CREATE A STRONG RESUME

GETTING STARTED

A resume is a concise, informative summary of your abilities, education, and experience. It should highlight your strongest assets and skills, and differentiate you from other candidates seeking similar positions. Although it alone won’t get you a job or internship, a good resume is an important factor in obtaining an interview. Tailor your resume to the type of position you’re seeking. This doesn’t mean that all of your experiences must relate directly, but your resume should reflect the types of skills the employer would value.

Interning & Job Shadowing

RESUME TIPS

RESUME LANGUAGE SHOULD BE:

  • Specific rather than general
  • Active rather than passive
  • Written to express not impress
  • Articulate rather than “flowery”
  • Fact-based (quantify and qualify)
  • Written for people who scan quickly

TOP SIX RESUME MISTAKES:

  1. Spelling and grammar errors
  2. Missing email and phone information
  3. Using passive language instead of “action” words
  4. Not well organized, concise, or easy to skim
  5. Not demonstrating results
  6. Too long

DON’T:

  • Use personal pronouns (such as I)
  • Abbreviate
  • Use a narrative style
  • Use slang or colloquialisms
  • Include a picture
  • Include age or gender
  • List references
  • Start each line with a date

DO:

  • Be consistent in format and content
  • Make it easy to read and follow, balancing white space
  • Use consistent spacing, underlining, italics, bold, and capitalization for emphasis
  • List headings (such as Experience) in order of importance
  • Within headings, list information in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
  • Avoid information gaps such as a missing summer
  • Be sure that your formatting will translate properly if converted to a .pdf

PLAN TO WORK INTERNATIONALLY?

Resume guidelines can vary from country to country. See our international resources, including Interstride and EuropassCV.

editing a resume with a pen

ACTION VERBS FOR YOUR RESUME

LEADERSHIP
AccomplishedAchievedAdministeredAnalyzedAssignedAttainedChairedConsolidated
ContractedCoordinatedDelegatedDevelopedDirectedEarnedEvaluatedExecuted
HandledHeadedImpactedImprovedIncreasedLedMasteredOrchestrated
OrganizedOversawPlannedPredictedPrioritizedProducedProvedRecommended
RegulatedReorganizedReviewedScheduledSpearheadedStrengthenedSupervisedSurpassed
COMMUNICATION
AddressedArbitratedArrangedAuthoredCollaboratedConvincedCorrespondedDelivered
DevelopedDirectedDocumentedDraftedEditedEnergizedEnlistedFormulated
InfluencedInterpretedLecturedLiaisedMediatedModeratedNegotiatedPersuaded
PresentedPromotedPublicizedReconciledRecruitedReportedRewroteSpoke
SuggestedSynthesizedTranslatedVerbalizedWrote
RESEARCH
ClarifiedCollectedConcludedConductedConstructedCritiquedDerivedDetermined
DiagnosedDiscoveredEvaluatedExaminedExtractedFormedIdentifiedInspected
InterpretedInterviewedInvestigatedModeledOrganizedResolvedReviewedSummarized
SurveyedSystematizedTested
TECHNICAL
AssembledBuiltCalculatedComputedDesignedDevisedEngineeredFabricated
InstalledMaintainedOperatedOptimizedOverhauledProgrammedRemodeledRepaired
SolvedStandardizedStreamlinedUpgraded
TEACHING
AdaptedAdvisedClarifiedCoachedCommunicatedCoordinatedDemystifiedDeveloped
EnabledEncouragedEvaluatedExplainedFacilitatedGuidedInformedInstructed
PersuadedSet GoalsStimulatedStudiedTaughtTrained
QUANTITATIVE
AdministeredAllocatedAnalyzedAppraisedAuditedBalancedBudgetedCalculated
ComputedDevelopedForecastedManagedMarketedMaximizedMinimizedPlanned
ProjectedResearched
CREATIVE
ActedComposedConceivedConceptualizedCreatedCustomizedDesignedDeveloped
DirectedEstablishedFashionedFoundedIllustratedInitiatedInstitutedIntegrated
IntroducedInventedOriginatedPerformedPlannedPublishedRedesignedRevised
RevitalizedShapedVisualized
HELPING
AssessedAssistedClarifiedCoachedCounseledDemonstratedDiagnosedEducated
EnhancedExpeditedFacilitatedFamiliarizedGuidedMotivatedParticipatedProposed
ProvidedReferredRehabilitatedRepresentedServedSupported
ORGANIZATIONAL
ApprovedAcceleratedAddedArrangedBroadenedCatalogedCentralizedChanged
ClassifiedCollectedCompiledCompletedControlledDefinedDispatchedExecuted
ExpandedGainedGatheredGeneratedImplementedInspectedLaunchedMonitored
OperatedOrganizedPreparedProcessedPurchasedRecordedReducedReinforced
RetrievedScreenedSelectedSimplifiedSoldSpecifiedSteeredStructured
SystematizedTabulatedUnifiedUpdatedUtilizedValidatedVerified
looking at a resume

