Resume Writing Handbook

Including:
♦ Tips &
Techniques
♦ Styles &
Formats
♦ Action Verbs
♦ “Scanable”
Resumes
♦ 10 Sample
Resumes
♦ Career
Portfolio
♦ Resource List
TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Resume Writing Guidelines .......................................................................................... 1
Content........................................................................................................................................ 1
Format ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Resume Software Programs........................................................................................................ 3
Resume Formats............................................................................................................................ 3
How to Write an Objective........................................................................................................... 4
How to Write Accomplishment Statements................................................................................ 5
Formula for Writing Accomplishment Statements ..................................................................... 5
Action Verbs .................................................................................................................................. 6
Preparing a “Scanable” Resume ................................................................................................. 7
Format and Content..................................................................................................................... 7
What to Avoid............................................................................................................................. 7
Sample “Scanable” Resume.................................................................................................... 8
More tips on submitting your resume to be scanned or by E-mail: ............................................ 9
What is ASCII Text?................................................................................................................... 9
How do I write my resume in ASCII? ........................................................................................ 9
Sample resumes........................................................................................................................... 10
Basic Chronological Resume................................................................................................ 10
Basic Functional Resume...................................................................................................... 11
Sample References Sheet...................................................................................................... 12
Sample Electronic/Email Resume......................................................................................... 13
Undergraduate Liberal Arts with campus jobs ..................................................................... 14
Graduate student, functional style, career change ................................................................ 15
MBA with extensive work experience.................................................................................. 16
Business student with full and part-time work experience ................................................... 17
Teacher education student..................................................................................................... 18
Undergraduate Liberal Arts with internship experience....................................................... 19
Nursing student with related experience............................................................................... 20
Computer Science with internship and campus jobs ............................................................ 21
Graduate student with international experience.................................................................... 22
Career Portfolio .......................................................................................................................... 23
The Portfolio Advantage........................................................................................................... 23
How to Organize a Portfolio ..................................................................................................... 23
Suggested Portfolio Contents.................................................................................................... 23
How to Use a Portfolio ............................................................................................................. 24
Suggested Resources ................................................................................................................... 25

* The sample resumes in this handbook are based on resumes of real USF students, alumni, and friends of USF, and
are used with the permission of the resume-writers. All the identifying information, including name, address,
telephone and e-mail contact information is fictitious, as are the names of most of the non-USF employers.

Published by
Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center
University of San Francisco, University Center 429, 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone (415) 422-6216 Fax (415) 422-6470
www.usfca.edu/usf/career
© July 2001
GENERAL RESUME WRITING GUIDELINES
Perhaps one of the most important tools you will use in searching for a job is your resume. The primary
purpose of your resume is to interest an employer enough to contact you for an interview. If you are
sending out your resume and not getting calls for interviews, the resume is not working. The information
you include and the way you arrange it will determine whether or not you get your foot in the door.
An employer typically spends less than 20 seconds reviewing your resume. Therefore, it must be easy
to read and show integration between your job objective and the supporting data. There are many books
written on how to prepare a resume, and many opinions concerning how a “perfect resume” should look.
Some suggested resources are listed on page 25. Summarized below are the fundamentals of resume
preparation.

Content
♦ Name: If you use a nickname, include it with your full name.
For example: Edward (Eddie) Williams, or Yi-Ling “Susan” Huang.

♦ Address: Include your local address. If you maintain a permanent address in

your hometown, list both at the top of the resume only if you expect to be
contacted at either location.

♦ Telephone: Include a phone number where an employer can reliably reach you
or leave messages for you. If you do not have an answering machine, consider
obtaining voicemail service from the telephone company.

♦ E-mail address: Employers are using electronic mail more frequently to contact
candidates. If you check your e-mail on a daily basis, consider including your e-
mail address on your resume. Be sure that your e-mail service will be available
throughout your job search.

♦ Objective: List your specific area of interest, the level of the position you
desire, and when appropriate, the specific skills you want to employ. (See “How
to Write an Objective” on page 4).

♦ College Education: List all the schools you attended beyond high school,
dates (optional), degrees held, and major areas of study, in reverse chronological
order, which means you list your most recent degree first, the next most recent
degree second, etc... If you are seeking a career in business, but are not a
business major, list any related electives you may have taken such as computer
science, economics, accounting or other business courses. When appropriate,
include your GPA, or graduation with honors, (i.e., magna cum laude, etc.)

♦ Work Experience: Starting with your most recent position, list all the full-
time, part-time, summer and military positions you have held, including
internships. For each job, include the beginning and ending dates (month/year or
year only), name of your employer, location (city and state or country), and
position title. Describe your responsibilities and accomplishments in terms of
the results you produced. (See “How to Write Accomplishment Statements” on

Resume Writing Handbook 1 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

 page 5). Use present tense verbs to describe your current job and past tense verbs
for all previous jobs.

♦ Additional Information: (optional) - Relevant information, such as special

skills (i.e., languages, computer skills), student leadership, extracurricular
activities on and off campus, community or volunteer service, honorary societies,
publications and awards can be listed under related headings, such as “Student
Activities” or “Awards and Honors.”

♦ References: On a separate sheet of paper, type the names, addresses and

phone numbers of your references. Indicate their relationship to you (i.e., former
employer, college advisor, etc.) DO NOT include this page with your resume—
you will provide this list to employers when they request it. Always obtain
permission from potential references before giving out their names during your
job search. Additionally, you should ask them if they would be able to provide a
“positive” recommendation for you. It is pointless (and even detrimental) to list
someone as a reference unless they can honestly speak well of you. It is also a
good idea to give your references a current copy of your resume (see page 12 for
example).

