Marian Hall 214 • 617-735-9930 • [email protected]
Resume Guide
WHAT IS A RESUME?
A resume is your advertisement that presents information about your qualifications to prospective employers. Your
resume highlights your achievements and skills from previous and current academic, work or volunteer experience.
The goals of a resume are:
 To pique the reader’s interest in meeting you
 To obtain an interview with an employer
 To market yourself as a strong candidate
WHAT ARE THE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS OF A RESUME?
At minimum, your resume should include the following components. There are additional headings that can be added
and are included on page 2.

Contact information: Includes your name, address, phone number and e-mail.
- Address: Always give your complete address. Be consistent with abbreviations throughout your resume (St.
vs. Street). You can include both your permanent and current addresses if you would like but usually students
use their current school year address.
- Telephone: Always include your phone number. This must be a number that you can use in private to discuss
job interest or to schedule an interview. DON’T use your work phone number. ALWAYS put your area code
even if you are applying in the same code location. Be sure that your voicemail message is professional.
- E-mail: E-mail is one of the main forms of communication between job seekers and employers. Always list
your e-mail address. If you have two, list only your most regularly-used e-mail address. Consider creating an email address exclusively for your job search. Your e-mail address should be appropriate and professional.

Education: State your education, school, degree and date achieved (or expected date)

Employment/Work Experience: As a student, employers will most likely be expecting a chronological resume.
Therefore, you should list your experience from most current to least current. Include paid, non-paid, and
volunteer experiences, so that you can market a variety of accomplishments and skills.
- Job Title: Purpose is to provide a generic identification understood by all employers.
- Company Name: Include name city and state only; there is no need for address or zip code.
- Employment Dates: Use months and years (January 2010 – March 2012), seasons (Fall 2011, good for
internships), or simply years to de-emphasize short term or temporary employment (2011– 2012).
- Responsibilities: This is the crucial part of your resume. Remain true but creative with your job description
to market your skills and their relevance to the prospective employer. Refer to actual job descriptions you might
have from the past only as a guide; do not repeat them. Write any quantifiable achievements and
accomplishments, not just job duties. Each bullet point should start with an action verb and should describe
what you did, who it benefitted, and the outcome. This should be quantified when possible (i.e. Increased sales
10% over a three month period)
ADDITIONAL HEADINGS
 Accreditation and licenses: List any certifications or licenses you may have that are relevant to the particular
field of interest.
 Rewards/Accomplishments: A continuation of the above so that you show achievements during your period of
time at a specific company or with a volunteer organization.
 Related Experience: Listing volunteer, service, or leadership positions that better relate to the types of positions
you are currently applying.
 Skills: List any foreign languages (not English), computer or additional skills that are relevant to your area of
interest.
 Professional Training: List if you have taken specific industry or occupational training/workshops.
 Publications: List if you have been a part of or assisted in any research or writing that was published.
 Other possible/optional sections: Achievements, Dean’s List, Academic Awards, Activities, Student Groups/
Organizations, Community Service, Summary, Qualifications
Additional Considerations

Presentation: Your resume is a marketing piece, and is typically the first point of contact for potential employers.
It is essential that you follow the three C’s of resume writing - CLEAR, CONCISE AND CONSISTENT. Make sure
to leave “white space” throughout your resume- do not pack it with information.

Length: Your resume should not be more than one page in length, two pages maximum (unless you have more
than five years of full-time, professional work experience.)

Font Style: The font you choose should be easily read and the same throughout. Choose a universally accepted
font such as Times New Roman, Arial, Courier New, Tahoma, Verdana, Georgia, etc.

Font Size: Can range between 10 and 12 points, 11 is good. Your name should be the largest item on your resume
and may be up to 20 points, 16 may be sufficient.

Margins: The margins should not be more than 1 inch or less than .5 inches on the left and right and the top and
bottom. Use margins to optimize the “white space” of your resume for better readability.

Paper: When mailing or handing out your resume in person you should have it printed on white, off-white, or
light gray bond paper. The resume should be printed on laser printers for a more professional appearance.

