Resumes: Demonstrate Skills
Your resume should showcase your skills and competencies, not merely list them. Instead of descriptions of tasks and responsibilities, use action verbs, incorporate results, and demonstrate skills to make a positive impression.
Competencies and Skills
Below are a few examples of how to demonstrate competencies and skills.
Career Readiness Competencies
Career and Self-Development
- Advocated for additional responsibilities resulting in promotion to Shift Lead within first six months of employment.
- Sought opportunities to learn new skills and attend professional development training to improve in role and innovate processes.
- Completed 5 LinkedIn training courses to improve communication and Excel skills resulting in a 5% increase in personal customer service ratings.
- Networked with fellow professionals to stay apprised of current trends in field, collaborate on projects, and discuss professional opportunities.
Communication
- Solicited donations from local businesses resulting in a record number of raffle items and $10,000 generated to support St. Jude’s Foundation.
- Communicated effectively with restaurant’s front- and back-of-house staff to ensure essential cookware, equipment, and other items were available at prime rush times.
- Edited newsletters and mass emails to ensure accurate grammar and spelling while maintaining adherence to distribution schedule.
- Wrote detailed case conceptualizations and implemented treatment plans following HIPAA regulations.
Critical Thinking
- Troubleshoot computer issues for clients via chat and offered appropriate solutions, receiving an 89% satisfaction rating.
- Evaluated options for promotional items based on cost, usefulness, and appeal to customer base and offered suggestions to management.
- Assessed process for presentation requests, benchmarked with similar offices, and made recommendations using Airtable to streamline and improve transparency.
- Diagnosed coding error to improve website performance and appearance while ensuring compatibility with updated and RSS feeds.
Equity and Inclusion
- Evaluated and improved website and handouts to exceed ADA compliance and ensure accessibility for all visitors.
- Designed space layout and furniture with universal design and color theory in mind to ensure a welcoming environment for all.
- Served on focus group for climate study, providing feedback on culture of university and experiences of students from all backgrounds.
- Actively sought assignments on teams with diverse perspectives to be part of greater idea generation and final products better received by clients.
- Led local Boy Scout troop of 8-10 year olds from diverse backgrounds, enriching my education and worldview, while serving as a role model to the group.
Leadership
- Motivated team to increase sales by introducing competitions and recognition programs, improving moral and sales in first week.
- Supervised team of six sales representatives including hiring, training, scheduling, and reviewing performances annually.
- Led team of 20 using data-driven decision making and strategic planning, while adapting quickly to unforeseen challenges.
Professionalism
- Represented college on student panel discussing internships and experiential opportunities to incoming students and parents.
- Recognized for 100% attendance and 95% customer satisfaction ratings within first six months.
- Solicit feedback on performance and implement suggestions to continuously improve.
Teamwork
- Collaborated with server team to ensure all guests enjoyed the dining experience and received exceptional customer service.
- Partnered with two other student groups to host philanthropic event for 500 raising $12,000 for the Red Cross.
- Served on office morale committee to coordinate celebrations and social gatherings to foster connection and engagement of staff.
- Worked with team of 8 to provide over 300 resume reviews to fellow students during Drop-in Review times over course of one semester.
Technology
- Maintained WordPress website for office including updating content and creation of new pages, while adhering to ADA compliance standards.
- Utilized SPSS to analyze data and create reports showing results and key takeaways to interested parties.
- Designed print material for distribution to clients using Canva and Adobe InDesign adhering to branding guidelines and ensuring accuracy.
- Mastered Salesforce essentials in three weeks and trained other staff to allow for a smooth transition to new software among team.
- Investigated metabolic pathways to identify links between Type II Diabetes and Obesity in liver CDP138 knockout mice using PCR, western blot, and cell culture assay.
Transferable Skills
Attention to Detail
- Maintained accurate, detailed, records of all patient accounts to track invoices and payments in Quickbooks.
- Organized process of requesting marketing materials by creating a workflow and intake form that requests all necessary details and gives a realistic timeline for creation.
- Analyzed current handouts for outdated language or information and made adjustments to include updated advice and inclusive language.
- Managed budget of $50,000 for student organization accounting for all expenditures and revenue while following guidelines for appropriate use.
Customer Service
- Greeted all attendees and welcomed vendors to event, walking them to their booth and providing any needed support for set up.
- Listened to customer concerns, de-escalated by empathizing, and found ways to resolve issues in a manner that satisfied majority of upset guests.
- Awarded top sales award due to reaching monthly sales goal and 5 customer compliments to management during July.
- Ensured exceptional customer service by responding to all phone and email inquiries within one business day in a professional and courteous manner.
