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RESUME GUIDE
RICE CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT
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What’s a resume?
How should I begin writing my college resume?
Will my high school resume
work?
What
sections
should I
include in
my college
resume?
It depends. Everyone’s experience
is unique, so your resume will likely
look different than some of your peers.
Below are some common sections
that we typically recommend for Rice
students and alumni. However, many
of these may overlap and it is not wise
to include all of these sections. Be
sure to come to the Center for Career
Development (CCD) or talk to a Peer
Career Advisor (PCA) to discuss how you
can best market yourself through your
resume.
• Education
• Relevant Coursework
• Relevant Projects
• Relevant Research
• Research Experience
• Professional Experience
• Work Experience
Begin by brainstorming a list of experiences and skills that you might want to include in a resume. Consider your academic
background, paid and volunteer work or internships, research projects, extracurricular activities, awards, and special skills. Once
you have compiled your list, you can start organizing this information into the appropriate categories and focus on tailoring the
information you include to your target industry.
No. Generally High School resumes are long, multi-page lists of
what you have done. Though helpful when applying to college,
this is not what employers are expecting from a college student.
College resumes represent a story of what you can do, of how you
can t into their organization and contribute to the organizational
goals.
A resume is your personal marketing material.
A resume is intended to get you an interview, where you will
have a chance to further describe what you can contribute to an
organization and differentiate yourself from the competition.
The key is to keep your resume well organized, concise, and
accomplishment-focused.
• Internship Experience
• Leadership Experience
• Activities
• Community Involvement
• Skills
• Awards & Honors
• Certications
Do you need a resume as a freshman?
Yes! Many people may ask you for your resume, both on and off campus. If you are looking to get involved in undergraduate
research, expect your future faculty supervisor to ask for your resume. If you are seeking a fellowship, grant, or scholarship, you will
likely need to submit a resume as part of your application. Thinking about applying to internships or summer jobs? You will need a
resume!
Optimal Resume, found in the resource section of Handshake , can be a excellent tool to help you craft your resume.
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Action Verb + Core Content + Result, Purpose, or Impact
Developing Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most important information on your resume, as they serve as the vehicle in which you can display the skills and
experiences employers are seeking. Crafting the perfect bullet point takes time and effort as you highlight your experiences/skills as
they relate to the position. Your bullet points should be tailored to the job/internship description to put you in the best position to
be selected for an interview. By following the formula below, you will create the complete, fully realized bullet points that employers
expect. You will also want to quantify your bullet points in order for employers to understand the context of your work.
It is important to diversify your bullet points and to align them with the job description. Do not repeat yourself, even if your
experiences are similar. Focus on different experiences, activities, and skills that can display how you meet the requirements listed.
Below, and on the next page, is a list of action verbs, aligned with transferable skills, which you can draw from when creating your
bullet points.