Style: Be consistent with titles and headings. If you choose your job title to be in italics then ALL job titles should
be italicized. If you choose your company name to be in bold then ALL company names should be bolded. Try not
to underline too much; it does not allow for smooth reading.

Language: Job descriptions, skills and accomplishments are most effective by using concise phrases. Do not write
full sentences. For all past employment, the past tense of verbs should be used. Begin each statement with an
action verb - do not begin sentences with “I”. Refer to “Resume ACTION Verbs” (page 3) for assistance.

Electronic Resume: If you are attaching your resume to e-mail correspondence, consider converting the resume
to a .PDF file to preserve formatting. Be sure to include the title and/or job number in the subject line and name
clearly name the file (i.e. Smith-Jane-Resume). Include an abbreviated cover letter in the text of your email and
indicate that you are attaching your resume and detailed cover letter. Regardless, be sure to follow submission
instructions outlined by the employer.

Scannable Resume: A scannable resume is one that is scanned by a computer for KEY WORDS relevant to the
job description. Therefore, it is important to learn buzz words and industry terms in your field of interest and
include them in your resume to maximize your chances when scanning is used. Do not use fancy or elaborate
fonts, bullets, underlining, bolding, or italics. Do not staple or otherwise alter your resume.
BE SURE TO PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME TO MAKE SURE IT IS ERROR-FREE!
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RESUME ACTION VERBS
Here is a sampling of some useful action verbs which may be used in your resume.
COMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATION
acted as liaison
advised
advocated
arbitrated
arranged
authored
commented
consulted
corresponded
counseled
demonstrated
developed
displayed
edited
enlisted
guided
identified
informed
instructed
interpreted
interviewed
lectured
marketed
mediated
moderated
motivated
negotiated
notified
obtained
persuaded
presented
promoted
proofread
publicized
published
read
reasoned
recommended
referred
sold
spoke
trained
translated
wrote
administered
appointed
assisted
arranged
completed
conducted
consolidated
contracted
controlled
coordinated
delegated
determined
diagnosed
directed
dispatched
dispensed
distributed
eliminated
executed
founded
governed
headed
implemented
initiated
instituted
issued
launched
managed
motivated
obtained
offered
opened
ordered
organized
overhauled
oversaw
prescribed
presided
provided
recruited
rectified
referred
regulated
represented
revamped
reviewed
routed
selected
supervised
supplied
terminated
PLANNING &
DEVELOPMENT
FINANCIAL/RECORD &
MANAGEMENT
broadened
created
designed
proposed
developed
devised
discovered
drafted
estimated
facilitated
improved
initiated
invented
modified
planned
prepared
produced
administered
advised
audited
analyzed
allocated
appraised
budgeted
calculated
catalogued
charted
classified
collected
computed
condensed
documented
expedited
guaranteed
inventoried
listed
logged
managed
maximized
monitored
planned
processed
procured
purchased
recorded
rehabilitate
revised
scheduled
tallied
traced
updated
ANALYSIS
amplified
analyzed
calculated
compiled
computed
detected
diagnosed
disapproved
evaluated
examined
formulated
identified (needs)
investigated
programmed
researched
solved
studied
tested
MANUAL
assembled
built
constructed
delivered
installed
maintained
modernized
navigated
operated
repaired
replaced
restored
rewired
trimmed
CREATIVE/ART
acted
conceptualized
created
customized
designed
developed
directed
fashioned
generated
illustrated
integrated
painted
reformer
planed
revitalized
shaped
synthesized
GENERAL
accomplished
achieved
adapted
assisted
attended
collaborated
cooperated
completed
contributed
delivered
enlarged
expanded
formulate
handled
improved
increased
initiated
monitored
originated
performed
provided
resided
resolved
secured
served
serviced
strengthened
transformed
utilized
RESEARCH
analyzed
clarified
collected
critiqued
decided
defined
diagnosed
evaluated
examined
extrapolated
gathered
interpreted
interviewed
investigated
isolated
measured
monitored
organized
reviewed
surveyed
synthesized
Be sure to describe current job responsibilities in the present tense.
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Sample Resume #1
Style: Bulleted Style - Content left justified
Advantages: More space for content
Limitations: Descriptions may appear too lengthy
RYAN JACOBS
400 The Fenway, Box #200 • Boston, MA 02115 • 617-646-2266 • [email protected]
EDUCATION___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies; Minor in Information Technology
