GUIDE TO:

RESUME WRITING

UNH Career Development Center

103 Bartels Student Activity Center
[email protected]

www.unhcareercenter.com
Contents

Purpose of a Resume........................................................................................................................................................... 3

Formatting a Resume .......................................................................................................................................................... 3

Heading ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3
Objective vs. Profile/ Summary of Skills ........................................................................................................................... 4
Education ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Experience ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Additional Sections ........................................................................................................................................................... 6

What NOT to Include on a Resume..................................................................................................................................... 6

Action Words ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Sample Resumes.................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Check out our video tutorial for Resume Writing at

www.unhcareercenter.com!

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Purpose of a Resume
*The goal of a resume is not to get a job… it is to get an interview. All content should be focused on that goal*

- The resume is your first impression to a prospective employer. Therefore, it needs to be well-written, factual,
and relevant to the position.

- A resume is a marketing tool, designed to sell you to a prospective employer. A resume is designed to market
you for the next job you want, not the last one you had!

- It is essential to highlight these four main points:

1. Character - Who are you? What makes you unique?

2. Purpose - What do you want? Why are you applying for this job?
3. Experience - What have you done? How are you qualified for this position?
4. Potential - What skills do you possess? Can you apply them to the position?

*An employer will visually scan your resume for 30-45 seconds.*

Formatting a Resume
Create a well-organized resume by using bullet points to list information. Use bold
words to emphasize important information and be consistent in placement of the
Organization
information. Be sure that all content is in reverse-chronological order (most recent
position first).
Less is best, so try to keep it to one (1) page, single spaced. If you need more room to
Page Length
showcase your qualifications, then you can have additional pages.
Font Size 11-12 point
Use a professional font such as Times New Roman, Georgia, etc. Avoid using
Font Style
different colors – black text only.
Margins A minimum .5” border all around

Graphics Only use graphics (pictures, designs, etc.) if you are in the graphics industry
Resume Avoid using pre-formatted resume templates typically found in Microsoft Word. The
Templates point of a resume is to differentiate; using a template makes you conform

Heading
- The heading section contains your name, address, phone number and your UNH or professional email address.
Your name should be the largest item on your resume. Avoid using a header. You can also add a link to your
LinkedIn profile and/or an online portfolio.

EXAMPLE

MICHAEL LEWIS FISHER

343 Leonard Avenue, East Haven, CT 06543
(203) 876-8954 ▪ [email protected]

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Objective vs. Profile/ Summary of Skills
Many recruiters recommend a Profile or Expertise section instead of an Objective statement. This section provides an
overview of your skills and experience in 2-3 sentences or through the use of bullets. Avoid generic statements and try
to use keywords from your industry that reflect your skill set.

EXAMPLES

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
 Highly motivated individual with valuable experience and education in (field of interest)
 Exceptional skills in adapting to multiple working environments
 Strong ability to multi-task under pressure and remain attentive to detail
 Committed to maintain the highest level of confidentiality

EXPERTISE
Spanish (fluent) Team-Oriented Criminal Intelligence Leadership
Dignitary Protection Problem Solving Self-Motivated Detail-Oriented
Service Orientated Active Listener Negotiation Critical Thinking

PROFILE
Motivated law enforcement graduate with paralegal and business analyst background. Enthusiastic individual
with strong work ethic. Tri-lingual with fluency in English, Spanish and Arabic who possesses excellent
organizational and time management skills. Excellent in problem assessment and ability to excel in a fast-
paced working environment.

Education
For most college students, your education section is going to be your selling point and should come before your
experience section. As you accumulate experience, your education may fall further down on your resume. You do not
need to list your high school.

It is essential to include the following:

• Name of your university (University of New Haven)
• University location (West Haven, CT – not New Haven!)
• Your degree (include concentrations and minors as appropriate)
• Graduation date (without using the word “Expected”)
• GPA (if it is a 3.0 or higher), Honors, Scholarships, Awards, etc.
If you obtained an Associate degree or a certificate from UNH or another University, you can add in in this section as
well. If you attended another University but did not graduate, it is optional to include the name of the school and dates
attended.