Format
Length: For a recent college graduate with limited work experience (2-3 jobs), a one-page resume is
ideal. If you have extensive work experience (ten years or more), one-and-a-half to two pages should
be the limit. Two page resumes should be paper-clipped together, not stapled, in case the employer
will make copies for distribution. It is important for the resume to maintain its neat appearance.
Never copy a two-page resume on both sides of one page. List your name and “Page 2” on the
second page as a header.
Appearance: Your resume should be well spaced and organized so that it can be easily screened by the
reader. Avoid overcrowding. Leave at least one-inch margins on the top, bottom and sides.
Emphasize headings with bold print, CAPITAL LETTERS and/or underlining. Use “bullet” statements
to highlight your accomplishments:
♦ Planned and organized . . .
♦ Researched and wrote . . .
Language: Avoid jargon, acronyms or abbreviations. Use a dictionary, synonym dictionary and
thesaurus. Proofread carefully. DO NOT rely solely on computer spell-check programs to locate
typographical errors. Have at least one or two friends and/or a career counselor also proofread your
resume. The more often you edit it, the better quality document you will produce.
Typing: Whenever possible, prepare your resume on a personal computer using a word processing or
desk top publishing software program and a laser printer. Preparing your resume on computer gives
you the flexibility to make changes quickly, and to tailor each resume for a specific position.
Paper - White, off-white (cream) and light gray are the most appropriate colors for resume paper.
Choose a good quality rag or linen finished bond paper (24 - 60 lbs) for a professional look.
8.5 " x 11" ONLY! Your cover letter stationery and envelope should match the color and weight of
your resume paper. Most copy services will sell matching blank paper and envelopes. Reproduce your
resume using a high-quality photocopier or laser-print multiple copies. Ask the copy service provider
to show you paper samples and examples of copy quality before you buy.

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Resume Software Programs
Although we recommend designing your resume from scratch (preferably using Microsoft Word), there
are many computer software programs on the market designed to help you write your resume. Some are
stand-alone programs created specifically for resume writing, others are resume templates included with
word-processing software. If you are considering using a resume writing program/template, here are some
points to consider:
♦ Ease of use: Can you start using it immediately without time-consuming
tutorials? Would it take just as long to learn this program as it would to learn
formatting features on your existing word-processing software?
♦ Flexibility: Does the program offer a variety of resume formats? Can you
customize the formats to meet your own needs? Do you have control over design
details such as the size and type of fonts used?
♦ Design Quality: Some resume templates are poorly designed and include fonts
that are too small and categories that may not be appropriate for your needs.
♦ Price: Is the software affordable given that it has only one use? Do you already
have access to resume templates in your word processing software?

RESUME FORMATS
The examples we have provided in this handbook illustrate two basic resume formats: chronological and
functional. A chronological resume lists your experience in reverse chronological order (i.e., your most
current job first). A functional resume is organized according to your skills. Each format has unique
advantages—the chronological resume is most commonly used and widely accepted; the functional style
offers more flexibility.

Chronological Resume (see page 10 for example)

You may want to use a chronological style when:
♦ You want to emphasize advancement to progressive levels of responsibility (e.g.,
sales clerk…department manager…store manager…regional manager…).
♦ You want to illustrate a stable work history.
♦ Your current job is in the same field as the position for which you are applying.
♦ You are applying for a job in a conservative field or industry (i.e., banking,
accounting).
♦ A potential employer is likely to prefer a more traditional looking resume.

Functional Resume (see page 11 for example)

You may want to use a functional format when:
♦ Your recent work experience is unrelated to your current job objective.
♦ You want to illustrate skills and accomplishments related to volunteer work, student
activities, or academic experiences.
♦ Your job titles don’t reflect your true level of responsibility or accomplishments.
♦ Your work history is complicated or includes stretches of unemployment (other than
when you were a full-time student).

Resume Writing Handbook 3 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

 ♦ You want to emphasize specific skills that are closely related to your objective.
♦ You are making a career change and you want to illustrate how skills acquired in one
setting can be transferred to a new field.
A functional resume can be organized according to:

Specific Skills Broad Functional Areas

Planning and Coordinating Work with Children
Financial Analysis Office Administration
Research and Writing Customer Service
Sales and Marketing Real Estate Experience

The skills or functional areas you choose to include will be determined by your job objective and the
aspects of your experience that you want to highlight. For additional ideas, refer to the list of action
words on page 6, and review the functional resume samples.

HOW TO WRITE AN OBJECTIVE

A career objective at the top of the resume lets the reader know what type of position you are seeking. It
is a statement of the kinds of skills you want to use, the kind of department or organization you want to
work in, and the geographic location in which you would like to work. The objective should be short and
clear and focused.
Focused Examples:
♦ To obtain a writing, sales promotion and department management position for a
medium-sized high technology firm in Silicon Valley
♦ Trainer with heavy emphasis on new program development for management
personnel for a Fortune 500 consumer products company in the San Francisco
Bay Area.
♦ Auditing, tax planning, and data management for a public accounting firm in the
Los Angeles metropolitan area.
♦ An internship position with a focus on counseling issues related to older adults,
their adult children, and their families.
♦ An entry-level position in the field of biological research utilizing my analytical
and research skills.

Unfocused Example:
♦ To pursue a career with an organization which will utilize my education, experience, skills
and abilities leading to mutual growth and success.
♦ To obtain an entry level position with a progressive company that will allow me to develop
my skills.
These examples do not tell the reader anything except that the resume writer is unfocused.
Objectives should point out to the reader what skills the person will bring to the position.

Resume Writing Handbook 4 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

HOW TO WRITE ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS
Accomplishment statements illustrate the skills you used on the job and describe the results you
produced. They may include any of the following:

• Special projects/assignments • Saving time or money

• Unique contributions • Increasing productivity, customer satisfaction
• Big and small challenges • Reducing costs, complaints
• Bringing projects in on time • Streamlining procedures
• Bringing in projects under budget • Eliminating nagging problems
Avoid writing “duties included” or “responsible for.” Instead, write active-voice statements, using the
formula below, describing how you made a difference in your position. This is your opportunity to
answer the reader’s mental question “what can you do for me?”

Formula for Writing Accomplishment Statements

Action Verb + Object + Context + Results Produced

• Action verb: planned, initiated, coordinated, etc. (see list on following page)
• Object: planned a meeting; initiated a program, etc.
• Context: interesting detail—who you did it for; time frame; number of people; size of budget;
size of caseload; type of issues/population, etc.
• Results: the bottom-line effect of your effort (saved time or money, exceeded sales goals,
reduced errors, increased student retention, etc.). Quantify results whenever possible.

Example: “Coordinated guest appearances and logistical arrangements during four-month period
to raise over $5,000 during the First Annual Outdoor Festival in March 2001.”

Example: “Managed $3,500 budget for Associated Students group for 2000-2001 academic year,
resulting in 20% increase in events offered to students.”

Example: “Recruited 50 volunteers for Fall 2001 Outreach to Community, including training of
volunteers and assignments to various local non-profit organizations.”

