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Table of Contents
Workshop Introduction .................................................................................................. 4
Workshop Section Focus ............................................................................................... 4
Section 1: Resume Styles Review ................................................................................. 5
Section 2: Drafting Your Resume .................................................................................. 7
Building Your Resume .............................................................................................................. 7
Contact Information ................................................................................................................... 8
Activity: Create Your Contact Information ............................................................................. 9
Summary of Qualifications .................................................................................................... 10
Activity: Create Your Summary of Qualifications ............................................................... 13
Experience/Accomplishments .............................................................................................. 14
Work History Format......................................................................................................... 15
How to Format a Resume for Multiple Jobs at One Organization ............................. 16
Accomplishment Statements ................................................................................................ 19
Activity: Create Your Accomplishment Statements ........................................................... 22
Education and Training .......................................................................................................... 23
Activity: Create Your Education and Training..................................................................... 24
Other Additions ....................................................................................................................... 25
Section 3: Reviewing Your Resume ............................................................................ 27
Matching Resumes to Job Descriptions .............................................................................. 27
Finalizing Your Resume ......................................................................................................... 28
Activity: Resume Review ........................................................................................................ 29
Section 4: Submitting Your Resume............................................................................ 33
Submitting Resumes in Digital Form .................................................................................... 33
How to Upload a Resume Online ......................................................................................... 34
How to Send a Resume in an Email ..................................................................................... 35
Recap and Closing Remarks ........................................................................................ 36
Appendix ....................................................................................................................... 37
1-Page Chronological Resume Template Example ........................................................... 37
2-Page Functional Resume Template Example ................................................................. 38
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2-Page Combination Resume Template Example ............................................................ 40
Chronological Resume Template ......................................................................................... 42
Action Verbs for Accomplishment Statements .................................................................. 44
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Workshop Introduction
Welcome to the Resume Writing Workshop. This two-hour workshop is provided by the
Department of Labor (DOL) to veterans, including those veterans currently serving in the
Reserve Component (National Guard and Reserve members), and their spouses
preparing their first resume or updating their resume for a career change.
Workshop Section Focus
In this workshop, you will
• Prepare a draft resume.
• Review and evaluate a resume.
Why is writing a resume important if I’m filling out applications?
A resume highlights and outlines your work history. A resume allows you to add
measurable accomplishments. Having a resume allows you to quickly identify knowledge,
skills, and abilities (KSA) plus your education. You can often copy and paste your most
attractive KSAs from your resume into an application.
The workshop consists of four sections. Each section has a focus which covers specific
topics and has supporting activities.
• Resume Styles Review provides a review of the three styles of resume covered in
the workshop Understanding Resume Essentials.
o Chronological
o Functional
o Combination
• Drafting Your Resume focuses on how to best represent your skills and
qualifications. Topics and activities include:
o Activity: Drafting each part of the resume
• Reviewing Your Resume focuses on what techniques will help you polish your
resume. Topics and activities include:
o Finalizing Your Resume
o Activity: Resume Review
• The last section is Submitting Your Resume which focuses on how to effectively
deliver your resume. Topics and activities include
o Submitting Digital Resumes
o Uploading Resumes Online
o Sending Resumes in Email
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Section 1: Resume Styles Review
Resume Styles Review provides a review of the three styles of resume covered in the
workshop Understanding Resume Essentials.
• Chronological
o Time-based
o Recommended for its easy format and logical flow
o Style is compatible with many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
• Functional
o Skill-based
o Are sometimes viewed with suspicion by employers due to lack of information
about specific employers and dates
o Showcases skills. Typically used by job seekers who are changing careers, as
it allows them to focus more on transferable skills rather than less relevant
companies and job titles.
• Combination
o Has elements of both time and skill. Good compromise between chronological
and functional formats.
o Job seekers can show skills and work history.
o Job seekers can highlight their skills from non-work experience and/or may be
changing careers.
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Do you know what style of resume you will create?
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Section 2: Drafting Your Resume
Building Your Resume
Employers often spend fewer than 30 seconds looking at your resume on the first review.
To pass the initial screening, you should ensure that your resume format is visually
appealing and easy for an employer to quickly scan. There are many resume formats and
templates, so you will want to find one that works best for you.
The commonly included sections of a resume are:
• Contact Information
• Career/Job Objective Statement (Optional)
• Summary of Qualifications
• Work Experience / Accomplishments
• Education/Training
There may be times when it is also appropriate to include additional sections or use other
headings, such as Awards and Recognitions, Volunteer Service, etc.