EXAMPLE

EDUCATION
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice May 2014
Concentration: Investigative Services, Minor: Spanish
Dean’s List: Fall 2010-Present, GPA: 3.96, Honors Program, Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society

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Experience
The best way to begin writing your experience section is to grab several sheets of paper and write one experience at the
top of each page (internship, job, volunteer, etc.) and list everything that you have done during your experience. Once
you have listed all of this information, it will be easier for you to develop this section. Then, incorporate the most
important aspects of your positions into strong, action-oriented statements using our list of action words. If you are not
currently at a specific job, all action words should be in the past tense. All duties and responsibilities of positions should
be listed in order of importance.

When writing your bulleted statements for positions held, think of where you added value to an organization and
quantify where possible. Did you increase sales? If so, how much did you increase sales? Did you streamline processes?
If you trained or supervised, how many individuals did you lead? Stay away from solely listing your job duties. You will
want your resume to highlight the skills you have obtained from your various experiences. Think of formatting your
statements in this manner:

Action + Result + Outcomes = SKILLS

EXAMPLES

RELATED EXPERIENCE
Columbia University Hospital, Department of Nutrition, Dugtown, NY June 2012-Present
Assistant Dietetic Technician
 Implement meal inspections to ensure patient satisfaction with food service
 Provide optimal nourishment based on medical and age specific needs
 Assist dietitian supervisor with various supplemental needs of patients

Paradise Assisted Senior Living, Wallingford, CT December 2011-May 2012

Dietary Kitchen Staff
• Supported staff in food and dining hall preparation, service and maintenance
• Assisted with inspections of meal service for 350 residents

INTERNSHIP
Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven, CT
Intern (500 hours), Assistant Analyst January 2012-December 2012
 Participated in investigations involving airline hijackings and hostage situations
 Planned and executed mock crime scene scenarios for other interns
 Assisted Intern Coordinator with various administrative duties and responsibilities
 Attended Advanced Spanish Diagnostics Conference in Sierra, NV

*NOTE: You can and should have several sections that represent the depth and breadth of your experiences*

Example: Internship Experience, Research Experience, Volunteer Experience

Consider a Relevant Experience section to group together part-time, full-time or internship positions you have held that
are directly related to your future career goal. You may also choose to have a Work History or Work Experience section,
which can host any other experiences, such as waiter/waitressing positions.

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Additional Sections
If you have been more than just a member or an organization(s) you could incorporate it
Leadership
into a leadership section (e.g. Peer Mentor).

If you have not held any leadership roles on campus but have been involved in different
Extracurricular Activities clubs/ organizations and campus activities, you should include it on your resume. The
activities section shows that you are involved on campus and are well rounded.

Community/ Volunteer
This section shows that you are motivated, involved and care about the community.
Experience

Focus on specific computer skills for the job and/or industry. Include other specialized
Computer/ Language Skills skill sets such as laboratory equipment. If you also are fluent or have an understanding of
other languages you should specify them in this section.

If you do not have much related experience, this is a great addition. List about 4-8
Related Coursework
relevant courses. Key work is relevant – only list courses related to the job.

This section works well for students that engage in team-based projects in business,
Related Projects engineering or other disciplines. List the name of your project, the semester it was
completed, as well as project goals and outcomes.

Remember: A resume is designed to highlight your personal qualifications. Therefore, the order of your sections may
differ from someone who has a similar educational background. You can have more than one resume directed towards
specific job positions.

Example: If Leadership Activities are stronger than Work Experiences, you would put Leadership above Work
Experience.

