Table of Contents
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
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 Examples
Choose a thumbnail to access the full view
Undergrad Examples







Masters Examples


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 |