Six Seconds! 

The average time a 

hiring manager spends 

looking at a resume.
WELCOME TO RESUME BUILDING

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Alicia Middleton

Congratulations on taking your first step in preparing for your career. Resume building is the most important 

step in getting that dream job. This presentation will not be an average resume writing presentation.

Designed with you in mind, our office decided to take a different approach by having a hand’s on experience 

that will not just focus on the general do’s and don’ts of writing a resume BUT will enable you to design a resume 

template. 

That’s right, if you don’t have a resume, you will have the start of one at the end of our session today! 

Section by section, you will begin to build the framework of this EXTREMELY important document under the 

guidance of one of our trained professionals. 

With all this help being provided today, we highly suggest that you visit us today so that your resume is 

completed and printed on resume paper. Yes, it’s that simple. The staff of Career Educational Planning Services 

will assist you throughout your entire academic/career path and our services are available even after graduation. 

THAT’S RIGHT, our office will provide you with career services for the rest of your life.

We promise to do anything in our power to help you be successful; starting today with your resume. So please, 

do not hesitate to visit us at any time during our office hours to jumpstart your career!

“It’s a Beautiful Thing when a Career and a Passion Comes Together” ~unknown~

Page 1
Before Getting Started

The Purpose of a Resume 

The main purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. It serves as your initial contact with 

employers. Emphasize your strong points, make sure to highlight the skills posted in the job 

description. Express your uniqueness and individuality in the skills and qualifications you 

highlight. 

Some Pet Peeves of Hiring Managers/Recruiters 

There are many ‘pet peeves’ of hiring managers and recruiters. First of all, check for spelling 

errors and poor grammar, it must sound professional. Don’t make it too duty-oriented, highlight 

your accomplishments as it relates to the job description. Make sure your contact information is 

current and complete, they need to be able to contact you. Be consistent when it comes to the 

font, shading and colors you use. Keep your resume short, sweet, and to the point. Do not use 

paragraphs, this is not a biography but a synopsis, imaging your experience. If at all possible keep 

your resume to one full page, if it is necessary for you to have two pages, make it two full pages. If 

you are applying for higher management, executive positions, you may want to do a curriculum 

vitae (which can be longer than two pages). Do not apply for a jobs you are not qualified....this 

wastes both their time and yours. Keep personal information unrelated to the job to yourself 

(remember, short and sweet). Stay away from using the personal pronouns such as I and me. 

Watch your verb tenses; present, past, and future. Your resume should look good and be easy to 

read. Also, proofread, proofread, proofread!

Before You Submit Your Resume 

One of the things you need to think about before you submit your resume is your online image. 

What kind of online presence do you have? Check the social networking sites you belong to. 

Do they portray a professional image? Is it the kind of image employers are looking for in their 

employees? It is important to ask yourself these questions because employers WILL look for you! 

If your online image is not a professional one, make changes or disable your accounts before 

submitting your resume. Want to know what others can find out about you? Google your name, 

city/state and see what comes up.

Page 2
Page 3
Page 4

FI R S T N A M E LA S T N A M E

 A D D R E S S

P H O N E

E M A I L

https://www.linkedin.com/in/xxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxx-x123456x

PROFILE

 Pro-active and well-trained CyberSecurity Specialist with 5+ years of experience. Excellent written 

and oral communications. Capable of explaining complex software issues in easy to understand terms

 May 2017 

Dates

 Dates

2005- present

EDUCATION

Phoenix College | Phoenix, AZ 

Associates of Arts, Computer Programming

 GPA: 3.0

 Academic Honors/Achievements

New Mexico Teaching Certification

RELATED EXPERIENCE

 Company's Name | Any City, PA

 Cyber Security Chief Engineer

● Lead a team of experts to define, analyze and ensure proper implementation of cyber security

in software architectures for Aerospace products

● Provide technical leadership, guidance and assistance to development teams in the

implementation of cyber security strategies and designs

● Establish and enforce cyber security standards for software architectures, including ensuring

that security standards are properly addressed

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Pizza Hut | Mt. Pocono, PA 

 2011-2013 

Server and Cashier

● Provided excellent patron experience through phenomenal customer service, evidenced by high

number of regular patrons requesting to sit in my section

• Maintained safety procedures by following company's regulations and procedures

● Developed a process to efficiently deliver food to tables, which was later implemented by

management

LEADERSHIP

● Freshman Programs, Coach

● Volunteer & Service Center, Volunteer

AFFILIATIONS

Public Relation Student Society of America 

2012-2013

Professional Member

SKILLS

Experience in Mac, PC, Microsoft Office, Online Communities and Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and 

InDesign. 

