Resumes & More
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A resume is a one- to two-page document that outlines your education, skills, accomplishments and experience. Its purpose is to help you capture the attention of an employer so you can get an interview.
When seeking a job or internship, design your resume to highlight your most related experience and skills. Write about internship(s), related volunteer experiences; academic or individual projects depending on your field of study or career goals.
Here are some typical sections to include:
Objective (optional): An objective is used to explain why you are creating this resume and can be an opportunity to connect you to a specific job/internship, but they are not mandatory.
Objective
Seeking an internship in human services for the Summer of 20XX utilizing demonstrated interpersonal and helping skills.
Education: List your degrees, majors, minors, study abroad and/or any other relevant training/opportunities.
Education
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Master of Art, Major, Graduation Month 20XX
Bachelor of Arts or Science, Major, Graduation Month 20XX
Experience: Any employment, internships, significant campus leadership offices, volunteer work and class/research projects.
- Explain what were your key tasks and outcomes/results by using bullet points and action words.
- Avoid passive phrasing such as “duties include,” “responsible for” or “project was completed by using.”
- Quantify information by including numbers, percentages and dollar amounts.
- Freshmen/sophomores: List high school experiences.
Human Services Experience
Kids 1st Therapy, Getzville, New York April-July 20XX
Intern
- Observed up to 15 therapy sessions every week with licensed therapist
- Studied sessions in which therapist utilized Lidcombe Therapy techniques
Skills: Use this section to highlight skills that are specifically related to the job/internship you are seeking.
Skills
Languages: Fluent in Cantonese and basic Mandarin
Software/Programs: Adobe Creative Suite, CAD, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Publisher, Access)
Certifications: American Heart Association CPR (June 20XX)
Relevant Projects: Projects that you did in class that are related to your major/career interest.
- Identify team/classroom/individual noteworthy academic projects.
- Concisely demonstrate your skills and knowledge.
- Integrate other skills when communicating specific accomplishments.
- Include your individual contributions and outcomes.
Relevant Projects
Marketing Plan, University at Buffalo Spring 20XX
- Perform situation analysis to determine relevant details about potential market share and target audience
- Identify opportunities and challenges based on analysis to begin developing measurable objectives, strategies and implementing media plans
Involvement: List clubs, sports, leadership roles and/or volunteering that you've done. This is especially helpful when looking for internships or part-time job without having a lot of work experience. Include accomplishments using strong action words.
Leadership Experience
UB Club Hockey, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
Captain
- Organize and lead weekly practices for team of 15
- Study practice schedules and modify practices to simulate competition
- Communicate with and encourage players to develop team chemistry
Achievements: Indicate noteworthy academic, athletic, community, club and employer recognition.
Note: If you are only listing 1-3 honors, consider incorporating into education section rather than creating separate section.
Honors and Awards
- Health Essential Association’s Volunteer Service Award, 20XX
- University at Buffalo President's Scholarship, 20XX
- Dean's List, 20XX to 20XX
- Lambda Pi Eta, National Communication Association, inducted 20XX
Resume Length
The length may vary but a general rule is keep your resume between 1-2 pages, preferably 1 page if possible.
Margins
1-inch margins are best, but you can use .5 inches if you need room.
Text
Keep your text and bullet points aligned-left to keep your resume clean and easy to read.
Document Format
Save your resume as both a Word (.doc) document and as a PDF.
Font
Use an easy to read font like Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Georgia, Helvetica or Times New Roman.
*Choose one font and stick with it.
Font Sizes
- 14 to 16 for your name and bold text.
- 11 to 12 for phone number, email and LinkedIn URL.
- 10.5 to 12 for body text.
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Coursera
Enroll in our How to Write a Resume course, an online course that guides you through creating an eye-catching resume, letting your professional strengths shine.
*This course is free when you create an account using your @buffalo.edu email.
Career Design Studio
Find inspiration, resources, tools and expert advice all together to help you write an eye-catching resume.
- Customize your resume to each application.
- Pick a format and stick to it. Use consistent spacing, font and format and save as a word document.
- Try to avoid the use of first and third person pronouns, such as “I,” “he” or “she.”
- Spell out all acronyms the first time they are used, followed by the acronym in parentheses e.g., University at Buffalo (UB).
- Use a variety of "action words" to bring your skills and experiences to life and avoid using each word more than once.
- Use Keywords. Scan the job description, see what words are used most often and make sure you’ve included them in your bullet points.
