3

prepare to communicate

Writing a good resume

y

es, everyone needs a resume. Potential employers

for part-time jobs, internships and full-time positions

look at resumes to nd the best candidates to invite

for an interview. Graduate and professional schools also
often ask for resumes as part of the application.

research before writing!

Every communication counts when youre contacting a potential decision-maker.
Whether its a resume, cover letter, or short emailbe sure to do some research rst.
To be effective, you need to demonstrate your knowledge of who they are and/or what
they are looking for. You also need to know enough about yourself and what youre
looking for so you can present your skills, interests, and goals in a way thats relevant
to your audience. Generic, one-size-ts-all documents arent going to make the kind of
impression that gets you to the next step.

30 CareerNetwork.msu.edu

v what you need to know

n

about resumes

Resumes are most often skimmed in

secondsnot read word-for-word.

When the job market is tight, its even more

important to spend time customizing your
resumes. If you think your resume is good
enough, it probably isnt.

The job description, employer website,

and your networking contacts are all great
sources for keywords and phrases to include.
Your resume should mirror what they are
looking for and what they value.

Its all about relevance. Use your knowledge

of the position and organization to make
decisions about how you describe experiences
and skills and what to include or leave out.
MSU coursework is only relevant to employers
in specic cases. If you need to include it, dont
simply list course names or numbers. Identify
the concepts or skills youve learned through
those courses and include them as a bullet
point in your Education section.

Active, skills-based language is the best

way to begin your resume bullet points. Even
a quick skim by a reader should give them
enough to know whether they want to read
more. See pages 3637 for action verbs.

Go beyond duties and responsibilities. Be

specic and results-oriented. What skills or
knowledge did you develop? As you write,
ask yourself questions like: How many? How
much?

Employers are interested in what youve done recently.

Unless you are a freshman writing a resume for a part-time
job or internship, your high school education, experience,
and activities should not be on your resume.

CareerNetwork.msu.edu and click on Resumes under

Resources + Tools.

For most positions, colored paper, funky fonts, and

fancy graphics arent going to help your resume to
stand out in a good way. If you are going into a creative
eld and want to integrate creative elements in your
resume, talk to your Career Consultant or professionals
in the eld for advice on how to do it effectively. Even in
creative elds, the quality of your content is key.

For instance, it used to be standard to include an

Objective (now its optional) and References Available

When emailing or uploading your resume, the best format

is PDF. However, many employers may specically
request MS Word format. Follow instructions if given! In

Upon Request statement (which is now considered

obvious and a waste of space). For tips on references, visit

general, Word is the best program for creating and editing

your resume. (No, Microsoft isnt paying us to say that.)

Resumes evolve over time. Your resume will need to be

updated regularly to reect new skills and experiences as
you gain them. Not only that, but resume standards have
changed over the years. If you are getting resume advice
from someone who hasnt written one since 1989, chances
are they might be giving you outdated advice.

v creating your resume

n

The rst step is to get something written. Use the

information here to write the best draft you can. If you need
more help, attend a resume workshop (see page 10-11). Then
make a career advising appointment to get more feedback.

If youre sending resumes out and not getting a response,

come in and let us help! CareerNetwork.msu.edu/advising

To make customizing your resume each time easier, start

by making a master resume that includes everything. This
document may be more than one page but, since its just
for you, thats OK. If youre having trouble deciding what to
keep and what to cut, we can help with that, too.

Before you start writing, consider one or more of these

ideas for generating resume content:
Make a list of your skills, work and volunteer experiences,

honors, awards, memberships, and activities

Use this to help determine what section headings might
work best.

When considering how to write bullet point descriptions:

Make two lists, one for skills/knowledge you gained, one
for tasks/duties you performed. Put these lists together
to write bullets that include both.
Make a list of keywords you want to include using the
job description, information youve gotten from other
sources, and/or the action verbs list on pages 3637.
Use those to start bullet points and then add details.
Do 35 minutes of free-writing about each experience
you want to include to get yourself thinking about what
you did, what you found meaningful, etc. Then translate
that into bullets.

Make sure you ll in all elds with the appropriate

information and include a cover letter, even if its not
required.

Help your application stand out from the rest by asking

for advice from recruiters, alumni, or other contacts you
might have at the organization. They may encourage
you to use the comments area, complete an optional
assessment, or include specic keywords.

v online applications
n
Many employers have online systems they require
applicants to use.

If you need to apply online, use the same care and

attention to detail as you would with your resume.
Often you can cut and paste information from your resume
into the application. You may need to x the formatting so
it doesnt look messy.

