Center for Career Success

Resume Writing Guide

Create or update your resume using the following guidelines. Need more help? Schedule an appointment or upload your resume to Handshake.

Guide

The Basics

Resume (French for "summary")

  • Most employers request this common style of documenting skills and credentials.
  • One page in length (two is acceptable only if you have many years of relevant experience).
  • Showcases education and experience.
  • Summarizes your skill sets with strong action verbs in a concise manner.
  • Resumes should be tailored to each job/industry.

Curriculum Vitae (Latin for "course of life")

  • Research-based and academic fields typically use a CV.
  • Typically several pages long.
  • Showcases research, publications, academic work, awards, teaching, and honors in chronological order.
  • Static and doesn’t change according to job description.

Federal Resume Writing Guidelines (PPT) – From the US Office of Personnel Management

  • One page only; common font like Times New Roman or Arial.
  • Listed in reverse chronological order (most recent information first).
  • Concise, well organized, easy to read, with no spelling errors.
  • Describes your background as it relates to your career goals.
  • Submitted as a PDF (convert here).
  • Renamed to match each job you apply for (SallyStudent-CHOPResume).

Resume Sections

Your Name: Keep it bold and bigger than other information.
Address: Full address, including zip code.
Phone: Use a private number with area code (be sure your voicemail message is professional).
Email: Use a personal, professional email (college emails can expire) and remove blue hyperlink.

Example:

Ben Franklin
123 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 • 215-123-4567 •
benjamin.franklin@mail.com

There are many types of introductory sections for a resume. While this is an optional section, it can help direct the reader's attention to key elements. We recommend using a summary.


Summary: Best for a) highlighting your relevant skills as they apply to a specific industry; b) people who already have experience.

Example: Two years of experience as a Registered Nurse. Provided care for pediatric patients in an acute setting. Experienced in ventilator care, wound care, and family education. CPR and AED certified.

TIPS:

  • List in reverse chronological order.
  • Include the formal name of the college, city, and state (do not include the street address or zip code), date you graduated (or will graduate), formal name of degree and/or minors obtained, and your course of study.
  • List GPA if 3.0 and above (ask a counselor if you have questions about this).
  • You may include bullets for study abroad, activities, awards, and/or to highlight the fact that you worked while in college.

Examples:

Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences May 2014
Concentration: Radiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging GPA: 3.67
  • Worked 30 hours per week while enrolled full time.
The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA
Bachelor of Science in Biology May 2010
  • Study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain; completed 12 credits.

TIPS:

  • Highlight your most relevant experience by listing it first in a separate section.
  • Emphasize only those experiences that best relate to your career (clinical rotations, volunteer roles, full-time work experience in your field).
  • Condense or remove sections that are not relevant.
  • Do not include supervisor names or contact information.
  • Headings can include: Clinical Rotations, Healthcare Experience, Work Experience, Additional Experience, Relevant Experience, [Your field here] Experience, and more!

Example A (Listing clinical rotations):

HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE  
Thomas Jefferson University, Clinical Rotations:  
Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia, PA Feb-Mar 2013
Happy Hands Rehab, Philadelphia, PA Jan 2013
Nursing Home, Philadelphia, PA Sep-Oct 2012

Example B (Including bullets for clinical rotations):

CLINICAL ROTATIONS  
Community Center, Philadelphia, PA Feb-Mar 2013
  • Led group therapy sessions for clients diagnosed with mental health disorders.
Happy Hospital, Philadelphia, PA Jan 2013
  • Shadowed nurses in Labor & Delivery, NICU, and Maternal Observation Unit floors.

Example C (One-line format):

Caregiver, Private family, Washington, DC Summers 2010-2013
  • Supervised three children ages 2, 4, and 7; planned daily activities and prepared meals.
Sales Associate, Old Navy, Philadelphia, PA Mar-Dec 2009
  • Provided customer service for up to 500 people per day over the phone and in person.

Example D (Two-line format):

Sunshine Healthcare Center Cherry Hill, NJ
Volunteer May-Aug 2011
  • Organized filing system and streamlined paperwork to create an efficient work environment.

Each of these may be listed as a new section (space permitting), or incorporated as a bullet in another section.

ACTIVITIES/LEADERSHIP
List only those that best relate to your career objective. If you have done a lot with an organization that is very relevant to your goal, use a few bullets to describe your accomplishments and format as you would for work experience.

SKILLS
Common skills you may wish to list include technical skills, laboratory skills, language skills (if fluent), teamwork skills, and organizational skills. Basic computer skills such as Word, Excel, Email, Internet and PowerPoint are not necessary to include.

HONORS/AWARDS
If an award or scholarship is not self-explanatory, include a one-line description.

Example: “CHOP Star Award – Recognized for the most volunteer hours in 2010”

  • Certifications
  • Licenses
  • Professional Memberships
  • Leadership Experience
  • Community Involvement
  • Research Experience
  • Volunteer Experience
  • Professional Development
  • Publications
  • Travel
  • Language Skills

…and more!

