The resume is the first formal introduction that an employer will have to an applicant. It is an opportunity to

showcase relevant knowledge, skills, experience, and education that relate to the position. Ultimately, the

resume is what secures the candidate an interview.

A resume is a brief document and should typically only be one page- especially at the undergraduate level.

Oftentimes, employers are skimming the resume too look for relevant experience and will only spend about 15

seconds (or less!) reviewing the document.

It is imperative that your resume clearly and concisely spells out your career objective, skills, education, and

achievements. The “targeted resume” is the most effective resume for getting and keeping the attention of the

employer by tailoring your experiences to the particular field you are applying.

Be brief: You want to fill in as much information as possible without repeating any information. Typically

resumes will only be one page long. As a rule of thumb, for each additional degree and/or seven years of

experience, you can add another page. If you do have a two-page resume, be sure that all the information is

relevant to the position you are applying. If it is not you may need to edit.

Consistency: Make sure to stay consistent throughout the resume with whatever format you choose(e.g.,

underlining, asterisks, indenting, bold type).

Be logical: Make sure the information flows smoothly and sensibly. Remember: YOU determine how a

person reads your resume. We read left to right, top to bottom. Prioritize and arrange your information

accordingly.

Proofread: Remember that your resume and cover letter are often your first contacts with a prospective

employer. Resumes should be visually appealing and should not contain typographical or grammatical

errors.

The current professional resume style is a targeted resume.

Targeting your resume entails highlighting specific career goals or objectives and designing a resume

tailored to achieve them.

By creating multiple experience categories (i.e. “Administrative Experience,” “Teaching Experience,”

“Other Experience,” etc.) you can help employers focus on those experiences most relevant to the position

you are applying for.

If your job search includes multiple job objectives, you can have two or three different resumes which place

emphasis on different targeted objectives.

POINTS TO CONSIDER

THE FUNCTIONAL/SKILLS BASED RESUME

INTRODUCTION

Communication skills

Listening skills

Interpersonal skills

Team/Group dynamics

knowledge

Ability to organize and

coordinate

Creativity

Leadership Skills

Ability to motivate

others

Adaptability

Persuasive skills

Responsibility

Dependability

Customer Service

skills

These categories are what we recommend as the best way to illustrate strengths in a concise and organized

manner. Assemble these elements in any way you see fit, but refer to the examples page for reference.

Add Key Words. Many times job postings will say exactly what they are looking for in the description, we

highly recommend adding those in your resume.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Your name, address(es), phone number(s) with area codes. It is acceptable to include

your e-mail address.

OBJECTIVE: One sentence stating the kind of position you want, the task(s) you want to perform, or the environment in

which you wish to work.

EDUCATION: Name of institution, city, state, degree, major, and month and year of graduation. You may wish to

include would be schools attended overseas; course work directly applicable to the desired job; minor; GPA (overall or

departmental). The highest degree earned should be listed first, then continue backward.

CERTIFICATION: Include your area/level of certification and date received

EXPERIENCE: Name of organization, job title, city, state, dates of employment or service, and active verb descriptions

of responsibilities and duties usually in bullet form. For targeted Resumes you can highlight specific experience:

“Administrative Experience,” “Management Experience” “Related Experience,” “Other Experience,” etc.

SKILLS: Provide a list of skills or qualifications that you would like the employer to know about that may not come

through in other headings. List computer languages, programs, systems, etc. For example: Excellent team player; Work

well independently while also in team situations; Excellent oral and written communication skills.

HONORS/AWARDS: Academic scholarships, grants, academic honors, awards (e.g. Geology Student of the Year) and

Dean’s List (may also be included under Education section)

LANGUAGES: Foreign Languages: Define the level of your ability : “Fluent,” “Literate,” “Conversant”

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Professional and community affiliations, clubs/organizations, and student groups.

Include name of organization, dates of membership, and offices held, if any.

INTERESTS/ACTIVITIES/TRAVEL (Optional): Special interests, activities, or travel experiences if relevant to job.

OTHER HEADINGS: “Special Skills;” “Publications;” “Professional Development” (training, seminars, conferences,

workshops), “Class Projects,” “Study Abroad,” “If you have something else to add that would be relevant, make a heading

that’s appropriate and include it!