Resume Writing Handbook 5 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

ACTION VERBS
Action verbs can help you transform your resume from a simple list of job duties to a dynamic
picture of your achievements and abilities. The list of suggested action verbs below may help you
identify your skills and accomplishments. Since all job tasks involve some combination of
people, ideas, information, things and procedures, we have arranged the words in those
categories.

PEOPLE
Accomplished Chaired Enabled Led Referred
Achieved Coached Encouraged Managed Rehabilitated
Activated Collaborated Explained Mediated Screened
Adapted Conducted Governed Motivated Stimulated
Addressed Consulted Guided Negotiated Supervised
Administered Coordinated Hired Organized Surveyed
Advised Counseled Identified Persuaded Taught
Affected Delegated Influenced Presided Trained
Analyzed Diagnosed Inspired Promoted
Arranged Directed Interviewed Recommended
Assisted Educated Introduced Recruited

IDEAS AND INFORMATION

Adapted Coordinated Forecasted Marketed Recommended
Advertised Created Illustrated Modified Recorded
Analyzed Defined Implemented Monitored Rectified
Applied Demonstrated Initiated Negotiated Related
Assessed Devised Innovated Obtained Researched
Authored Edited Instituted Presented Solved
Balanced Established Integrated Processed Standardized
Budgeted Evaluated Interpreted Promoted Surveyed
Clarified Exchanged Launched Proposed Synthesized
Communicated Executed Maintained Publicized Translated
Conceived Explained Manipulated Published Wrote

THINGS AND PROCEDURES

Built Diversified Expedited Indexed Repaired
Calculated Drafted Fabricated Innovated Revised
Compiled Eliminated Facilitated Installed Scheduled
Completed Engineered Formulated Invented Specified
Constructed Established Generated Operated Streamlined
Created Evaluated Identified Programmed Systematized
Decreased Examined Improved Purchased Upgraded
Designed Expanded Increased Reduced

Resume Writing Handbook 6 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

PREPARING A “SCANABLE” RESUME
If you are planning to submit your resume to large corporations, you may want to prepare it to be easily
read by optical scanners. Corporations which receive hundreds of resumes daily, both paper and email,
are using resume-scanning software with increasing frequency. Scanning software is typically part of a
sophisticated “applicant tracking system” which stores your information in a candidate database. Put
simply, the computer “reads” your resume and extracts important information about you, including your
education, work history, and skills. An employer can then search electronically stored resumes according
to specific job criteria.
If you are not certain whether an employer is using an applicant tracking system, contact the human
resources department and ask whether they routinely scan resumes. The following tips on preparing
resumes for optical scanners

Format and Content

♦ Use keywords that state specific skills (e.g., Excel, Leadership, Bilingual).
♦ Use keywords from the job description/job listing, industry buzzwords, jargon
and acronyms (e.g., Total Quality Management, Accounts Receivable/Accounts
Payable, Product Management). Be sure to spell out the acronyms for human
readers.
♦ Use concrete examples. It’s better to say, “managed six sales representatives,”
than “responsible for managing...”
♦ Choose a common, non-decorative sans serif font such as Arial or Optima; use
size 10-14 points (avoid Times 10 point)
♦ Make sure that no characters touch each other. Add space between slashes so that
the slash does not touch the letters (e.g. IT / IS).
♦ Submit laser printed original copy. Do not fold or staple - paper clip the pages
together.
♦ Use only light colored 8.5 x 11 inch paper—crisp white is best.
♦ Use traditional formatting, chronological or functional—simple and easy-to-read
is best.
♦ Prepare single-sided copy, single-spaced type. Your resume can be more than
one page if necessary. Place your name at the top of each page on its own line.
♦ Use UPPERCASE type for section headings.

What to Avoid
♦ Do not use Italics, underlining, graphics or shading, or BOLD.
♦ Avoid font sizes smaller than 10 point. Don’t condense spacing between letters.
♦ Omit vertical lines ( ), and horizontal lines(__).
♦ Never use dot-matrix printer copy.
♦ Do not fold or staple; mail in a 9 x 12 inch envelope.
♦ Avoid two-column format or resumes that look like newspapers or newsletters;
scanners read from left to right.

Resume Writing Handbook 7 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

Sample “Scanable” Resume
Phone numbers should be
on separate lines
Date ranges should
be on one line.
If you use bullet points, leave
space between the “•” and the
first word of the sentence.
Use common headings such
as Objective, Experience,
Employment, Work History,
Skills, Summary, Summary
of Qualifications,
Accomplishments,
Strengths, Education,
Activities, Professional
Affiliations, Publications,
Papers, Licenses,
Certifications, Honors,
Personal, Additional,
References, etc.
Additional Information:
Online Job Searching for Dummies, Pam Dixon
Guide to Internet Job Searching
Electronic Job Search Almanac
Resume Writing Handbook
Name can be up to 3 points
larger than the other text.
J A N S M I T H
59 Elm Lane
San Mateo, CA 94403
Work (415) 666-6216
Home (415) 555-2121
jsmith@aol.com
O B J E C T I V E
A management position in a medical-related field
E D U C A T I O N
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA
M.B.A., Marketing (GPA: 3.8) 12/1994
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA
B.S. in Nursing, State of CA Registered Nurse 05/1984
E X P E R I E N C E
RESIDENCY COORDINATOR, Department of Anesthesia,
Kaiser Permanente Hospital, San Francisco, CA 1989-Present
ƒ Managed curriculum, scheduled budgets and materials for 70 Residents and Research Fellows.
ƒ Developed new procedures and organized existing procedures for interviewing and selecting
M.D. applicants (500+ applicants annually).
ƒ Established purchasing and accounting procedures. Developed, produced and edited Anesthesia
Residency Brochure.
STAFF NURSE,
St. Mary’s Hospital, San Francisco, CA 1984-1989
ƒ Managed and administered direct care of 8 to 16 patients per shift.
ƒ Trained patients in follow-up home care, e.g., medications, treatments, etc.
A C T I V I T I E S
Writer, MBA Journal
Treasurer, Graduate Business Association
S K I L L S
Experienced with Microsoft Office, IBM PC, Apple and mainframe computers.
Fluent in Spanish.
8 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center
More tips on submitting your resume to be scanned or by E-mail:
When an organization electronically scans a resume, they will need the document to be typed or word-
processed. In many word processing programs, you can save a copy of your formatted resume as “text
only.” Resumes must be in plain ASCII text with a maximum line width of 70 characters. ASCII text
means plain letters with no bold or fancy lettering etc. When you save your document as an ASCII file,
you can use this format when emailing your resume directly to an employer. Do not send an attachment,
just copy and paste the resume directly into the body of the email.

