What Are Some Good Experiences To Put On A Resume

Showcase Your Volunteer Work Or Academic Projects

No one needs to know how you learned to be proficient at Microsoft Word or PowerPoint in high school, but if you are going to present yourself as a young leader, communicator or organizer, the person reading your resume will want to know why you think you are good at those things. You can tell them all about it in a “Volunteer Experience” or “Relevant Volunteer and Academic Experience” subheading on your resume.

If you led a church mission, wrangled a PTA into the black, or organized an event for a group in your area, these experiences can be of interest to a potential employer. They tell the interviewer that this person might not have work experience, but they do have a different experience that has yielded the same knowledge.

If you were an athlete in school, you probably have relevant team experience that you could add to this section that shows you are a reliable team player and leader. Take this opportunity to show how those experiences gave you valuable lessons and skills you will carry into the workplace. As Stephanie’s mother said, everyone has to start somewhere, and chances are high that you have more marketable experience than you realize.

Weave Your Skills Into Your Professional Experience Section

While many job seekers may list skills in a separate section of their resume, its also important to weave them into descriptions under each of your previous positions. This is where you have an opportunity to strengthen your skills section with additional context and specific examples.

For example, if you include the skills project management and time management, you could illustrate this by providing a real-life example, such as: Successfully managed six projects across three separate teams during the first half of 2018, and delivered all completed items by the deadlines.

What Skills To Put On A Resume: List Of Good Examples To Include

Check the best skills to put on a resume. Learn technical skills, hard skills & soft skills examples and breeze through the recruitment process.

In a second, youll see a list of the most universal skills to put on a resume. And youll be tempted to just copy-paste it into yours. Dont. If you want your resume to land great interviews, your skills section has to fit the job opening like a glove AND differentiate you from the competition.

Spend 5 more minutes reading this article and youll learn:

• The most universal skills to put in a resume
• The difference between hard and soft skills.
• Why you must absolutely nail your resume skills to get hired.
• How to detect what skills employers look for and how to list them on your resume.
• What job skills to put on a resume to land an interview.

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Startup And Finance Management Consultant Career Summary Example:

Experienced strategist, entrepreneur and startup enthusiast with a passion for building businesses and challenging the status quo. 8+ year track-record of defining new business strategies, launching new ventures, and delivering operational impact, both as a co-founder and management consultant.

Why this resume summary example is good:

This summary was for a highly-talented management consultant looking to break out of finance, and into trendier tech companies like Uber. His track record and educational background were great, so the goal of this summary section was to stand out and show hes more than just the typical consultant with a finance background. So we emphasized his passion for startups, his ability to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. Thats something that companies like Uber and other disruptive tech companies look for.

By: Biron Clark, Founder of CareerSidekick.com.

Now you have 10 professional resume summary statements and explanations of why theyre effective. Next, Ill share tips for how to write your own in case youre still unsure how to begin based on these examples above.

How To Write A Resume Summary: Steps And Hints

Weve looked at 10 great resume summary examples above. As you begin writing a resume summary for yourself, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

Read Also: Resume Multiple Positions One Company

Include Achievements Instead Of Responsibilities

Emphasize accomplishments on your resume instead of just listing job responsibilities. Accomplishments show you made positive contributions to your companys performance rather than simply met expectations.

Compare these examples of work experience bullet points to see how effectively listing achievements can strengthen your resume:

Effective bullet point

Implemented a system for tracking business leads that boosted sales by 47%

Ineffective bullet point

Tracked business leads

The second example is better because it includes a number that shows the hiring manager how youll perform at the job if they hire you.

Advantages Of Having Little Experience

Even without having much past experience in the workforce, it doesnât stop you from being the ideal candidate. For instance, employers prefer to hire someone whose personal attributes and background are a strong cultural fit.

Here are 4 main reasons why having limited corporate experience can be an advantage:

• You have no habits yet, so they can mold you into their own
• Youâre more likely to introduce new ideas as you have a fresh perspective of the industry
• Candidates tend to be more passionate and interested in their profession
• Itâs more affordable for recruiters and can lead to bigger profits in the future

Recommended Reading: Honors On A Resume

Why The Resume/cv Summary Is Important

You may have heard that recruiters only spend 8-10 seconds looking at your resume. The truth is: they spend that long deciding whether to read more. They do glance that quickly at first and may move on if your background doesnt look like a fit.

