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Resumes

What is a resume? Why have one? 

A resume is a summary of your skills, education, and experience that is aimed to convince an employer to invite you for an interview. 

Click the buttons below to view our quick-access resources!

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Get Resume Feedback:

  1. Before seeking feedback, review the resources above on resume writing - the Checklist is what we will use to give you feedback.
  2. Submit your document to the Resume and Cover Letter Feedback form. We will review it and provide written feedback within two business days. 
  3. Attend Drop-In hours to get feedback on your resume from a Peer Coach. If you have any questions or clarifications, feel free to email CC_Coach@ucsc.edu.
  4. Update your resume once you receive feedback.

Optimize your resume using Jobscan

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You can request access to a Jobscan premium account here. This resource is available to currently enrolled students and alumni who graduated within the last two years. This resource is provided in partnership with UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension.

Resume Writing Tips

1.) Review the job description 

Identify the required and desired skills and qualifications. Look for keywords. Consider using similar or the same wording in your resume if you feel they apply.

2.) Create a list of accomplishments

List your education, jobs, volunteer and leadership positions, relevant coursework, and notable projects. What did you enjoy doing or are proud of?

3.) Identify your relevant skills 

Emphasize skills that you've gained that can be used in the position that you are applying for. 

4.) Write descriptive action phrases 

What you say is important, but how you say it can make all the difference. You have transferable skills* to offer potential employers, whether you are applying to your first job or fifth.

  • Always begin your bullet points with action verbs! 
  • Arrange the descriptive phrases in order of relevance to the position you are seeking. 
  • Avoid using "I" statements and articles ("the" or "a").

* Transferable skills are skills you have developed in multiple settings that enable you to do your job well across industries. You develop these skills in the classroom, through school projects, on jobs and internships, and through hobbies and extracurriculars.

 

Examples of action phrases:

Mediocre Description: Filed papers.

Good Description: Filed papers and prepared sensitive documents.

Best Description: Accurately maintained files and efficiently prepared and processed sensitive documents for the management team.

 

Mediocre Description: Constructed website.

Good Description: Constructed website using streaming media and graphics.

Best Description: Integrated graphics and streaming media to company website, resulting in a 45% increase in hits in the first six months. 

Submitting Your Resume 

Employers tend to require online submissions. Unless otherwise instructed, always save and submit your resume in PDF format. Include your name and position title in the file name when saving. 

Example file names: Sammy Slug-Resume-Position, Resume_SammySlug

Additional Resume Resources