SAMPLE RESUME
Page 5

LET’S GET STARTED

HEADER

FI R S T N A M E LA S T N A M E

 1 2 3 A n y S t r e e t , C i t y , S t a t e 1 2 3 4 5

505- 123- 4567

n a m e 1 2 @ g m a i l . c o m

https://www.linkedin.com/in/xxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxx-x123456x 

□ First Name, Last Name

Size 18/20 font, bold—anything to help it stand out

□ Address / City / State / Zip

Size 11/12 font, unbold— for the rest of the resume

□ Phone number

Professional voicemail. Make sure your name 

and/or number is stated in the greeting

□ Email

Professional email—NO NICKNAMES

□ LinkedIn URL—optional

Space to write your own header

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________

__________________________________________
Page 6

WHAT IS A PROFILE STATEMENT?

The profile statement is a short powerful description that tells the employer why you are qualified for the job 

and what you have to offer THEM . The profile statement replaces the Objective statement (which would 

state what YOU were looking for), which is no longer considered proper ‘resume etiquette’.

A comparison of Objective vs. Profile

Job Objective: To obtain a job within my chosen field that will challenge me and utilize use my 

Profile:

education, skills and past experiences in a manner that will allow for future growth and 

advancement. 

Highly skilled Cyber Security Engineer with three years publishing experience.

Knowledgeable in implementing strategies and designs. Experienced communicator

and team player.

EXAMPLES OF PROFILE STATEMENTS and/or PROFESSIONAL SUMMARIES

Proactive and well-trained Cyber Security Specialist with 5+ years of experience. Excellent written and oral 

communications; capable of explaining complex software issues in easy-to-understand terms.

Detail oriented IT professional with 10 years of experience as a software specialist and systems/network 

technician. Innovative problem solver; developed and implemented new service strategies to increase 

satisfaction.

Expertise with security and database information management tools. Highly capable of working with various 

types of networks. Strong verbal and written communication. Bilingual: English/Spanish.

Extensive knowledge of security vulnerabilities, solutions and risks in IT. Highly organized with top attention 

given to detail. Able to work independently or with a large team.

Student

Bachelor of Science undergraduate student majoring in computer software. Self-starter and quick learner. 

Versatile skills in computer programming, software and support specialist. Received multiple student 

excellence and high achiever awards.
Page 7

WRITING A PROFILE STATEMENT

Three to four sentences describing characteristics that are detailed in the job’s posting. 

Example:

PROFILE

Energetic, enthusiastic, and tech savvy computer programming graduate with 5+ years experience in 

implementing cyber security sofware. Excellent written and oral communications in explaining 

complex issues in easy to understand terms. Able to work independently and in large teams.

FOR IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT:

Computer Programming graduate with

experience in implementing cyber security in 

software architectures. Must be enthusiastic

and tech savvy. Willing to put in long hours.

Duties include:

Public relations in an open office where 

communication skills are important. 

Competitive salary

With benefits. 

HELP WANTED

SPACE TO WRITE YOUR PROFILE STATEMENT

Hint: Make use of the action verbs listed on pages 9 & 10. 

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________
Page 8

EDUCATION HEADING

 May 2017

EDUCATION

Phoenix College| Phoenix , AZ 

Associate of Science; Concentration: Computer Programming 

GPA: 3.0

President’s List Fall 2015

President’s List Spring 2016

Certifications

CPR May 2016

□ State the full name of the institution

■ Incorrect: PC

■ Correct: Phoenix College

□ Expected graduation date—Extreme right

■ List the date only, even if it is in the future

□ State the proper name of your degree. What will it state on your diploma?

■ Incorrect: A.A.S. in Business Admin.

■ Correct: Associate of Applied Science, Business Administration

□ Be sure to list a concentration if you have one

□ List your GPA only if it is a 3.0 or above

□ Academic Awards

□ Dates awards received—Extreme right

□ Should I list “Related Coursework” underneath the Education heading?

■ Only when requested or when you have very little job experience

□ List all certifications and when you expect to or have received them

SPACE TO WRITE YOUR EDUCATION

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
Page 9

EXPERIENCE HEADING

□ Full company name—Bold Font

□ City, State—Regular Font—Same line as company name

□ Dates employed—Extreme right margin

■ Keep the date format consistant

□ Complete job title—Italicized

□ State job duties performed

■ Begin with an action word (watch for past vs. present tense)

■ Describe what you did

■ How or why you did it

■ Make sure you have three or more bullets

□ Other work experience: Usually not related (or less related) to the area of employment you

are seeking. Highlight main accomplishments

WRITE AN EXPERIENCE BASED ON A POSITION HELD

Hint: Use the action verbs listed on the next two pages. 