administered
analyzed
assigned
attained
chaired
consolidated
contracted
coordinated
delegated
developed
directed
evaluated
executed
addressed
arbitrated
arranged
authored
collaborated
convinced
corresponded
developed
directed
drafted
edited
enlisted
formulated
inuenced
claried
collected
critiqued
diagnosed
evaluated
examined
extracted
identied
inspected
assembled
built
calculated
computed
designed
devised
engineered
fabricated
improved
increased
organized
oversaw
planned
prioritized
produced
recommended
reviewed
scheduled
strengthened
supervised
interpreted
lectured
mediated
moderated
negotiated
persuaded
promoted
publicized
reconciled
recruited
spoke
translated
wrote
interpreted
interviewed
investigated
organized
reviewed
summarized
surveyed
systematized
maintained
operate
overhauled
programmed
remodeled
repaired
solved
upgraded
• Developed programs that increased circulation of weekly newspaper by 6% and tracked progress
• Raised $1250 from the freshman class for the Public Service Center
• Photographed 350+ participants and their families for the closing ceremony slideshow
• Developed an iteratively revised design for a purpose build accelerometer to explore acceleration changes in microgravity
• Researched commercial components to determine their suitability for use in the creation of a video conference kiosk
• Organized a fall event with $16,000 budget and over 1500 attendees
Management Skills Communication Skills Research Skills Technical Skills
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advised
claried
coached
communicated
coordinated
demystied
developed
enabled
encouraged
evaluated
explained
facilitated
guided
informed
instructed
persuaded
set goals
stimulated
trained
approved
arranged
catalogued
classied
collected
compiled
executed
generated
implemented
inspected
monitored
operated
organized
prepared
processed
purchased
recorded
retrieved
screened
specied
systematized
tabulated
validated
achieved
expanded
improved
pioneered
reduced
resolved
restored
spearheaded
administered
allocated
analyzed
appraised
audited
balanced
budgeted
calculated
computed
developed
forecasted
managed
marketed
planned
projected
researched
acted
conceptualized
created
customized
developed
directed
established
fashioned
founded
illustrated
initiated
instituted
integrated
introduced
invented
originated
performed
planned
revitalized
shaped
assessed
assisted
claried
coached
counseled
demonstrated
diagnosed
educated
expedited
facilitated
familiarized
guided
motivated
referred
rehabilitated
represented
Teaching Skills
Administrative Skills
More Verbs for
Accomplishments
Financial Skills Creative Skills
Helping Skills
Action Verb List (Continued)
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Resume Dos and Don’ts
Adapted from The Damn Good Resume Guide. Yana Parker, Berkley, Ten Speed Press, 2012.
Dos Don’ts
Keep your resume to 1 page! Use an unprofessional email address
Use consistent formatting throughout Use different formats (8/16 | Aug 16 | 8.2016)
Use bullet points Describe your experience in paragraph form
Tailor your resume to each position Use one resume for all applications
Update your resume at least once per semester Reveal personal details
(gender, religion, sexual orientation, citizenship)
Use bold, underline, and italics sparingly Use bold, underline, and italics frequently and/or together
Use a clean, easy to read sans-serif font Use decorative fonts, colors, or infographics*
Use at least a 10-12 pt font size for your bullet points.
Use at least a 16pt font size for your name.
Ever, ever use a font size below 10pt….no one can read it
Use narrow margins (.5”) in order to t more content in and allow it
to be easily printed
Create custom margins that go below .5”, as it will not print well
Send your resume in a PDF format Send your resume in a .doc or .docx format, unless specically
requested
Include both month and year when writing your dates Include the day, semester (Fall), or only the year when writing your
dates
Use simple, every day language Use overly technical language that may confuse the reader
Be 100% honest on your resume Lie or embellish your accomplishments
Print your resume on quality paper when distributing in person Repeat yourself
Have a PCA or a Career Counselor review your resume! Send out your resume without a critique.
*Unless you are going into graphic design or a creative eld
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Sample Resume
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Jane Freshman
v v v
123 Parent’s House 555 555-5555
Hometown, TX 55555 [email protected]
Objective
To get into a good university where I can get a quality education to prepare
me for a job in the business world after graduation
Education
Hometown High School
GPA: 4.2/4.0 SAT: 1430 ACT: 26
AP Calculus: 5
Hometown, TX
Honors/Awards
Hometown High School Honor Roll
National Merit Scholor
Book Award
National Honor Society
Treasurer
TX State All-Academic Team- Basketball
Grades 9 – 12
Grades 9 – 12
Grades 10 – 11
Grades 10 – 12
Grade 12
Grades 10-12
Extracurricular
High School Paper
Chief Editor
Student Council
Varsity Basketball
HHS Connect Leader
Actively Caring Club
Freshman Band
Grades 9 – 12
Grade 12
Grades 10 – 12
Grades 9 – 12
Grade 11
Grades 9-12
Grade 9
Employment
Mister Mario’s Pizza
10 hrs/wk
Tutor
5 hrs/wk
Grades 10 – Present
Grade 11
Volunteering
Church Acolyte
1 hr/wk
Relay for Life participant
I raised over $500 dollars each year
Dog-Gone-It Pet Rescue
2 hrs/wk
Grades 9 – Present
Grades 10 – 12
Grade 9
Interests
Guitar, photography, travel, reading
Sample High School Resume
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Sample College Freshman Resume
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Sample Mechanical Engineering Job Description
Mechanical Engineering Job Description and Sample Resume
Following is a job description for a Mechanical Engineer. When writing your resume, tell your story
using examples of your experience, knowledge, skills and abilities that are most relevant to the
prospective position and employer.