*Please note: this guide provides basic information relevant to all career/industry types. Different resume formats exist
for various career paths. For example, if you are pursuing a position that is technical in nature, your Computer Skills
section will be up higher on your resume. For science-related positions, Lab Skills will also be placed higher up.
Art/design students may have pictures or graphics to highlight creativity. If you have questions on what type of format is
right for you, please contact the Career Development Center.

What NOT to Include on a Resume

The following is a list of things that you should not include in your resume:
• A picture
• Your social security number
• Your birthdate
• Marital status, height and weight
• The words “I,” “my,” or other forms of the first person (e.g. “I was responsible for…”)
• Full sentences or paragraphs – use bullets or sentence fragments instead
• “Responsibilities included…” Your resume should be more than a listing of tasks
• References or a line stating that “references are available upon request”

Action Words
The following page contains a series of action words that could be used on your resume:
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Accomplished Contracted Experimented Mastered Reorganized
Achieved Continued Explained Measured Repaired
Acquired Contributed Expressed Mediated Reported
Acted Conveyed Facilitated Memorized Represented
Addressed Convened Fashioned Mentored Reproduced
Adjusted Cooperated Filed Mobilized Researched
Administered Coordinated Financed Modeled Resolved
Advertised Corrected Focused Modified Responded
Advised Corresponded Forecasted Molded Restored
Allocated Counseled Formed Monitored Retrieved
Analyzed Crafted Formulated Motivated Reviewed
Answered Created Founded Named Revised
Anticipated Critiqued Functioned Negotiated Scheduled
Applied Dealt (with) Gathered Observed Searched
Appraised Defined Generated Obtained Selected
Appreciated Delegated Graded Operated Sensitized
Arbitrated Delivered Guided Ordered Served
Arranged Demonstrated Handled Organized Serviced
Articulated Derived Helped Outlined Shaped
Ascertained Designed Identified Oversaw Shared
Assembled Described Illustrated Paired Showed
Assessed Determined Implemented Participated Simplified
Assigned Developed Impressed Performed Skilled
Assisted Devised Improved Persevered Socialized
Attained Diagnosed Increased Persuaded Sold
Attended Directed Influenced Planned Solicited
Audited Discovered Informed Played Solved
Balanced Discussed Initiated Possessed Sought
Bargained Dispatched Innovated Predicted Specified
Budgeted Dispensed Inquired Prepared Staged
Calculated Displayed Inspected Presented Stimulated
Carried out Dissected Inspired Printed Structured
Catalogued Distributed Installed Processed Studied
Categorized Diverted Instilled Produced Succeeded
Chaired Drafted Instructed Programmed Suggested
Challenged Dramatized Insured Projected Summarized
Changed Edited Interacted Promoted Supervised
Channeled Educated Interpreted Proposed Supported
Clarified Elicited Intervened Protected Surveyed
Classified Empathized Interviewed Provided Synthesized
Coded Empowered Introduced Publicized Targeted
Collaborated Encourages Invented Published Taught
Collected Endured Inventoried Purchased Tended
Committed Enlisted Investigated Qualified Tested
Communicated Ensured Involved Quantified Took
Compared Entertained Joined Raised Trained
Compiled Established Judge Rated Translated
Completed Estimated Learned Recognized Treated
Composed Evaluated Lectured Recommended Tutored
Computed Examined Licensed Reconciled Updated
Conceived Exchanged Listened Recorded United
Conducted Executed Located Recruited Utilized
Confronted Exercised Maintained Referred Verified
Constructed Exhibited Managed Regulated Volunteered
Contacted Expanded Manipulated Related Wrote
Concluded Expedited Marketed Rendered

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Sample Resumes – Visit www.unhcareercenter.com for samples from all majors!
JOHNATHAN LEWIS FISHER
343 Leonard Avenue, East Haven, CT 06543
(203) 876-8954 ▪ [email protected]

PROFILE
 Highly motivated individual with valuable experience and education in (field of interest)
 Exceptional skills in adapting to multiple working environments
 Strong ability to multi-task under pressure and remain attentive to detail
 Committed to maintain the highest level of confidentiality