What is ASCII Text?

ASCII (pronounced “askee”) is an acronym which stands for “American Standard Code for Information
Interchange” and is used to describe files that are stored in clear text format. ASCII text is the simplest
form of text, meaning there is no formatting mechanism within the document and the text is not platform
or application specific. For example, ASCII is the text widely used when you read and write e-mail
because it is a simple text language whose main purpose is the exchange of text information (referring to
information typed within the message body of an e-mail and not to enclosures or attachments). This
explains why the attempt to bold words or format paragraphs doesn’t work in e-mail. Because of its
simplicity, ASCII text enables anyone to construct an on-line resume so when prospective employers
retrieve your resume via the Internet or e-mail, they will be able to view it no matter what kind of
computer they are using.

How do I write my resume in ASCII?

To create an ASCII resume, all you need to do is type your resume using your favorite word-processing
application, and then save it as a text only document (sometimes also called Rich Text Format or RTF).
This should be an option under your “save” or “save as” command. You can also use a simple text
program to compose your resume. Since your resume will appear as ASCII text, it will not recognize
special formatting commands specific to your word-processing program, therefore, you must watch for
these common mistakes:
1. Special characters (such as “smart quotes,” or mathematical symbols) - these do not get accurately
transferred in the text save; therefore avoid using special characters.
2. Tabs - do not use tabs; use your spacebar instead.
3. Alignment - the default for ASCII is to make everything left justified (which is the preferred format
for scanning resumes and online viewing), so if you want to indent a sentence or center a heading, use
the spacebar.
4. Word wrap - do not use this feature when composing your resume; instead use hard carriage returns
to insert line breaks.
5. Fonts - fonts will become whatever a computer uses as its default face and size so boldface, italics,
and various sizes will NOT appear in the ASCII version.
6. Spell check - check your document before you save it as a text file.
7. Proofread - make sure to read over your entire resume after you paste it in the message field and
before you hit the submit button.
8. Save - your file as text only. Then cut and paste the text into the body of your mail message; your
name and address should appear in the top lines of the resume; do not send the file as an attachment.

Resume Writing Handbook 9 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

SAMPLE RESUMES
Basic Chronological Resume

YOUR NAME
Your street address
City, State, and Zip
(415) xxx-xxxx
Email
OBJECTIVE
A position as _________________________, focusing on _____________ and _____________.
EDUCATION

Institutions, Degrees and Dates

Credentials (if appropriate)
Relevant Coursework (related to job objective)

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
COMPANY NAME, City, State 200x-present
Job Title
A two-line overview of your essential role in this company, including the kind of
products or services you dealt with.
• An accomplishment from THIS job, illustrating a skill needed in the NEW job.
• Another accomplishment from this job, illustrating a skill needed in the new job.
• Another activity from this job, illustrating a skill needed in the new job.

COMPANY NAME, City, State 199x-xx

Job Title
A two-line overview of your essential role in this company, including the kind of
products or services you dealt with.
• An accomplishment from THIS job, illustrating a skill needed in the NEW job.
• Another accomplishment from this job, illustrating a skill needed in the new job.
• Another activity from this job, illustrating a skill needed in the new job.

COMPANY NAME, City, State 199x-xx

Job Title
A two-line overview of your essential role in this company, including the kind of
products or services you dealt with.
• An accomplishment from THIS job, illustrating a skill needed in the NEW job:
- A sub statement that elaborates on one step in the process of the accomplishment above.
- A sub statement elaborating on another step in the process of the accomplishment above.

AWARDS/HONORS
Scholarships
Academic honors programs
Special recognition in employment or volunteer activities

ACTIVITIES
Active membership in campus organizations/committees/government/athletics
Community service activities; volunteer work

Adapted with permission from # 101 Classic Chronological Resume format in the Damn Good Self-Teaching Resume Templates
by Yana Parker, © Damn Good Resume Service, 1992

Resume Writing Handbook 10 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

Basic Functional Resume

YOUR NAME
Street Address
City, State, and Zip
(415) xxx-xxx
Email

OBJECTIVE: A position as ___________________, focusing on _________________.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Degrees and relevant coursework

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

ONE RELEVANT SKILL (essential to the objective named above)
• An accomplishment/one-liner that illustrates this skill (including where this occurred).

• An accomplishment that illustrates this skill (including where this occurred).

- A sub statement that elaborates on one step in the process of the accomplishment above.
- A sub statement that elaborates on another step in the process of the accomplishment above.
- A sub statement that elaborates on another step in the process of the accomplishment above.

ANOTHER RELEVANT SKILL (essential to the objective named above)

• An accomplishment that illustrates this skill (including where this occurred).
- A sub statement that elaborates on one step in the process of the accomplishment above.
- A sub statement that elaborates on another step in the process of the accomplishment above.

• An accomplishment that illustrates this skill (including where this occurred).

- A sub statement that elaborates on one step in the process of the accomplishment above.
- A sub statement that elaborates on another step in the process of the accomplishment above.

• An accomplishment that illustrates this skill (linking it to the work history below).

A SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE-AREA (essential to the objective named above)

• An accomplishment that illustrates or documents this special knowledge (including where).

• A list of equipment or processes you are familiar with, consistent with expertise in this area.

• A list of courses or training you took, that shows your expertise in this area.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

200x-present Job Title COMPANY NAME, City, State

(+another line of explanation if needed)
199x-9x Job Title COMPANY NAME, City, State
199x-9x Job Title COMPANY NAME, City, State
199x-9x Job Title COMPANY NAME, City, State

STUDENT ACTIVITIES
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Adapted with permission from #106 Classic Functional Resume Format in the Damn Good Self-Teaching Resume Templates
by Yana Parker, © Damn Good Resume Service, 1992

Resume Writing Handbook 11 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

Sample References Sheet

REFERENCES FOR
SUZETTE RAMOS

Dr. Jorge Espinoza

Department of History
University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
415-422-1111
je@usfca.edu
* Faculty advisor and professor

Ms. Elsa Biersmith

North American International, Inc.
345 W. 46th Street
New York, NY 10016
202-981-5326
ebiersmeith@nai.com
* Former employer