Keep your resume formatting professional and simple using the following guidelines:
• Length: One to two pages (add your name to additional page)
• Alignment: Left-aligned
• White space: Clear margin, one inch all around is recommended
• Styles: Use bold, italics, and underlines sparingly
• Font: Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Franklin Gothic, Garamond, Helvetica, Times New
Roman, and Verdana
• Font size: Optimal size is 10 to 12-points font. Section titles and headers can be 14 to
16-points.
• Review: Proofread and spell check
Remember, your resume will introduce you to a potential employer. Be sure that your
brand is presented well in your resume and that it makes an excellent first impression.
Misspellings, inconsistent use of font and type size, and misaligned margins can all
indicate a lack of attention to detail. In the eyes of the employer, a sloppy resume
equates to a sloppy work performance.
Now, use the following sections as a guide to create your targeted resume.
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Contact Information
Your contact information goes at the very top of your resume and should be up to date.
Traditionally, your home address would go in the contact section, but this is no longer
required by most employers, as it could lead to discrimination and privacy concerns.
Most recruiters recommend not including an address. If the employer is interested in the
skills offered, they will contact the applicant who can explain their relocation. Ensure the
email address you list is professional and include the web address to your LinkedIn
profile and/or professional websites. Also make sure your voice mail message is
appropriate and professional. It may be cute to have one of your kids record your
greeting, but you should refrain from doing so while job hunting. The following three
examples show how contact information can differ
Contact Information Example 1 in Calibri font with location:
Taylor Lee
Coral Springs, FL - (301) 555-1111
Taylor.Lee@email.com
Contact Information Example 2 in Franklin Gothic Book font, without location information:
Taylor Lee
(301) 555-1111 - Taylor.Lee@email.com
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Contact Information Example 3 in Times New Roman font, with LinkedIn URL information:
Taylor Lee
(301) 555-1111 - Taylor.Lee@email.com - www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-lee
Activity: Create Your Contact Information
Use the space below to create the contact information section of your targeted resume.
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Summary of Qualifications
The career objective statement might be the second section of a resume. However, it is
typically unnecessary. Resume objectives or career objective statements can be effective
for job seekers who are shifting careers or industries. In these cases, an objective
statement can be used to explain how you plan to transfer the skills you developed in the
past jobs into the new job or industry.
Example of targeted career objective statement for an individual who recently graduated
and has a career change:
Recent graduate in marketing communications seeking a new career path with Goodwill
Industries to apply my professional experience to create opportunities for people and
change lives in my community.
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Since you want to catch the reader’s attention in the first seven seconds of reviewing the
resume, the best way to do this is to provide a summary of skills and experience that
match the qualifications and skills needed for the position.
The goal of the summary of qualifications is to summarize your skill set and let the reader
know you are qualified for the position by highlighting relevant experience, key skills, and
accomplishments. Skills are classified as either hard or soft. Hard skills are technical
knowledge or training that you have gained through any life experience, including your
career or education. Soft skills are personal habits and traits that shape how you work on
your own and with others. Hard skills can be specific within a career field. Review the
following examples of hard and soft skills.
Hard (measurable and/or technical abilities) Skills
1. Accounting
2. Computer programming
3. Contract development
4. Developing presentations
5. Diagnostics
6. HTML, JavaScript, CSS
7. Typing
8. Web design
9. Vehicle operations, e.g., driving a
semi-tractor trailer
10. Writing
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Soft (social, communication, problem-solving) Skills
1. Adaptability
2. Attention to detail
3. Conflict resolution
4. Critical thinking
5. Integrity
6. Negotiation
7. Open mindedness
8. Organization
9. Risk management
10. Writing
Remember, this section must be targeted so that you include information relevant to the
job posting and the future employer (rather than just a summary of your best skills). Use
your company research and job posting to help you identify the preferred and required
qualifications so you can create a targeted resume for the position. Use the exact terms
in your targeted resume that are listed in the job posting.
Your summary can be a short introductory paragraph, a brief list of skills to showcase
your talent, or you can combine the two. The following examples demonstrate the three
different ways you can write your summary of qualifications.
Example 1: Bulleted List
Summary of Qualifications for a Project Manager role:
Project Manager with 10+ years of proven experience overseeing application
development, vendor management, and implementation strategies supporting business
and financial goals.
• Respected leader with excellent communication skills and experience building highly
motivated teams focused on achieving project goals
• Diligent Project Manager with a proven record of success working with Microsoft
Project Server
• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Visio
• Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Project Management
Example 2: Paragraph
Summary of Qualifications for an Education role:
Instructor with over 10 years of experience working with students in component level
repair of High-Frequency (HF) transmitters, Ultra High-Frequency (UHF) transceivers,
and cryptographic systems, also working with students in basic and advanced test
equipment operation and electronic test equipment calibration with zero attrition.