EDUCATION
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology May 2014
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice GPA: 3.67
Scholarships/Awards: Presidential Scholarship, SAT Writing Award, Town of East Haven Outstanding Student Award,
Student Affairs Leadership Award

EXPERIENCE
East Haven Crisis Center East Haven, CT
Crisis Management Intern (150 hours) Aug.2013-Dec. 2013
 Collaborated with immediate supervisor with various secretarial responsibilities
 Assisted with integration of new hotline telephone program
 Provided support and assistance to walk-in patients

WORK HISTORY
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Resident Assistant Aug. 2013-Present
 Directly oversee the safety, health and wellness of 60+ residents
 Utilize crisis, organizational and time management skills to resolve conflicts among residents
 Design and perform programs to build community throughout the residence hall

Allen County Public Library New Haven, CT

Receptionist Jun. 2011-Jan.2013
 Addressed customer concerns in efficient and timely manner
 Exhibited superior interpersonal skills with customers and coworkers
 Improved efficiency of front desk by implementing innovative clerical procedures

ShopRite West Haven, CT

Cashier (part time) May 2010-Jun.2011
 Maintained a clean and orderly checkout station and accurately completed all transactions

UNH EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Admission Team (A-Team) Dec. 2010-Present
 Provide campus tours for prospective students

Psychology Club Sept. 2010-Present

 Vice President – schedule community service events and serve as assistant to club president
 Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA) Representative – represent the club during meetings

COMPUTER SKILLS
Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Groove, InfoPath, SharePoint, Visio, Publisher, OneNote

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 Debbie Morgan
287 East Meadow Street ● Yorkville, NY 11765
(652) 783-8272 ● [email protected]

PROFILE Motivated graduate with history and archaeological background. Enthusiastic individual
with strong work ethic; tri-lingual with fluency in English, Spanish and Arabic who
possesses excellent organizational and time management skills. Knowledgeable in
problem assessment and ability to excel in a fast-paced working environment.

EDUCATION University of New Haven, West Haven, CT May 2013

Bachelor of Arts, History GPA: 3.62
Minors: Spanish, Arabic

RELATED Colonial New Amsterdam Exhibit, New York, NY Summers 2011-2012

EXPERIENCE Intern Guide
 Participated in reenactments of 18th century history events
 Served as exhibit tour guide for various local elementary schools
 Performed various secretarial tasks for administrative staff

19th Century Museum, Plainsville, NY Summer 2010

Office Assistant/Guide
 Exhibited superior interpersonal skills with customers and coworkers
 Improved efficiency of front desk by implementing innovative clerical procedures

WORK ShopSmart Mall, West Landing, CT Jan. 2011-Present

HISTORY Security Guard
 Maintain secure environment to ensure safety of all customers
 Prepare reports for all incidents regarding burglary, alarms, bomb threats and
medical emergencies

ShopRite, West Haven, CT May 2010-Jun. 2011

Cashier (part time)
 Maintained a clean and orderly checkout station
 Greeted customers and accurately completed all transactions

LEADERSHIP University of New Haven, West Haven, CT Aug. 2011-May 2013

Resident Assistant
 Directly oversaw the safety, health and wellness of 60+ residents
• Utilized crisis, organizational and time management skills to resolve conflicts
among residents
 Designed and perform programs to build community throughout residence hall
Undergraduate Student Government Association Aug. 2012-Sept. 2013
 President of student body to promote interests of the university to administration
 Managed a $1.5 million budget and oversee 150 recognized student organizations
 Supervised and delegated tasks to appointed Executive Board

COMPUTER Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Groove, InfoPath, SharePoint, Visio,
SKILLS Publisher, OneNote, Google Docs

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William Harris Cooper
300 Boston Post Road  West Haven, CT 06156 (campus)  258 York Avenue  Miller, PA 98734 (permanent)
(763) 384-3676  [email protected]