SKILLS COMMONLY SOUGHT BY EMPLOYERS

COMMON CATEGORIES FOR RESUME

Headings (education, experience, etc) should be consistently presented and set apart in some way from the

other material (by capitalizing, underlining, spacing, bold-facing, etc) Material should be listed in reverse chronological order (i.e., most recent experience first) One page is the standard length for a resume unless the applicant has two full pages of relevant

experience. Document should have Visual Appeal

Use specific topic headings

Reflect key words in descriptions

Use a writing style that is specific and concise

Highlight employable and transferable skills

Quantify information when possible

Eliminate extraneous material (hobbies, marital status, age, irrelevant memberships, repetitious

information, etc)

Include an appropriate content in header: your name, and telephone number, and email address, location/

full street address (optional)

Begin sentences with action verbs

Use consistent grammatical style throughout

Use appropriate keywords and vocabulary for your job target

Check for correct punctuation and spelling

Are sentence fragments and paragraphs a readable length (descriptions ideally should be no longer than a

few lines)

Do not use personal pronouns (I, me, my, etc.)

Fonts Style: Common resume fonts include Times Roman, Helvectica, Palatino. Experiment with your

font menu!

Font Size: 11point the average; 10 point is lowest you would want to go.

Margins: 0.5 – 1.0 inch margins top, bottom, right and left are recommended to give you space you need.

Bullets are used to highlight statements on a resume.

LAYOUT AND FORMAT

CONTENT

LOGISTICS OF PAGE LAYOUT

Leadership &

Management

Assigned

Chaired meetings

Coordinated

Delegated

Developed

Directed

Evaluated

Hired

Improved

Initiated

Interviewed

Led

Managed

Motivated

Oversaw

Planned

Promoted change

Reviewed

Sold

Supervised

Trained

Administration &

Organization

Allocated resources

Audited

Budgeted

Calculated

Categorized

Classified

Compiled information

Designed

Developed programs

Established procedures

Estimated

Forecasted

Implemented

Maintained records

Made decisions

Managed budget

Managed time

Marketed

Organized

Prioritized

Recommended

Sorted Data

Systematized

Communication:

Human Relations &

Teaching

Adapted

Advised

Aided

Assisted

Coached

Communicated

Conversed

Counseled

Defined

Educated

Empathized

Empowered

Encouraged

Explained

Facilitated

Guided

Influenced

Informed

Instructed

Listened

Mediated

Mentored

Negotiated

Presented

Taught

Trained

Translated

Treated

Tutored

Understood

Communication:

Written & Verbal

Advocated

Collaborated

Corresponded

Debated

Demonstrated

Edited

Informed

Integrated

Information

Interpreted

Persuaded

Proofread

Publicized

Reported

Sold

Spoke

Summarized

Synthesized

Translated

Research &

Investigative

Assessed

Collected

Critiqued

Diagnosed

Disproved

Evaluated

Examined

Extracted

Identified

Inspected

Interviewed

Monitored

Observed

Researched

Reviewed

Solved problems

Studied

Summarized

Surveyed

Tested

Artistic & Creative

Acted

Composed

Created

Designed

Developed

Directed

Drew

Entertained

Fashioned

Generated Ideas

Illustrated

Initiated

Performed

Sang

Sketched

Visualized

Wrote

Physical/Mechanical &

Clerical/Technical

Arranged

Assembled

Built

Calculated

Catalogued

Classified

Computed

Constructed

Counted

Designed

Devised

Engineered

Entered data

Fabricated

Filed

Inspected

Installed

Lifted Operated

Processed Program

computers Recorded

Repaired Sorted

Transported

RESUME ACTION VERB LIST

Tomara Teacher Jacksonville, Florida 32224

(904) 123-4567

TTeacher1@gmailo.com

EDUCATION University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida

Bachelor of Science, December 2017

Major: Psychology-Child Psychology Track

Minor: Writing Studies, GPA: 3.4/4.0

TRAINING Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); American Sign Language

SKILLS MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Explorer; WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr

TEACHING Duval County School System, Jacksonville, Florida, August 2015 – Present

EXPERIENCE Substitute Teacher

Present daily lessons in elementary school setting

Ability to create an interest in learning mathematical and scientific subjects

Establish and execute individual classroom management plan

Effectively perform administrative duties: attendance, recording of grades, and documentation of

completed assignments for instructor’s use

Montessori Learning Center, Jacksonville, Florida August 2014 – July 2015

After School Teacher’s Assistant

Provided assistance with management et of 30 pre-school children

Engaged students in creative art, reading exercises and physical activities

Provided parents with weekly achievement reports; recognized children for cooperative behavior and

development of interpersonal skills

School’s philosophy based on Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

RELATED Ed White Middle School, Jacksonville, Florida, January – May 2015

EXPERIENCE Volunteer

Assisted teachers with class room preparation for 35 students

Organized school supplies: reading, math, and art resources

Served as Hall Monitor during general assembly

First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida, June-July, 2013 and 2014