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Example 3: Combined
Statement of Qualifications for a Law Enforcement Professional role:
Law Enforcement Professional with over 15 years of experience providing protective
services for over $10M in assets during state, federal, and global security operations. Key
skills:
• Patrol procedures
• Testifying in court
• Investigations
• Interrogation
• Search and rescue
• Surveillance
Activity: Create Your Summary of Qualifications
Use the space below to create the summary of qualifications section of your targeted
resume.
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Experience/Accomplishments
The experience section provides the details of your professional experience. This is
where you need to use company information and keywords that relate directly to the
position and/or company.
This section should:
• List your work history (organization names, job titles, and start and end dates of the
positions).
• List your results and/or accomplishments from each job you have held that relate to
the position or occupation you are targeting.
• Include time, numbers, financial savings, percentages, statistics, and examples to
illustrate your accomplishments with STAR skill statements.
• Show progress in your current work history; do this by making your promotions stand
out.
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Work History Format
The experience section provides the hiring manager with a list of the companies you
have worked for, dates of employment, and the position titles you held.
Format for listing your work history
Job Title Month and Year Start Date – Month and Year End Date
Company, City, State Location
• List your job skills and accomplishments for this position. Use STAR statements.
• List your job skills and accomplishments for this position. Use STAR statements.
• List your job skills and accomplishments for this position. Use STAR statements.
Example:
System Administrator January 2017 – Present
USAA Dallas, TX
• Resolve Service Desk tickets for more than 3,000 users across 21 states and abroad
• Maintain three domains to include updating, troubleshooting, and repair of network
connectivity to achieve goal of 95% continuous connectivity
• Act as Active Directory and Exchange Administrator for over 3,000 users
• Serve as Information Assurance (IA) Manager; annually train over 150 staff on IA
protocols to ensure standards are maintained
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How to Format a Resume for Multiple Jobs at One Organization
You can combine the experience into one listing or separate into multiple listings using
either stacking the information or keeping it separate.
Option 1: Stacking Format
This method is the most common. Use this method to draw attention to progressive
responsibilities, accomplishments, and dedication to the company.
• Include the overall date range at the top
• List dates for each position next to the title
• Use STAR statements. Place job descriptions and bulleted key accomplishments
directly below each position.
Option 2: Separate Listings
You can list each position separately on your resume as you would if they were positions
at different companies. This approach draws attention to your accomplishment history
according to both the position and time frame.
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Stacking Format Template
Company A’s Name, City, State, Company Start Date – End Date
Position Title 1 Position Start Date – End Date
Job description
• Key achievement 1.
• Key achievement 2.
Position Title 2 Position Start Date – End Date
Job description
• Key achievement 1.
• Key achievement 2.
Stacking Format Example
USAA Dallas, TX June 2002 – Present
Systems Administrator May 2008 – Present
Oversaw company network ensuring computer software and hardware system ran
efficiently.
• Resolve Service Desk tickets for more than 3,000 users across 21 states and abroad,
maintaining a 24-hour resolution time
• Maintain three domains to include updating, troubleshooting, and repair of network
connectivity to achieve goal of 95% continuous connectivity
• Act as Active Directory and Exchange administrator for over 3,000 users
Service Desk Manager June 2002 – May 2008
Managed day-to-day activities of service-desk operations ensuring users and business
teams received required support.
• Maintained and provided troubleshooting for desktops, laptops, and tablets with
Windows 7 and 10 to prevent breaks in service or work productivity
• Managed life cycle replacement, backup, and disaster recovery for computers,
Blackberries, iPhones, and other portable devices within the organization to ensure
no loss of connectivity
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office products including Office 365, Office 2016, Skype,
and OneDrive
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Separate Listings Format Template
Company A’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 1
Job description
• Key achievement 1.
• Key achievement 2.
Company A’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 2
Job description
• Key achievement 1.
• Key achievement 2.
Separate Listings Example
USAA Dallas, TX May 2008 – Present
Systems Administrator
Promoted within from Service Desk Manager to Systems Administrator. Oversaw
company network ensuring computer software and hardware system ran efficiently.
• Resolve Service Desk tickets for more than 3,000 users across 21 states and abroad,
maintaining a 24-hour resolution time
• Maintain three domains to include updating, troubleshooting, and repair of network
connectivity to achieve goal of 95% continuous connectivity
• Act as Active Directory and Exchange administrator for over 3,000 users
USAA Dallas, TX June 2002 – May 2008
Service Desk Manager
Managed day-to-day activities of service-desk operations ensuring users and business
teams received required support.
