Creating an effective resume
An employer may only spend 20 seconds scanning your resume, so it is imperative to make it short,
concise and targeted to the job or industry to which you are applying. Choosing a resume format that
best markets your skills and experience to an employer is the first step to job-finding success.
1. Main types of resumes:
REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL:
Since employers are most familiar with this format, choose another format only if the reverse
chronological format does not allow you to market your skills effectively.


Organize jobs in reverse chronological order (most recent first), stating:
o Job Title: create an accurate one if you had none
o Name of company or organization and location (city/province). Do not include
supervisor’s name or employer’s street address or telephone number
o Dates, beginning and terminating (for full-time, on-going positions of at least one year,
it is not necessary to include a reference to the months)
o Bullet point description of your skills and responsibilities, relevant to the job you are
hoping to attain
Reverse Chronological template (Appendix A)
Most effective if your…



employment history is closely related to
the position for which you are applying
achievements are measurable and can be
demonstrated
employment history is consistent and has
few gaps
Does not work well if you…

have gaps in your employment history

do not have relevant work experience
FUNCTIONAL:
The main difference between this type of resume and the Reverse Chronological is the condensed
Employment History section.
 Identify three to six Key Skill areas (as identified in the job ad or from your understanding of
your desired industry). Eg, Problem Solving, Organizational Skills, Communication Skills
 Use the bullet points from your Employment History section of your reverse chronological
resume and include under one of the skill headings you created; ensure each point starts with
an action verb
 Try to combine points wherever possible to make clear, concise entries; the number of points
for each function/skills should range from three to seven
Nipissing University
Page 1


The Employment History section comprises, in reverse chronological order, a listing of your
employment: Job title, Company/Organization, Location and Date. There are no job descriptions
in this section.
Functional Template (Appendix B)
Most effective if you…
 want to focus on skills and achievements
rather than dates



have relevant experience, but these
positions would be lost among the other
jobs in a reverse chronological resume
do not have a lot of relevant work
experience, but do have relevant
qualifications for the job
may have gaps in your employment
history
Does not work well if you…
 can't provide specific examples of how you
have used your skills in previous situations

are more effectively marketed by alternate
format
CUSTOMIZED:
Similar to a Reverse Chronological resume, but includes specific additional sections pertaining to a
particular job industry. These sections are often only included when the applicant is a recent graduate,
as Employment History does not yet demonstrate experience in the field.
 Organize in reverse chronological order, including dates and employer, giving bullet point
examples of skills demonstrated/developed
o Teaching: 'Teaching Philosophy', 'School Practicum Experience', 'Voluntary Teaching
Experience'
o Nursing: 'Clinical Placements' or 'Key Clinical Experience'
o IT roles: 'Technical Skills Summary'
 Customized Template (Appendix C)
Most effective if you…

Are applying for a job in a specialized sector,
usually requiring registration
Nipissing University
Does not work well if you…



Have not experienced a practicum
Not relevant to desired industry
Have previous industry experience
Page 2
2. Types of sections you can include:
The following are some basic headings to consider for your resume, depending on the type of resume
you wish to use that will market you best, and the industry you’re applying to.
Personal Details
Career Objective or Personal
Statement
Education or Qualifications
Key Skills
School Practicum Experience/Clinical
Placement
Employment History/ Work Experience
Professional Development
Special Skills and Achievements
Interests
References
Name, address, email, home phone, cell phone
What do you want to do? What do you have to offer?
Dates attended, name of institution/program, course/majors
Reading, writing, document use, numeracy, computer use,
thinking, oral communication, working with others,
continuous learning
Dates, name of employer, skills used
Dates, name of employer, job title, roles/ responsibilities,
skills
Dates, name of qualification and institution, brief description
Other relevant examples to enhance your resume
Give high-level examples that indicate unique skill or
experience
Name, job title, relationship to you, contact phone and email
Edit and Proofread
Your resume should be concise and well organized – keep to 2 pages. Blocks of text that are more than 4
lines belong on a cover letter, not your resume. Edit carefully for meaning, clarity, grammar and spelling.
Get it critiqued!
ALWAYS have a friend, family member or Career Counsellor review before submitting, to avoid making
mistakes…
Languages: “Speak English and Spinach.”
Experience: “Demonstrated ability in multi-tasting.”
Experience: “Child care provider: Organized activities; prepared lunches and snakes.”
Skills: “Strong Work Ethic, Attention to Detail, Team Player, Self Motivated, Attention to Detail”
Nipissing University
Page 3
3. The important stuff… What do I write?
Research the employer’s needs
Employers say the applications that impress them the most demonstrate your knowledge of their
business. Employers prefer cover letters and resumes that specifically address their requirements, so to
increase your chances at an interview, tailor your resume for each position you apply for.
To do this effectively you’ll need to have a good understanding of the position you are seeking, as well
as having an appreciation of their key goals, priorities and challenges of the industry.