Coursework includes: Human Motivation, Statistics, Micro Economics, International Relations
Research topics: Economic Growth in Latin America, Impact of Media on Children's Development
Expected May 2013
School for International Training, Guayaquil, Ecuador
January 2012-May 2012
Cultural and language immersion program. Included comparative field study on Ecuadorian social service programs for
homeless children in Quito and Guayaquil.
EXPERIENCE__________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Hub, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Reporter
December 2011-present
 Research potential stories and compile human interest articles for daily campus newspaper.
 Collaborate closely with Editor-in-Chief to write and revise articles for publication.
 Undertook special assignment of featuring Winter Trustees’ meeting, including conducting informational interviews and
archival research.
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
“Culture Shock” Coordinator
February 2012-May 2012
 Organized 18 student-leaders to plan new festival to showcase depth of cultural diversity at Emmanuel.
 Met and collaborated with Student Activities Office to successfully recruit 25 campus performance groups and 12 student
artists.
 Submitted proposals to Emmanuel College Endowment to secure $4,000 budget.
 Created and implemented advertising and action plans and delegated tasks to committees.
Kaiko Insurance, Boston, MA
Fraud Investigations and Preventions Intern
September 2011-December 2011
 Collected and transferred 500+ client and health provider records into database to identify patterns of insurance fraud.
 Collaborated with 6-person team to define and rank criteria to create new fraud detection software.
 Designed and co-presented manual for company-wide training on new software.
Vacation Rentals, Inc., Hampton, NH
June 2011-August 2011
Administrative Assistant (Seasonal)
 Processed daily car rentals and provided customer service in a busy 5-person office.
 Executed study of 300 customers to evaluate the demand for expanding the business to include moving trucks.
SKILLS ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Language: Fluent in Spanish
Certification: Wilderness EMT Certified
Computer: Microsoft Office, FileMaker, CAAD, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator
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Resume Sample #2
Style: Bulleted Style - Underline - Content left justified
Advantages: More space for content
Limitations: Combined experience under one heading
JOHN SMITH
400 The Fenway #2004 * Boston, MA 02115 * (617) 555-1234 * [email protected]
EDUCATION:
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Arts degree in English Communication
Expected May 2013
Minor: Graphic Design
G.P.A. 3.5/ 4.0
Honors/Awards: Dean’s List Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011
Relevant Coursework: Speech Communication, Writing for Electronic Media, Critical Inquiry, Communications Media &
Cultural Studies, Journalism, Public Relations Writing
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Urban Outfitters, Boston, MA
May 2011 – Present
Retail Salesperson
 Greet customers and ensure they have an enjoyable shopping experience at global retail clothing and accessories store on
Newbury Street
 Exhibit excellent floor presence by collaborating with team-members to help meet daily sales goals
 Received award for store’s top winter holiday salesperson in 2010 with $6000 of merchandise sold
 Work closely with Display Artist to help develop and contribute unique perspectives to store displays
 Demonstrate adaptability to high pressure environment with strict time restraints
O’Neill and Associates, Boston, MA
January 2011 – May 2011
Public Relations Intern (20 hours/week)
 Assisted in facilitating consumer relations, or the relationship between parts of the company such as the managers and
employees, or different branch offices
 Wrote interesting and effective press releases, prepared information for media kits and developed and maintained company
internet or intranet web pages
 Evaluated advertising and promotion programs for compatibility with public relations efforts
 Managed special events such as sponsorship of races, parties introducing new products, or other activities the firm supports
to gain public attention through the media without advertising directly
Jillian’s Billiards Club, Boston, MA
September 2009 – May 2011
Server
 Served food and beverages to patrons at upscale, 150 seat, modern restaurant, lounge and billiards facility
 Marketed various products and promotions within the establishment to customers
 Operated Micros computer system to take orders and make transactions
 Assured customer satisfaction and interacted with staff to produce quality work and promote open communication
SKILLS:
