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Table of Contents

  • Resume Overview
  • Sections to Include + Quick Formatting Tips
  • Write Higher Quality Bullet Points
  • Instant Resume Feedback + Other Resources
  • Resume Templates
  • Resume Examples
  • Resume Action Verbs

Resume Overview

A resume presents your story by highlighting your skills (the things you do well). Employers initially scan a resume for 30 to 60 seconds, so it needs to be descriptive and concise at the same time. It also needs to be tailored to the organization to which you are applying. We asked a few recruiters to tell us what they notice on a resume in 30 seconds. Check out what they look for in the video below.

Sections to Include + Quick Formatting Tips

To keep your resume easy to read, divide it into these common sections. Check out the samples in the resources section for examples of what to include.

  • Name and Contact Information
  • Summary (Optional- more common with experienced professionals, but an option for any student)
  • Education
  • Experience- This is often broken up into two or three sections based on the themes in your experiences. Common headings include: Work/Professional Experience, Clubs/Student Organizations, Leadership Experience, and Service/Community Involvement.
  • Skills (Optional)

Most employers take 30-60 seconds per resume during their first glance. Don’t get stuck in the “no” pile because of formatting issues.

  • Keep your document to one page (for most undergraduates)
  • Put your experiences in reverse chronological order in each section
  • Keep your formatting consistent and easy to skim quickly (i.e. put job titles, organization names, dates, and locations in the same location each time)
  • Use bullets, not paragraphs
  • Quantify when possible and use the Bullet Plus Formula to show skills, not just tasks (keep scrolling for more on the Bullet Plus formula!)
  • Tailor your resume to the experience for which you are applying

For more detailed information, check out our resume guide. 

Write Higher Quality Bullet Points

Show the reader your skills (instead of just listing the tasks you did) by using the bullet plus model:

Action Verb + What + How/Why/Impact 

For example:

  • Basic bullet: Developed interpersonal skills 
  • Bullet plus: Developed interpersonal skills by facilitating cross-cultural conversations with Malawian teens and community members (how)
     
  • Basic bullet: Created real interest monitoring tool
  • Bullet plus: Created real interest monitoring tool to study the effect of rate changes on foreign exchange levels (why) 
     
  • Basic bullet: Directed actors in productions
  • Bullet plus: Directed 5-10 student actors and managed technical team in both short and full-length productions attracting audiences of 100+ (impact)

Instant Resume Feedback + Other Resources

  • Resume Writing Guide- Get more in-depth information on resume writing 
  • VMOCK- 24/7 access to instant resume feedback for all U-M undergraduate students
  • Targeted Resume- Automatic feedback on if your resume is tailored for a specific position for anyone with a umich.edu email

Resume Templates

To get started, choose a template from below > make a copy of the template > edit it with your information

resume example template style 1 resume example template style 2 resume example template style 3

Resume Examples

Choose a thumbnail to access the full view

Undergrad Examples

resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail

Masters Examples

resume example thumbnail resume example thumbnail

If you are a doctoral student, please visit our PhD Non-Academic Job Search page for resume resources. 

Resume Action Verbs

Action Verbs for Resumes and Professional Profiles

Management Communication Research Technical Teaching Financial Creative Helping Organization Achievements
administered addressed analyzed adapted adapted administered acted adapted approved achieved
analyzed advertised clarified assembled advised adjusted adapted advocated arranged completed
appointed arbitrated collected built clarified allocated began aided cataloged expanded
approved arranged compared calculated coached analyzed combined answered categorized exceeded
assigned articulated conducted computed communicated appraised conceptualized arranged charted improved
attained authored critiqued conserved conducted assessed condensed assessed classified pioneered
authorized clarified detected constructed coordinated audited created assisted coded reduced (losses)
chaired collaborated determined converted critiqued balanced customized cared collected resolved (issues)
considered communicated diagnosed debugged developed calculated designed for compiled restored
consolidated composed evaluated designed enabled computed developed clarified corresponded spearheaded
contracted condensed examined determined encouraged conserved directed coached distributed succeeded
controlled conferred experimented developed evaluated corrected displayed collaborated executed surpassed
converted consulted explored engineered explained determined drew contributed filed transformed
coordinated contacted extracted fabricated facilitated developed entertained cooperated generated won
decided conveyed formulated fortified focused estimated established counseled implemented  
delegated convinced gathered installed guided forecasted fashioned demonstrated incorporated  
developed corresponded identified maintained individualized managed formulated diagnosed inspected  
directed debated inspected operated informed marketed founded educated logged  
eliminated defined interpreted overhauled instilled measured illustrated encouraged maintained  
emphasized described interviewed printed instructed planned initiated ensured monitored  
enforced developed invented programmed motivated programmed instituted expedited obtained  
enhanced directed investigated rectified persuaded projected integrated facilitated operated  
established discussed located regulated set reconciled introduced familiarize ordered  
executed drafted measured repaired goals reduced invented furthered organized  
generated edited organized replaced simulated researched modeled guided prepared  
handled elicited researched restored stimulated retrieved modified helped processed  
headed enlisted searched solved taught   originated insured provided  
hired explained solved specialized tested   performed intervened purchased  
hosted expressed summarized standardized trained   photographed motivated recorded  
improved formulated surveyed studied transmitted   planned provided registered  
incorporated furnished systematized upgraded tutored   revised referred reserved  
increased incorporated tested utilized     revitalized rehabilitated responded  
initiated influenced         shaped presented reviewed  
inspected interacted         solved resolved routed  
instituted interpreted           simplified scheduled  
led interviewed           supplied screened  
managed involved           supported set up  
merged joined           volunteered submitted  
motivated judged             supplied  
organized lectured             standardized  
originated listened             systematized  
overhauled marketed             updated  
oversaw mediated             validated  
planned moderated             verified  
presided negotiated                
prioritized observed                
produced outlined                
recommended participated                
reorganized persuaded                
replaced presented                
restored promoted                
reviewed proposed                
scheduled publicized                
streamlined reconciled                
strengthened recruited                
supervised referred                
terminated reinforced                
  reported                
  resolved                
  responded                
  solicited                
  specified                
  spoke                
  suggested                
  summarized                
  synthesized                
  translated                
  wrote