• Maintained and provided troubleshooting for desktops, laptops, and tablets with
Windows 7 and 10 to prevent breaks in service or work productivity
• Managed life cycle replacement, backup, and disaster recovery for computers,
Blackberries, iPhones, and other portable devices within the organization to ensure
no loss of connectivity
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office products including Office 365, Office 2016, Skype,
and OneDrive
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Accomplishment Statements
One of the critical aspects in the resume writing process is integrating keywords into
your accomplishment statements. The goal is to demonstrate to a potential employer
how well you performed the skill, NOT to simply state what skills you have or were
responsible for performing.
You can use your performance reviews, collateral duties, internships, awards, volunteer
activities, and training records to identify and explain where and when you executed
each skill and how it will contribute to the success of the organization.
As you describe your experience and accomplishments:
• Select the skills related to the job you are targeting and highlight your major
accomplishments that relate to the job.
• Use the STAR method.
• Use civilian terms and avoid acronyms.
• Begin with an action verb or dynamic adjective. Using action verbs will demonstrate
to an employer that you acted and produced results
• Avoid using the phrases “skills included” and “responsible for.”
• Write in past tense for all previous jobs.
• Avoid the use of personal pronouns (I, me, she, he, we, they, etc.)
Review the sample accomplishment statements. The most effective statements are those
that are both targeted and results-oriented. Not every statement needs to be a STAR
bullet, but the majority should follow the STAR method.
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Examples of Accomplishment Statements
Personnel/ Human Resources
• Lead a heavy equipment team during Operation Desert Storm meeting all
requirements for mission completeness and team survival, under extremely
hazardous and stressful conditions
• Directly supervised the activities and performance of over 17 equipment technicians,
and 4 equipment managers, in 3 separate maintenance facilities in the daily
performance of maintenance applications, training missions, and quality control.
• Accountable for ## staff sales and recruiting representatives, ## government sedans,
and ## computer networks, with a regional responsibility of ### square miles.
• Created “hip-pocket” informal training classes for numerous topics including weapon
systems and maintenance, vehicle systems and maintenance, and position
improvement to provide instruction to groups ranging from 5–40 participants using
manuals and hands-on applications.
• Coordinated and organized effective instructional programs with various
organizations resulting in being recognized by senior management for obtaining a
100% training proficiency rating in all evaluated areas.
Engineer
• Conducted job analysis and provided suggestions for improvement, saving the
company $300,000 over a two-year period, and saving five labor-hours each week.
• Directed daily operations for an engineering department, including supervision of 4
administrative personnel, and receiving the department award for internal customer
service.
• Directed design, installation, and testing of custom software equipment, ensuring
satisfactory and timely completion of tasks on time and on budget.
Maintenance
• Supervised and trained a team of 35 mechanics in the safe operation of an engine,
drive train and fuel / electric rebuild shop.
• Maintenance and Training Inspector / Observer for two Army Attack Helicopter units
consisting of approximately 117 personnel as well as 14 Apache Helicopters and over
35 wheeled vehicles each.
• Maneuvered trucks weighing over 70,000 pounds into loading or unloading positions,
following signals from ground crew while checking that proper placement and
securement of load.
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Medical
• Administered over 1000 inoculations for protection against diseases to include:
Anthrax, Polio, and Yellow Fever.
• Assisted and supervised multiple medical related missions, supporting over 10,000
personnel annually, supplying emergency medical coverages for field training
exercises, and on weapon ranges.
• Qualified: Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician-Basic 20XX, updated
in 20XX.
• Received a 100% rating; kept Competency Based Orientation Folders from JCAHO
evaluators.
• Received recognition for converting a cargo vehicle into a field ambulance capable of
safely carrying 2-litters saving the government more than $60,000.00.
Management
• Pursued repairs and warranty work for Aggressively pursued repairs and warranty
work for 5 housing complexes totaling over 50,000 sq. ft. of living space, ensuring
quick and timely correction of over 35 major deficiencies within warranty period
saving more than $60,000.
• Supervised the activities and performance of a 72-person workforce, directly
managing 3 senior instructors and 18 equipment managers.
• Supervised and trained 15 technicians and operators to react as one entity
positioning equipment to maximize efficiency while minimizing any possibility of harm.
• Delegated work to 4 senior personnel based on priorities, selective consideration of
the difficulty and requirements of assignments and the capabilities of the employees,
set and adjusted short-term priorities, prepared schedules for completion of work and
evaluated work performance.
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Activity: Create Your Accomplishment Statements
Begin the descriptions of your experience with action verbs from the list in the Appendix.
