1. Career Center Search Strategically
Resume Writing
The resume serves as an introduction that tells the story of how your past
experiences and accomplishments have prepared you for a specific next step.
It is tempting to jump to the resume as the first
step when kicking off your search process. This will
present you with challenges because the resume is a
culminating effort, not a first step. Synthesizing your
experiences and accomplishments into short and
impactful statements requires complex thinking. If
you’re struggling with crafting your resume, reach out
to us for help.
A successful resume will pique enough confidence
and curiosity about you to secure an interview.
The purpose of your resume is to answer two key
questions for readers:
• What are you capable of and what do you
know?
• How well suited are you for the role that is
being filled?
A carefully constructed, well-edited and focused
resume will create a compelling description of your
patterns of qualities, skills and accomplishments in
response to these underlying questions.
5 Tips
for a Successful Resume
1. Think creatively
about experience.
Your meaningful accomplishments will come from
across a variety of endeavors in your life. Consider
businesses you’ve run, projects that you complete,
longstanding hobbies and pursuits, contributions you
have made or other defining experiences in your life.
All of these can be aspects of your resume.
2. Format your resume with
first things first.
The top and left side of your resume are the most
valuable spaces when someone is visually scanning
the page and forming a first impression. Use the first
section heading strategically to ensure that your most
compelling experiences are at the top of the page. To
start each bullet, thoughtfully choose verbs that are
precisely descriptive of your actions. Order the bullets
so that the most compelling comes first.
3. Illustrate your
patterns of success.
Showcase the skills you have developed through
experience; what you have learned in the classroom
or other points of exposure; positive qualities you will
bring to the work; and a mastery of the language and
culture of the realms to which you apply.
4. Articulate the impact of
your contributions.
Highlight accomplishments and include measures
of your success wherever possible. Use individual
resume bullets to highlight your outcomes in ways
that will resonate with the readers’ point of view.
For example, use measurable, quantified results for a
bottom-line-driven industry.
5. Write multiple resumes if
you have multiple interests.
Your varied interests may require equally varied
presentations of you at your best. For different
industries or roles, change the categories, order and
descriptions of different experiences to ensure that
unique readers of your resume recognize right away
that you excel in areas that are meaningful to them.
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 •
Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor • 114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708

2. FULLNAME
BIG&BOLD
Address
Best
Phone
Number
Best
Email
Address
Education
Duke
University
Durham,
NC
Your
Degree
Graduation
Month
and
Year
• What
have
been
your
meaningful
educational
accomplishments
while
at
Duke?
• Include
highlights-­‐
you
don’t
have
to
be
comprehensive.
• Consider
GPA,
honors,
study
abroad,
thesis,
projects,
research,
relevant
courses,
or
other
components
Other
Universities
Location
Degree
or
Program
Dates
of
Study
• What
were
the
main
benefits
to
you
inside
and
out
of
the
classroom?
High
School
Location
Degree,
GPA,
or
other
characteristics
Dates
of
Study
• What
were
your
primary
accomplishments,
educationally?
Specific
Experience
Category
#1
Interesting
Job
Location
Role
Dates
• Bullets
include
an
active
and
specific
verb
that
describes
this
contribution,
learning,
skills
or
outcome,
and
details
and
data
that
make
it
tangible.
• Prioritize,
with
the
most
important
and
relevant
bullets
first.
• Use
concise
and
clear
language
and
industry-­‐specific
language
only
if
applying
to
that
industry.
Student
Organization
Location
Current
Role
Dates
• Write
about
being
elected
(what
for!)
or
ways
you
contribute
more
over
time.
Earlier
Role
Dates
• Include
a
variety
of
experiences
and
contributions;
no
need
to
replicate
information
in
similar
roles.
However,
repeating
something
and
presenting
it
in
a
new
way
can
serve
as
an
enhancement.
Specific
Experience
Category
#2
Internship
Location
Role
Dates
• The
number
of
bullets
under
each
experience
does
not
need
to
be
consistent.
However,
the
space
that
something
takes
on
the
resume
does
give
a
sense
of
its
level
of
importance.
Specific
Experience
Category
#3
Independent
Project
Location
Role
Dates
• Describe
your
initiative,
managing
a
huge
endeavor,
overcoming
obstacles,
getting
support
from
others,
and
other
challenges
you
overcame
when
managing
something
new!
Skills
Language:
Computer:
Lab:
Interests
Highlight
unique
aspects
of
your
background,
personality,
or
attention
to
professional
topics.
Someone may have to mail
you documents or have
your address for official
correspondence. Keep
your address simple. Only
include multiple addresses
if necessary.
This can include major,
minor, certificates,
specializations, or other
degree components.
You can use this section to
feature your study abroad
experiences.
A high school section is
most used by first and
second year undergrads or
those who attended schools
with a large or passionate
network of alumni.
Think creatively about how
you design your categories.
This is an opportunity to
bring attention to patterns in
your interests or skills. Look
at example resumes for ideas
but two general categories
could be common type of
organization, e.g., Media
Experience or function, e.g.
Research Experience.
e.g. researcher, founder,
volunteer, consultant
Use a skills section to
bring added attention to
RELEVANT skills. Be sure
these skills are evident
throughout your resume
as well.
No need to add a line about
references being available.
This has been seen on
resumes, historically, but is no
longer expected. Save that
space for interesting content.
Duke Career Center • studentaffairs.duke.edu/career • 919-660-1050 • Bay 5, Smith Warehouse, 2nd Floor •
114 S. Buchanan Blvd., Box 90950, Durham, NC 27708
Resume Example
The CV: What Do I Need to Know?
Internationally, the terms curriculum vitae, CV and resume may be used interchangeably.
However, in the context of academic or research-based work, a CV refers to a document
with very specific content and organization detailing the research, teaching and
administrative expertise required. While a common application document for those with
a Ph.D., undergraduate students most commonly need a resume.