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

 Company's Name | Any City, PA

 Cyber Security Chief Engineer

● Lead a team of experts to define, analyze and ensure proper implementation of cyber security

in software architectures for Aerospace products

● Provide technical leadership, guidance and assistance to development teams in the

implementation of cyber security strategies and designs

● Establish and enforce cyber security standards for software architectures, including ensuring

that security standards are properly addressed

2005- present
Page 10

LIST OF ACTION VERBS FOR RESUMES & PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

Management/ 

Leadership Skills 

administered

analyzed

appointed

approved

assigned

attained 

authorized

chaired

considered

consolidated

contracted

controlled

converted

coordinated

decided

delegated

developed

directed 

eliminated

emphasized

enforced

enhanced

established

executed

generated

handled

headed

hired

hosted

improved

incorporated

increased

initiated

inspected

instituted

led

managed

merged

motivated

organized

originated

overhauled

oversaw

planned

presided

prioritized

produced

recommended

reorganized

replaced

restored

reviewed

scheduled

streamlined

strengthened

supervised

terminated

Communication/ 

People Skills 

addressed

advertised

arbitrated

arranged 

articulated

authored

clarified

collaborated

communicated

composed

condensed

conferred

consulted

contacted

conveyed

convinced

corresponded

debated

defined

described

developed

directed

discussed

drafted

edited

elicited

enlisted

explained

expressed

formulated 

furnished

incorporated

influenced

interacted

interpreted

interviewed

involved

joined

judged

lectured

listened

marketed

mediated

moderated

negotiated

observed

outlined

participated

persuaded

presented

promoted

proposed

publicized

reconciled

recruited

referred

reinforced

reported

resolved

responded

solicited

specified

spoke

suggested

summarized

synthesized

translated

wrote

Research Skills 

analyzed

clarified

collected

compared

conducted

critiqued

detected

determined

diagnosed

evaluated

examined

experimented

explored

extracted

formulated

gathered

identified

inspected

interpreted

interviewed

invented

investigated

located

measured

organized

researched

searched

solved

summarized

surveyed

systemized

tested

Technical Skills 

adapted

assembled

built 

calculated

computed

conserved

constructed

converted

debugged

designed

determined

developed

engineered

fabricated

fortified

installed

maintained

operated

overhauled

printed

programmed

rectified

regulated

remodeled

repaired

replaced

restored

solved

specialized

standardized

studied

upgraded

utilized

Teaching Skills 

adapted

advised

clarified
Page 11

LIST OF ACTION VERBS FOR RESUMES & PROFESSIONAL PROFILES

coached

communicated

conducted

coordinated

critiqued

developed

enabled

encouraged

evaluated

explained

facilitated

focused

guided

individualized

informed

instilled

instructed

motivated

persuaded

set goals

simulated

stimulated

taught

tested

trained

transmitted

tutored

Financial/ 

Data Skills 

administered

adjusted

allocated

analyzed

appraised

assessed

audited

balanced

calculated

computed

conserved

corrected

determined

developed

estimated

forecasted

managed

marketed

measured

planned

programmed

projected

reconciled

reduced

researched

retrieved

Creative Skills 

acted

adapted

began

combined

conceptualized

condensed

created

customized

designed

developed

directed

displayed

drew

entertained

established

fashioned

formulated

founded

illustrated

initiated

instituted

integrated

introduced

invented

modeled

modified

originated

performed

photographed

planned

revised

revitalized

shaped

solved

Helping Skills 

adapted

advocated

aided

answered

arranged

assessed

assisted

cared for

clarified

coached

collaborated

contributed

cooperated

counseled

demonstrated

diagnosed

educated

encouraged

ensured

expedited

facilitated

familiarize

furthered

guided

helped

insured

intervened

motivated

provided

referred

rehabilitated

presented

resolved

simplified

supplied

supported

volunteered

Organization/ 

Detail Skills 

approved

arranged

cataloged

categorized

charted

classified

coded

collected

compiled

corresponded

distributed

executed

filed

generated

implemented

incorporated

inspected

logged

maintained

monitored

obtained

operated

ordered

organized

prepared

processed

provided

purchased

recorded

registered

reserved

responded

reviewed

routed

scheduled

screened

set up 

submitted

supplied

standardized

systemized

updated

validated

verified

More Verbs for 

Accomplishments 

achieved

completed

expanded

exceeded

improved

pioneered

reduced (losses)

resolved (issues)

restored

spearheaded

succeeded

surpassed

transformed

won
Page12

The following headings are used if you are lacking work experience

LEADERSHIP, AFFILIATIONS, AND SKILLS HEADINGS

LEADERSHIP

• American Red Cross, Blood Bank Volunteer

• Aztec Baseball Association, Assistant Coach

□ Activities/Volunteer Work

SPACE TO WRITE YOUR LEADERSHIP

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

AFFILIATIONS

Phi Theta Kappa 2015-2017

Member

American Trucking Associations 2012-2013

Professional Member

□ Organizational Experience/Professional Affiliations/Clubs

SPACE TO WRITE YOUR AFFILIATIONS

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

SKILLS

Experience in Mac, PC, Microsoft Office, Online Communities and Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and 

InDesign.

