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Guide to Resumes
Table of Contents
SECTION 1 - Introduction
SECTION 2 - Resume Requirements
SECTION 3 - Resume Contents
SECTION 4 - Action Verb List
SECTION 5 - Formatting & Other Resume Issues
SECTION 6 - Sample Resumes
SECTION I - INTRODUCTION
A good resume functions as an invaluable tool in your job search. As a summary of your pertinent experience and marketable skills, the resume is written to communicate your qualifications to potential employers. Your resume should present your goals and strengths in a manner that will elicit a positive response -- in other words, an invitation to interview. The resume can be used to apply for advertised jobs, to send to employers you discover through research and networking, to submit for on-campus recruiting opportunities, to bring to job fairs and employer information sessions, and to give to your references.
Many employers typically spend only a few moments (or less!) looking over a resume to determine if a personal interview is appropriate. To effectively communicate your qualifications, significant facts must be presented concisely, in a well organized format that is readable, visually pleasing and very easy to skim.
The following guidelines are offered to help you prepare your resume. You will notice that there are several traditional ways to organize information, while allowing for flexibility of design. The resume should be a unique representation of your skills and interests, so try to design one that best represents you. Regardless of the format you select, the resume should be only one page in length for current students and recent graduates. (Alumni with advanced degrees or substantial work experience may lengthen their resumes.)
Career Services counselors are able to critique resumes and other correspondence throughout the academic year and during the summer months. Students and alumni may submit material that they would like to have critiqued to the assistant in the Wharton area of Career Services. (You may also email the resume to a Wharton Career Counselor if dropping a copy off in person is not convenient.) Please allow at least two working days for review. Documents will be returned to the assistant in the Wharton area for pick-up. You may also have your materials reviewed during walk-ins or appointments. Various resume workshops are also held throughout the year which can be helpful in getting you started on your resume.
SECTION II - RESUME REQUIREMENTS
The following guidelines should be followed when preparing your resume:
Use the Official School Name:
Wharton: Wharton School (not The School of Business)
Engineering: School of Engineering & Applied Science
College: College of Arts & Sciences
Degrees:
Resumes must include your degree (Wharton: Bachelor of Science in Economics) and expected date of graduation (month and year). The Class of... is not acceptable.
Concentrations/Majors/Minors:
Wharton does not have "majors" in its curriculum. You may therefore list a "concentration" but not a major. Dual-degree students may list a major for their non-Wharton degree if that school's curriculum offers majors. While Wharton offers no minors, Wharton students may include minors from the College of Arts and Sciences or School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Listing Courses:
Students choosing to list "Relevant Coursework" on their resumes may include courses which they have already completed. If current courses (i.e., Fall 2008) are to be listed, they must be clearly indicated as such.
Listing GPA
If you chose to include your GPA on your resume, most employers greatly prefer that you report your overall (cumulative) GPA, although you may include your concentration GPA (or some other subgroup) if you wish. If you list anything other than your overall GPA, you must list the number of courses that have been used to arrive at that GPA. (For example: GPA in Finance: 3.6 (4 courses)). Your GPA must be listed exactly as it appears in Penn-in-Touch. The grades that are on the transcript are the grades used for the calculations. If you include GPAs from one or more concentrations, you must calculate the GPAs separately for each and list the number of courses included in each concentration GPA.
Transfer students: You may list all the schools you attended or just Penn. If you are just listing Penn (and opt to include your GPA) the above rules for listing your GPA apply. If you are listing the school(s) from which you transferred, you may include your GPA from that school(s) or just your Penn GPA. However, if you wish to include a "Combined GPA" which accurately averages both your transfer and your Penn GPAs, you must list each of the schools you attended and the specific GPA at each.
You are advised to update your resume should there be a change in your GPA, courses, activities, etc.
Please Note:
Students who are found to have falsified any information on their resume can lose their recruiting privileges and are subject to disciplinary action by the Office of Student Conduct.
These policies are intended to eliminate confusion as to how you represent yourself. We understand and fully appreciate the pressure of a competitive job market and wish to protect you from those who would compete unfairly.