EXPERTISE
Spanish (fluent) Team-Oriented Criminal Intelligence Leadership
Dignitary Protection Problem Solving Self-Motivated Detail-Oriented
Service Orientated Active Listener Negotiation Critical Thinking

EDUCATION
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice May 2014
Concentration: Investigative Services, Minor: Spanish
Dean’s List: Fall 2010-Present, GPA: 3.96, Honors Program, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society

INTERNSHIP
Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven, CT
Intern (500 hours), Assistant Analyst January 2012-December 2012
 Participated in investigations involving airline hijackings and hostage situations
 Planned and executed mock crime scene scenarios for other interns
 Assisted Intern Coordinator with various administrative duties and responsibilities
 Attended Advanced Spanish Diagnostics Conference in Sierra, NV

WORK EXPERIENCE
ShopSmart Mall West Landing, CT
Security Guard January 2011-Present
 Maintain secure environment to ensure safety of all customers
 Prepare reports for all incidents regarding burglary, alarms, bomb threats and medical emergencies

ShopRite West Haven, CT

Cashier (part time) May 2010 - June 2011
 Maintained a clean and orderly checkout station and accurately complete all transactions

LEADERSHIP
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Resident Assistant August 2011-Present
 Directly oversee the safety, health and wellness of 60+ residents
 Utilize crisis, organizational and time management skills to resolve conflicts among residents
 Design and perform programs to build community throughout the residence hall
Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA)-President August 2012-September 2013
 Elected by student body to promote interests of the university to administration
 Managed a $1.5 million budget and oversee over 150 recognized student organizations

COMPUTER SKILLS
Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Groove, Access, Publisher, Google Docs, Photoshop

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 Debbie Morgan
300 Boston Post Road˖ West Haven, CT 06156 (Campus)˖ 258 York Avenue ˖Miller, PA (permanent)
(763)384-3676˖ [email protected]

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS – SCIENCE AND LABORATORY

A recent Biology graduate with hands-on experience in scientific research and reporting, animal behavior and
care, program planning and delivery, and science-based education. Proficient with PCR, Microscopy, DNA
litigation, Chromatography (ion exchange, affinity, gel filtration), Methylmercury Analysis

EDUCATION
University of New Haven West Haven, CT
Bachelor of Science, Biology May 2014
GPA: 3.65
Coursework Includes: Marine Vertebrate Zoology, Genetics, Environmental Health, Invertebrate Zoology

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Animal Behavior Research Project September 2013- Present
Worked under Dr. Jane Science at University of New Haven, West Haven, CT
• Gather and manipulate behavioral data to find trends in adolescent male chimpanzee grooming patterns
• Investigated whether time of day, frequency of meals, mating habits, and other factors influenced patterns
• Report findings to processor through written reports and presentations

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Morgan, D. (2013). DNA comparison of chimpanzees and humans, Basic Research of Animal DNA
Morgan, D. DNA comparison of chimpanzees and humans. Presented at the American Society for Animal
Science Conference, New York, NY, March 28-April 1, 2013; poster XX.

RELATED EXPERIENCE
Animal Education Intern May 2012-Present
Cape May County Zoo Cape May, NJ
• Planned and facilitated educational programming for elementary school children
• Observed animal training and care taking; assisted with feeding, grooming, and medical care
• Collaborated with a staff of ten to create a new initiative to raise awareness of endangered species
Animal Volunteer June 2011- Present
Jersey Shore Animal Hospital Toms River, NJ
• Assisted with care of animals, including feeding; Educated visitors and answered questions

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Resident Assistant, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT September 2012-Present
• Develop and implement recreational, social and cultural programming for 60 students
• Serve as the University’s representative and role model in the residence halls and across campus

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & ACTIVITIES

Member, Alpha Lambda Delta Spring 2012-Present
Member, American Society of Animal Science Fall 2011-Present

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