- Refrain from using slang or jargon.
- Name Your File Smartly. Save it as “Jane Smith Resume” instead of “Resume.”
- Proofread, Proofread, Proofread. Ask family or friends to check for spelling and grammatical errors.
- Get your resume reviewed. Hint: Book a resume review appointment with a career expert.
- Successfully navigated a variety of customer moods, behaviors and agendas in order to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Cross-trained new team members to ensure seamless service.
- Developed and managed a client contact database resulting in a 58% increase in communication.
- Organized and accurately maintained filing system of confidential information.
- Planned and scheduled meetings and events for 10 person staff utilizing Microsoft Outlook.
- Managed multiple responsibilities and demands using problem solving and time management skills.
- Advised customers on purchases by maintaining a high level of knowledge about store products.
- Managed and prioritized multiple tasks in a fast paced environment.
- Tutored 5 students per week in geometry resulting in all students passing state exams.
- Handled cash transactions and balanced cash register at the beginning and end of every shift.
- Coordinated group activities for 15- 20 campers daily that encouraged team building and creativity.
- Served as a role model to incoming first year students and family members.
- Developed a prototype with a team of 4 and successfully reduced prototype vibrations by 60%.
- Scheduled and coordinated 25 practices and 15 games throughout the season.
- Facilitated team building activities to ensure effective communication among team members.
Resume Action Words
Most resume bullet points start with an "action word" that helps clearly illustrate what you did and why you did it well. Action words help highlight your skills and engage the resume reader.
Addressed, Advertised, Advocated, Answered, Briefed, Coached, Collaborated, Communicated, Compared, Completed, Composed, Conducted, Contributed, Debated, Delivered, Directed, Edited, Enlisted, Followed, Gathered, Informed, Influenced, Judged, Launched, Learned, Lectured, Lifted, Listened, Located, Logged, Meditated, Memorized, Mentored, Met, Narrated, Negotiated, Offered, Ordered, Participated, Persuaded, Presented, Queried, Questioned, Raised, Read, Recommended, Referred, Related, Relied, Reported, Represented, Researched, Responded, Spoke, Surveyed, Sustained, Talked, Tested, Updated, Won, Wrote
Composed, Conducted, Created, Displayed, Documented, Emphasized, Fashioned, Founded, Imagined, Illustrated, Launched, Modeled, Modified, Narrated, Published, Shaped, Sketched, Updated, Utilized, Visualized, Wrote
Advertised, Analyzed, Appraised, Budgeted, Calculated, Compiled, Computed, Consulted, Correlated, Evaluated, Examined, Forecasted, Maximized, Projected, Purchased, Ranked, Reduced, Validated, Verified, Weighed
Addressed, Advertised, Advocated, Answered, Briefed, Coached, Collaborated, Communicated, Compared, Completed, Composed, Conducted, Contributed, Debated, Delivered, Directed, Edited, Enlisted, Followed, Gathered, Informed, Influenced, Judged, Launched, Learned, Lectured, Lifted, Listened, Located, Logged, Meditated, Memorized, Mentored, Met, Narrated, Negotiated, Offered, Ordered, Participated, Persuaded, Presented, Queried, Questioned, Raised, Read, Recommended, Referred, Related, Relied, Reported, Represented, Researched, Responded, Spoke, Surveyed, Sustained, Talked, Tested, Updated, Won, Wrote
Administered, Allocated, Augmented, Bolstered, Charged, Chartered, Coordinated, Delegated, Directed, Enabled, Enlisted, Established, Guided, Handled, Headed, Instituted, Interviewed, Instructed, Led, Managed, Motivated, Oversaw, Planned, Prioritized, Protected, Provided, Raised, Ran, Recommended, Streamlined, Supervised, Taught, Tutored, Undertook
Arranged, Assembled, Catalogued, Categorized, Classified, Collected, Compiled, Conducted, Coordinated, Created, Developed, Drafted, Established, Generated, Inspected, Maintained, Operated, Ordered, Organized, Originated, Planned, Produced, Programmed, Purchased, Recorded, Screened, Selected, Served, Set, Shaped, Simplified, Standardized, Structured, Systematized, Updated, Upgraded
Analyzed, Ascertained, Audited, Compared, Completed, Conducted, Conceived, Consulted, Evaluated, Examined, Gathered, Inspected, Investigated, Judged, Learned, Observed, Predicted, Researched, Suggested, Surveyed, Tested, Theorized, Wrote
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