SECTION III - RESUME CONTENTS
There are several acceptable styles for organizing material in your resume. The order of the sections can be changed depending upon your own history and level of experience. Someone with significant full-time work experience might find it useful to present Experience before Educational Background. A senior or undergraduate with minimal work experience would usually not find it useful to present Work Experience before Education. However, if he or she had extensive language or computer skills that were directly related to career interests, it would be wise to present the Special Qualifications/Skills prior to Experience. Typically resumes usually include the following sections.
Name and Contact Information
This section includes your name, address, phone number and email. There is no need to say "resume of" or "resume" at the top, as this is obvious. Many students who have two addresses, one for the academic year and one for summer and vacations (usually their parents') use the following format:
ALICE APPLICANT
Current Address:
4700 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19143
(215) 762-3183
alice@wharton.upenn.edu |
|
Permanent Address:
Apt.62560 Pleasant Lane
Mayfield, NY 10025
(201) 625-1726 |
If you have one address, it can be listed in the middle of your resume under your name. Your name can either be at the left-hand margin or centered on the page. If space is a problem you may want to put all your identifying information on one line as follows:
JOE JOBHUNTER
3250 Walnut Street * Philadelphia, PA 45690 * (215) 876-1610
jobhunter@wharton.upenn.edu
It is important that employers be able to reach you. If applicable, you may want to add a work phone number where you can be reached during the day. Only include your cell phone number if you want to be accessible at all times. (Beware - we have heard stories of students being contacted by employers in a bar on a Friday night!)
Objective
The Objective (sometimes called "Professional Objective," or "Career Goal") is typically placed after your contact information and is optional. Some individuals opt to explain their career goals in a cover letter as opposed to in an objective. Although brief, the objective is often considered the most difficult part of the resume to write. It serves as a "headline" for the rest of your resume and should give the reader some idea of your interests and career plans as they relate to the position. The objective may also outline the skills you have developed and wish to use in your position. AVOID LISTING MORE THAN ONE SPECIFIC INDUSTRY SINCE THIS WILL MAKE YOU LOOK TOO UNFOCUSED. If you have several unrelated or very diverse career interests, you are encouraged to write more than one resume with varying objectives. The rest of the resume should support your objective.
You may choose not to use an objective statement. Although many employers prefer to see an objective, most agree that it's better to omit it than to use vague, empty phrases like the following:
- "To obtain a managerial position that will combine responsibility and challenge."
- "An exciting and challenging position leading to management."
Samples of effective objectives include the following:
- "A position requiring analytical, communication, and marketing skills. Specific areas of interest include Advertising and Product/Brand Management."
- "A financial analyst position at an investment bank. Strong interest in mergers and acquisitions."
- "Seeking a position on the audit staff of a public accounting firm utilizing my computer knowledge."
- "Employment in the field of Human Resources Management, with special interest in a health care or pharmaceutical environment.
Samples of effective summer/internship objectives include the following:
- "To obtain a summer position in a marketing environment, utilizing acquired skills in research and product planning."
- "Seeking a summer analyst position in an investment bank."
Educational Background
The education section is a major section for most recent college graduates. This section should be emphasized by a candidate with little work experience. Well-thought-out development of this area on your resume may answer a prospective employer's frequently asked questions regarding your academic program and performance, leadership/managerial capabilities, technical abilities and interests and general preparedness.
Your educational history should be listed in reverse chronological order, including the name of the institution, the specific college or school, city and state. Please note that the Wharton School is listed as The Wharton School (not the School of Business). Include your degree, date, and intended concentration(s). All Wharton students receive a Bachelor of Science in Economics (BS) degree. All dual degrees and/or dual concentrations should be highlighted and emphasized by noting University of Pennsylvania, both colleges or schools, and both degrees with Wharton concentration and major from other school.
