Job Search: Resumes
You often make your first impression on hiring managers and Search Committees through your resume, and you want your resume to be outstanding. A truly outstanding resume is custom-tailored to the position you want, presenting information in order of relevance to the position.
- See step-by-step guidelines on how to develop a resume
- Check detailed recommendations, section by section, of How to Create a Resume (PDF) document
- Find out about the "Dos & Don'ts" (PDF) of resume writing
- See examples of resume formats
Things to keep in mind:
At UC Berkeley, hiring managers and supervisors are trained to screen resumes and cover letters to find the most qualified applicants.
The candidates who, based on their resumes, appear to best meet or exceed the posted requirements of the position advance to the next stage of the process.
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Click on the appropriate item for more information.
How To Develop a Resume
| Steps | What to do | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Analyze the job posting | Read job posting and highlight the required and preferred skills, abilities, attributes, and qualifications. Use these words in your resume. |
| 2 | Create a list of accomplishments | Take some time to think about tasks that you enjoy doing, do well, and of which you are proud. Include education/training, jobs, significant projects, group/team activities, and volunteer experience. Describe in detail what you did and with whom, the resources you used, the personal strengths and skills you employed, and the outcome of your efforts. Quantify your results, if possible, and use commonly understood terminology. Don&'t be humble; this is your chance to promote yourself. |
| 3 | Analyze experiences for relevant skill areas | Reviewing each experience, identify the skills you used that fit with positions for which you are applying. |
| 4 | Write descriptive phrases | Using action verbs (PDF), write short phrases to describe what you did that illustrates each skill. Be concise and specific. Arrange the descriptive phrases in order of relevance to the position for which you are applying, with the most relevant at the top of your list. |
| 5 | Choose an appropriate format | Depending on the type of position for which you are applying, you can create your resume using one of the suggested formats below. Most successful applicants for other types of positions will find the formats below to be appropriate. For detailed instructions on how to use your resume with the UCB job applicant system, check out the Applicant Resources: How to Apply page. |
Resume Formats
Select the resume type that best presents your background and qualifications:
Chronological
This type of resume lists your work experience in reverse chronological order. Arrange your resume sections based upon which aspects of your background you wish to stress, putting the most relevant information first. It works best when your work and volunteer experiences relate directly to the type of job for which you are applying. Most managers prefer a chronological resume.
Chronological resume:
Skills
Using headings that reflect skills, this resume highlights your most important skill areas and knowledge relevant to a given position. This format focuses less on where and when you obtained skills by listing job titles, employers, and dates of employment in a brief section at the bottom of the page. It works well when your work experience is not directly related to your career goal or when you are making a career change.
Skills resume examples
