RÉSUMÉS AND CORRESPONDENCE

Career Development Center

RÉSUMÉS AND

CORRESPONDENCE

BEST PRACTICES

jccc.edu/career-development

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

Here to Help You

Career Development Center

913-469-3870 | Student Center, second ﬂoor

Hours:

Mon.–Wed. 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Thu. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

AT ANY STEP IN YOUR CAREER PATH

▨ Discover yourself and your Strengths

▨ Explore majors and careers

▨ Write a strong résumé

▨ Apply for an internship

▨ Impress during an interview

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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RÉSUMÉS AND CORRESPONDENCE

 IN THIS BOOK

Understanding Résumé Types ...........................................................4

Format and Content: Know Your Dos and Don’ts ............................................6

Write a Compelling Summary of Qualiﬁcations .............................................8

Craft Effective Accomplishment Statements ..............................................10

Break It Down: Learn How to Build an Effective Résumé ....................................12

Chronological Résumé ............................................................ 12-13

Functional Résumé ............................................................... 14-15

Deliver a Strong Cover Letter ...........................................................16

Using Email Effectively ...............................................................18

Maximize Your LinkedIn Proﬁle .........................................................18

Prospecting Letters ...................................................................19

Asking for References .................................................................20

Sell Your Soft Skills ...................................................................22

Effective Action Verbs .................................................................23

Before You Send It ....................................................................26

 BEST PRACTICES

How can you stand out in a crowded ﬁeld of job-seekers? A strong, professional résumé

and cover letter will help. Together, these are your most effective tools to market yourself

and obtain an interview.

Your résumé and cover letter describe who you are and how you are qualiﬁed. They are:

▣

A summary of your best qualifications, skills, attributes, talents and relevant achievements

▣

Factual, accurate and results-oriented

▣

Specific to both you and the job you are seeking

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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UNDERSTANDING RÉSUMÉ TYPES

Résumés usually fall into one of two formats:

chronological or functional. Choose the format that

best presents the information you wish to emphasize to

each potential employer.

Use the chronological format to:

▣

Call attention to a stable work history

▣

Highlight upward mobility, accomplishments and promotions in your career field

▣

Apply for a job in a traditional company or field

▣

Look for a job in the same field as your previous job(s)

Consider other options if you:

▣

Have gaps in employment

▣

Want to change your career path

▣

Change jobs every few months

▣

Have little to no work experience but have excellent soft skills or skills developed during

your academic career

Chronological Format

The chronological format focuses on your

employment history or education. In general, it includes

the following sections:

▣

Name and Contact Information

▣

Summary of Qualifications

▣

Work Experience

▣

Education

You might also include a section on additional skills

you’d like to highlight that don’t ﬁt in the other sections.

Many employers prefer

and are more familiar with

the chronological format.

hPRO TIP

tNOTE

There may be cases in which

you will want to choose

hybrid format. This format

combines aspects of the

chronological and functional

formats to best showcase your

qualiﬁcations for a speciﬁc job.

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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UNDERSTANDING RÉSUMÉ TYPES

Use the functional format to:

▣

Showcase expertise

▣

Pursue a new career

▣

Emphasize education if you’re a new graduate

▣

Return to the workplace after an absence

Consider other options if you:

▣

Want to focus on career progression

▣

Lack experience or transferrable skills

Functional Format

The functional format emphasizes skills you’ve developed rather than when, where or how

you acquired them. This is especially suitable if you have expert-level experience or a work

history that is primarily freelance, consulting or temporary, or if you’ve held a variety of jobs.

Some suggested sections:

▣

Name and Contact Information

▣

Summary of Qualifications

▣

Education

▣

Relevant Skills and Accomplishments

▣

Employment History

PRACTICE!