It is essential that you emphasize educational experiences which illustrate your interests and ability to handle the position you are seeking. Pertinent graduate-level or honors courses might be stressed. A senior project, major paper, independent study, and/or research paper which substantiates your goals (two or three concise lines describing the project or study) would be important facts to include. (Some people prefer to highlight "Research Projects", "Honors" and/or "Activities" by establishing these as major resume categories that are subordinate to Education.)
Transfer students may list the school they came from and length of time attended, as well as relevant courses, honors and activities. You have the option of listing your GPA from each school. State the GPA in the best light, but be sure to state clearly what the figure represents and be sure you can substantiate it with a current transcript. If you decide to include an accurate "Combined GPA" you must also list the GPA achieved separately at each school.
Example 1:
EDUCATION
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Economics, May 2009
Concentration in Finance
Cumulative GPA: 3.5/4.0
Relevant Coursework: Securities Analysis (current), Funding Investments (current), Financial Accounting, Statistics, Marketing, Legal Studies, Operations and Information Management, Corporate Responsibility and Ethics
Example 2:
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business (one of 40 selected students)
Wharton School: Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Economics, Concentration in Marketing, May 2010
College of Arts and Sciences: Candidate for Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, May 2010
Cumulative GPA: 3.3/4.0
Honors: Joseph Wharton Scholar, Dean's List (2007-2008)
Study Abroad, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (Spring 2008)
Although grades are important, they are not the only aspect of your background that should be highlighted. Employers look for well-rounded candidates as demonstrated by involvement in extracurricular activities including leadership positions, internships, research projects, and personally financing college expenses. A semester or year of study abroad represents a unique experience to potential employers and should be included.
In deciding which experiences to include, choose those which demonstrate your strongest skills and support your objective. If you are interested in a career in technical sales, for example, you need to show that you are people-oriented and persuasive (with technical competence). This may be indicated in several ways such as participation on a sports team, election to student office, or being a project coordinator. However, if you are seeking a career in Market Research then you must highlight your analytical and quantitative skills and interest. You might emphasize, for example, high academic achievement, related course work and research experience.
Freshman, sophomores and juniors usually list high school, summer school, or other institutions attended before starting their post-secondary education. For seniors, it is considered optional to include high school (with the possible exception of well known schools), summer school, or other institutions attended before starting your post-secondary education. Some seniors may want to include high school to emphasize distinctions bestowed, class rank, activities, leadership profiles, or unique educational experiences. If space is an issue, or a resume becomes cluttered, this is usually the first section to omit.
Experience
The work-experience category might be entitled "Experience," "Work Experience," "Professional Experience", "Finance Experience" or whatever is most applicable. No matter what you have done, whether it was working in retail sales at Macy's, volunteering at a shelter, performing military duty, or working on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, employers want to know that you have worked. Many students are hesitant to put down summer or part-time employment, work-study positions, internships, volunteer experiences, or a responsible college activity that may seem unrelated to their career objectives. This is a misconception. The employer wants to know that you've been out there in the "real world" working, that you've held responsible jobs, and that you have had diverse experiences. Employers realize that many college students do not have, or are unable to find, relevant or career-related work experience. What they want to know is why you did it and what you learned from such experiences, as well as how you developed the ability to take the initiative, to get along with people, to be responsible for completing tasks, and to show leadership qualities.
Reverse Chronological Format
There are several formats you might use in the experience section of the resume. The most frequently used format is the Reverse Chronological Format which lists the most recent experience first. This style is well suited for candidates whose most recent experiences are also those which are the most related to the position(s) to which they are applying. Be sure to fully describe your accomplishments and responsibilities. Did you supervise and train workers? Develop a new program? Cut costs? Develop technical skills? Organize a marketing campaign? Write a financial report? Present a proposal? Be sure to write a brief description highlighting the work you did (not simply listing duties) and any impressive results.
The typical reverse chronological resume includes the name of the company or organization for which you worked, the department or division (optional), the position you held (sometimes listed first if impressive), the location, and a description of the work including duties, responsibilities, and accomplishments. You can choose to list the above facts in the order that presents you in the most effective way. Remember, whatever you choose, be consistent throughout the "Experience" section. It is not necessary to list all positions previously held, as frequently having enough space for a one-page resume becomes an issue. You can state at the end of your "Experience" section, for example, "Various other summer and/or part-time positions include..."