Qualifications:
If you have a PhD, master’s, or bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or automotive
engineering or in a similar discipline, apply for a position as a Mechanical Engineer.
Mechanical Engineer
Job Summary:
Mechanical Engineers work under general direction, applying their skills and expertise to generate
solutions that require development or sustainment of new or improved techniques,
procedures, or products. Responsibilities include assisting with planning, conducting, and
evaluating approaches to meet project objectives in a timely, cost-effective fashion.
Successful Mechanical Engineers are self-motivated and work effectively in team or individual
situations. They have excellent communication skills and can handle multiple projects and
activities simultaneously.
Essential Responsibilities and Duties:
• Analyze, design, develop, and maintain products; assist in commercialization.
• Assist in identifying and organizing requirements. Apply usability procedures and principles
at project or product-line level or through customer input.
• Build prototypes, products, and systems for testing; set up and run laboratory simulations.
• Design testing procedures and coordinate testing. Conduct tests, document results, and
develop client presentation.
• Conduct and/or participate in technical reviews of requirements, specifications, designs, codes,
and other artifacts.
• Evaluate engineering approaches and risks to produce and iterate development plans.
• Train and support clients and field representatives.
• Identify and keep abreast of novel technical concepts and markets.
• Contribute to design standards and support design reuse.
• Author technical reports, papers, articles, presentations, and patents.
Qualifications:
• PhD, master’s, or bachelor’s degree in mechanical, aerospace, or automotive engineering or in
a similar discipline.
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Sample Mechanical Engingeering Resume
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Rice Center for Career Development Resume Checklist
Layout & Appearance Yes No Comments
Is name at the top of the page in an easy to read font? Are address, phone
number, email, and LinkedIn also easy to read and on one line?
Is resume an appropriate length (1 page preferred)?
Is formatting (e.g., font, bullet sizes, heading styles, bold and caps) consistent
throughout the resume? Are the headings and bullets evenly spaced?
Are verb tenses in the present tense for current positions?
Are verb tenses in the past tense for previous positions?
Are there approximately 2-4 statements per position?
If using bullet points, are the bullets an appropriate size and is there space
between the bullet and text?
Is punctuation consistent?
Is the resume polished and appealing to read, with sections clearly labeled?
Is the resume free of typographical errors and misspellings?
Content
Are the following headings included: Education, Experience, Activities, Skills
(variations may exist like Research Skills or Technical Skills)?
Do entries in Activities and/or Honors demonstrate additional skills or
experiences as opposed to listing numerous extracurricular activities?
Does the Education section state ofcial degree and expected graduation date?
Is GPA (if over 3.0 or required) included? Is GPA accurate?
In Relevant Courses, do the courses (named, not listed as numbers)
demonstrate a higher level or relevant supplementary knowledge?
Do the bullets in Experience section begin with action verbs? Are a variety of
action verbs utilized in the section?
Do the statements demonstrate accomplishments rather than routine tasks/
duties?
Are statements written in short and concise phrases that give enough detail to
pique interest without being repetitive/excessive in description?
Does the resume list honors and/or special skills such as languages,
programming skills, etc.?
Do bullets follow the formula: action verb + core content + results/purpose/
impact?
Are results stated in bullet form quantied (Ex. Increased efciency by 20%)?