List your job history:

Current or most recent position

Company name, city, state _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dates employed _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Main duties __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Accomplishments ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Most recent past position

Company name, city, state _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dates employed _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Main duties __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Accomplishments ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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FORMAT AND CONTENT: KNOW YOUR DOS AND DON’TS

 FORMAT DOS

✔ Keep it to one page preferably —

two pages only if you are especially experienced

✔ Use a professional font: 18 to 22 point for your name;

12 to 14 point for section headings and contact info;

10 or 12 point for information

✔ Use graphics only if you are an artist or graphic designer

✔ Proofread for grammar, spelling and punctuation

✔ Always accompany with a cover letter unless the

employer/application specifically says not to

✔ Ask a friend to look it over.

What stands out in the first 10 seconds?

✔ Use white or cream-colored résumé paper for printing

✔ Send as a PDF document if emailing

 FORMAT DON’TS

✘ Use more than two lines per bullet

✘ Send as a Word document if emailing

✘ Hyperlink your email

✘ Include an unprofessional email address

✘ Use excessive or irrelevant graphics and color

✘ Use excessive boldface, italics and underlining

✘ Use colored or speckled paper for printing

Use a professional font, such as:

Serif

Cambria

Garamond

Georgia

Times New Roman

Sans serif

Arial

Calibri

Helvetica

Tahoma

Trebuchet

Verdana

hPRO TIP

NOTES __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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 CONTENT DOS

✔ Include a summary of qualifications

✔ Put most recent work and education first

✔ Include up to 15 years of work experience

✔ Use present tense to describe a current job and past tense for past jobs

✔ Include volunteer experience, clubs and activities

✔ Use industry buzz words

✔ Tailor your résumé to fit each job

✔ Start each accomplishment statement with an action verb

✔ Include your phone number, email, city and state only in your contact information

 CONTENT DON’TS

✘ Write an Objective statement

✘ Note salary information or names of supervisors

✘ Explain why you left your last position

✘ List hobbies or interests unless they’re relevant to the job

✘ Include references

✘ Include your full mailing address

✘ Attach a photo

✘ Use personal pronouns (I, we, they)

✘ Include anything that could be used to discriminate against you

FORMAT AND CONTENT: KNOW YOUR DOS AND DON’TS

hPRO TIP

NOTES __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do NOT include high school

information on your résumé if

you have any postsecondary

education or training, even if

you haven’t yet graduated.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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WRITE A COMPELLING SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Your summary of qualiﬁcations gives a prospective employer a

good idea of who you are as well as your potential for adding value to

the company’s bottom line.

Your summary should include relevant experience and any formal

training and credentials as well as list signiﬁcant accomplishments and

outstanding skills or abilities you’d like to highlight.

When crafting your summary of qualiﬁcations, follow this format:

▣

Use three to five concise bullets

▣

List most impressive or applicable information first

▣

Customize your qualifications to suit the job

Consider adding your

CliftonStrengths Top 5 to

your summary statement.

hPRO TIP

Review

Read the following summary.

Notice how it sounds more compelling as it becomes more speciﬁc.

Vague

▣

Experience with customer service

▣

Bilingual

▣

Former member, JCCC Model UN

Better

▣

Two years’ experience in customer service

▣

Fluent in Spanish and English

▣

Attended the 2018 Midwest Model United Nation’s Conference

Speciﬁc and relevant

▣

Two years of experience providing customer service in a retail setting

▣

Fluently speak and read Spanish and English

▣

Placed second in the Midwest Model United Nation’s Conference, 2018

▣

CliftonStrengths Top 5: Learner, Arranger, Woo, Relator, Intellection

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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WRITE A COMPELLING SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

PRACTICE!

Draft your own summary of qualiﬁcations.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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CRAFT EFFECTIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS

Accomplishment statements are quick overviews of

responsibilities, day-to-day tasks and achievements attained in past

jobs. Like the summary of qualiﬁcations, these statements give a

prospective employer a clear idea of your experience and potential.