Example of Reverse Chronological Format
EXPERIENCE
CITI, Investment Banking Analyst, Technology Group, New York, NY (Summer 2008)
Developed numerous industry comps. Created retention rate model for a $39 million secondary equity offering. Analyzed prospective takeover opportunities using purchase-pooling models. Researched and valued approximately twenty M&A deals from SEC documents for proprietary database. Prepared numerous IPO pitch books. Rebuilt equity comp model.
SOL C. SNIDER ENTREPRENEURIAL CENTER, Research Assistant, Philadelphia, PA (Fall 2007 - Present)
Systematized and coordinated sale of International Trade Directory to members of the Wharton Export Network and selected multinational companies.
RBK FINANCIAL SERVICES, Sales Assistant, Mt. Holly, NJ (Summer 2007)
Focused on client accounts totaling $150 million. Provided bid-ask equity spreads. Transferred fed funds. Purchased cash funds. Researched historical trades. Reconciled monthly statements with on-line balances. Handled all written client correspondence.
MARRIOT HOTELS, RESORTS & SUITES, Hospitality Specialist, Hilton Head Island, SC (Summer 2006)
Assisted in set-ups for annual conventions. Greeted hotel guests upon arrival. Facilitated hotel check-ins. Provided detailed information about island activities and restaurants.
Functional Format
Another effective format for those with work experiences that are less related to their objective is the Functional Format . This style emphasizes skills and accomplishments, while employers' names, job titles, and dates are subordinated. This format allows the job seeker to include skills and experiences attained in other settings, such as classes, clubs, hobbies, etc.
Example 1: Functional Resume for Marketing Position
SKILLS
Marketing Research
- Worked with six team members to conduct focus groups, design and administer surveys, and analyze data to determine target consumers' perception and preference for bottled water for Marketing Strategy class
- Developed strong statistical analysis skills by completing three courses in statistics, earning an A in each
- Conducted SWOT analysis for medical device start-up firm, including recommendations for possible future growth areas, as part of summer internship
Advertising
- Used advertising fundamentals to develop and run mock campaign for local restaurant from start to finish, including creation of ads
- Created print advertisements and flyers to successfully promote events for sorority
- Participated in L'Oreal Marketing Case Competition and Pepsi Marketing Competition
Technical
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access), Photoshop and PageMaker
- Used Dreamweaver to design personal web page (http://www.pennstudent.com)
EMPLOYMENT
- Marketing Intern, Technical Reproductions Corporation, Philadelphia, PA (Summer 2008)
- Waitress, Bob's Big Boy, Oaklee, VA (Summers 2005 - 2006)
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
- Secretary, MUSE (Marketing Undergraduate Student Establishment), University of Pennsylvania (2007 - Present)
- Public Relations Chair, Delta Delta Delta, University of Pennsylvania (2007 - 2008)
- Volunteer Tutor, West Philadelphia Tutoring Project (2006 - Present)
Example 2: Functional Resume for Nonprofit Administration Position
EXPERIENCE
- Administration. Supervised catering staff of thirty for university-related and corporate programs on campus. Evaluated programs and personnel. Developed and maintained budget of $500,000.
- Program Development. Developed new programs for international students. Arranged conferences, assisted in the development of budget, and designed publicity for numerous activities and cultural events.
- Communications. Wrote successful grant proposal for student group. Organized and delivered special lectures and programs on issues affecting international students to university and community groups. Prepared and conducted personnel training sessions.
EMPLOYMENT
Student Manager. Catering Department, University Dining Services, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (2007 - Present)
Student Program Coordinator. International House, Philadelphia, PA (2006 - 2007)
Assistant Manager. Mainline Antiques, Bryn Mawr, PA (Summers 2003- 2006)
A Combination Resume is another format that categorizes experiences according to skill areas, but includes information such as the names of positions, employers, locations, and employment dates with the job description. This format is well suited for people with a variety of past jobs and experiences, some related and some not, who wish to place emphasis on the skill areas which are especially relevant to their current career objective.