However, if you grab their attention, theyll read far more. Recruiters arent deciding to interview you in 8-10 seconds, but they are ruling people out in 8-10 seconds.

And this is why your resume summary is so crucial. It appears high up on your resume and is one of the first sections employers see. So its part of what theyll see in the first 8-10 seconds.

Your resume summary statement is one of your first chances to get the employer to stop skimming through their pile of resumes and focus on YOU.

Company Name Description And Location

If the position checks out, theyll want to know more details.

If the company isnt famous, you can also describe in 1-2 sentences. And you should always mention the location of the firm, too.

Try to keep the total section under 3-5 jobs and only remove other job experiences if youre running out of space and absolutely cant remove any other part of your resume.

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Why Is Work Experience On A Resume Important

Many employers regard the description of work experience as the most important part of a resume. To get a quick idea of your employment history, your prospective employer will most likely read the work experience section first. As such, this section could be key in moving you forward in the hiring process.

The work experience section in your resume shows the hiring manager whether you have the necessary experience and skills to succeed in the role you are applying for. This section also includes information about your achievements, which can distinguish you from other applicants and make you more likely to get an interview.

Related:

Rule #: Consolidate Your Education

If your education isn’t the most impressive part of your resume, it isnt 100% relevant to the position youre applying for, or if you’re not going for an academic role, Im willing to bet that you could shorten it. Especially if youve been out of college for a few years, you dont need to list out your courses, GPA, or activitiesall you really need is your college and degree. Heres a before and after:

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Warehouse Supervisor Resume Summary Example:

Warehouse Supervisor with Management, Customer Service, & Forklift Experience

• Dependable manager with 15+ years of experience in warehouse management and employee supervision.
• Skilled at managing inventory control, shipping & receiving, customer relations and safety & compliance.
• Certified Power Equipment Trainer, Forklift Operator and Reach Operator skilled at coaching other staff.
• Promoted to positions of increased responsibility given strong people and project management skills.

Why this summary is good:

The applicant was applying for a warehouse supervisor position that required them to have demonstrated management, customer service and forklift experience. As such, the applicant showcased their experience in these areas with a few keywords in the title, followed by additional details in the accompanying bullet points. Their final bullet shows a record of promotions, while reinforcing the applicants customer service and project management skills.

By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES, Career Coach and Consultant

Marketing Manager Professional Summary Example:

Why this summary is good:

This resume summary stands out because it gets straight to the point. Through immediately introducing the number of years of experience the candidate has, the HR manager doesnt need to spend time adding up years. The candidate also jumps right into his or her strongest skill, provides a statistic, then gives additional skills.

By: Sarah Landrum, Founder of Punched Clocks, contributor at Entrepreneur.com and Forbes

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Highlight Your Relevant Work Experience

Your work experience section is the most essential part of your resume because its the best representation of your qualifications.

If you lack formal work experience, however, dont worry. Simply title this section Relevant Experience and use it to highlight details about your volunteer work, extracurriculars, or relevant school coursework.

To create a logical and informative work experience section, list your relevant experience from most recent to least recent . For each job, list the following information:

• Your title
• Company location
• Dates of employment

If youre still currently working at a company, you can simply write , present for the employment dates.

A general rule is that each job title includes about 35 bullet points of your main duties and achievements working in that role.

3 parts of a strong bullet point:

• 1st: Action verb
• 2nd: Quantifiable point
• 3rd: Specific and relevant job duty

Example 1:

Trained5+ cashiers, managing their cash limits and guaranteeing quality customer service at all times.

Example 2:

Spearheadedthe development of the first media kit amalgamation for all company projects, increasing national sales by 8%.

One reason the above bullet points are effective is that they use action verbs to grab the attention of hiring managers. Describing your experience using strong action verbs helps illustrate to employers what youve accomplished and what kind of skills you have.

How To Write A Resume When You’re Just Out Of College

The University of South Florida junior felt like she had nothing to put on her résumé. She had only held down one job, for three years, working part-time at a K-Mart while she was in school. What employer would hire her based on that bottom-rung work experience? But Bobbie Muir, a career counselor in the placement office at USF in Tampa, saw it differently. The student had worked on the store’s returns desk, which Muir thought gave her a long list of marketable skills. She had to listen to unhappy customers for many hours, she dealt with high volume, she was a problem solver within limits, she mastered company policy, and she had to know when to turn over her work to a supervisor, says Muir. All of those skills went into a strong entry on the students résumé.