Mr. Martin Garringer

Habitat for Humanity
2100 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94112
415-864-3333
mgarringer@habitatforhumanity.org
* Former volunteer supervisor

Resume Writing Handbook 12 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center

Sample Electronic/Email Resume
Alex Delrosario
6575 Newbury Street
Hayward, CA 94567
delrosario@bigfeet.net
(510) 555-1212
<<<OBJECTIVE>>> An entry level position in the field of biological research

<<<EDUCATION>>>
University of San Francisco (USF), San Francisco, CA
B.S. BIOLOGY (GPA 3.3 overall) May 2001

<<<LAB TECHNIQUES>>>
* DNA transformation, mini/maxi prep, cloning
* bacterial growth/ sterile technique, tissue culture
* agarose and SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis
* immunoprecipitation, western blot
* thin layer chromotography
* radioisotope use/ scintillation reading
* RNA work, PCR
* electron microscopy

<<<ACADEMIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE>>>

Immunology Research, Department of Biology, USF (August 2000-present)
* Initiate research project in molecular immunology under advising professor
* Analyze the expression of the enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase in certain B cell lines,
utilizing techniques in molecular biology, such as PCR and gel electrophoresis

<<<WORK EXPERIENCE>>>
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA
Reader, Department of Biology (January 2000-May 2001)
* Read and corrected students’ papers for general education Natural Science course

CELLGEN, Inc., Palo Alto, CA

Research Intern, Department of Cellular Oncology (June 2000-August 2000
* Assisted Senior Scientist in lab research projects
* Performed on-going project screening various cell lines for specific proteins, using immunoprecipitation
and western blot
* Isolated DNA using mini/maxi prep; analyzed using restriction digest
* Regularly passed cells in tissue culture, also performed transfection, extraction, and cell freezing
* Observed and supported others in the department with individual projects, using/learning different
techniques in the process

<<<ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP>>>

Member, Barangay Philippine Dance Company (1998-present)
Treasurer, Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society of USF (2000-2001)
President, Philippine-American Student Association of USF (1999-2000)
Resume Writing Handbook 13 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center
Undergraduate Liberal Arts with campus jobs

Elaine Wong
100 Maintown Street
San Francisco, CA 94549
(415) 666-6216
wonge@flashmail.com

OBJECTIVE: An entry-level marketing research position for a Bay Area

consumer products company.

EDUCATION: B.A., Psychology (G.P.A. 3.5)

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Degree expected December, 2001

EXPERIENCE:

Marketing/Advertising Intern
Hawkins Group, San Francisco, CA January 2001-present

Write articles for client newsletters. Research local companies for market position
and improvements. Conduct attitude/awareness surveys, identify results, calculate
confidence intervals and make recommendations.

Resident Advisor, Residence Life

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA August 2000-May 2001

Supervised a residence hall floor of 50 students. Developed, promoted, and

implemented educational and social programs for residents. Demonstrated crises
intervention and resolution skills. Enforced hall policies which included confrontation
and documentation.

Desk Clerk, Residence Life

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA January 1996-May 1997

Served as a receptionist for a university residence hall focusing on customer service

and hall security. Reported hall maintenance and handled equipment checkout.
Coordinated initial responses to emergency situations and enforced hall policies.

Volunteer Service Coordinator, Campus Ministry

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA August 1995-May 1996

Coordinated activities, served as liaison between student volunteers and

off-campus volunteer sites, and facilitated monthly meetings.

COMPUTER SKILLS: Windows 2000: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Photoshop,

PageMaker
Resume Writing Handbook 14 USF Priscilla A. Scotlan Career Services Center
Graduate student, functional style, career change

PAT VICCOLO
222 Edwards Lane
Los Gatos, CA 95030
(408) 555-1212
viccolop@bgm.net
OBJECTIVE Entry-level Organization Development position with an emphasis in training and
management.

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
Training and Group Development
• Design job search course curriculum, train students, and create tools to measure progress.
• Implement classic consulting model with disabled client population to accomplish 130% of
government mandated job placement goal.
• Facilitate diverse employer panels to ensure a balanced interaction between speakers and students;
tactfully assist in clarifying unanswered or misdirected questions.
• Use formal training on conflict resolution and group dynamics to communicate and uncover
motivations of clients from diverse backgrounds that result in successful negotiation.

Administration
• Market job placement services by recruiting professional speakers, creating promotional brochures,
and meeting community employers.
• Interview and assess applicants for internal hire and suitability for job placement program.
• Supervise clerical support staff to promote system wide organizational effectiveness.
• Proficient in IBM/ Macintosh computer operations and Internet resources.

International Experience
• Received 1995 Japanese Cultural Scholarship from Saratoga Sister City, which funded the first U.S.
cultural exchange with Chugoku University in Okayama, Japan.
• Worked as a conversation partner and tour leader for visiting Japanese exchange students.
• Spent 6 months in Europe as an au pair and university student studying culture and French language.
• Volunteered time in Jamaica rebuilding shelters, caring for the underprivileged, and participating in
a KQED documentary on Third World life.

EDUCATION
MA, Human Resources and Organizational Development, University of San Francisco expected 2002
BA, Social Sciences, University of California, Irvine 1996

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Employment Trainer, Adult Education Program, Santa Clara, CA 1999 - present
Employment Trainer, Occupational Training Institute, San Jose, CA 1998
Computer Specialist, Onyx Systems-contract, Palo Alto, CA 1997 - 1998
Career Resource Coordinator, Apple Computer-contract, Cupertino, CA 1996

AFFILIATIONS
American Society for Training and Development
• Officially commended for ASTD service 1995
• Ambitious about a Career in Training (special interest group) Founder 1993-1995
• Scholarship awarded to attend the annual national conference in Hawaii 1993
Bay Area Organizational Development Network
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MBA with extensive work experience

Taylor Marshall
2325 Michigan Street • San Francisco, CA 94102 • (415) 555-1212 • taylorm@fgh.com

EDUCATION
Master of Business Administration
UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA expected May 2002

B.S. Business Administration

MIAMI UNIVERSITY, OH 1992
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, San Francisco, CA 1997-Present

Associate Director/Professional Liability
• Implemented consolidation of Media Liability book of business from over 20 branches
across the country.
• Retained 90% of book after consolidation, 30% better than expectations.
• Created workflow process enabling 4 employees (2 underwriters and 2 administrative
assistants) to handle over 1200 accounts.
• Managed and trained 5 underwriters and 3 administrative assistants.
• Participated in increasing division business from $369,000 in 1997 to $1.6 MM in 1998,
$5MM in 1999 and $13MM in 2000.
• Received 2000 Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Performance.

NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL INC., New York, NY 1992-1997

New York Region Marketing Manager 1996-1997
• Selected as lead marketer during formation of the New York Region Underwriting Unit.
• Participated in the recruitment and hiring of 3 Product Line managers.
• Created and implemented regional marketing plan for Directors and Officers.
• Communicated with all levels of organization. Reported directly to home office division
presidents for each line.
• Exceeded production goals for the region: Year-end Westchester branch $19MM; Long
Island $39MM; Midtown $68MM, Downtown $142MM; and New Jersey $24MM.

Tarrytown Branch Manager 1995-1996

• Acted as liaison for NY Underwriters and the Westchester brokerage community.
• Performed weekly production calls to brokers in Southern Connecticut and Western NY
(50% cold calls).
• Increased productivity of branch by 30%.

Underwriter/Professional Liability, New York, NY 1994-1995

•Served as Underwriter for Electronic Data Processors, Insurance Agents & Brokers,
Association Professional Liability, Public Officials Liability, and Miscellaneous
Professional Liability.
• Attended weekly NY Regional meetings conducted by Region President. Provided
weekly underwriting production numbers.
• Finished year $113% of budget.

Marketing Representative/Underwriter, Cedar Knolls, NJ 1992-1994

• Served as liaison for NJ brokerage community and NY underwriters.
• Established and developed relationships in the New Jersey area which resulted in
premium growth from $17MM to $19MM in an 18 month period.
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Business student with full and part-time work experience
Grace Espinosa
30 Orange Street, San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 555-1212
gespinosa@wcb.com
EDUCATION
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
B.S., Accounting, December 2001
Notre Dame College of Dadiangas, Dadiangas, Philippines
B.S., Economics, 1988
Financed 100% of College Education through full-time and part-time
employment while a full-time student.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
♦ Areas of emphasis include Financial Sales, Financial Services Customer
Service, Auditing, Marketing, and Management
♦ Proven success in Accounting and Finance. Specific skills involve calculating
and evaluating departmental and weekly output.
♦ Extensive knowledge of SAP and Oracle accounting systems.
♦ Proficient in strategic thinking, problem solving and leadership
♦ Highly developed analytical and team work skills.

RELATED EXPERIENCE
WEST COAST BANK, San Francisco, CA 1989 - present
Customer Services Representative, Portola Branch part time, 1998-present
Respond to customer inquiries. Resolve customer problems in New Accounts
Department and in Teller Line. Perform special projects as assigned by supervisor.
• Sell banking products and services, consistently exceeding sales goals
• Open new accounts
• Perform supervisory functions as needed

Assistant Branch Manager, Union Street Branch 1993-1997

Coordinated all branch banking operations. Fostered team spirit in our branch while
keeping a sharp focus on our banking objectives.
• Coordinated the opening of a new branch in the Marina District
• Directed promotional activities and developed action plans to achieve sales
goals.
• Trained and managed twelve employees
• Conducted mini-audits on cash and negotiable instruments
• Reviewed and approved Branch reports for accuracy and completeness
• Conducted Employee Performance Reviews

Financial Services Representative, Sacramento Street Branch 1989-1993

Appointed as in-branch coach for new hires and management trainees.
• Performed supervisory functions as needed
• Managed accounts with balances greater than $100,000
• Provided excellent customer service which contributed to 350+ new accounts.

COMPUTER SKILLS
PC, Macintosh: Microsoft Excel, Word, Quicken, Access
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Teacher education student

Chris Anderson-Reed
1234 - 4th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
415-555-1212
chrisar@jkl.net

OBJECTIVE

Elementary School Classroom Teacher: Prefer grades K-4, willing to teach other levels

EDUCATION

Multiple Subjects Credential, University of San Francisco, CA (expected May 2003)

B.A. History, Mills College, Oakland, CA 1997

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Student Teacher, Fourth Grade

BALBOA ELEMENTARY, San Francisco, CA March-May 2001
• Teach math, reading, English and social studies in a class of thirty-one multicultural students, including
seven students with special learning needs.
• Design units in children’s literature incorporating multi-ethnic themes.
• Develop lessons in critical thinking skills using math games.

Student Teacher, Kindergarten

GARDEN GROVE ELEMENTARY, San Francisco, CA January-March 2001
•Taught math and whole language instruction to a class of thirty-five
multicultural students.
•Developed and presented lesson unit on Chinese New Year which included
construction of Chinese Dragon and presentation to two other classes.
•Prepared and presented an African History unit in celebration of Black History Month.

Instructional Assistant, First Grade

VISTA ELEMENTARY, South San Francisco, CA January-May 2000
•Directed groups in various developmental and educational activities.

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE

Office Manager
OFFICE SERVICES, INC., San Francisco, CA July 1996-August 2000
•Managed administrative functions for twenty-five person consulting firm.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

Conversational Spanish
Play piano and guitar

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Undergraduate Liberal Arts with internship experience

CAROL BERNSTEIN
1 West Street #2B • San Francisco, CA 94022 • (415) 555-1212 •
berncar@imp.net www.geocites.com/bernsteinc/portfolio

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a position in the field of public relations or public affairs.

EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA

1998 - Present B.A. COMMUNICATION ARTS, emphasis in mass media (expected Dec. 2000)
Financed education through loans, grants and part-time employment.
Recipient of Bay Area S.T.A.R. (Society of Television, Advertising and Radio)
Award
Outstanding Intern Scholarship for work at KBAY Radio, September 1995.
1996 - 1998 SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY, San Francisco, CA
Major: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION ARTS

RELEVANT COURSEWORK:
Public Relations Interpersonal Communication
Persuasion Dispute Resolution
Group Communication Quantitative & Qualitative Analysis
Mass Media Advertising

EXPERIENCE:
Aug. 2000 - Present CORTEZ, ANDERS & McDONNEL, San Francisco, CA
Advertising Intern
• Assist office manager in day-to-day operations.
• Research promotional materials for corporate accounts.
• Reproduce and replenish company literature.
• Proofread ad copy with excellent attention to detail.
• Organize artists’ samples and ad props.
• Perform clerical duties, including the operation of a multi-line phone system,
filing, faxing and shipping.
Jan. 2000 - Aug. 2000 KBAY RADIO, San Francisco, CA
Public Affairs Intern
• Wrote public service announcements and script for “The KBAY Connection”
community events line.
• Created a database of nonprofit organizations for quarterly campaigns.
• Booked guests for the weekly public affairs show, “Our World”.
• Edited public affairs show for daily special reports.
• Entered data for quarterly reports and prepared correspondence and filing.
Aug. 1998 - May 2000 USF CAREER SERVICES CENTER, San Francisco, CA
Receptionist/Student Assistant
• Set appointments, assisted in scheduling of workshops using Now Up-To-
Date software.
• Answered questions and advised students, employers and other visitors.
• Performed clerical duties including: data entry using Microsoft Word and
FileMaker Pro, filing, faxing and answering calls.
• Collected funds for various Career Services Center programs.

