEADERSHIP & VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Vice President, Biology Registered Student Organization, Illinois
January 20XX- Present
 Coordinate recruitment of new members and have grown organization by 25% over the past year
 Facilitate student meetings and provide program support to organization sponsored events
Volunteer, Big Brother/Big Sister Program, Champaign, IL
January 20XX– Present
 Participate in community volunteer events to raise awareness for local office
 Mentor elementary-age children and provide consistent experiences through positive activities
Example of a functional resume—this is shown by the emphasis of transferable skills and abilities.
Sally S. Student
111 Broadway Avenue, New York City, NY 55555
[email protected] | 111-111-1111
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Psychology with a focus in community development
Minor in Mathematics
University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN May 2016, GPA: 3.68
 National Dean’s List
 Studied Economics with a focus on economic development and analyzing effective developmental policies
 Studied Mathematics, and its application in research and economic analysis
 Took research classes focusing on statistical analysis and developing planning skills for
completing research projects
 Completed courses developing interpersonal relationship skills, as they relate to psychology and social services
Summary of Qualifications
Research & Analysis Skills
 Analyzed data using SPSS software and reported research findings in a formal research report
and presentation
 Experienced with research designs and appropriate statistics for those designs
 Researched and analyzed various developmental policies in a policy analysis report
 Familiar with statistical computation and how to interpret the results of those computations
Organizational Skills
 Successfully planned and organized school events including a Red Cross blood drive and the student event, “The
Voice”
 Ability to follow instructions on set up and customer service without being directly supervised
 Managed multiple Financial Aid staff members schedules utilizing Microsoft Outlook
 Achieved academic success in college while working, playing sports, performing musically,
and participating in community service
Computer Skills
 Skilled in common MS Office programs such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
 Experience with SPSS software
 Served as a teaching assistant for a college-level computer class, with responsibilities including
grading papers and conducting labs
Interpersonal Skills
 Developed strong relational skills as a Resident Assistant for a year at the University of Northwestern—St. Paul
 Strong communication and customer service skills as seen in student financial services internship
Work & Volunteer Experience
Resident Assistant, University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN 2014-2015
Student Financial Services Intern, University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN 2014
Economics Tutor, University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN 2012-2014
Student Activities Member, University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN 2013
Soup Kitchen Volunteer, Saint Paul Rescue Mission, St. Paul, MN 2012-2013
Example of a combination resume—this is shown by the combined elements of both the transferable
skills seen in the functional resume and the work experience in the chronological resume.
123 23rd Lane NW, Coon Rapids, MN ● [email protected] ● (777) 555-3333
Gabby Grammar
Professional
Summary
Focused and passionate writer and editor with unique blend of attention to detail
and creativity. Seeking a position in which experience and professionalism can contribute to and learn from a team of talented writers.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, English
University of Northwestern, St. Paul, MN (UNWSP), May 2009
Concentration: Creative Writing
GPA: 3.62
Relevant
Work
Experience
Reign Ministries Writing Intern, Crystal, MN
January 2010—Present
Wrote and edited weekly newsletters which were sent to over 3,000 Reign alumni.
Optimized accessibility to anecdotes by creating a digital portfolio.
Digitalized paper copies of stories and quotes from members and made accessible via
hyperlink on the Reign website.
 Created blog posts covering a variety of missionary-related topics and issues.
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Annual Giving Office Assistant, UNWSP
September 2011—November 2013
Wrote and edited articles for monthly parent e-newsletter, reaching the parents of 1,700
students.
 Supervised 10-15 student workers during two financial campaigns.
 Managed and updated donor spreadsheets in Excel.
 Updated parent relations website monthly with articles and pictures from Northwestern’s
website.
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English Teacher, LEAD International, Hong Kong, China
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Other Work
Experience
Relevant Skills
Relevant
Coursework
August 2014—June 2015
Edited 18 students’ writing assignments two-five times per week.
Developed clear text for daily class discussion including supplemental materials.
Instructed 18 Chinese adults in 12 hours of classroom time each week.
Experience living in a cross-cultural setting.
Waitress, Waite Park Diner , Edina, MN
Summers 2011—2012
Sales Representative, B. Dalton Books, Minnetonka, MN
August 2012—May 2013
Lifeguard, Bloomington Family Aquatic Center, Bloomington, MN
June—August 2015
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MS Word: track changes, mail merge
Dreamweaver: basic html coding, placing images
PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Excel
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Technical Writing
Advanced Grammar
Beginning Web Design