How to Create a Resume: Part 3

← Go to Part 2: Header, Objective, Education

Here’s how to add your experiences, courses, and skills to your resume. As always, click here for a few resume examples to refer to while reading this guide.

7. Adding Your Experience

This section allows you to showcase your employment, volunteer and school experiences that relate to your desired objective.
You may have a single experience section or multiple sections to highlight those experiences specific to your field (e.g., Engineering Experience) and those unrelated to your field (e.g., Professional Experience).

Potential titles for this section: Experience, Professional Experience, Related Experience, Relevant Experience, (Insert Your Field) Experience
Core Four: Include the company name, position held, month + year of start and finish, city and state (country is not in U.S.).
Emphasize the relevant skills, specifics accomplishments/contributions that you can bring to the company you are applying for.
Do not mention names of previous supervisors or advisors on your resume (that goes on the Reference Page).
Construct impactful bullet points for your experiences using the Bullets Formula

BULLETS FORMULA:

POWER VERB (Click here for list of Power Verbs)
+ DEMONSTRATED ACCOMPLISHMENT/CONTRIBUTION
+ PURPOSE/METHOD/RESULT (Pick One Per Bullet)

Purpose-Type Bullet: Performed (Power Verb) gear mapping for transmissions (Demonstrated Contribution) to optimize shift patterns, fuel economy, and available power (Purpose).

Method-Type Bullet: Collected quantitative infrared images using a high speed infrared camera.

Result-Type Bullet: Designed and implemented latches for condensation reducing leakage by 50%.

Note: Adding numbers to results can add strength to your bullet.

8. How to Include Related or Relevant Courses

If you want, you may include those course that you feel set you apart from other applicants, and make you a more attractive candidate.

List atypical courses to emphasize exposure to related subjects/skills.
Consider including courses taken as part of your concentration, minor and/or electives
Do not include required courses for your degree since all of your major peers are taking those courses as well.
Do not include course numbers (e.g., MGMT 351) as they do not mean anything to an employer (unless the took the same major at Purdue!)

9. Skills

Similarly, you may include technical/language skills that are relevant.

Potential titles to consider: Technical/Computer Skills, Language Skills
Microsoft Word and PowerPoint are considered universal skills and are expected by employers, you do not need to include them. Only mention any Microsoft Office programs if you have extensive knowledge in using them (e.g., model-building or scenario-analysis in Excel)
Indicate your level of proficiency and be sure you can use them “on the job”.
“Soft” skills like communication, leadership, and teamwork should not be included in a skills section. They must be shown though your experiences.

Skills Section Examples:

Design Skills: Adobe Photoshop (Advanced), InDesign (Proficient), Illustrator(Proficient)

Language Skills: Spanish(Fluent), French (Proficient)

10. Additional Sections

Depending on your background, you may want to add additional sections to your resume:

Study Abroad
Certifications or Licensure
Leadership Experience (very impressive to employers!)
Activities/Extracurricular Involvement or Student Organization
Honors/Awards
Community Service or Volunteer Activities
Professional Affiliation
Projects
Research/Teaching/Publications/Presentations

Quick Tips

Photographs, marital status, salary requirements, age, race, national origin, visa status, or references should not be included on or with the resume
“References Available Upon Request” should not be listed on a resume. An employer typically only asks for references after an interview and expects references to be available regardless of whether you mentioned references on your resume or not.

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