CareerNetwork.msu.edu 31

3 prepare to communicate

Writing a good resume

writing a good resume
v formatting essentials
n
Yes, youre going to have to make decisions about what to include and how you present yourself, but following these guidelines
for formatting can help make the resume writing process a little easier.

Use a blank Microsoft Word doc to start. Resume

templates send the message that you cant format a
document on your own, and they can limit what you choose
to include or update.
Use bullets instead of writing in paragraphs. Bullets
help your reader skim more quickly and guide them
through the page.
Stick to one page. Most college undergraduates dont
have the range of relevant experience that warrants more
space.

Be consistent with format. Use the same spacing, font

size, placement of headers, etc.

Leave some white space. One-inch margins are standard.

White space not only gives your readers eyes a break, but
it also leaves room to make notes.

Use ALL CAPS and bold. Avoid italics and underlining since
both can be misread by scanners or electronic systems.

Choose a standard font that is easy to readlike Arial,

Times New Roman, Garamond, Tahoma, or Verdana. Use
no less than 11 points for smaller fonts; larger fonts can be
easily read at 10 or even 9 points.

Make headers larger than body text. Use them to

organize your content and make it easier to nd relevant
information. You may choose to strategically use headers
by incorporating key words from the job description,
Editing Experience or Financial Management
Experience for example.

v resume essentials
n
Research with employers reveals some of their biggest pet peeves when it comes to resumes. Below are some essential tips
to help your resume avoid an unfavorable review from employers.

32 CareerNetwork.msu.edu

Read your resume out loud to check for spelling errors,

typos, and poor grammar.

Include correct and complete contact info, using a

professional email address.

Be sure to highlight your accomplishments instead of

just listing work duties that read like a job description.

Follow the formatting tips listed above!

Keep it shortone page is the best!

Include datesaccurate dates.

List education and experience in reverse chronological

order (most recent first).

Leave out personal information that doesnt belong on a

resume (age, height, weight, etc.).

Use bullet points instead of narratives or paragraphs.

Remember: Your resume should provide support that you

are qualified to apply!

Sparty Spartan

Campus: A111 Buttereld Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824

Permanent: 123 North Avenue, City, MI 45654
(517) 582-5555 [email protected]

freshman resume
Every incoming Spartan needs a resume!

Education
Bachelor of Arts, Communication
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

May 2019

High School Diploma

North Street High School, City, MI
National Honor Society Scholar

May 2015

Experience
Senior Class Vice-President
August 2014May 2015
North Street High Student Government, City, MI
Facilitated 8 senior class meetings with 25 members
Spearheaded Fall Carnival fundraiser that raised over $1,900 for senior class trip
Oversaw the homecoming and prom planning committees
Youth Counselor
May 2013August 2015
North Street YMCA, City, MI
Supervised 35 youth campers ranging from 7 to 10 years old
Coordinated daily activities for campers to keep them active and engaged
Planned an end of summer event for 200 campers with a group of 4 other counselors
Crew Member
October 2012May 2013
McDonalds, City, MI
Received 2 awards for outstanding customer service
Provided exceptional customer service increasing repeat business
Collaborated with a team of 5 to provide efcient services in a fast-paced environment
Activities
Member, North Street High Track Team, City, MI
Volunteer, Boys & Girls Club, City, MI

January 2015May 2015

June 2013August 2013

Certications/Skills
Procient in Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Adobe Photoshop
Certied in CPR/First Aid

resume space allocation

As a general rule, follow this formula to determine
how much space you should give to specic kinds of
content:
Name and contact info: 5%
Education: 1015%
Relevant experience and/or skills: 75%
Other (objective, activities, awards, memberships,
computer skills, interests, etc.): 510%

CareerNetwork.msu.edu 33

3 prepare to communicate

resume variation
For some, a Skills Summary, Summary
of Qualications, or other similar section
toward the top of the resume can work
well. A section like this serves as a short
introduction to your strengths that can keep
an employer reading. In fact, many hiring
managers say this is the rst thing they read!
To make this work for you, keep these tips in
mind:

Keep it short, ideally 35 bullets.

Dont overstate your level of skill or
experience. In most cases, the typical
college undergrad still has more to learn
on the job and is not an expert.
Back it up. This is one place where general
statements (such as Proven ability
to work in teams as both leader and
contributing member) can workas
long as you provide concrete, specic
examples under your experience to
support those claims.