Example of a Combination Resume for a Real Estate Position
REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE
Marakon Real Estate Investment Management, Detroit, MI (Summer 2008)
Summer Analyst – US Debt Group
- Generated loan servicing reports for pension funds and insurance companies on over $3.2 billion in commercial assets throughout United States.
- Forecasted current and projected lease rates, construction activity and occupancy levels in relevant market and sub-market.
- Collaborated with property management companies to evaluate effect of capital improvements and tenant retention programs on future operating income and asset value of each property.
- Reviewed and abstracted loan closing documents including leases, easement agreements, and estoppels.
Wharton Undergraduate Real Estate Club, Philadelphia, PA (Fall 2006 - Present)
President
- Lead weekly executive board meetings and bi-weekly full-member meetings.
- Plan educational events including speaker series and building tours.
Johnson Realty Company, Wooster, OH (Summer 2007)
Assistant Property Manager
- Coordinated property maintenance and modernization activities for 120 residential properties.
- Allocated $200,000 capital expenditure budget among single-family units to finance all non-recurring expenses.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Provost's Office, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (Fall 2006 - Fall 2008)
Student Assistant
- Utilized Access database to input statistics
- Greeted guests for the Provost in a professional and courteous manner
CheckOne, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (2006 - 2008)
Vice President
- Organized campus activities to increase awareness of issues concerning mixed heritage and multiculturalism
As a reminder, your "EXPERIENCE" section need not be limited to paid experiences, but may include volunteer or non-paid positions, independent research projects, community work, and/or internships. It is possible to list your "EXPERIENCE" section before your "EDUCATION" section, but this is typically done once a person has worked for a few years in a relevant position, since at that point the applicant's experience may be more relevant to the employer than the applicant's education.
Choose a format which presents the most impressive outline of your experiential history and follow these final suggestions:
- Use action verbs to specifically describe your responsibilities and skills. Avoid passive phrases like "duties included" and "responsibilities entailed."
- Emphasize major accomplishments and significant contributions, for example: "Selected as Outstanding Salesperson of the year."
- Stress what you learned from an otherwise routine job, for example: "Obtained exposure to industrial human resource policies."
Special Qualifications/Skills (optional)
You may want to include a section for skills or qualifications which enhance your prospects of employment. Computer skills (Languages, Hardware, Software), foreign languages you can read or speak, certifications (such as specific examinations passed, i.e., Actuarial Exams), and sophisticated or technical equipment that you can operate may be mentioned in this section. This category is optional, and allows an employer to easily pinpoint your accumulated, special and/or technical areas of expertise.
Additional Information (or Skills and Interests)
In this section, you have the chance to provide information about your personal interests not mentioned in any other part of the resume. Be specific in presenting athletic activities, cultural or intellectual interests, artistic and musical abilities, and travel experiences. Personal data, such as height, weight, age and marital status, should not be listed. If you are unsure about what information to include, discuss this with a counselor.
If you have financed a portion of your college expenses through employment, loans, grants, or scholarships, you could include it in this section if you have not mentioned it earlier.
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, be sure to state such information if your name, background, or education would be likely to raise questions about your ability to accept long-term employment in the United States.
You may also want to include professional organizations, clubs, or associations to which you belong. This section is optional but should be included if it adds to your qualifications.
It is not necessary to include the statement "References available upon request" at the bottom of your resume. Also, listing the specific names and addresses of references is not appropriate. Prospective employers will assume you have references. The availability of references can be mentioned in interviews.
Credentials Service
It is a good idea to have references on file at Career Services. Our credentials service will keep materials on file for you and send out your documents upon receiving your written request. To open a permanent credentials file and obtain blank recommendation forms, see the receptionist in the Career Services, Suite 20 (lower level) McNeil Building.
You may only be considering employment at this time. But you may want to enter graduate or professional school at a later date, and having the recommendations on file at the career office may become a real time- saver for you.
