HOW-TO:
A RESUME GUIDE FOR
HUMANITIES STUDENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Resume Fundamentals
What’s the point of a resume?
Content Do’s & Don’ts
Formatting
How to build a resume
2. Section by Section
Summary
Education
Experience
Research, Honors, Awards, etc.
Skills
3. How Recruiters View Resumes
What recruiters look for
Formatted Resumes vs. Candidate Profiles
4. Wording and Templates
Bullet Point Structure
Action Verb Suggestions
Follow up Resources
Sample Resumes
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1. RESUME FUNDAMENTALS
The purpose of a resume is to quickly show a recruiter or hiring manager that your skills, experiences,
and attributes make you a candidate they should talk to further. While it’s OK to have a basic version
of your resume as your starting point for each application, content should be customised as much as
possible to each position you apply to.
Resumes should be one page. It is crucial to consider both the content and the format of your
resume, but here are some basics to consider:
• Readers should be able to scan your resume in 30 seconds and get a general sense of your
background and experiences. It should be easy to read, and make specifics stand out.
• Make sure your resume speaks to the specific opportunity.
• If you are asked to submit your resume online, you should convert your Word document to a
PDF (unless otherwise noted by the employer). A PDF ensures the formatting of a document
remains intact, regardless of the type of software the employer is using.
• Consider creating a “kitchen sink” version of your resume that includes absolutely everything,
described at length. You can edit out less relevant content each time; it’s easier to edit down
than to start with a blank page each time.
CONTENT DO’S & DON’TS
• Avoid pronouns (I, you, they), being verbs (am, is are, was, were), photos, and personal info that
relates to protected class information (age, national origin, religion, race, etc.)
• Don’t rely on yourself as the sole editor! The more opinions you seek from peers, faculty,
alumni and contacts, the more you can synthesize that feedback and improve each time.
• The resume should be action-oriented, with every bullet point starting with an action verb in
present tense for current experiences, past tense for past
• Don’t exaggerate or lie – this can instantly end your candidacy for a role.
• Be sure to include key words from the position description in your resume. For cases where
resumes are filtered automatically, this will help ensure you pass initial screenings.
• In general, eliminate high school experiences (exceptions apply for highly relevant or
prestigious accomplishments).
• Include all your experiences! They show you have a work history, life experience and
transferable skills (interpersonal communications skills, project management, etc.).
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FORMATTING
• It is important to make formatting clean, consistent, and not too fancy. Save your resume as a
PDF so that formatting (and if used, graphics) render the way you intended.
• Use a standard font, 10pt-12pt, avoid using color, and preserve at least 0.5” margins at
minimum. Be aware that you will likely need both a printable version of your resume and one
that can be easily uploaded or copied online.
• Use an email address that includes part of your name and is professional
• Street addresses or even broad locales do not need to be listed.
• When listing dates, include month/year-month/year. Use whatever style you prefer, just
remember to be consistent in how you present information.
• Summaries or objectives that live at the top of a resume are outdated – if you have to include
one to fill the space, choose a summary over an objective.
• Line items should be listed in reverse chronological order, i.e. newest at the top of each
section.
FORMATTING TOOLS
Bold
SMALL CAPS (easier to read than all caps)
Italics
(Use italics sparingly, as they are often used to designate a secondary piece of information)
Underline
• Bullets (use small standard bullets, no graphics or symbols)
| Vertical Lines
(used for separating closely-packed information, e.g. on a contact header)
Horizontal line____________________________________________________________________
(used as a way to visually separate sections if necessary)
3
BUILDING A RESUME: WHERE TO START
Step 1: Start by thinking about the sections that might go into a typical profile or resume: your
education, experience, skills, honors, awards, and research. Next, build and brainstorm a list of
everything you can think of and don’t be shy about including study abroad, tutoring, part-time jobs,
summer jobs, capstone projects, self-taught skills, internships, community leadership or volunteer
gigs, RSO involvement, and class projects.
Step 2: Once you have your list, think about the details that went into each line item and use those
details to create bullet points. What did you do? What skills did you develop? How did you contribute?
Remember that anything can be used, and this content can go to create your online career profile
through Handshake or LinkedIn.
Step 3: Format, categorize, and organize these line items and bullet points into relevant sections, and
know that sections can be moved around or renamed. For example, a section that includes volunteer
work and class presentations can be called “Relevant Experience”, or simply, “Experience” if
“Professional Experience” doesn’t work.
2. SECTION BY SECTION
CONTACT INFORMATION
Keep it simple: Name, Phone Number, E-mail, and where applicable, a LinkedIn profile URL. LinkedIn
profiles allow you to direct people who want to learn more to a place where you aren’t restricted to a
single page of content.
SUMMARY/ OBJECTIVE
Objectives are something that you can either talk about in a cover letter, if used, or your LinkedIn
Profile. At a basic level, employers understand your objective is simple: to get an offer for the
opportunity you’re applying to. As such, it’s not recommended to use an objective undergrad resume.
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EDUCATION
In addition to your current major and basic school information, include an intended graduation date
(month/year is fine), and use bullet points under this information to highlight relevant coursework or
concentrations. Delete anything about high school.
These bullets can also include capstone experiences or research you conducted in your major
(Qualifying, Senior, Research or Thesis papers). Name the title of the paper and indicate the length.
If you did an Independent Study or Research project, include it! This reflects initiative and deep
interest in a subject.
If you studied abroad, you could include it in this section as either a separate line item from your
degree, or as a bullet that’s attached to your degree. Exploration Seminars could be included under
your general UW entry as they are shorter (but relevant) or listed in Additional Skills/Experiences
section
If you’re a language major, highlight this language training and distinguish between professional
proficiency and fluency. You can include this in Education or the Additional Skills section
Your GPA should be included on your resume if it’s 3.0 or higher, or if requested by the application.