RESUME SAMPLE

(click on sample for pdf)

The document is a detailed resume sample for a student named Firstname Lastname. It includes contact information and various sections such as Education, Experience, Leadership, Skills & Interests. The Education section lists degrees from Harvard University and the University of London, including GPAs, relevant coursework, and extracurricular activities. The Experience section details roles such as Marketing Analyst Intern at Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, Assistant Account Executive at Thomas Wilck Associates, and Technology Intern at Tech Hills, describing specific tasks and achievements. Leadership experience is demonstrated through roles in Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business and the Harvard College Marathon Challenge. The resume also lists technical skills in software like Stata and SQL, language proficiencies in French and Spanish, and personal interests such as ultimate frisbee and French films. The format includes clear headings, bullet points for easy reading, and consistent presentation of data.

OPTIONAL CATEGORY EXAMPLES

(click on sample for pdf)

You may wish to adopt these categories if relevant to your experience or the opportunity you are applying for. If you have significant experience in a specialized category, consider using that as your primary “Experience” section. Both paragraph and bulleted formats are options, but be consistent with the formatting within your resume. Students in creative and performing arts can develop resumes, portfolios, and websites to support their specific job search. MCS advisors can help! The document is a structured resume that outlines the qualifications and experiences of a student. It includes sections such as Leadership Experience, Public Service Experience, Technical Skills, Research Experience, Performing Arts Experience, and Activities. Each section provides detailed descriptions of roles, responsibilities, and achievements. For instance, in Leadership Experience, the student served as President of the Harvard Society of Black Scientists & Engineers and as a Membership Coordinator for the Harvard Computer Society, detailing specific contributions and impacts. The resume also highlights technical skills in programming languages and operating systems, and involvement in performing arts as a dancer and choreographer. The document is formatted with clear headings, bullet points, and consistent styling, making it easy to read and navigate.

Joint or Double Concentration:

When including your Harvard degree, you may also indicate a joint or double concentration, a secondary, and/or a concurrent master’s degree. Here are some formatting options to consider:

A.B. in Biomedical Engineering with a joint concentration in Computer Science
OR
A.B. in History with a double concentration in Statistics
OR
A.B. with a joint (or double) concentration in Government and Computer Science 

Concurrent Degree:

Harvard University
A.B./S.M. Computer Science, GPA 3.6
OR

Cambridge, MA
May, 2025

Harvard University
A.B./S.M. Computer Science; Concurrent S.M. Computer Science
OR

Cambridge, MA
May, 2025

Harvard University
Concurrent Degrees: S.M. Computer Science; A.B. Applied Mathematics

Cambridge, MA
May, 2025

RESUME TEMPLATE 1 (WITH BULLET POINTS)

(Click on sample for editable Word and Google docs versions.)