Computer: Mac and PC, MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), Outlook, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator
Language: Bilingual in Spanish and English
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE:
Good Nursing Home, Waterford, CT
Winter Breaks 2009 – Present
 Help provide an enjoyable holiday season by playing games with and reading to the seniors
Emmanuel College Alternative Spring Break, New Orleans, LA
 Served the Sisters of the Holy Family by refurbishing a day care center and library
March 2008 and 2009
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
 Emmanuel College Varsity Soccer Team, 2010 to Present; Captain, 2010 to Present
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Resume Sample #3
Style: Bulleted Style - Content left justified - Related Experience
Advantages: Focuses on relevant experiences - More space for content
Limitations: Need sufficient number of experiences - May be difficult to read
Joseph Williams
204 W. Plainview Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
(773) 238-8112 · [email protected]
_____________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, Concentration in Mathematics, May 2012
CERTIFICATION
Massachusetts Initial Elementary Certification (Type 03), April 2012
Middle School Endorsement in Mathematics and Social Sciences
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Hawthorne Scholastic Academy, Boston, MA
Student Teacher, October 2011-May 2012
6th, 7th (Pre-algebra), 8th (Algebra) Mathematics
 Continuously taught, reflected, and modified skills by providing students with original homework assignments,
review packets, and assessments
 Employed “problem of the day” to reinforce previously taught skills, prepare students for ISAT, and encourage
making connections across the curriculum
 Implemented review activities as class began to utilize each available teaching minute
 Adapted lessons for advanced students and students with learning, and hearing disabilities
 Facilitated open tutoring Monday through Thursday mornings for any student who needed extra help
6th Reading
 Strengthened comprehension skills such as making connections and predictions, and asking questions
 Encouraged critical thinking as well as targeted ISAT skills through stimulating discussions, purposeful journal
writing, and focused essay writing
 Created various original assessments for each text in the curriculum
6th Social Studies
 Aided in the production of a play based on The Canterbury Tales which was an interdisciplinary unit
encompassing history, reading, art, dance, and music
 Created focused lessons on note taking skills and developed original assessments
TEACHING-RELATED EXPERIENCE
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Peer Advisor, February 2011-June 2012
 Utilize strong advising skills by critiquing students’ resumes as well as providing interviewing tips, job search
strategies, helping with online resources and facilitated career resource workshops
 Train new front desk staff, new Peer Career Advisors and identify mentorship techniques
Bakerson Family, Boston, MA
Childcare Provider, March 2010-June 2012
 Introduced games and story hour which encouraged comprehensive, problem-solving, and vocabulary.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Boys and Girls Club of Chicago, Boston, MA
Volunteer Mentor at Jahn Elementary Club, 2011 and 2012 Academic Years
 Developing a long lasting relationship with a mentee by creating a safe and positive environment and identifying
the importance of character and healthy living weekly.
 Emphasizing the importance of education and learning by tutoring and ensuring all homework is complete.
 Awarded 2006 Mentor of the Year at the Jahn Elementary Club.
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Sample Resume #4
Style: Combined Related Experience - CAP/Bold - Paragraph
Advantages: Focus on most relevant information early
Limitations: Need sufficient number of experiences - Descriptions may be difficult to read
SUE MEI KANG
400 The Fenway, Box #125, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA 021155
Cell: 617-555-7878/E-Mail: [email protected]
———————————————————————————————————————————————EDUCATION
EMMANUEL COLLEGE, Bachelor of Arts, Management
GPA: 3.3/4.0; Thesis: Micro-Enterprise Development in Brazil
Coursework includes: Population, Culture & the Environment, Statistics, Perception
Language: Proficient in Spanish
Computer: Quicken, STATA, PowerPoint
UNIVERSIDAD DE BELGRANO
Immersion program in language, culture, and history.
BOSTON, MA
May 2012
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
March - June 2011
MARKETING EXPERIENCE
KATE SPADE HANDBAGS, International Business Intern
Communicated daily with newly expanded Japanese regional headquarters regarding sales