Usually three or four references are enough. They should be chosen on the basis of their ability to comment on your work-related qualifications rather than attest only to your character and family background. Professors, former employers, campus administrators, coaches and club advisors may be used.
Always ask your references for permission to use their names. Advise them of your interests so that they can slant their recommendation along those lines. Providing them with a copy of your resume and a brief description of your strengths, interests and goals is helpful.
For a variety of reasons, more and more reference checks are being conducted by telephone rather than by letter. Encourage the person writing the recommendation to place their telephone number on the document.
SECTION IV - ACTION VERBS
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
adapted
administered
advised
aided
allocated
amplified
analyzed
answered
appointed
approved
arbitrated
arranged
assessed
assisted
assumed
augmented
awarded
began
broadened
built
calculated
catalogued
chaired
compiled
completed
computed
conceived
condensed
conducted
constructed
consulted
contracted
contrived
controlled
cooperated
coordinated
counseled
created
delegated
demonstrated
designed
determined
developed
devised
devoted
diagrammed
directed
displayed
distributed
drafted
edited |
|
eliminated
employed
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
exhibited
expanded
expedited
explored
extended
fabricated
facilitated
focused
fortified
founded
generated
guided
handled
harmonized
headed
implemented
improved
incorporated
increased
influenced
initiated
innovated
installed
instituted
instructed
interpreted
introduced
investigated
involved
launched
led
lectured
listed
maintained
managed
mediated
modified
monitored
motivated
negotiated
observed
operated
ordered
organized
oriented
originated
overhauled
participated |
|
performed
planned
pinpointed
prepared
presented
preserved
processed
produced
programmed
proposed
proved
provided
received
recommended
recorded
recruited
rectified
reduced
re-established
referred
regulated
reinforced
reorganized
represented
researched
reshaped
restituted
restored
revamped
reviewed
revised
scheduled
selected
set-up
simplified
solved
specialized
streamlined
structured
substituted
suggested
supervised
supported
systematized
taught
trained
tutored
unified
used
utilized
volunteered
widened
worked
wrote |
SECTION V - FORMATTING AND OTHER RESUME ISSUES
Keep in mind that it is very important that your resume be attractive to look at and easy to skim quickly. When you are preparing a resume the following points apply.
- Regardless of the style of resume you choose to write, be sure to accentuate personal traits and abilities that will make you stand out, such as the following: leadership potential, technical skills, communication skills, mathematical abilities, aptitude for organizing data or materials, and teamwork. Show how you contributed and how well you performed.
- Keep to a one-page resume if you are a current student or recent graduate.
- Since many resumes today are electronically sent, make sure to write it in a popular word processing program such as Word to ensure the recipient can open it.
- Select a good quality stock of paper, 8-1/2" x 11", at least 20lb. bond, for printing resumes.
- Be conservative in your choice of paper: white, beige, eggshell, or light gray. If you opt for color, be sure to buy additional color sheets for cover letters and matching envelopes.
- Be sure to laser print your resume and cover letter. Try to use print that provides the most professional appearance.
- Use conventional spelling, omit abbreviations, hyphenate according to the dictionary.
- Don't give anyone cause to question your literacy. Never have misspellings, typographical or grammatical errors.
- Be specific, give interesting details, and use descriptive words and action verbs (see Action Verb List).
- Write two or three drafts of the resume, and rewrite until you feel that it reflects you. You may have it critiqued by a career counselor or a person experienced in hiring professionals.
- Use visual techniques including white space, indenting, spacing, italicizing, capitalizing, bold and sub-bold face printing to allow for easy skimming by employers.
SECTION VI: SAMPLE RESUMES
Resumes that vary widely in format and style can be equally powerful; there is no one "correct" way to write a resume. To help with your resume, we are offering a few good examples used by actual Wharton students. (We have changed names, dates, etc.). It is always beneficial to get feedback about your resume from a career counselor before applying for any job - you want to be certain your resume is appropriate for and targeted to the position in which you are interested.
Sample Resumes of Wharton Students and Alumni (.pdf Format)