I lean toward the conventional, because I find it simpler and easier to take in. But both formats have their merits, and putting them together involves a similar exercise. Ill lay that out here:

1. List a career objective if youre clear on what you want to do or youre applying to a specific job.

2. List your school, degree year, and any honors, including your grade point average if its high.

3. Consider listing additional coursework outside your major.

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Human Resources Generalist Resume Summary Example:

Human Resources Generalist with progressive experience managing employee benefits & compliance, employee hiring & onboarding, performance management processes, licensure tracking and HR records. Dependable and organized team player with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Skilled at building relationships with employees across all levels of an organization. Proficient with HRIS, applicant tracking and benefits management.

Why this is a good resume summary:

The applicant highlights their experience across a wide range of HR functions from the very first sentence, and continues this pattern throughout the rest of the summary. They then use easily digestible langue to showcase their hard skills and soft skills . They also integrate a variety of keywords to get past automated job application systems, without sounding spammy or without over-doing it.

By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES, Career Coach and Consultant

Resume Experience Section Examples

Here are two examples of how to write resume experience sections.

Sample One: This is for an entry-level job candidate. Here, instead of using the heading Professional Experience, one can use the broader caption Experience Highlights which allows the inclusion of a description of recent college training:

Experience Highlights

University of Washington, Seattle, WAStudent ~ Environmental Science Successfully completed comprehensive course of study in environmental science, laying solid groundwork for career in environmental restoration. Key coursework included: Environmental Biology, Geology and Soils, Air Pollution Meteorology, Waste Treatment Technology, and Ecology. Internships:

• Acme Environmental Consulting : Honed expertise in soil sampling, documentation, and client relations during internship with established environmental consulting firm.
• Hamilton Mine Rehabilitation Project : Under the direction of faculty advisor Dr. Sarah Rose, participated in $1.4 million reclamation project to reclaim mercury-contaminated mining field.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Service, CaliforniaPark Guide / Trail Laborer Provided nature enrichment workshops and led park tours for park visitors ensured timely maintenance of trails and park facilities.

• Rehired based on proven teamwork, work ethic, and customer service excellence.
• Played key role in restoring 18-mile wilderness trail destroyed during wildfires.

Professional Experience

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Work Experience Example For A Resume

Here is an example of a well-written job experience section for a resume:

Work Experience

Processed cash, check, and credit transactions, maintaining 98% accuracy to minimize end-of-day balancing errors Balanced check payments, identifying and resolving discrepancies immediately Accurately prepared and sent bank deposits semiweekly

Include Skills In Your Resume Summary For Extra Value

At this point, your job description and skills sections are brimming with job-related skills.

The skills you put on a resume cant be random or just there.

You only have one or two pages, six seconds of the recruiters attention, and 250+ candidates to beattheres simply no room for anything accidental.

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How To Create A Resume Skills Section

When youwrite a resume, its important to organize the content so its succinct and easy to read. A three-column, three-row highlights section near the top of your resume, just above your professional experience, is a helpful way to list the nine soft and technical skills that speak directly to the postings required qualifications. Its also a good place to add keywords youve identified.

You dont need more than a couple words here to show what you bring to the table. This should be a bulleted list a reader can quickly scan. Complete sentences will come in your work history.

Here are some examples of what professionals from different industries could list in this section:

Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills

Employers are looking to hire employees who have the right mix of two different types of skills: soft skills and hard skills.

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Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

Hard Skills

Hard skills are technical knowledge or training that you have gained through any life experience, including in your career or education.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are personal habits and traits that shape how you work, on your own and with others.

Hard skills are abilities specific to the job and/or industry. Generally, these are more technical skills that you learn in school, certification programs, training materials or experience on the job. Hard skills might include proficiency in things like:

• Software

• Foreign languages

• Operating certain equipment or machinery

Soft skills, on the other hand, are abilities that can be applied in any job. Often, soft skills may be referred to as people skills or social skills and include proficiency in things like:

• Communication

• Time management

• Leadership

As a job seeker, its important to highlight your best hard and soft skills to position yourself as a well-rounded candidate. Its also helpful to consider how the two types of skills relate to one another and the job so you can speak to this in your next interview.

Read more: Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

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