Senior Camp Counselor

Planned summer camp activities: annual Academic Success Bowl, sports competitions, and min craft

fair

Assisted with pre-camp scheduling tasks

Designed promotional flyers

Museum of Science and History (MOSH), Jacksonville, Florida, May 2013 – August 2013

Museum Guide

Assisted with daily presentations and tours

Conducted presentations for summer camp students

Provided excellent customer service; followed policies and operating procedures

ASSOCIATIONS

Student Council for Exceptional Children Psychology Club Student Government Association

Toastmasters International

OTHER

EXPERIENCE TJ Maxx, Jacksonville, Florida, August 2013 – December 2014

Cashier

RESUME SAMPLE 1

Osprey Biology Jacksonville, FL

904-555-6666

l.bugs@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE Obtain an undergraduate research position in the field of environmental biology.

EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Biology GPA: 3.5

University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 5/2018

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE Biology Tutor

University of North Florida Learning Center, Jacksonville, FL 9/2016-Present

Facilitate tutoring sessions for the prescribed topics at the agreed upon time and location

Review homework as necessary

Provide additional practice work to ensure through understanding of topics covered

President

University of North Florida Environmental Club, Jacksonville, FL 9/2016-Present

Preside all meetings in order to advocate the importance of human impact on the environment

Promote sustainable awareness and practices on campus and in the surrounding community

Coordinate and unify the work of the Planning Committee

Call and preside at general meetings and sign all official papers related to the club

Camp Counselor

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, FL 5/2015-8/2016

Facilitated daily topic projects for a group of 33 elementary school aged campers

Ensured that camp policies were enforced and campers were safe

Assisted in coordinating major camp events, including LOVE Our Earth Day, Parents Day Celebration, and a Variety

Show

ACTIVITIES Volunteer

Food Pantry, Jacksonville, FL 9/2016- 9/2017

COMPUTER

MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, Photoshop

LANGUAGES

English, Conversational Spanish

RESUME SAMPLE 2

Ozzie Osprey

Ozzie@ospreys.unf.edu 904-111-1111

Objective

Seeking an internship with the U.S. Department of Housing/Urban Development.

Education

University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science December 2017

Minor in International Studies

Overall GPA 3.64/4.0

Memberships: Mock Trial, Pi Sigma Alpha, Golden Key International Honor Society

Relevant Experience

Rogers Towers Attorneys at Law Jacksonville, FL

Administrative Assistant June 2015-Present

• Transport affidavits/forms to and from Duval Courthouse

• Assist with various office tasks

University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL

Member, Enactus, formally Students In Free Enterprise January 2015-Present

• Research company contacts for students

• Create/edit workshop documents for presentations

• Investigate contacts within selected target markets

University of North Florida Jacksonville, FL

Politics of Social Programs Research Paper January 2015

• Identified a member of the “working poor”

• Interviewed participant to gather data for analysis

• Identified factors affecting income potential

• Documented housing and lifestyle challenges and its effects

• Focused on participant’s outcome and accomplishments

The Experiment in International Living Tepic, MEX

Volunteer July 2014

• Worked on the Caritas public health project

• Collected medical, clothing, food and other donations

• Developed cultural awareness and planning skills

National Youth Leadership Forum on Law Washington, DC

Representative, Fletcher High School October 2012

• Attended law related workshops

• Focused on ethics and social policy issues

• Participated in mock trial simulations

Skills

Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Explorer; Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Vine; WordPress

RESUME SAMPLE 3

HENRIETTA OSPREY Jacksonville, FL 32224 Henrietta.Osprey@unf.edu (904) 123-4567

OBJECTIVE

To obtain an internship position at a law firm

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA Jacksonville, FL

Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice December 2015

Minor in English

Major GPA: 3.3/4.0

RELEVANT CLASSES

Philosophy of Law and Justice

Court Systems and Procedures

White Collar Crime

Family Violence

COMPUTER SKILLS

MS Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint

ACTIVITIES

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA Jacksonville, FL

Pre-Law Program January 2014-Present

Attend informational luncheons: guests represent Florida law school programs

Aid program director with event set up for student events

Network with alumni and guests of the Pre-law Program: lawyers, judges, community leaders

Student Criminal Justice Association August 2013-Present

Involved in annual membership drive

Assist with the selection of guest speakers

Coordinate various events

Pre-Law Student Society August 2013-Present

Member of Mock Trial

WORK EXPERIENCE

APPLEBEE’S Jacksonville, FL

Hostess, Wait Staff March 2012 - Present

Assist management training of new employees

Received raises based upon work ethic and ability

Improved customer service skills

UNF CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH CENTER Jacksonville, FL

Student Assistant May - August 2011

Followed policy and procedures

Helped children develop social skills with interactive games

RESUME SAMPLE 4