□ One of the most important sections of your resume

□ Essential to customize these to be worded as closely as possible to the way the are in the

job description

SPACE TO WRITE YOUR SKILLS

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
Page 13

RESUME RUBRIC

REQUIRED FIELDS/ITEMS 

OPTIONAL RESUME ENHANCEMENTS 

Contact Information 

Meets Minimum 

□ Name (Largest font in the document)

□ Addresses (permanent and/or current)

□ Cell/Phone

□ E-mail address (use a professional e-mail)

Exceeds Minimum 

□ e-Portfolio link or Personal Webpage URL (to showcase

significant projects and work products)

Education 

Meets Minimum 

□ Name of college/university

□ Location of the institution (city, state)

□ Official name of your degree (e.g. Associate of Arts, not AA)

□ Expected Graduation date (month/year)

□ Major, minor, specialization and/or license spelled out

□ Study abroad (name of institution, dates-if applicable)

Exceeds Minimum 

□ Special coursework

□ Additional certifications, trainings, and/or professional 

development experiences

□ Courses or projects illustrations skills and knowledge related to your

career objective

Experience 

Meets Minimum 

□ List experience in reverse chronological order (most recent job or

position first) under each section heading

□ Indicate the name and location of the employer or organization (city, 

state)

□ List your job title and starting and ending dates for each

assignment (month/year or semester/year)

□ Use action verbs and specific examples to describe your key

accomplishments and contributions; emphasize transferable 

skills and knowledge

□ Use verb tenses consistently-use past tense verbs to describe your 

previous positions responsibilities and present tense verbs for current

jobs or positions

□ Do not use “I” statements or “Responsible for”

Exceeds Minimum 

□ Use different section headings to separate career-related 

experiences (e.g. relevant experience, teaching experience) from

other work (e.g. college employment, work history)

□ Present your relevant experiences first, including internships in your

field, student teaching, research projects, related employment, and 

volunteer experience

□ Quantify your accomplishments/results (e.g. increased sales 35% 

within six months)

Meets Minimum 

□ Font size for body text is large enough to be easily read (10pt minimum)

□ Consistent style and layout throughout the resume

□ Organize the information from the most important and 

downward

□ Use either months for seasons for dates

□ Resume is one full page

Exceeds Minimum 

□ Resume design is consistent with professional practice

(e.g. graphic design, biology, music)

□ Use the white space effectively for visual appeal

Layout/Design 

General 

□ If used, the profile, the summary, and/or objective is clear (i.e. a specific 

position of job function desired, organization type is identified)

General 

□ Official name of each organization offices or leadership roles

□ Dates of involvement

□ Do not use acronyms

Career Objective/Summary 

Activities/Services 

Enhanced 

□ Specific skills, knowledge or experience offered (e.g. supervisory

experience, knowledge of educational technology, self-starter)

Enhanced 

□ Highlight key accomplishments in leadership roles and skills and 

knowledge gained

□ Highlight transferable skills

Awards/Honors 

General 

□ Official name for each honor or award

□ Official name of organization or group that conferred the honor or 

award

□ Month/year award receives

Skills/Unique Qualifications 

Enhanced 

□ Summarize scholarships (e.g. received 3 academic, 2 leadership, and 1

service learning)

□ Group awards by topic for readability

□ Consider including award/honors under different sections instead (e.g.

Education-President’s List, Work Experience-Employee of the Month)

□ Languages (Level of proficiency) □ Publications (Title; APA or MLA) □ Research Projects

□ Computer/programing (List languages, software) □ Military Service (Rank and Assignment)
Page 14

SAMPLE COVER LETTER
1202 West Thomas Road

Phoenix, AZ 85013

Hannelly Center, 113

602-285-7420

STAFF

Alicia Middleton, Director

Julie Plombon, Career Coach

Branco Roebers, Assistant

Nyesha Qaasim, Administrative Assistant

HOURS

Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm 

Friday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Summer Hours: 

Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 6:00pm

Closed Fridays