promotions, product orders and merchandise sales. Composed and updated merchandise
sales reports using Excel.
EMMANUEL COLLEGE, Admissions Dept. Tour Guide
Promoted academic, cultural and social dimensions of the college to prospective applicants
and families on a weekly basis. Continuously updated communications by monitoring
campus news, electronic bulletins and ongoing orientations.
MAGNETIC INNOVATIONS, Internet Marketing Intern
Conducted comparative research of online shopping sites for compatibility to company
products. Researched and analyzed the quality and costs of e-mail brokers and their
corresponding target group e-mail lists. Identified potential online affiliations that would
generate increased revenue.
NEW YORK, NY
July - Sept. 2012
BOSTON, MA
Oct. 2011 - June 2012
TAMPA, FL
Jan. - March 2011
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
SUMMERBRIDGE NATIONAL, Instructor
Captured students’ enthusiasm for learning by developing creative methods for teaching
Algebra and Biology. Organized parent-teacher meetings and provided progress reports.
MANCHESTER, NH
June - Sept. 2010
SERVICE & ACTIVITIES
EMMANUEL COLLEGE LACROSSE TEAM
Practice logistics, strategy, teamwork and compete up to 20 hours a week.
BOSTON, MA
Sept. 2009 - June 2012
YOUTH IMAGINE PROJECT, Co-Chair
Oriented and supervised 20 Emmanuel student mentors in a high school retention
program for at-risk teens. Launched fundraising campaign that yielded $8,000 to
sustain program.
BOSTON, MA
Oct. 2009 - May 2010
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Resume Sample #5
Style: Bulleted Style - Content left justified - Related Experience and Skills
Advantages: Focuses on relevant experiences and skills - More space for content
Limitations: Need sufficient number of experiences and skill sets
JOHN DOE
11 Hawk Lane, Boston, MA 02115 | (123) 456-7891 | [email protected]
EDUCATION
Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Bachelor of Science in Biology with Concentration in Neuroscience
Minors in Chemistry, English Literature, and Art History
Current GPA: 4.0
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Expected graduation May 2013
Relevant Coursework: Cellular Biology, Organic Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Neurobiology,
General Psychology, Cognition and Physiological Bases of Behavior.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
May 2012 – present
Immunology and Transplant Biology research under Dr. Josef Kurtz, Ph.D.
Projects include:
 Isolation and characterization of B-cell infiltrate populations contributing to Chronic Humoral Rejection of Human
Renal Allografts
 Collection of preliminary data for the grant submission for a similar project to isolate and characterize B-cell infiltrates
in Human Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy
 Training of new student interns in pertinent laboratory protocols and practices
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Massasoit Community College, Brockton, MA
September 2011 – December 2011
Independent Honors Project, investigation of Physics of the Human Anatomy under the direction of Professors Kenneth Demers
and LeeAnn Griggs
Project Included:
 Theoretical determination of the force exerted by the musculature of the upper arm when flexed
 Construction of a life-sized, anatomically correct model of a human right arm, capable of flexion at the elbow joint,
with appropriate center of mass of average human forearm.
 Design and placement of a series of pulley systems, strings, and weights to simulate musculature, tendon attachment and
force of flexion, respectively
LABORATORY SKILLS
 Molecular Biology—PCR; Plasmid Cloning, Bacterial Transformation, and Miniprep; RNA Extraction and
Quantification; RT-PCR and cDNA Synthesis; DNA Purification from Agarose Gels; Protein Purification; Primer
Design
 Cell Culture—Freezing/Thawing Populations; Sterile Technique; Cell Counting; Isolation of Monoclonal Populations;
Concentration and Harvesting of Cellular Secretions
 FACS—Design and Performance of Flow Cytometry Experiments; Composition and Analysis of Flow Data
 Processing Tissue Samples—FICOL Reactions, Tissue Homogenization, DNA/RNA Extraction from Tissue
 Immunologic Assays—Western Blot; Micro Arrays
 Immunohistochemistry—Antibody Staining and Subsequent Analysis
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emmanuel College
 Presidential Scholarship Recipient (Merit Based)
 Internship Office Bioscience Networking Seminar, Student Representative
 Academic Tutor for Biology, Chemistry, and Art Departments, 2010-present
Tri-Beta National Biological Honors Society, Member since 2010
Phi Theta Kappa National Honors Society of Two Year Colleges, Member since 2010
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