When crafting your statements:

▣

Start each statement with an action verb

Examples: provide, design, teach, communicate, plan,

organize, ensure

▣

Do not use personal pronouns (I, me, etc.)

▣

Customize statements to the career field or job

▣

List most impressive skills first

▣

Quantify results using #s, $s, and %s

See list of descriptors for task-oriented and people-oriented skills

and strong action verbs on pages 22-25.

Tailor your accomplishment

statement to the job description.

hPRO TIP

Review

Look at the following statement.

Notice how it sounds more compelling as it becomes more speciﬁc.

Vague

Obligated to handle marketing

Better

Coordinated well with marketing representatives and local media sources

Speciﬁc and relevant

Increased local awareness of agency through cooperation with marketing

representatives and local news sources

When adding accomplishment statements to your résumé, follow this format:

Employer, City, State Date Range

Position

• Three to four statements in bullet format, each a one- to two-line

explanation of duties using speciﬁc details relevant to the prospective job

Repeat for each position.

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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CRAFT EFFECTIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS

Marriott’s Willow Ridge Lodge, Branson, MO 2018-present

General Operations Manager

• Direct management team of 8 with up to 125 employees; screen management applicants; hire, train,

supervise, motivate and conduct performance evaluations

• Secure vendors; negotiate contracts per corporate buying specications and standards

• Manage productivity and expense reduction, consistently operating within or below budget

Fashion Sense Inc., Overland Park, KS 2013-2018

Assistant Manager

• Increased sales by 19% through targeted sales techniques and social media management

• Provided direction and management to 5 part-time staff members; facilitated sales training boot camps

• Promoted from sales associate in 2014

• Received “Rookie of the Year” in 2013 for 3-state region

tEXAMPLE

PRACTICE!

Draft your own accomplishment statements. Draw upon your current and past work history as

well as any volunteer or academic activities to showcase your skills:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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BREAK IT DOWN: LEARN HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE RÉSUMÉ

 CHRONOLOGICAL RÉSUMÉ

Name and Contact Information

Position at the top of the page in a larger font size.

Summary of Qualiﬁcations

See page 8 for tips on writing an effective summary.

Education

If you are a recent graduate or current student, include this section

before work experience. List highest degree earned and relevant

certiﬁcations with graduation dates (or expected date). Do not

include the year if it has been 10 years or more since you graduated.

Work Experience

Start with your most recent or current job and work

backward to your ﬁrst job (or roughly 10-15 years into

the past if you’ve been in the workforce for a while).

Include your 3 to 5 accomplishment statements.

See page 10 for writing tips.

Additional Information

Include if needed to highlight achievements, professional

associations or skills applicable to the position not already

covered in the work experience section. Adapt this section

title to suit the information you need to share.

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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BREAK IT DOWN: LEARN HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE RÉSUMÉ

JANET W. SMITH

Little Rock, AR jwsmith@sprint.com 555-555-1212

Summary of Qualifications

• Four years’ experience in early childhood development with a diverse background

in the care of special needs children and adults.

• Fluent in Spanish and English.

• Excellent classroom management with a focus on interactive learning.

Work Experience

The Wesley Center, Little Rock, AR 2014 – 2018

Supervisor

• Coordinated service assignments for 20 part-time teaching aides and 100 client families.

• Determined work placement for 150 special needs adult clients.

• Delegated client contact with local healthcare professionals on a monthly basis.

• Trained and managed 25 volunteer workers.

Rainbow Special Care Center, Little Rock, AR 2012 – 2014

Client Specialist

• Oversaw daily activity and outing planning for 100 clients.

• Maintained client databases and records.

• Assisted families of special needs clients with researching financial assistance and health

care.

Cowell Elementary, Overland Park, KS 2011 – 2012

Teacher’s Assistant

• Supported teachers with managing daily classroom activities.

• Delegated daily and special student activities.

• Facilitated group activities to foster student learning.

