Create a Strong Resume for Employment

Create 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. GETTING STARTED • • • • • 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 DON’T: • Use personal pronouns (such as I) • Abbreviate • Use a narrative style • Use slang or colloquialisms • Include a picture • Include age or gender • List references • Start each line with a date Draft a resume using one of the templates on the OCS website. Attend a Resume Workshop to learn the nuts and bolts of getting started. See the OCS website for dates. View the OCS Recorded Resume Webinar available on our website. Get advice via drop-ins. Monday-Friday, 1:00-4:00pm - ask quick career-related questions and have an adviser review your resume. Look for industry specific resume review clinics, listed on the Employer and Graduate School Calendar. TOP 6 RESUME MISTAKES: 1. Spelling and grammar errors 2. Missing email and phone information 3. Using passive language instead of “action” words 4. Not well organized, concise, or easy to skim 5. Not demonstrating results 6. 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 PLAN TO WORK INTERNATIONALLY? Resume guidelines can vary from country to country. See our international resources at ocs.fas.harvard.edu/online-tools Action Verbs for your Resume LEADERSHIP Accomplished Achieved Coordinated Contracted Administered Analyzed Delegated Developed Assigned Directed Attained Earned Chaired Evaluated Consolidated Executed Handled 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 Developed Arbitrated Directed Arranged Documented Authored Drafted Collaborated Edited Convinced Energized Corresponded Delivered Enlisted Formulated Influenced Interpreted Lectured Presented Promoted Publicized Liaised Mediated Moderated Negotiated Persuaded Reconciled Recruited Reported Rewrote Suggested Synthesized Spoke Translated Verbalized Wrote Clari fied Diagnosed Collected Discovered Concluded Evaluated Conducted Examined Constructed Extracted Critiqued Formed Derived Identified Determined Inspected Interpreted Interviewed Investigated Modeled Organized Resolved Reviewed RESEARCH Surveyed Summarized Systematized Tested TECHNICAL Assembled Built Installed Solved Maintained Operated Standardized Streamlined Calculated Optimized Upgraded Computed Designed Adapted Enabled Advised Encouraged Clarified Evaluated Coached Explained Communicated Facilitated Coordinated Guided Persuaded Set Goals Stimulated Studied Taught Trained Overhauled Devised Programmed Engineered Remodeled Fabricated Repaired TEACHING Demystified Informed Developed Instructed QUANTITATIVE Administered Allocated Analyzed Computed Projected Developed Researched Forecasted Managed Appraised Audited Balanced Budgeted Marketed Maximized Minimized Planned Acted Directed Composed Established Conceived Fashioned Conceptualized Created Founded Illustrated Introduced Invented Originated Performed Revitalized Shaped Calculated Customized Initiated Designed Instituted Developed Integrated Redesigned Revised CREATIVE Planned Published Visualized HELPING Assessed Assisted Clarified Coached Counseled Demonstrated Diagnosed Enhanced Provided Expedited Referred Facilitated Rehabilitated Familiarized Represented Guided Served Motivated Supported Participated Educated Proposed ORGANIZATIONAL Approved Accelerated Added Arranged Broadened Cataloged Centralized Classified Collected Compiled Completed Controlled Defined Dispatched Changed Expanded Gained Gathered Generated Implemented Inspected Launched Monitored Operated Retrieved Organized Screened Prepared Selected Processed Simplified Purchased Sold Recorded Specified Reduced Steered Reinforced Structured Systematized Tabulated Unified Updated Utilized Validated Verified Executed