The document is a resume template designed for a student from Harvard University. It includes sections for personal contact information, education details, experience, leadership and activities, and skills and interests. The education section allows for listing degrees, GPA, thesis, relevant coursework, study abroad experiences, and high school information. The experience section is structured to include job titles, organization names, locations, and dates, with bullet points to describe responsibilities and achievements using action verbs and quantifiable results. Leadership and activities follow a similar format, emphasizing roles and contributions. The skills and interests section is divided into technical skills, language proficiency, laboratory techniques, and personal interests. The template is formatted for clarity with headings, subheadings, and optional notes to guide customization.

RESUME TEMPLATE 2 (PARAGRAPH FORMAT)

(Click on sample for editable Word and Google docs versions.)

To help you design a strong resume, MCS ofFers formatted templates. On the MCS website, search “templates” and click on MCS Guides and Templates. Choose bulleted or paragraph style, fill in your information, and then bring your draft to drop-ins for editing and feedback. The document is a resume template titled "Resume Template II (paragraph format)" intended for students, featuring a structured format to detail personal, educational, and professional information. It starts with a header for the student's name, contact details including address, email, and phone number, followed by an education section that lists university degree details, GPA, relevant coursework, and study abroad experiences. The experience section allows for detailed descriptions of previous job roles, focusing on skills, accomplishments, and outcomes without using personal pronouns. Leadership roles and activities are also included, with space to describe involvement and impact. The template ends with a skills and interests section, where technical skills, language proficiency, laboratory techniques, and personal interests can be listed. The format is clean, with clear headings and subheadings, and includes instructional notes on how to effectively fill out each section.
tying a resume

WRITE AN EFFECTIVE COVER LETTER

Your cover letter is a writing sample and a part of the screening process. By putting your best foot forward, you can increase your
chances of being interviewed. A good way to create a response-producing cover letter is to highlight your skills or experiences
that are most applicable to the job or industry and to tailor the letter to the specific organization to which you’re applying.

(click on sample for pdf)

Some general rules about letters:

  • Address your letters to a specific person if you can.
  • Tailor your letters to specific situations or organizations by
    doing research before writing your letters.
  • Keep letters concise and factual, no more than a single page.
    Avoid flowery language.
  • Give examples that support your skills and qualifications.
  • Put yourself in the reader’s shoes. What can you write that will
    convince the reader that you are ready and able to do the job?
  • Don’t overuse the pronoun “I”.
  • Remember that this is a marketing tool. Use plenty of action
    words.
  • Have an MCS advisor provide feedback on your letter.
  • If converting to a .pdf, check that your formatting translates
    correctly.
  • Reference skills or experiences from the job description and
    draw connections to your credentials.
  • Make sure your resume and cover letter are prepared with the
    same font type and size.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER

September 1, 2024

Morgan Smith 
Director of Communications Jumpstart 
308 Congress Street, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02110 

Dear Morgan Smith: 

I am a senior at Harvard College studying History and Literature. I am writing to apply for the Marketing and Communications position at Jumpstart posted in Harvard’s Crimson Careers database. I’m very excited about the field of education, and would welcome the opportunity to bring my strong communication skills, creativity, and marketing experience to your growing team. 

Jumpstart’s commitment to early education for every child is of particular interest to me because of my passion for youth development. This past summer, I worked as a senior counselor in the Summer Urban Program, which is dedicated to preventing summer learning loss for children in the Boston and Cambridge area. I designed and taught fun, interactive classes to a group of 10 fifth graders, and planned and led local field trips and workshops daily with a junior counselor. Throughout the summer, I consistently strived to create math, science, and reading lessons and activities that were engaging and tailored to my students’ needs. 

Additionally, in my role as the Director of Marketing for the Social Innovation Collaborative, I led our team in creating a social media strategy to drive our member recruitment efforts and promote our programs and events on platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. With so many competing events on campus each day, I had to continually be creative in my approach to developing and delivering content that would be compelling and effective. As a result of my efforts, our group experienced a 20% increase in our membership base and a 15% increase in our social media engagement. I’m excited at the prospect of bringing the skills I developed through this experience to the Marketing and Communications role at Jumpstart. 

Thank you for your consideration. I very much look forward to the opportunity to speak with you in person about my interest in this position. 

Sincerely, 

Alex Crimson