Education

University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR

Bachelor of Science, Early Childhood Development 2017

Dean’s List, University of Arkansas

Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, KS

Associate of Arts 2015

Volunteer Experience

Special Olympics 2017 – 2019

Ronald McDonald House 2015 – 2017

Chronological Résumé Example

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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BREAK IT DOWN: LEARN HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE RÉSUMÉ

 FUNCTIONAL RÉSUMÉ

Name and Contact Information

Position at the top of the page in a larger font size.

Summary of Qualiﬁcations

See page 8 for tips on writing an effective summary.

Education

List highest degree earned and relevant certiﬁcations

with graduation dates (or expected date).

Relevant Skills and Experience

This should be the largest section and emphasize the depth

and breadth of your skills as they apply to the position. Break

down by skill. Include a few bullet statements that highlight

accomplishments. See page 22-25 for a list of strong action

verbs and adjectives to use.

Employment History

This is a simple list of your position, the company

name and date ranges of employment.

Achievements/Professional Associations

If applicable. Include any professional memberships.

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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BREAK IT DOWN: LEARN HOW TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE RÉSUMÉ

JANET W. SMITH

Little Rock, AR jwsmith@sprint.com 555-555-1212

Summary of Qualifications

• Four years’ experience in early childhood development with a diverse background

in the care of special needs children and adults.

• Fluent in Spanish and English.

• Excellent classroom management with a focus on interactive learning.

• CliftonStrengths Top 5: Learner, Arranger, Woo, Relator, Intellection

Education

Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, KS

Associate of Arts Anticipated graduation date Spring 2021

University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR

Bachelor of Science 2019

Dean’s List, University of Arkansas

Relevant Skills and Experience

Adult Care Experience

• Determined work placement for 150 special needs adult clients.

• Maintained client databases and records.

• Coordinated client contact with local healthcare professionals on a monthly basis.

• Trained and managed 25 volunteer workers.

Childcare Experience

• Coordinated service assignments for 20 part-time teaching aides and 100 client families.

• Managed daily activity and outing planning for 100 clients.

• Assisted families of special needs clients with researching financial assistance and healthcare.

• Assisted teachers with managing daily classroom activities.

• Delegated daily and special student activities.

Employment History

Supervisor, The Wesley Center, Little Rock, AR 2014 – 2019

Client Specialist, Rainbow Special Care Center, Little Rock, AR 2012 – 2014

Teacher’s Assistant, Cowell Elementary, Overland Park, KS 2011 – 2012

Functional Résumé Example

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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DELIVER A STRONG COVER LETTER

Your cover letter is an employer’s ﬁrst impression of you. It sells your candidacy

by highlighting aspects of your background that relate to a position.

An effective cover letter:

▣

Supplements your résumé – it does not repeat the information

▣

Showcases your professionalism and interest in the job

▣

Connects your qualifications to the specific needs and goals of the employer

▣

Personalizes the job process and motivates an employer to interview you

The cover letter includes:

Your contact information

It should copy the header on your résumé.

Date

Employer Name

Job Title

Company Name

Address

City, State ZIP

Greeting

Intro paragraph

Introduce yourself, note the speciﬁc position title and mention where

you learned about it.

Body

Summarize why you are interested in the job and how you are qualiﬁed.

Expand on relevant details from your résumé that relate to the job description.

Closing

Ask for the opportunity to interview for the position and note your availability.

Sign off and signature

“Sincerely” is safe. Leave room for your signature if mailing a hard copy.

Use a professional email address for your résumé and job applications.

For example: JamieLPark@gmail.com = PRO

JamaLamaDingDong214@yahoo.com = NO

hPRO TIP

 COVER LETTER

If you do not have a speciﬁc person's

name, use "Hiring Manager."

hPRO TIP

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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DELIVER A STRONG COVER LETTER

JANET W. SMITH

Little Rock, AR jwsm[email protected]om 555-555-1212

August 10, 2019

Marta Quinn

Director of Operations

Paxton Health

4567 Anywhere St.

Little Rock, AR 72227

Dear Marta Quinn,

I am interested in the Senior Manager position at Paxton Health, which was posted recently at

CareerBuilder.com. I am confident my supervisory experience as well as my passion for healthcare

would be an asset to your organization.