Use the space below to create the accomplishment statement for your targeted resume:
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Education and Training
Formal education and specialized training belong on your resume. The key is to
determine what is most relevant to the future employer and what will best position you as
the ideal candidate for the job. Use the following guidelines to list your education and
training history:
• List your most recent education and training first.
• Indicate the number of credit hours completed or provide an expected graduation
date if you have not yet graduated.
• Provide certification or renewal year for any certifications you have. Discard irrelevant
certifications (e.g., Do not list CPR unless it is used in the job).
• List special honors you achieved, such as graduating Cum Laude, with honors, or
having a grade point average (GPA) at or above a 3.5.
• Include licenses, course work, and schools relevant to the job.
• Include all degrees achieved beyond high school, highest to lowest.
• List the locations of colleges and universities, but it is not necessary to include dates
attended.
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Use the following examples to list your education:
If you have completed your degree
• Type of degree, major, university name, city, state, and date (optional), honors or
GPA (optional)
• Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, June
2017, Summa Cum Laude
• Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
• Associate of Science in Human Resources Management, Georgia State University,
Atlanta, GA, May 2016
If you are still working on your degree
There are different ways to list degrees in progress:
• Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 25/30
semester hours completed
• Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Expected in 20XX
• Associate of Science in Human Resources Management, Georgia State University,
Atlanta, GA, in progress—16 credit hours completed
If you are including a certification or license
Type of certification, certifying organization, date completed/expires
• Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR), HR Certification Institute,
December 2018/December 2021
Activity: Create Your Education and Training
Use the space below to create the education and training section of your targeted
resume:
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Other Additions
Volunteer Service
Volunteer experience is valuable because it illustrates important skills you possess and
shows that you are involved in your community. If you have volunteer experience, it is
highly recommended that you add it to your resume.
If you have relevant volunteer experience, list it in your experience section as if it is a
paid position. Use the STAR method to create your skill statements.
Example
Website Designer – volunteer June 20XX-present
Lifehealth Foundation, Fayetteville, NC
• Designed website for the Lifehealth Foundation, increasing traffic to website by 25%
• Developed a front-end WordPress site and blog with 341+ pages
• Customized a web app to schedule donations pickup to facilitate on-site processes
• Created an online presence on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and
Twitter, and increased market awareness by 65%
If you have non-relevant volunteer experience, list it in a separate section at the bottom
of your resume titled Volunteer Experience, Community Service, or Additional Activities.
Awards
Awards are valuable because it shows you performed so well in a specific position that
your efforts were recognized. Use the following guidelines to list your awards:
• Provide the name of the award and a brief statement explaining why you received the
award.
• Include the award as a bullet point in the experience section under the position you
earned it. (It is no longer customary to have an award section at the end of your
resume. Including the award under a specific job position is better.)
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Web Design and Development Award Example:
Website Designer – volunteer June 20XX-present
Lifehealth Foundation, Fayetteville, NC
• Designed website for the Lifehealth Foundation, increasing traffic to website by 25%
• Recognized by CSS Design Awards (CSSDA) in 20XX for outstanding work in
developing website
• Developed a front-end WordPress site and blog with 341+ pages
• Customized a web app to schedule donations pickup to facilitate on-site processes
• Created an online presence on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and
Twitter, and increased market awareness by 65%
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Section 3: Reviewing Your Resume
Matching Resumes to Job Descriptions
Targeted resumes should address the specific needs of the employer and demonstrate
how you can and will meet the goals of the role. In addition, they should be optimized
with the keywords from that job posting. Once your targeted resume is ready and you
are prepared to submit for a job application, find out how well your resume might do in
an ATS scan. Refer to Jobscan.co, an online tool that will instantly analyze your resume
against a particular job description. On the Jobscan site, you can either paste in the text
of your resume or upload a Word or PDF file, then paste the text of the job posting you’re
interested in.
Use the result of the Jobscan analysis to revise your resume so that it is optimized for
your selected job description. Repeat these scans for each job that you apply for.
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Finalizing Your Resume
When you finish writing your resume, put it aside for a day before you start making
revisions. You will be better able to identify errors or other issues if you view it from a
fresh perspective. Use the editor tool in your word processing software to identify
spelling and grammar problems. Also consider downloading Grammarly to help you
identify errors in your document.
As useful as these tools are, they will not pick up every error. You should not rely on
them to identify all issues in your resume; you will need to do your own careful review.
When you are ready to review, keep in mind that you are not simply looking for spelling
errors. You should read your resume thinking like an employer. Ensure all information
flows logically and presents your skills and qualification clearly.
Follow these tips to create a polished final version of your resume.
• Take time to review your draft carefully and give you resume your full concentration.