What does the employer require? (review industry info, check out strategic plan)
What abilities and experiences do I have that make me a suitable candidate?
How can I demonstrate that?
Link your experiences with employer requirements
Through your research on the organization, you’ll be able to identify 4 – 6 key skills, experiences or
knowledge areas important to that employer. Your resume and cover letter should address these areas.
Think about the employer’s point of view and present information about yourself in a way that answers
their question, ‘What can this candidate offer my organization?’ By linking examples that demonstrate
your relevant experience and skills, you’ll create an application that will get their attention.
The table below is an example of an organized approach to documenting skills and experience against
each one of an employer’s requirements:
Skills and experiences the employer wants
Planning & organizational skills
Professional oral and written communication skills
Initiative & leadership skills
John’s experiences
Organized project on customer needs in banking
sector; organized posters for sports club event
Presentation on deregulation for business course;
financial reports for university
Independent research on Ontario financial
institutions; introduced new accounting system for
tennis team
When you understand why you are a good fit, it will be much easier to communicate that to employers.
Understanding your own skills, knowledge and behaviours will make your interviews easier too!
Assess your skills, knowledge and experience
It is a good idea to make documenting your skills an ongoing project. It’s much easier to remember what
you have done in the last few months than trying to recall details of projects you did a year ago or more!
Even when you are not actively job seeking, keep adding to your notes on your skills and achievements.
Nipissing University
Page 4
Once you start identifying your skills, technical knowledge and personal qualities with examples to
demonstrate your experience, it is easier to see how you match the employer’s requirements.
The following table identifies a range of transferrable skills and attributes regarded highly by employers.
Consider which of these skills and attributes are most relevant for the position to which you are
applying.
SKILL
COMMUNICATION
CUSTOMER SERVICE
TEAMWORK
PLANNING & ORGANIZING
MANAGEMENT/LEADERSHIP
TIME MANAGEMENT
ANALYTICAL/PROBLEM
SOLVING
SELF MANAGEMENT
TECHNICAL
INITIATIVE & ENTERPRISE
INTERPERSONAL
Nipissing University
EXAMPLE
Written and verbal communication: Are you able to clearly communicate your
ideas? Can you adapt your style for different audiences? Have you had to explain
specific information? What type of communication? (eg presentations, reports,
brainstorming, formal discussion)
Providing a service for the general public or internal clients: Are you an effective
salesperson? Do you understand the needs of customers? Can you influence and
negotiate effectively? Can you effectively empathize with customers and diffuse
aggressive customer situations?
Working effectively with others: Can you handle conflict? Have you undertaken
different roles? Do you know how to support others and ask for support?
Managing time, resources and priorities: Have you created timelines and
coordinated tasks for yourself with others? Can you adapt plans to cope with
unforeseen changes? Have you collected, analyzed and organized information?
Have you planned or organized events?
Your ability to plan, take and delegate responsibility, take action and achieve
targets, and demonstrate foresight: Can you organize others activities and time?
Can you resolve conflict? Can you make maximum use of people and resources
to achieve objectives? Have you coached staff or provided constructive
feedback?
Working to targets, balancing priorities: Can you organize your work and
prioritize tasks? Can you produce work to deadlines? Effectively balance study
and work, volunteering or sport commitments?
Identify issues, create strategies and develop creative, original or practical
solutions: Have you identified problems and/or found a solution? Have you used
budgeting to solve problems? Do you consider the data and circumstances
before offering solutions? Have you resolved customer issues in relation to
projects?
Your ability to evaluate and monitor your own performance: Are you aware of
your weaknesses and working to improve them? Are you able to articulate your
thoughts and passion? Do you take responsibility for your personal growth?
Technical knowledge: Are you skilled in using specialist tools? Do you have
knowledge and experience of technology systems, programs and devices? Have
you used IT in your work or study?
Adapting to new situations, developing a strategic, innovative plan: Have you
identified opportunities not obvious to others? Can you make ideas happen? Can
you generate a range of options or suggest creative solutions?
Building and maintaining effective working relationships: Are you able to relate
to other people? Can you interact with a broad range of individuals and groups?
Page 5
4. Using Excellent Examples
Key Skills section
When describing your skills avoid generalized statements such as ‘Excellent communication skills’ –
anyone can say that! SHOW how you have actually used those skills by using examples from your
employment history, studies or extracurricular activities.
Your aim is to include in your example the Situation, Task, Action and Result (STAR).
a. Note down the key information for each skill required. For example, if you need to demonstrate
your planning and organizational skills, you might use an example of something you organized
for the student society or club you are involved with:
John’s notes for an example of organizational skills
Situation:
(the situation or setting)
Task:
(outline what you did)
Action:
(outline how you did it)
Result:
(the outcome)
My sports club was organizing a fundraising party
I was responsible for the promotional materials
I planned what kind of promotional materials were needed;
designed posters, flyers and a slide for our facebook page; got the
posters and flyers printed; told club members where to distribute
Posters and flyers were up by the deadline
b. Create a statement only 2 or 3 lines long that focuses on the key actions you took. Use the work
related verbs list on the next page to give you some ideas. Where possible, quantify examples
with figures; for example ‘Produced 18 monthly newsletters with readership of over 200’ has
more impact than ‘Produced monthly newsletter’.
John’s example:
Planning and organizational skills