I am currently a supervisor at The Wesley Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Each day, I help 150 special

needs adults and their families lead productive lives. While I find my work fulfilling, I would love the

chance to put my skills and experience to use in a deeper capacity at Paxton Health. I can offer insight

gleaned from eight years of working directly with patients and families as well as an agile, client-centric

approach to service, which is so important in this rapidly changing industry.

I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss how I can help Paxton Health achieve its mission and

goals. Please feel free to contact me at 555-555-1212 or at jwsmith@sprint.com. I look forward to

hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Janet Smith

Cover Letter Example

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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DELIVER A STRONG COVER LETTER

Applying online? Include live links to your LinkedIn

proﬁle and an online portfolio if applicable in the

contact section of your cover letter and résumé.

hPRO TIP

 USING EMAIL EFFECTIVELY

Email and webform applications have become the preferred method of

contact for many employers. Follow these tips:

▣

Use a short and direct subject line that includes your name, the position

and any reference numbers.

Ex.: Jill Armstrong, Web Design Intern Position, #12345.

▣

Do include a formal salutation and closing like the traditional cover letter.

▣

Be direct and concise. Highlight your competencies and interests and

make them relevant to the position.

▣

Include direct links to an online portfolio, relevant webpage or

your LinkedIn account.

▣

Proofread it closely. Then proofread it again before you hit send.

If asked to email your cover letter and résumé as an attachment, send

them as PDFs. Some employers might ask you to paste your cover letter

and résumé into the email body or a web form. If so, remove all tabs and

forced line breaks and choose left justiﬁcation before you copy it.

 MAXIMIZE YOUR LINKEDIN PRESENCE

Increasingly employers are going to LinkedIn to check out job candidates

before they call for the ﬁrst interview. Set up your account well in advance

of applying for jobs, then start building your network by connecting with

your colleagues and companies that interest you.

Tips

▣

Look professional and sharp in your profile pic – no selfies!

▣

Have your résumé proofed by at least two people before you post it.

▣

Use keywords to highlight skills for stronger search engine optimization.

▣

Spotlight the qualities you want others to see in you.

▣

Write a brief narrative of your experiences, skills and niche areas

of expertise.

▣

Build your network by seeking out others on LinkedIn.

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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PROSPECTING LETTERS

 PROSPECTING LETTERS

Have a dream company in mind but it hasn’t posted a speciﬁc job opening that ﬁts your

qualiﬁcations? Send a prospecting letter.

Similar to a cover letter, a prospecting letter serves as an introduction and a quick

summary of who you are. It lets a recruiter know you’re interested in future opportunities.

JANET W. SMITH

Little Rock, AR jwsmith@sprint.com 555-555-1212

June 1, 2019

Ms. Carol Patrick

General Manager

Walmart

13555 Santa Fe Drive

Olathe, KS 66062

Dear Ms. Patrick:

Do you want retail clerks and managers who are accurate, enthusiastic and experienced? Additionally, do

you want someone who cares about customer service, who understands merchandising, and who can work

well with others to get the job done? When you are ready to hire a manager trainee or clerk with a strong

work ethic and dedication to superior customer service, please consider me for the position.

Working as a clerk and then as an assistant department manager in a large department store has taught me

how challenging a career in retailing can be. My Associate of Arts degree in retail will provide your store

with a well-rounded potential employee. I can offer Walmart’s Olathe store more insight from my two

years of study and field experience. You will find that I am interested in every facet of retailing and eager

to take on responsibility. Please review my résumé to see how my skills can benefit your store.