• Verify all dates, names, and phone numbers are accurate. Check for consistent verb
tenses and parallel structure in bulleted lists.
• Review several times, each time looking for a type of error. For example, read one
time for organization of content, another time for formatting, and another time for
spelling and accuracy.
• Read it backwards. This tip forces you to slow down and look at each word. Do not
trust spell check to catch your errors; many words can be spelled correctly but be
incorrect in the context.
• Ask a trusted friend or colleague to read your resume after you have reviewed and
revised. Explain to them that you are looking for feedback and accept their input
graciously.
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Activity: Resume Review
Review the resumes excerpts below and note any errors or issues, such as weak verb
usage, you think will distract from the content of the resume.
Resume Excerpt 1 Review
Operations Manger
• Successfully managed the daily operations of a fleet of 24 military aircraft with and
annual flying hour program of 4000 accident-free flying hours and over 100 aviation
crewmember personal.
• Present quality leadership instruction to over 700 employees of the organization
proving an incentive for organizational growth and development.
Make your comments in the following box for each excerpt and prepare to discuss how
they might affect a hiring manager’s impression of the candidate.
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Resume Excerpt 1 Findings
Grammar Errors. The following items were correctly spelled.
• Manger should be Manager
• and should be an
• personal should be personnel
• proving should be providing
Wrong Verb Tense
• present should be past tense, presented
Resume Excerpt 1 – Corrected
Operations Manager
• Successfully managed the daily operations of a fleet of 24 military aircraft with an
annual flying hour program of 4000 accident-free flying hours and over 100 aviation
crewmember personnel.
• Presented quality leadership instruction to over 700 employees of the organization
providing an incentive for organizational growth and development.
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Resume Excerpt 2 Review
Shipping and Receiving Clerk
UASF Little Rock, Arkansas Jan. – September 20XX
Responsible for incoming and outgoing shipment schedules to maintain productive
operations and documenting damages to inventory.
• Tracked daily shipments insuring an accurate inventory for 500 line items of
electronic parts.
• Received goods and distributed parts to proper location in warehouse.
• Inspected and operated different types of forklifts.
• Class A CLD
Make your comments in the following box for each excerpt and prepare to discuss how
they might affect a hiring manager’s impression of the candidate.
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Resume Excerpt 2 Findings
Spell check wasn’t set to check capitalized words, acronym letters were
transposed
• USFA should be USAF
• CLD should be CDL
Formatting Issues
• The month January was abbreviated as Jan. while September was spelled out.
Formatted both to be spelled out.
Grammar Errors. The following items were correctly spelled.
• insuring (insurance) should be ensuring (safeguarding)
Better choice of wording to highlight skills
• different types of forklifts could be changed to say two different types of forklifts: the
Warehouse Forklift and the Side Loader.
Resume Excerpt 2 – Corrected
Shipping and Receiving Clerk
USAF Little Rock, Arkansas January – September 20XX
Reviewed incoming and outgoing shipment schedules to maintain productive operations
and documenting damages to inventory.
• Tracked daily shipments ensuring an accurate inventory for 500 line items of
electronic parts.
• Received goods and distributed parts to proper location in warehouse.
• Inspected and operated two different types of forklifts: the Warehouse Forklift and the
Side Loader.
• Class A CDL
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Section 4: Submitting Your Resume
Submitting Resumes in Digital Form
Once your targeted resume is finalized, you will be ready to upload it to a job application
or send it as an email attachment. Most resumes are delivered in digital form.
Digital resumes can be sent as either word documents (.docx or .doc) or as a PDF.
Recruiters and hiring managers do not agree which format is best. Each format has its
own benefits, but in certain situations, you should definitely use one over the other.
Always go with the format the employer requests. If job application instructions
specifically say, “Please submit your resume in PDF format,” then do that. And the same
goes for a word document. If a choice isn't given, consider the pros and cons of each file
format:
• A PDF cannot be altered, whereas a word document can be edited (either
accidentally or intentionally) by the recruiter or company you submit it to.
• A PDF requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to be viewed correctly, and some computers
may not have that software installed.
• Traditionally, a word document is the preferred format for ATS tracking systems.
When recruiters upload a resume using this scanning software, it's easier for the
system to scan for keywords and chosen phrases if the document is saved in a word
format. However, recent advancements have made PDF readable by ATS tracking
system if the document doesn't contain images.
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Employers and recruiters do notice if you can't follow directions, and they generally favor
employees who are savvy with technology, so be sure to take the time to provide what is
requested.
How to Upload a Resume Online
You may need to upload a targeted resume and cover letter to a job search engine or a
specific company's job site page. Here are some general tips to follow:
• Look for a text box. Some sites will let you copy/paste the text of your resume into a
box on their job application form. If you choose to do this, make sure the formatting
looks professional and correct within the text box.