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Nursing student with related experience

Dorothy Daniels
1335 Oxford St. #1, San Francisco, CA 94101
Tel. 415-555-1212
ddaniels@flash.net

EDUCATION B.S., Nursing May 2001 (GPA 3.5)

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Leadership 1/01 - 5/01 Kaiser Hospital, San Francisco
• Researched, analyzed, and presented in-service on homeless women for day and evening staff
members. Presentation resulted in provision of more empathetic patient care.
• Collaborated with preceptor to provide quality care to under-served poor and homeless populations on
medical/surgical unit
Community Health Whitney Young Child Development Center, San Francisco
Psychiatric St. Mary’s Hospital, San Francisco
Medical/Surgical California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco
Pediatrics University of California Medical Center, San Francisco
Maternity California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

NURSING ASSISTANT*, Davies Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 4/01 - present

HOSPITAL ATTENDANT*, Anders Registry, San Francisco, CA 10/99 - 3/01

* Monitor vital signs. Assist patients with hygiene, eating, transfer and ambulation. Provide comfortable
patient environment during both day and evening shifts in a variety of settings, including Medical/Surgical,
AIDS, Rehabilitation, Skilled Nursing, Geriatric, Adult and Pediatric Psychiatry. Order patient supplies on
computer system.

TUTOR, Mt. St. Joseph-St. Elizabeth, San Francisco, CA 9/99 - 5/00

Taught algebra and pre-algebra to high school students one-on-one and in small groups. Successfully
increased students’ understanding of complex concepts by explaining applications to real-life situations.
Served as positive, enthusiastic role model.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

SALES / MARKETING ASSISTANT, National Immunosystems, Redwood City, CA 10/96 - 8/97

Placed orders efficiently and in a friendly manner to promote high-quality customer relations. Communicated
regularly with customers via phone, email, and mail. Set up and maintained customer Access database.
Coordinated and organized biannual Bay Area trade shows.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

MEMBER, Sigma Theta Tau International (International Nursing Honor Society) 01/98 - present
• Collaborated with American Cancer Society to create team for “Making Strides” 5K walk
• Improved communication between chapter president, nursing students and Dean’s Office

COMPUTER SKILLS: Windows: MS Word, Excel, Access; Macintosh: MS Word

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Computer Science with internship and campus jobs
Andrew Yee
1234 Fulton Street #5A 415-555-1212
San Francisco, CA 94115 yeean00@usfca.edu
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a network consulting internship position with a major telecommunications company, using my
programming skills, Internet experience, and creative talent.

EDUCATION
B.S., Computer Science, Minor: Mathematics Expected May 2002
University of San Francisco (USF), San Francisco, CA

COMPUTER SKILLS
• Networking LAN Manager, Netware, BSD, MacTCP
• Internet WWW, HTML, PERL, SLIP/PPP, POP Mail, Gopher, News, Ftp, Telnet
• Operating Systems DOS, AIX Unix, Solaris, Windows 95, System 7
• Languages JAVA, Pascal, SQL, Intel Assembly, C, C++, X-Windows, Motif
• Graphics Adobe Photoshop 3, Kai’s Power Tools, TrueSpace v1.0

EXPERIENCE
Computer Lab Assistant
McLaren School of Business, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 9/00 - Present
• Maintain a network of 16 PC computers running Novell Netware 4.0.
• Supervise a 14 Macintosh network environment under TCP/IP and Appletalk over Ethernet.
• Assist students and McLaren faculty with computing-related questions.
• Write programs for server security.

Assistant Systems Administrator (Summer Internship)

Engineering Department, Multimedia Studios, San Francisco, CA 5/00-8/00
• Maintained a network of 20 Macintoshes running under TCP/IP and Appletalk over Ethernet.
• Supported engineers with setting up and troubleshooting computer systems and networks.
• Performed weekly backup of 4 gigabytes of company data.
• Devised, coded, and maintained numerous Quality Assurance databases.
• Implemented HTML code on various projects, including Mastercard Launch Site.

Computer Consultant
Information Technology Services, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 5/99 - 1/00
• Maintained an IBM-compatible computer AT&T StarGROUP network using LAN Manager.
• Assisted students and faculty with computing-related questions.
• Conducted training of SLIP/PPP support, Microsoft Office, and peripherals such as Apple’s
QuickTake.
• Wrote and maintained documentation on SLIP/PPP access, troubleshooting hardware, and HTML.
• Created and maintained a student server FAQ as a guide for general assistance.

LANGUAGES
Fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin. Also familiar with Spanish.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Member, American Computing Machinery Society, San Francisco Chapter 4/99-Present
Member, Chinese Student Association, USF 10/98-Present

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Graduate student with international experience
Michael Allen Fairbanks
135 Excelsior Street, Sonoma, CA 95483
(707) 555-1212 fairmi00@usfca.edu

EDUCATION
12/00 M.B.A., International Business, focusing on Japan & M.A., Asia Pacific Liberal
Studies.
University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Fields of study include: marketing theory and research methodology, statistics,
finance, communication, strategic management and planning; East Asian history,
anthropology, politics, literature, art, economics and Japanese language.
INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH AND TEAM PROJECTS:
• Marketing Audit – Morgan Kaufmann Publishing
• Strategic Profile and Implementation Plan – Interactive Network
• Industry Profile – Telecommunications in Asia
• Country Profile – Taiwan Socio-Economic Global Status

Summer/99 East Asian Summer Language Institute, Indiana University, Terre Haute, IN
Second Year Japanese Language Studies Certificate

5/94 B.A., Economics

University of San Francisco (USF), San Francisco, CA

EXPERIENCE
10/99 - present UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA
USF AlumNet, Vice President - Develop new forum for building USF Alumni
Internet connectivity through newsgroups, homepages and an on-line event
calendar.