Planned and designed promotional materials for sports club fundraising event. Coordinated
printing and distribution of 100 posters and 1000 postcards, successfully promoting the
event over a 2 week period.
Nipissing University
Page 6
5. Tailor your Career Objective to each position
Most employers expect to see a Career Objective or an Experience Summary at the start of a
resume. It is the first impression you give of your suitability for the job, so tailor it to each individual
employer. A too general or poorly written Career Objective will suggest laziness, disinterest or a lack
of understanding – not really the way you want to market yourself! A well thought out and genuine
Career Objective can positively influence the way an employer considers you. An effective Career
Objective highlights what makes you ‘right’ for the role. It should:
i.
ii.
iii.
Provide a summary of your suitability to that particular position;
Link your abilities to the key attributes sought by the employer; and
Show how your goals fit with the employers expectations.
It is easier to write after you have worked on matching examples of your skills to the position
requirements, tailored your resume and written your cover letter. Remember…


Make it concise! Only 2 or 3 lines only. More detailed info belongs elsewhere.
Identify the position you are applying for, key skills or experience you have to offer, and what
you hope to gain or achieve in the position (NOT what the position can do for you).
Example:
To attain a position as a Junior Marketing Assistant with Innovate Marketing Inc, where I can
demonstrate both the knowledge gained through my degree and my expertise in providing quality
customer service.
In some fields, or if you have an extensive employment history, a Professional Profile or Experience
Summary may be more effective than a Career Objective. Regardless, conciseness and relevance are
always essential.
Here are some examples of work-related action words you may wish to use:
Management
Verbs
Administered
Coordinated
Increased
Analyzed
Delegated
Organized
Assigned
Developed
Planned
Attained
Directed
Produced
Chaired
Evaluated
Reviewed
Consolidated
Effected
Strengthened
Contracted
Improved
Supervised
Addressed
Edited
Persuaded
Arbitrated
Formulated
Presented
Arranged
Influenced
Promoted
Appeased
Interviewed
Publicized
Collaborated
Lectured
Recruited
Convinced
Mediated
Translated
Drafted
Notified
Wrote
Categorized
Interpreted
Collated
Incorporated
Documented
Investigated
Examined
Summarized
Extracted
Surveyed
Identified
Systematized
Inspected
Verified
Assembled
Fabricated
Constructed
Maintained
Calculated
Operated
Computed
Overhauled
Designed
Repaired
Devised
Solved
Engineered
Upgraded
Communication
Research
Technical
Teaching
Nipissing University
Page 7
Adapted
Facilitated
Advised
Informed
Clarified
Instructed
Coached
Mentored
Enabled
Stimulated
Encouraged
Trained
Explained
Tutored
Acted
Integrated
Created
Invented
Customized
Originated
Dramatized
Performed
Established
Outlined
Illustrated
Revitalized
Initiated
Shaped
Advocated
Led
Assessed
Motivated
Assisted
Referred
Counselled
Rehabilitated
Diagnosed
Represented
Educated
Supported
Guided
Volunteered
Approved
Executed
Retrieved
Authorized
Issued
Screened
Catalogued
Monitored
Specified
Classified
Optimized
Streamlined
Collected
Prepared
Tabulated
Compiled
Processed
Utilized
Dispatched
Recorded
Validated
Creative
Helping
Clerical
Additional Tips:








Use bullet points throughout - avoid lengthy sentences
Start each bullet point with an action word (see list above)
Include internships, summer and part-time employment
Emphasize skills, strengths and accomplishments
List major awards, achievements and publications
Use the language/jargon of your chosen field,
Remove all personalization: "I," "me," "my," "we"
Check for consistency to ensure everything is uniform and professional: do all jobs listed include
city/state and the location of the company? Are all job titles listed and underlined under the
company name?
Nipissing University
Page 8