• Search for a button that says “Upload” or “Upload a resume.” When you click this
button, you can then find the file on your computer to add it as an attachment to your
job application.
• Pay special attention to any instructions about uploading. Look for any notes
specifying a preferred format.
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How to Send a Resume in an Email
Sometimes employers will ask that you submit your resume, cover letter, and other
required credentials via email to the hiring manager or other human resources
professional. Follow specific directions provided in the job posting regarding attaching or
pasting the content of your resume in the body of the email. Do not do both unless
specifically requested. If no specific request is given, attach your resume to the email.
If the employer requests the resume in the body of the email, ensure that your formatting
is correct. Sometimes formatting changes when copying and pasting, especially fonts,
spacing, and paragraph alignment.
Put the name of the position and job reference number for which you are applying, if
applicable, in the subject line. Include a message in the body of the email with a brief
explanation of why you are writing and submitting your resume. Think of it as a mini
cover letter. You may want to attach a longer cover letter separately. Definitely if the
application instructions ask for it. Make the email and cover letter separate attachments
to reduce confusion.
Give your documents a logical file name. Employers often download resumes and cover
letters to a common folder so your filename should help them identify your document
later. Make sure your filenames do not have any spaces in them. If you want to include a
space in the name, use an underscore.
• AveryThomas_resume
• AveryThomas_coverletter
When you take the time to upload a targeted resume that is professional and easy to
read, it can help you stand out from the competition and land a job you really want.
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Recap and Closing Remarks
Congratulations! You have taken significant steps toward setting yourself up for success.
There will be many more steps you need to take to get ready for your transition but know
that you have a network of supporters to assist you on your journey. You are not alone.
In this training you have:
• Reviewed resume styles:
o Chronological
o Functional
o Combination
• Drafted your resume and focused on how to best represent your skills and
qualifications.
• Focused on reviewing your resume and what techniques will help you polish your
resume.
• Finally, you learned about various method for submitting your resume.
You are informed, prepared, and well on your way to a successful transition to a new and
rewarding career.
Lastly, please remember what the American ice hockey player and coach, Herb Brooks
(1937-2003), said,
“Write your own book instead of reading someone else’s book about success.”
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Appendix
1-Page Chronological Resume Template Example
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
Email | Phone | LinkedIn | Location
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Introduction sentence. Include length of employment with what organization doing what.
Next, mention your hard skills. Convey your proficiency, experience, and knowledge for
each skill. Add two to three soft skills that would fit well. End with other information
relevant to the position, such as clearances, foreign languages, travel availability, etc.
SKILLS
Hard Skill 1
Hard Skill 2
Hard Skill3
Soft Skill 4
Soft Skill 5
Soft Skill 6
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Company A’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 1
Job description
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
Company B’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 2
Job description
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
EDUCATION
College or University, Location: State: (Date obtained) Month Year
Degree: Major(s): Minor(s):
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2-Page Functional Resume Template Example
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
Email | Phone | LinkedIn | Location
Professional Summary:
Strategic supply and logistics planner with 7+ years of experience improving military
movement capabilities. Expert in identifying capacity constraints. Thrives in leading
decision analysis processes and optimizing supply chain capabilities through thoughtful
and careful prioritization. Collaborative spirit and a bias for action. Promoted ahead of
peers.
Areas of Expertise:
Hard Skill 1
Hard Skill 2
Hard Skill3
Soft Skill 4
Soft Skill 5
Soft Skill 6
Professional Experience:
Function 1 (such as Strategic Planning)
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
Function 2 (such as Training)
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
Function 3
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
Function 4
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
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PAGE # FIRST NAME LAST NAME
Function 5
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
Education and Training:
First College or University, Location: State: (Date obtained) Month Year
Degree:
Major(s): Minor(s): Major GPA: Overall GPA: (only if 3.5 or above)
Second College or University, Location: State: (Date obtained) Month Year
Degree:
Major(s): Minor(s):
First Certificate Name (Employer, Location: State): (Date obtained) Month Year
Second Certificate Name (Employer, Location: State): (Date obtained) Month Year
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2-Page Combination Resume Template Example
FIRST NAME LAST NAME
Email | Phone | LinkedIn | Location
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Introduction sentence. Include length of employment with what organization doing what.
Next, mention your hard skills. Convey your proficiency, experience, and knowledge for
each skill. Add two to three soft skills that would fit well. End with other information
relevant to the position, such as clearances, foreign languages, travel availability, etc.
