What makes an effective resume?
Your resume may be your first contact with a future employer. If you make a positive impression and show how you can be a valuable addition to the team, you may be called for an interview.
Top tips
- Tailor your resume with keywords, backing up with evidence of accomplishments for every application to demonstrate your area of focus
- Keep it to two pages and prioritize quality over quantity
- Include your LinkedIn URL so readers can access more information about you if they wish
- Know your industry and use relevant terminology
- Write strong accomplishment statements using action verbs to describe your capabilities instead of your tasks or duties
- Every experience counts. A one day job shadow, a weekend volunteering opportunity or a part-time summer job all have transferable skills
Common mistakes
- Not tailoring your resume to your audience, or using keywords without proof
- Making your resume overly short so hiring managers read it. This has the opposite effect, as it can be perceived as not putting effort into your resume
- Including spelling and grammar errors
- Not using your education section to present skills and knowledge
- Only taking advice from one person or people who are in different fields or industries, as they may not have information relevant to your application
Access more support on your resume
- Drop in to a virtual online chat to ask questions or upload your resume for a critique. Register and attend through this link: https://app.brazenconnect.com/a/mcmaster-u/s/XYz04/next
- Attend one of SSC’s resume presentations
- Schedule an appointment on OSCARplus for a critique if you have additional questions
Example
Your Name
Current Address (include at least City, Province, Postal Code)
Phone Number
Email
LinkedIn URL
Highlights of Qualifications (optional/job specific)
- Experience related to the position (include number of years if applicable)
- Credentials/training/education relevant to the position
- Skills/strengths or knowledge relevant to the position with qualifying statements to back it up
- One or two skills/strengths that could be considered assets to the position
- Work ethic or values or technical skills relevant to position [Text Wrapping Break]
Education
Bachelor of Year – Present
Major area of study; Minor; Specialization
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
- Add any relevant subjects taken with a brief description
- Add research/projects undertaken with brief description or results if relevant
- Add academic awards if significant[Text Wrapping Break]
Employment Experience
Position Title (in bold) Timeline (Month, Year)
Name of company or organization, city, province
- Use 1-2 lines to describe your relevant activities in that position
- Use action verbs to give your bullet points more impact
- At least one of the bullet points should describe an initiative you took or an achievement you had with results
- Emphasize your transferable skills (leadership, organization, team work, etc.)
- Consider using SAR formula (situation, action, result). Refer to the Creating effective accomplishment statements section on Page 5
Extra Curricular Activities and/or Volunteer Experience
- List the positions in student and volunteer organizations; treat them like regular jobs. Examples of extra-curriculars can include: Job Shadow, MSU Clubs, Faculty Associations, etc.
Position Title (in bold) Timeline (Month, Year)
Name of club, charity, event, city, province
- Describe what you did in this position
- Emphasize your transferable skills and any achievements
- Consider using SAR formula (situation, action, result)
Technical Skills (optional)
You can adjust headings to be more specific or general (for example, Computer Skills, Language Skills, Business Skills, Additional Skills, Related Skills, etc.). This is where you add any relevant “hard skills” or knowledge areas. Depending on the importance to the position, this heading may be better suited on the first page.
- Programming Languages: C/C++, Visual C++, Visual Basic
- Graphic Programs: Corel Draw, AutoCAD
- Office Applications: MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint
Professional Development (optional)
This is where you can add additional relevant training (e.g. LinkedIn Learning courses) to showcase your interest to the industry/field.
Name of Training/Course/Workshop/Conference (in bold) Timeline (Month, Year)
Name of company or organization, city, province (if applicable)
- State any license/certificate/designation received and expiration date (if applicable)
- A brief overview could be provided if the title of the training isn’t self-explanatory
Interests (optional)
- Tennis: Competed extensively through Canada in various junior and senior tournaments
- Drama: Took major roles in high school and university drama
- Public Speaking: Joined the local toastmasters group to improve speaking skill
*Review the alternative resume section titles below to market your experiences most effectively.
Examples of alternative resume section titles
Objective
Career Objective
Professional Objective
Career Focus
Career Goal
Profile
Key Competencies/Skills
Highlights of Qualifications
Career Profile
Professional Qualifications
Professional Profile
Education
Academic Background
Training
Professional Education
Additional Training
Professional Development
Experience
Relevant Experience
Employment History
Work Experience
Additional Experience
Professional Background
Professional Experience
Other Skills
Projects
Career-Related Skills
Computer Skills
Technical Skills
Certifications
Specialized Skills
Achievements
Accomplishments
Awards
Recognitions
Scholarships
Professional Affiliations
Associations
Professional Memberships
Professional Associations
Memberships
Affiliations
Activities/Interests
Community Involvement
Volunteer Activities
Related Activities
University Activities
Professional Interests
Academic Presentations Publications
Conferences Attended Conferences/Conventions
Papers Presented
Professional Presentations
Creating effective accomplishment statements
Create an effective resume by tailoring it to the position to which you are applying, and create accomplishment statements that give a clear impression of your capabilities and success.
Consider your past experiences from work, internships, volunteering, community involvement, etc., and identify your achievement(s). Think of times when you…
- Solved a problem
- Received praise/awards
- Created efficiencies
- Exceeded expectations
- Achieved a goal
- Initiated something
- Prevented an issue
- Improved something
- Demonstrated leadership
- Were selected for added responsibility or promotion
Phase I: Begin with an action verb
Refer to the list of action verbs in this booklet. Take inventory of skills you used, then use asterisks* to mark the skills that are most relevant to your target audience’s needs. For example: organized, initiatied*, developed*, coordinated
Phase II: Relevant information
Briefly describe the relevant information such as: actions taken, time, people involved. Be particular in including information that provides the relevant context. For example: effective filing strategy, including over 5 years of records, used by staff.
