Résumé Guide | 7
Experience
Goal: To contextualize your
skills and nonacademic
qualifications in a concise
manner, showing their
relevance to your employer.
• Each entry lists organization
name, dates, position title (if
needed), and location
• Bullets begin with strong action
verbs
• All verbs reflect the correct verb
tense
• Bullets are concise, direct
• Bullets indicate one’s impact or
contribution to the organization
with specificity
• Bullets are not written in
complete sentences and
appropriately omit extra words
(e.g., articles, verbose phrases);
contain no personal pronouns
• Bullets are listed in order
of importance within an
experience
• Results are quantified when
appropriate
• The most significant entries
include at least one bullet point
• One to two entries omit(s)
organization name, dates,
position title (if needed), or
location
• Résumé has a pattern of a single
error (e.g., no position titles)
• Action verbs could be stronger
• One to two individual errors in
verb tense
• Bullets could be more concise,
direct
• Bullets indicate one’s impact
on the organization — could
include more specificity
• Bullets are written in complete
sentences
• Bullets are listed in order of
importance within an experience
• Results are quantified when
appropriate
• The most significant entries
include at least one bullet point
• Three or more entries do not
include organization name,
dates, position title (if needed),
or location
• Bullets begin with weak action
verbs
• Multiple verb tenses are
inconsistent with dates
• Bullets are wordy, vague, or do
not indicate one’s impact
• Bullets contain personal
pronouns
• Bullets are not listed in order
of importance within an
experience
• Results are not quantified when
appropriate
• Bullets are not included on
significant entries
• Irrelevant/outdated information
listed (e.g., high school) that
would not be discussed in an
interview
Skills/interests/
language/
certifications sections
(optional)
Goal: To include skills or
information that does not
appear elsewhere on the
résumé and is relevant.
• Listings are concise and specific
• Level of proficiency is
indicated for skill-based
entries (language, laboratory,
technology)
• Listings are concise and specific
• Level of proficiency is indicated
for skill-based entries (language,
laboratory, technology)
• Personal qualities are listed
• Listings are wordy or vague
• No level of proficiency
indicated for skills-based
entries (language, laboratory,
technology)
Organization of sections
Goal: To group relevant
information together to draw
attention to experiences
that resonate with your
target employer; to increase
readability.
• Section headers accurately
reflect content
• Adequate content exists within
a section to substantiate the
heading
• Section headers reflect content
• Content of a section is not best
placement of information (see
comments)
• No use of sections or one
“Experience” section lists all
entries
• Too many sections and/or not
enough content to warrant a
section
• Section titles do not reflect
content
To achieve certification, résumés of juniors and seniors must also meet the following criteria
Targeting
Goal: To ensure your
strengths are strategically
highlighted to your specific
audience.
• Section headers are relevant to
the targeted audience
• Uses language represented in
the job description, employer’s
materials, or that is industry-
specific
• The most relevant information
is grouped and appears on the
first half of the document
• Most relevant bullets appear
first under each entry
• Listed coursework (optional) is
tailored to the targeted field
• The format/structure of the
document is reflective of
acceptable industry standards
and trends
• In formatting entries, the most
relevant/strategic information
among title and organization
name is emphasized by
positioning and style (bold, etc.)
• Audience is addressed, but more
focus is required
• Language could be more
relevant to the reader (section
titles, descriptions)
• The most relevant information is
grouped but does not appear on
the first half of the document
• The most relevant information
could be further emphasized by
formatting (bold, italics, etc.)
• Listed coursework (optional) is
tailored to the targeted field
• Résumé does not show
evidence of being targeted to a
specific purpose. (NOTE: This
rating is assigned to all general
résumés)
• Section titles and descriptions
do not support targeted field
• The most relevant information is
not grouped
• The most relevant information
does not appear on the first half
of the document
• The most relevant information
is not emphasized by formatting
(bold, italics, etc.)
• The included coursework is not
tailored to the targeted field