SKILLS
Hard Skill 1
Hard Skill 2
Hard Skill3
Soft Skill 4
Soft Skill 5
Soft Skill 6
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Function 1 (such as Leadership and Supervision)
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
Function 2 (such as Logistics and Distribution)
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
Function 2
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Company A’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 1
Job description
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
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FIRST NAME LAST NAME PAGE #
Company B’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 2
Job description
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
Company C’s Name, City, State Position Start Date – End Date
Position Title 2
Job description
• Key achievement 1. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 2. Use STAR statement.
• Key achievement 3. Use STAR statement.
EDUCATION
First College or University, Location: State: (Date obtained) Month Year
Degree:
Major(s): Minor(s): Major GPA: Overall GPA:
Second College or University, Location: State: (Date obtained) Month Year
Degree:
Major(s): Minor(s): Major GPA: Overall GPA:
TRAINING
First Certificate Name (Employer, Location: State): (Date obtained) Month Year
Second Certificate Name (Employer, Location: State): (Date obtained) Month Year
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Chronological Resume Template
Contact Information
Summary
Skills
Work Experience
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EDUCATION / TRAINING
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Action Verbs for Accomplishment Statements
A
Accelerate
Accomplish
Achieve
Acquire
Adapt
Address
Advance
Advise
Advocate
Analyze
Apply
Appoint
Arbitrate
Architect
Arrange
Ascertain
Assemble
Assess
Assist
Author
Authorize
B
Brief
Budget
Build
C
Calculate
Capture
Catalog
Champion
Chart
Clarify
Classify
Close
Coach
Collaborate
Collect
Command
Communicate
Compare
Compel
Compile
Complete
Compute
Conceive
Conclude
Conduct
Conserve
Consolidate
Construct
Consult
Continue
Contract
Convert
Coordinate
Correct
Counsel
Craft
Create
Critique
D
Decrease
Define
Delegate
Deliver
Demonstrate
Deploy
Design
Detail
Detect
Determine
Develop
Devise
Direct
Discover
Dispense
Display
Distribute
Diversify
Divert
Document
Double
Draft
Drive
E
Earn
Edit
Educate
Effect
Elect
Eliminate
Emphasize
Enact
Encourage
Endure
Energize
Enforce
Engineer
Enhance
Enlist
Ensure
Establish
Estimate
Evaluate
Examine
Exceed
Execute
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Exhibit
Expand
Expedite
Experiment
Export
F
Facilitate
Finalize
Finance
Forge
Form
Formalize
Formulate
Found
G
Generate
Govern
Graduate
Guide
H
Halt
Head
Hire
Honor
Hypothesize
I
Identify
Illustrate
Imagine
Implement
Import
Improve
Improvise
Increase
Influence
Inform
Initiate
Innovate
Inspect
Inspire
Install
Institute
Instruct
Integrate
Intensify
Interpret
Interview
Introduce
Invent
Inventory
Investigate
J
Judge
Justify
L
Launch
Lead
Lecture
License
Listen
Locate
M
Maintain
Manage
Manipulate
Manufacture
Map
Market
Mastermind
Measure
Mediate
Mentor
Model
Modify
Monitor
Motivate
N
Navigate
Negotiate
Nominate
Normalize
O
Observe
Obtain
Offer
Officiate
Operate
Orchestrate
Organize
Orient
Originate
Outsource
Overcome
Oversee
P
Participate
Perceive
Perfect
Perform
Persuade
Pilot
Pinpoint
Pioneer
Plan
Position
Predict
Prepare
Prescribe
Present
Preside
Process
Procure
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Program
Progress
Project
Promote
Propose
Prospect
Provide
Publicize
Purchase
Q
Qualify
Question
R
Rate
Realign
Rebuild
Recapture
Receive
Recognize
Recommend
Reconcile
Record
Recruit
Redesign
Reduce
Reengineer
Regain
Regulate
Rehabilitate
Reinforce
Rejuvenate
Render
Renegotiate
Reorganize
Report
Reposition
Represent
Research
Resolve
Respond
Restore
Restructure
Retrieve
Review
Revise
Revitalize
S
Satisfy
Schedule
Secure
Select
Separate
Serve
Simplify
Sold
Solidify
Solve
Speak
Specify
Standardize
Stimulate
Streamline
Structure
Succeed
Suggest
Summarize
Supervise
Supply
Support
Surpass
Synthesize
Systematize
T
Tabulate
Target
Teach
Terminate
Test
Thwart
Train
Transcribe
Transfer
Transform
Transition
Translate
Troubleshoot
U
Unify
Unite
Update
Upgrade
Use
Utilize
V
Verbalize
Verify
W
Win
Write