Phase III: What was the result, purpose or benefit?
Where possible, quantify your results. For example: saved time for staff when solving client issues
Final accomplishment statement
Initiated and developed a more effective filing strategy for over 5 years of records, which saved time for staff when solving client issues.
The following are pairs of statements identifying the same role. Consider how the second statement of each pair is written as an effective accomplishment statement.
- Provided customer service
- Provided customer service in a busy retail environment resulting in the creation of a loyal customer base and improved sales by 10%
- Initiated reorganization of file system
- Initiated reorganization of file system which made client information more accessible to staff of non-profit organization
- Initiated and completed system of data entry from manual to computerized
- Initiated and completed system of data entry from manual to computerized system, resulting in improved account analysis and report generation for tax and other purposes
- Maintained and updated files
- Maintained and updated patient files for rehabilitation clinic with approximately 340 regular patients
- Trained administrators and other staff
- Trained administrators and other staff at physiotherapy clinic on MS Excel, saving outside training expenses of more than $1000
- Created manual for volunteers
- Created procedural and responsibilities manual for volunteers at a community agency, which reduced overlapping duties and increased efficiency.
- Worked on product layouts
- Revised merchandise layout and recommended changes that resulted in increased product visibility and increased sales by 33%
- Work well in a team environment
- Collaborated with team members to complete a group marketing project for final year commerce class ensuring tasks were identified and completed by the team members on time
Action verbs synonyms to use in your resume
Addressed Debated Interviewed Publicized
Advertised Defined Involved Reconciled
Arbitrated Developed Joined Recruited
Arranged Directed Judged Referred
Articulated Discussed Lectured Reinforced
Authored Drafted Listened Reported
Clarified Edited Marketed Resolved
Collaborated Elicited Mediated Responded
Communicated Enlisted Moderated Solicited
Composed Explained Negotiated Specified
Condensed Expressed Observed Spoke
Conferred Formulated Outlined Suggested
Consulted Furnished Participated Summarized
Contacted Incorporated Persuaded Synthesized
Conveyed Influenced Presented Translated
Convinced Interacted Promoted Wrote
Acted Designed Founded Originated
Adapted Developed Illustrated Performed
Began Directed Initiated Photographed
Combined Displayed Instituted Planned
Composed Drew Integrated Revised
Conceptualized Entertained Introduced Revitalized
Condensed Established Invented Shaped
Created Fashioned Modeled Solved
Customized Formulated Modified
Administered Budgeted Forecasted Projected
Adjusted Calculated Managed Qualified
Allocated Computed Marketed Reconciled
Analyzed Conserved Measured Reduced
Appraised Corrected Netted Research
Assessed Determined Planned Retrieved
Audited Developed Prepared
Balanced Estimated Programmed
Adapted Contributed Familiarized Rehabilitated
Advocated Cooperated Furthered Represented
Aided Counselled Guided Resolved
Answered Demonstrated Helped Simplified
Arranged Diagnosed Insured Supplied
Assessed Educated Intervened Supported
Assisted Encouraged Motivated Volunteered
Clarified Ensured Prevented
Coached Expedited Provided
Collaborated Facilitated Referred
Administered Delegated Incorporated Presided
Analyzed Developed Increased Prioritized
Appointed Directed Initiated Produced
Approved Eliminated Inspected Recommended
Assigned Emphasized Instituted Reorganized
Attained Enforced Led Replaced
Authorized Enhanced Managed Restored
Chaired Established Merged Reviewed
Considered Executed Motivated Scheduled
Consolidated Generated Navigated Secured
Contracted Handled Organized Selected
Controlled Headed Originated Streamlined
Converted Hired Overhauled Strengthened
Coordinated Hosted Oversaw Supervised
Decided Improved Planned Terminated
Approved Distributed Ordered Routed
Arranged Executed Organized Scheduled
Catalogued Filed Prepared Screened
Categorized Generated Processed Submitted
Charted Incorporated Provided Supplied
Classified Inspected Purchased Standardized
Coded Logged Recorded Systematized
Collected Maintained Registered Updated
Compiled Monitored Reserved Validated
Analyzed Diagnosed Inspected Reviewed
Clarified Evaluated Interviewed Searched
Collected Examined Invented Solved
Compared Experimental Investigated Summarized
Conducted Explored Located Surveyed
Critiqued Extracted Measured Systematized
Detected Formulated Organized Tested
Determined Gathered Researched
Adapted Developed Individualized Taught
Advised Enabled Informed Tested
Clarified Encouraged Instilled Trained
Coached Evaluated Instructed Transmitted
Communicated Explained Motivated Tutored
Conducted Facilitated Persuaded
Coordinated Focused Simulated
Critiqued Guided Stimulated
Adapted Debugged Operated Restored
Applied Designed Overhauled Solved
Assembled Determined Printed Specialized
Built Developed Programmed Standardized
Calculated Engineered Rectified Studied
Computed Fabricated Regulated Upgraded
Conserved Fortified Remodeled Utilized
Constructed Installed Repaired
Converted Maintained Replaced