Extras

TIPS:

  • Always start bullets with an action verb and list in order of importance (most relevant/impressive bullets at the top).
  • Do not use periods, pronouns, or informal language.
  • Job descriptions should include specific duties and accomplishments.
  • Quantifying job descriptions creates a strong resume – use numbers, percentages, statistics.
  • Use SAR as a guide as you describe your responsibilities. Always include the situation and action, and include results when applicable.

Situation – Lab tests were coming back late from the testing facilities.
Action – I developed a new system and policy, shared this idea with my supervisor, and we implemented this with the testing facilities.
Result – As a result, the lab work was consistently returned on time.

Example in bullet form:

  • Streamlined communication with testing facilities to ensure lab work was returned promptly; increased efficiency by 20%.

MEDICAL SKILLS

Administered

Analyzed

Assessed

Cared

Charted

Communicated

Conducted

Consulted

Counseled

 

Dispensed

Diagnosed

Educated

Evaluated

Examined

Facilitated

Intervened

Liaised

Managed

 

Monitored

Operated

Prescribed

Provided

Recorded

Researched

Screened

Treated

Triaged

 

MANAGEMENT SKILLS

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Analyzed

Improved

Addressed

Informed

Achieved

Influenced

Assigned

Organized

Arbitrated

Interpreted

Adapted

Initiated

Administered

Oversaw

Arranged

Lectured

Advised

Instructed

Chaired

Planned

Authored

Moderated

Clarified

Led

Contracted

Prioritized

Communicated

Mediated

Coached

Persuaded

Consolidated

Produced

Corresponded

Negotiated

Enabled

Set goals

Coordinated

Recommended

Developed

Promoted

Encouraged

Spearheaded

Delegated

Reviewed

Drafted

Publicized

Explained

Stimulated

Directed

Scheduled

Edited

Recruited

Facilitated

Streamlined

Executed

Strengthened

Enlisted

Spoke

 

 

 

 

Formulated

Translated

 

 

RESEARCH SKILLS

TECHINICAL SKILLS

CLERICAL SKILLS

Assessed

Inspected

Assembled

Operated

Approved

Processed

Clarified

Interviewed

Built

Presented

Catalogued

Purchased

Classified

Investigated

Calculated

Programmed

Charted

Recorded

Coded

Modified

Computed

Published

Compiled

Retrieved

Collected

Reported

Devised

Remodeled

Dispatched

Screened

Compared

Researched

Diagnosed

Repaired

Generated

Specified

Critiqued

Screened

Engineered

Solved

Increased

Systematized

Evaluated

Studied

Fabricated

Trained

Monitored

Tabulated

Examined

Summarized

Fortified

Upgraded

Prepared

Validated

Extracted

Surveyed

Maintained

Utilized

 

 

Identified

Tested

Modeled

Wrote

 

 

FINANCIAL SKILLS

CREATIVE SKILLS

HELPING SKILLS

Allocated

Forecasted

Acted

Implemented

Assisted

Guided

Appraised

Managed

Conceptualized

Instituted

Counseled

Motivated

Audited

Marketed

Created

Integrated

Demonstrated

Referred

Balanced

Maximized

Designed

Introduced

Educated

Rehabilitated

Budgeted

Projected

Enhanced

Invented

Expedited

Represented

 

 

Established

Originated

Familiarized

Supported

 

 

Fashioned

Performed

 

 

 

 

Founded

Revitalized

 

 

 

 

Illustrated

Shaped

 

 

TIPS:

  • List 3-5 references on a separate document, and only provide when asked by the employer.
  • Appropriate references include: former bosses/managers, clinical site supervisors, professors, and advisors for extracurricular activities such as clubs, organizations, sororities, and fraternities.
  • Include the same heading from your resume and keep formatting consistent.
  • Always ask for permission before listing someone as a reference. Ask, “Do you feel you’ve observed my work well enough to serve as a positive reference?” If they agree, provide them with a copy of your resume, and write a thank-you note.
  • Never use family or friends, unless a personal reference is requested.
  • Include a short note if you would not like your current supervisor to be contacted (see *).

 

Example:

Ben Franklin
123 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 • 215-123-4567 •
benjamin.franklin@mail.com

 

Jack Smith, PhD
Professor of Neuroscience
Thomas Jefferson University
130 S. 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
123-456-7890
jack.smith@jefferson.edu

Betty Johnson
Clinical Site Supervisor, Happy Hospital
321 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
987-654-3210
betty.johnson@xyz.org

Roberta Robertson
Professor of Health Professions
Thomas Jefferson University
130 S. 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
123-456-7891
robert.robertson@jefferson.edu

William Jackson*
Director, Sunshine Healthcare
123 Main Street, Suite 456
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-123-4567
william.jones@abc123.com

* Current Supervisor. Presently, my job search is confidential. Please refrain from contacting this person unless I am considered a finalist for the position.

Sample Resumes and Templates

These sample resumes and templates may be helpful in providing ideas for developing your own resume. For example, you might like the layout of one resume, or the wording of a job from another. The examples are not perfect, but may serve as a guide for you. Remember, it is not ethical to copy or use the same wording from these samples on your own document. Once you have created a draft of your unique resume, the Center for Career Success staff is happy to review it with you.