I understand Walmart prefers to promote its managers from within the company, and I would be pleased

to start out with an entry-level position until I gain the necessary experience. Please contact me to discuss

my qualifications in more detail. I can be reached at 913-555-1212. Thank you for your time and

consideration.

Sincerely,

Janet Smith

Prospecting Letter Example

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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ASKING FOR REFERENCES

Do not include references with your résumé

unless employer requests it.

Note: References should be a separate document.

hPRO TIP

 REFERENCES

Prospective employers want to get a bigger picture of who you are by talking

with people who know you professionally.

Follow these tips:

1. Ask permission from your references and alert them when applying for jobs.

2. Provide a copy of your résumé to your references to refresh their memories

of your capabilities and skills.

3. Provide a copy of the job description or advertisement to your references;

this will allow them to correlate your capabilities and skills to the position.

In general, have three to ﬁve references to choose from and tailor those to the

prospective position.

Type out your references using this format:

Header

It should copy the header on your résumé.

References

Left-justiﬁed in case you need to email.

For each reference:

Name

Title

Company Name

Company Address

Phone Number

Email Address

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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ASKING FOR REFERENCES

JANET W. SMITH

Little Rock, AR jwsmith@sprint.com 555-555-1212

References

Alica Phu

Store Manager

Forever 21

123 W. 104

th St., Overland Park, Kansas

913-555-6212

a.phu@provider.com

Frank Marlott

Vice President

Ahoy There Investments

2320 Alfalfa Lane, Kansas City, Missouri

816-555-8888, ext. 2170

Marlott.Frank@provider.com

Terry Jacobs

Guidance Counselor

Charles S. Swisher High School

78425 Metcalf, Stillwell, Kansas

913-555-8300, ext. 7672

TJacobs@provider.com

References Example

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

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SELL YOUR SOFT SKILLS

Use when crafting your accomplishment statements and highlighting job duties.

People-oriented

▣

ability to motivate others

▣

congenial

▣

cooperative

▣

diplomatic

▣

excellent communication skills

▣

good listener

▣

optimistic

▣

outgoing

Task-oriented

▣

accurate

▣

adaptable

▣

ambitious

▣

analytical

▣

artistic

▣

competent

▣

conscientious

▣

creative

▣

dedicated

▣

dependable

▣

efficient

▣

energetic

▣

enterprising

▣

flexible

▣

goal-directed

▣

high achiever

▣

highly motivated

▣

imaginative

▣

independent

▣

industrious

▣

innovative

▣

leadership acumen

▣

manages time efficiently

▣

methodical

▣

meticulous

▣

motivated

▣

optimistic

▣

organized

▣

persistent

▣

problem-solver

▣

productive

▣

quick learner

▣

realistic

▣

resourceful

▣

self-motivated

▣

team player

▣

thorough

▣

trustworthy

▣

versatile

▣

visionary

▣

works well under pressure

STUDENT CENTER, 2ND FLOOR | JCCC.EDU/CAREER-DEVELOPMENT

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EFFECTIVE ACTION VERBS

Use when crafting your accomplishment statements and highlighting job duties.

Accomplishments

▣

achieved

▣

completed

▣

created

▣

expanded

▣

exceeded

▣

improved

▣

led

▣

pioneered

▣

reduced

▣

reorganized

▣

resolved (issues)