Avery Black

(231) 123-4567 / [email protected] / 2468 Maple Rd., Traverse City, MI 49684

Education

Michigan State University; East Lansing, MI

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Concentrations in Spanish and Education
G.P.A. 3.91/4.0, Deans List, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars

May 2016

Experience

NorthWest Initiative; Lansing, MI

Community Outreach Intern
June 2015August 2015
Recruited 4 nonprot organizations and 5 business partners to sponsor or attend conference
Maintained database of contacts, updated conference website, and created promotional plan
Oversaw teams of volunteers in set-up, registration, food, and take-down
Compiled nal conference evaluation reports and made recommendations to Executive Director
FACES Research Project; East Lansing, MI
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
October 2014May 2015
Conducted interviews, research tasks, and took measurements in the child development lab
with over 30 diverse family groups following strict protocols set forth by researchers
Answered questions about the study and built trust among participants to promote honest
responses and quality data collection for researchers
Collected responses, created reports, and assisted in coding and cataloging the data
Study Abroad; Quito, Ecuador
May 2013August 2013
Participated in an intensive Spanish language and cultural immersion experience
Volunteered at local orphanage building a new common room and engaged 37 children weekly
Utilized strong communication and interpersonal skills daily to accomplish goals
Michigan House of Representatives; Lansing, MI
Ofce Support Intern
January 2013May 2013
Wrote letters and organized literature for distribution to constituents
Used MS Excel to maintain contacts database in support of donor and constituent relations
Answered high-volume calls, prepared presentations, and managed digital and physical records

Additional Experience

Nanny for middle-school student with special needs; Holt, MI

Tutor for elementary student; Lansing, MI
Tutor/Mentor at Southside Community Coalition; Lansing, MI

Afliations

Associated Students of MSU; Social Chair

University United Methodist Choir; Member
MSU Marching Band; Member and Squad Leader

March 2014Present
July 2013Present
October 2013December 2013

January 2013Present
March 2012Present
March 2014Present

resume self check

Once you have a resume draft, use the following evaluation to take a
critical look at it. This can help you to identify and work on problems so
that you can make efcient use of a career advising session and resume
review. Also consider sharing your resume and this evaluation with
someone whose opinion you trust to get feedback.

How does the resume look in a 15-second glance?

ok excellent

1 2 3 4 5
Some questions to consider: Does the formatting work to guide your eye to
key content? What parts of the resume stand out? (Headings? Job titles?
Keywords?) Does it appear organized or jumbled? If you took any creative
risks with formatting, are they working for you or are they distracting?
Does it seem like it represents a real person or does it feel articial?

34 CareerNetwork.msu.edu

Is it apparent that you are looking for a specic type of opportunity?

poor

ok excellent

1 2 3 4 5

clear contact information

overall impression
poor

obvious career direction

Are all the basics on the resume: name, address, phone number, email
address? If you included your LinkedIn, website, or blog URL, is it
employer-ready?
poor

ok excellent

1 2 3 4 5
Is the formatting here working? Have you used space efciently so that
this section doesnt take up a disproportionate amount of space?

Dalia Levine

123 Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823 | cell 248.987.6543 | [email protected]

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts, English/Creative Writing

Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI
Specializations in Jewish Studies and Digital Humanities
Honors Credits

May 2017

EXPERIENCE

Front Desk Receptionist

June 2014Present
MSU Career Services | East Lansing, MI
Compiled hundreds of new job postings into database using attention to detail to ensure accuracy
Communicated with diverse clientele including students, staff, professors, and employers
Responsible for smooth front ofce operations
Student Webmaster
August 2015Present
MSU Interfaith Council | East Lansing, MI
Responsible for Council web content and blog posts; increased web views 23% during fall 2015
Solicited feedback from members and leadership on direction and content
Collaborated with Publicity and Membership chairs to promote the Council to MSU students
Ofce Assistant
May 2014August 2014
Heartcare MD | Waterford, MI
Organized hundreds of patient les into new system resulting in increased ease of retrieval
Located and obtained patient les from various other physician ofces
Interacted with patients, vendors, and delivery people in a friendly and professional manner
Organized and tacked appointment calendars for two doctors and one PA
English Tutor for Hebrew Speakers
May 2013August 2013
Tapuach Pais | Tel Aviv, Israel
Polished Hebrew uency skills through daily communication with students
Inspired students by relating material to everyday life using creative techniques
High School Mentor/Tutor
August 2012December 2012
Refugee Development Center | East Lansing, MI
Overcame cultural and language barriers with students by remaining open-minded
and encouraging
Adapted lessons and activities to students learning styles and levels of prociency
Coached students in reading, writing, pronunciation, and culture

SKILLS PROFILE

Language: Fluent Hebrew and English, conversational Spanish

Technical: Adobe Creative Suite (including Photoshop), New Media Drivers License, and SPSS

content

consistency of formatting

Resume is free of redundant, irrelevant, or vague/general information.

poor

ok excellent

1 2 3 4 5
Have you fully described experiences with enough specic detail and
active, skill-based language to connect what you have done to what you
want to and can do for your intended audience without having to work to
read between the lines? Underline words or phrases that could be more
specic, detailed, or targeted toward a particular skill set.