5/00 - 9/00 UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA

Research Assistant - Performed literature search for Institute for Nonprofit
Organization Management. Generated catalogue of authors, organizations, and
contacts for 2000 conference: “Asian Pacific Americans and the Nonprofit Sector.”

10/96 - 5/97 SKI HAUS, Zermatt, Switzerland

Resort Manager Represented visiting Japanese, acted as guide and docent,
managed staff and expense accounts, responded to and resolved client complaints,
organized daily activities for guests.

7/94 - 10/96 AEON INTERCULTURAL CORPORATION, Maebashi, Japan

Foreign Teaching Staff - Instructed students and business executives in
conversational English. Developed lesson plans for the classroom and for private
tutorials. Recruited new students. Devised and participated in advertising
campaigns and represented the company at public relations events.

10/93 - 4/94 GORDON BAKER AND COMPANY, San Francisco, CA

Broker’s Assistant - Contacted prospective clients for two stockbrokers. Provided
quotes to clients. Interpreted market information through the use of on-line research
resources and analysts’ reports.

LANGUAGE Japanese written and oral fluency

ACTIVITIES Member, Japan Society of Northern California; Member, USF Alumni Society

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COMPUTER SKILLS MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Dbase III, SPSS. Advanced Internet applications.

CAREER PORTFOLIO
A portfolio is a record of your accomplishments in school, on the job, in internships, and volunteer work.
Portfolios were originally used primarily by visual artists to present examples of their work. A career
portfolio can be used by anyone, and may include work samples, letters, reports, brochures or any other
item that illustrates your abilities and experience (see list below).

The Portfolio Advantage

Job seekers use portfolios to set themselves apart from the other candidates by presenting tangible
evidence of their skills and abilities. Applicants present portfolios during an employment interview to
illustrate their accomplishments and demonstrate the quality of work they produce. Students with minimal
paid work experience may include materials related to participation in co-curricular activities, volunteer
or internship experiences, outside clubs, as well as samples of academic work.

How to Organize a Portfolio

The contents of a portfolio are typically organized in a three-ring binder. Each item should be placed in a
plastic sheet protector to keep it from getting damaged. The contents can be arranged chronologically, or
by topic (i.e., academic work, internships, etc.) or type of item (marketing materials, reports, certificates,
etc.).
Your completed portfolio may contain dozens of items. However, for a job interview you may want to
bring only 10-15 items that are the most relevant to the position for which you are applying.

Suggested Portfolio Contents

1. Extra copies of your resume.
2. Official copy of your college/university transcripts.
3. Evidence of any licenses, credentials or professional certifications you hold.
4. Job descriptions from positions you have held (including internships and volunteer work).
5. Certificates of awards and honors.
6. Records of formal training, (e.g., RA training, CPR training, professional certification) including
names of presenters, time commitment, new knowledge gained, skills learned, competency level, etc.
7. Letters of recommendation from faculty, or supervisors.
8. Unsolicited recommendation letters, or memos thanking you for outstanding work.
9. Short examples of your academic work (omit instructor’s grade and/or comments).
10. A list of conferences and workshops you have attended, including names of presenters, time
commitment, new knowledge gained, skills learned, competency level, etc.
11. Performance evaluations from jobs, internships or volunteer experiences.

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12. Samples of materials you developed (handouts, flyers, promotional brochures) for a campus club or
outside activity.
13. Samples of materials you developed for a job or internship (flyers, databases, forms, promotional
materials, reports, charts and graphs, etc.). Do NOT include any confidential or proprietary
information.
14. Records of speaking engagements or conference presentations (on and off campus).
15. Examples of nonacademic written work such as newsletter or newspaper articles, editorials, brief
reports, fiction or poetry.
16. Evidence of research, such as abstracts of papers, reports or presentations, and graphical illustrations
of research results.
17. Newspaper or newsletter clippings mentioning your name and your accomplishments.
18. Evidence of senior or capstone projects such as an abstract accompanied by a chart or graph.
19. Documentation of technical and/or computer skills such as samples of databases, spreadsheets or
graphics you’ve created.
20. Evidence of involvement in campus or professional association activities such as a program from an
event you planned or in which you participated.
21. Photos with brief, explanatory captions.
22. Evidence of your ability to produce work related to the job you are seeking (i.e., work you created
specifically for the portfolio to demonstrate your capabilities). For example, show how you would
redesign a newsletter, create a marketing campaign, describe how you would rewrite a report or revise
a research design.

How to Use a Portfolio

You should mention your portfolio at the bottom of your resume (i.e., “portfolio of work samples
available on request”) or in your cover letter. Always bring your portfolio to the interview. When the
interviewer begins to ask questions about your resume you can use your portfolio to support your
responses. For example, if an interviewer asks you about a particularly challenging experience, you might
describe the effort behind a team research project and show the interviewer the section of the final report
for which you were responsible.
During some interviews you may not have time to show your portfolio in detail. It’s a good idea to bring
extra copies of some of your best work samples which you can leave with the interviewer. If an employer
is interested in particular items but you do not have copies available, offer to mail copies of those
documents after the interview.
Never leave original copies of your documents or your entire portfolio with anyone. In fact, it is best to
use only good quality photocopies in your portfolio and keep the originals in a safe place. Your portfolio
should be continuously updated and reorganized to reflect your most current accomplishments and meet
your changing needs.

The career counselors in the Career Services Center are available to assist you in developing, organizing
and evaluating a career portfolio. Call 415-422-6216 for appointment and drop-in times.

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SUGGESTED RESOURCES
The following publications are available for use in the Career Services Center resource library, UC 429.
Asher’s Bible of Executive Resumes and How to Write Them, Asher, Donald, Ten Speed Press, 1997
Resumes for the Health Care Professional, Marino, Kim, John Wiley & Sons, 1993
The Curriculum Vitae Handbook, Anthony, Rebecca & Roe, Gerald, Rudi Publishing, 1994
The Global Resume & Curriculum Vitae Guide, Thompson, Mary Anne, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000
Job Hunting for Dummies, Messmer, Max, IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 1999
The Complete Job Search Handbook, Figler, Howard, Henry Holt & Company, LLC, 1999.

A useful website for additional information is:

http://static.monstertrak.com/job_search_tips/resume.html

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