▣

surpassed

▣

restored

▣

revised

▣

spearheaded

▣

succeeded

▣

transformed

Analytical/Research

▣

analyzed

▣

clarified

▣

collected

▣

compared

▣

conducted

▣

critiqued

▣

detected

▣

determined

▣

diagnosed

▣

evaluated

▣

examined

▣

experimented

▣

explored

▣

extracted

▣

formulated

▣

gathered

▣

identified

▣

inspected

▣

interpreted

▣

interviewed

▣

invented

▣

investigated

▣

located

▣

measured

▣

organized

▣

researched

▣

reviewed

▣

searched

▣

solved

▣

summarized

▣

surveyed

▣

systematized

▣

tested

Communication

▣

addressed

▣

advertised

▣

arbitrated

▣

arranged

▣

articulated

▣

authored

▣

clarified

▣

collaborated

▣

communicated

▣

composed

▣

condensed

▣

conferred

▣

consulted

▣

conveyed

▣

convinced

▣

corresponded

▣

debated

▣

defined

▣

described

▣

developed

▣

directed

▣

drafted

▣

edited

▣

elicited

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enlisted

▣

explained

▣

formulated

▣

furnished

▣

incorporated

▣

influenced

▣

interacted

▣

interpreted

▣

interviewed

▣

lectured

▣

marketed

▣

mediated

▣

moderated

▣

negotiated

▣

observed

▣

outlined

▣

participated

▣

persuaded

▣

presented

▣

promoted

▣

proposed

▣

publicized

▣

recruited

▣

referred

▣

reinforced

▣

resolved

▣

responded

▣

solicited

▣

synthesized

▣

translated

Creative/Innovative

▣

acted

▣

adapted

▣

authored

▣

combined

▣

composed

▣

conceived

▣

conceptualized

▣

condensed

▣

created

▣

designed

▣

developed

▣

devised

▣

directed

▣

displayed

▣

entertained

▣

established

▣

fashioned

▣

formulated

▣

illustrated

▣

initiated

▣

instituted

▣

integrated

▣

introduced

▣

invented

▣

modeled

▣

modified

▣

originated

▣

performed

▣

planned

▣

revised

▣

revolutionized

▣

revitalized

▣

shaped

▣

solved

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER | 913-469-3870

24

EFFECTIVE ACTION VERBS

Financial

▣

administered

▣

adjusted

▣

allocated

▣

analyzed

▣

appraised

▣

assessed

▣

audited

▣

balanced

▣

budgeted

▣

calculated

▣

computed

▣

conserved

▣

corrected

▣

developed

▣

estimated

▣

forecasted

▣

managed

▣

marketed

▣

measured

▣

prepared

▣

programmed

▣

projected

▣

reconciled

▣

reduced

▣

researched

▣

retrieved

Helping/Counseling/Mediating

▣

adapted

▣

advocated

▣

answered

▣

arranged

▣

assessed

▣

assisted

▣

attended

▣

clarified

▣

coached

▣

collaborated

▣

comforted

▣

contributed

▣

cooperated

▣

demonstrated

▣

diagnosed

▣

educated

▣

encouraged

▣

ensured

▣

expedited

▣

facilitated

▣

familiarized

▣

fostered

▣

guided

▣

instilled

▣

intervened

▣

mentored

▣

motivated

▣

prevented

▣

referred

▣

rehabilitated

▣

represented

▣

resolved

▣

settled

▣

simplified

▣

supplied

▣

supported

▣

tutored

▣

volunteered

Management/Leadership/Decision-making

▣

administered

▣

advocated

▣

analyzed

▣

appointed

▣

approved

▣

assigned

▣

attained

▣

authorized

▣

consolidated

▣

contracted

▣

controlled

▣

converted

▣

coordinated

▣

delegated

▣

determined

▣

developed

▣

directed

▣

elected

▣

eliminated

▣

enforced

▣

enhanced

▣

enlisted

▣

established

▣

executed

▣

formed

▣

founded

▣

generated

▣

governed

▣

hired

▣

hosted

▣

improved

▣

incorporated

▣

increased

▣

initiated

▣

inspected

▣

instituted

▣

led

▣

managed

▣

merged

▣

moderated

▣

motivated

▣

operated

▣

organized

▣

overhauled

▣

oversaw

▣

pioneered

▣

planned

▣

presided

▣

prioritized

▣

produced

▣

recommended

▣

recruited

▣

reorganized

▣

represented

▣

restored

▣

scheduled

▣

secured

▣

selected

▣

spearheaded

▣