The resume has same style of fonts and headings, and not too many or
too few bullets.
poor

ok excellent

1 2 3 4 5
What elements work well in directing your eye to relevant information on
the page? Where could formatting be more consistent, more effective in
using space, etc.? Do you like the font?

correct spelling and grammar

Any errors? Mark them. Fix them!
poor

ok excellent

1 2 3 4 5

CareerNetwork.msu.edu 35

3 prepare to communicate

Skill areas: Use action verbs!

t

he action verbs listed here are organized by skill areas to help you
think about how your past experiences can apply to skill sets

employers seek. Of course, many of these verbs apply to multiple

skill areasuse all categories to get ideas for how you might
describe your own skills and experience in your resume, cover
letter, portfolio, interview, and other interactions.

Always describe
your experiences in
the past tense
even your current
work!

ANALYSIS
analyzed
ascertained
assessed
compared
computed
conceptualized
concluded
conrmed
critiqued
deciphered
deliberated

determined
devised
diagnosed
estimated
evaluated
examined
forecasted
formulated
integrated
investigated
justied
measured
negotiated

prescribed
prioritized
projected
questioned
rated
recommended
researched
scrutinized
studied
substantiated
synthesized
validated
veried

FLEXIBILITY
accommodated
adapted
adjusted
altered
amended
balanced
converted
grew
improvised
tailored

36 CareerNetwork.msu.edu

COMMUNICATION

addressed
apprised
arbitrated
attested
authored
claried
communicated
composed
convinced
corresponded
drafted
edited

explained
informed
interpreted
lectured
marketed
persuaded
presented
promoted
publicized
queried
reported
spoke
summarized
translated
wrote

INITIATIVE
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
advanced
bolstered
boosted
built

coordinated
created
dedicated
demonstrated
enriched
established
expanded
expedited
implemented
improved

increased
initiated
innovated
inspired
introduced
launched
minimized
mobilized
modernized
modied

multiplied
overhauled
pioneered
revamped
revised
spearheaded
stimulated
suggested
updated
upgraded

ORGANIZATION

arranged
assembled
budgeted
calculated
catalogued
centralized

PROBLEMSOLVING
aided
alleviated
ameliorated
augmented
counseled
customized
debugged
eased
elevated
enlarged
extended

extracted
nalized
fullled
generated
identied
interceded
invented
lightened
polished
procured
reconciled
rectied
reduced
rened

assisted
collaborated
contributed
cooperated
mediated
participated
partnered

reformed
rehabilitated
reinforced
rejuvenated
relieved
remedied
remodeled
repaired
restored
retrieved
revitalized
revived
settled
solicited

TEAMWORK

. . . AND
MORE !
acted
activated
added
admitted
apportioned
appraised

approximated
attained
audited
certied
commissioned
committed
consented
contracted
disbursed
dispatched
displayed
enlisted

charted
classied
collected
compiled
consolidated
correlated
indexed
linked
orchestrated
organized
oriented

solved
streamlined
strengthened
supplemented
transformed

LEADERSHIP
administered
advised
allocated
allowed
appointed
approved
assigned
authorized
chaired
coached
delegated

excelled
executed
exercised
familiarized
gured
guaranteed
indicated
instituted
involved
issued
licensed
maintained

planned
processed
purchased
recorded
regulated
scheduled
systematized
tabulated

brainstormed
constructed
designed
engineered
envisioned
fabricated
illustrated
produced
shaped
visualized

designated
directed
educated
elicited
employed
empowered
enabled
encouraged
endorsed
enhanced
facilitated
fostered
founded
guided

operated
performed
prepared
programmed
realized
related
reserved
reviewed
satised
screened
secured
served

CREATIVITY

hired
inuenced
instructed
interviewed
judged
led
moderated
monitored
motivated
ofciated
recruited
sanctioned
supervised
trained

set
smoothed
sought
specied
submitted
surveyed
sustained
traced
transacted
transmitted
valued

CareerNetwork.msu.edu 37