Organization
- Utilized Airtable as project management tool to track progress of team toward goals set by supervisor, delivering on-time completion of all projects.
- Curated content for newsletter to equally distribute article creation work and allow for appropriate content to be delivered at optimal times throughout the year.
- Created database in Salesforce for over 400 established clients and used campaigns to increase engagement and new contact tracking.
Strong Action Verbs
The verbs you choose can help demonstrate your contributions. Opt for active verbs for the greatest impact.
Specific Impacts
Accomplishment
accomplished
achieved
attained
awarded
competed
completed
earned
effected
ensured
exceeded
executed
generated
mastered
obtained
pioneered
produced
recognized
resulted
resolved
sold
solicited
succeeded
won
Improvement
accelerated
automated
consolidated
corrected
enhanced
eliminated
expanded
expedited
improved
increased
reduced
reorganized
restored
restructured
simplified
streamlined
strengthened
transformed
upgraded
Analysis and Critical Thinking
Analysis and Evaluation
analyzed
assessed
calculated
cataloged
categorized
clarified
classified
compared
compiled
critiqued
derived
determined
diagnosed
estimated
evaluated
formulated
interpreted
prescribed
organized
rated
recommended
reported
summarized
systematized
tabulated
Financial
adjusted
allocated
appraised
audited
balanced
budgeted
calculated
compiled
conserved
controlled
disbursed
estimated
figured
financed
forecasted
netted
projected
reconciled
Research
collected
conducted
defined
detected
discovered
examined
experimented
explored
extracted
found
gathered
identified
inquired
inspected
investigated
located
measured
modeled
observed
researched
reviewed
searched
studied
surveyed
tested
tracked
Technical
assembled
built
coded
computed
constructed
converted
debugged
designed
diagnosed
engineered
fabricated
installed
maintained
operated
printed
programmed
proved
rectified
regulated
repaired
resolved
restored
specified
standardized
systematized
tested
upgraded
Communication
Interpersonal
arbitrated
consulted
conferred
interviewed
listened
mediated
moderated
responded
suggested
Promotion and Influence
advertised
communicated
contacted
convinced
elicited
enlisted
influenced
marketed
motivated
persuaded
promoted
publicized
represented
recruited
solicited
Verbal and Written
addressed
articulated
authored
briefed
clarified
conveyed
composed
condensed
corresponded
debated
delivered
described
discussed
drafted
edited
expressed
formulated
informed
instructed
interacted
interpreted
lectured
negotiated
notified
outlined
reconciled
reinforced
reported
presented
proposed
specified
spoke
translated
wrote
Initiative
Creation and Modification
authored
began
built
changed
combined
conceived
constructed
created
customized
designed
developed
devised
established
formed
formulated
founded
generated
initiated
integrated
introduced
invented
launched
modified
originated
produced
revamped
revised
shaped
staged
updated
visualized
Helping and Guidance
advocated
aided
assisted
cared for
contributed
cooperated
coordinated
ensured
furthered
guided
intervened
offered
referred
rehabilitated
served
supplied
supported
volunteered
Teaching and Mentorship
adapted
advised
clarified
coached
counseled
demonstrated
educated
enabled
encouraged
evaluated
explained
facilitated
familiarized
individualized
instructed
mentored
modeled
motivated
simplified
stimulated
taught
trained
tutored
Leadership
Data and Process Management
consolidated
distributed
eliminated
filed
grouped
implemented
incorporated
logged
merged
monitored
obtained
ordered
organized
planned
regulated
reviewed
routed
standardized
structured
submitted
systematized
updated
verified
Event and Personnel Management
anticipated
arranged
contacted
convened
coordinated
logged
obtained
ordered
planned
prepared
processed
purchased
recorded
registered
reserved
scheduled
verified
Leading and Managing
administered
appointed
approved
assigned
authorized
chaired
conducted
contracted
controlled
coordinated
decided
delegated
directed
developed
enforced
ensured
evaluated
executed
headed
hired
hosted
implemented
instituted
led
managed
overhauled
oversaw
prioritized
recruited
represented
strategized
supervised
trained
Teamwork
Administrative Support and Customer Service
aided
answered
arranged
catalogued
categorized
collated
collected
coordinated
distributed
emailed
ensured
expedited
explained
filed
greeted
handled
informed
implemented
maintained
offered
ordered
organized
performed
prepared
processed
provided
purchased
recorded
received
resolved
scheduled
served
supported
tabulated
Collaboration and Relationship-Building
collaborated
consulted
cooperated
coordinated
liaised
reached out