“GPA” typically refers to cumulative, but students can use their major GPA if it serves them.
EXPERIENCE
RESUME TIPS: SECTION BY SECTION
This section can include paid/unpaid experiences relevant to the specific position, including
internships, volunteer work, tutoring, RSO involvement, and community activities. Depending on how
many different experiences you have, you may choose to split this section (i.e., Work Experience,
Volunteer and Internship Experience, Relevant Professional Experience)
Start each bullet point with an action verb (in the past the past tense for previous positions, present
tense for your current position). Make sure that each bullet covers content that is as relevant as
possible to either the requirements or duties section of the position description.
Provide some context and results for the reader: How big was your organization? How many people
did your program serve? What goals were met or exceeded? For example:
OLD: In charge of fundraising events throughout the year
NEW: Planned and implemented logistics for 3 annual fundraising events that raised over $5,000
with 200 participants, exceeding organizational goals by 15%.
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LEADERSHIP, VOLUNTEERING, AND EXTRACURRICULARS
If applicable, this section should mirror your professional experience (i.e., listed in reverse
chronological order starting with your most recent activity). If your volunteer and/or community
activities are more substantial than your work experience, you’ll want to include this section first or
merge it with your other experience.
RESEARCH, HONORS & AWARDS
This section can be critical to show employers your past achievements, skills, knowledge, and abilities
gained through academic or extracurricular activities. If you’re a Dean’s List student but have no other
awards, this can be moved to the Education section. If you’ve presented research or even had
something published, you can choose whether you want to include it here or in the education section.
SKILLS
If you want, you can divide this section into technical skills, non-technical skills, and languages. Even if
skills are self-taught, it’s OK to include them as long as your skill level is above beginner. Examples of
technical skills include software packages and platforms, coding, data visualization, and graphic
design. Examples of non-technical skills include interpersonal and intercultural communications,
project management, team leadership, negotiation, etc. For language skills include your proficiency
levels where possible and be mindful of terminology used. For Humanities majors, here are some
recommendations on how to highlight your non-technical skills in addition to the examples above:
1) Qualitative analysis: Humanities students are trained to dissect and analyse both the ‘why’ and the
‘how’ behind the raw data. We have the ability to study the way other people think and present those
conclusions in an accessible way.
2) Professional writing: Humanities students are trained in descriptive, persuasive writing that builds
arguments and answers complex questions while offering accessible, concise prose.
3) Public speaking & presentation: The humanities are the study of people, language, and culture;
there’s no-one better positioned to communicate or pitch ideas and actually deal with people. On top
of that, a significant chunk of Humanities students can deploy these skills across multiple languages.
4) Social/Emotional intelligence: Predictive insights into how well someone will work with a team on
complex projects come from social and emotional intelligence – Humanities students understand
through the work they’ve done how to communicate, empathise, and motivate.
5) Adaptability: Connected to emotional intelligence and communication skills, Humanities students
are trained to understand and call upon diverse perspectives in problem solving – this means they’re
better positioned than most to change their approach when something isn’t working.
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3. HOW RECRUITERS VIEW RESUMES
Recruiters spend only six seconds on average reviewing an individual candidate's resume to
determine whether the person is a potential fit for an open position, but they spend this little time
because they don’t care – it’s because on average, they’re so experienced looking at resumes that it’s
all the time they need. The Ladders reports that data from an eye-tracking study of 30 professional
recruiters who were monitored over a 10-week period as they performed online tasks, including
resume and candidate profile reviews.
WHAT RECRUITERS LOOK FOR
The recruiters studied spent almost 80% of their
resume review time on the following elements:
• Candidate's name
• Current role
• Most recent previous role
• Previous role start and end dates
• Current role start and end dates
• Education
Beyond those six, recruiters did little more than scan for keywords to match the open position, and
this includes LinkedIn profiles (see right).
Because "fit/no-fit" decisions were based mostly on those six pieces of data, an individual resume’s
detail and explanatory copy had little impact on the initial decision-making. A well-written resume has
a clear visual hierarchy and presents relevant information where recruiters expect to see it, so paying
attention to formatting on your resume can help to quickly guide recruiters to a yes/no decision.
Recruiters tend to follow a consistent visual path when reviewing both resumes and online profiles,
the study found. Accordingly, an organized layout is crucial. The “gaze trace” of recruiters was erratic
when they reviewed a poorly organized resume, and recruiters experienced high levels of cognitive
load (total mental activity), which increased the level of effort to make a decision. Well-written resumes
were more judicious with their words, were evenly formatted, and were described as “clearer.”
7
Sample heat maps for a resume (warmer colors = more time spent reading)
With text-heavy resumes such as the one on the left, by the end recruiters weren’t even glancing at, let
alone reading, what was written! The right resume gives a better idea of how structure matters if you
actually want to get your message across.
8
FORMATTED RESUMES VS CANDIDATE PROFILES
While you’ll eventually have to make cuts and edits with a formatted 1-page resume to make sure that
each version is customized and relevant to the position you’re applying to, in the modern economy, a
lot of companies will have applicants build profiles in their careers portals rather than asking people to
upload or email a formatted resume.
Like a profile on LinkedIn or Handshake, a candidate profile typically gives you “boxes” to build out
content for experience, education, etc. The main difference to be aware of is that frequently, these
boxes don’t limit you to a page of content overall, and erring on the side of inclusion when it comes to
adding content will serve you well here; these profiles are typically scanned by ATS, or Applicant
Tracking System algorithms. These systems will be looking for keywords and relevance, but it’s
important to note that bars are typically set for cutoff purposes; 80% keyword relevance, 90% with
certain keywords required, etc.
In the case of candidate profiles, this relevance percentage is typically connected to their content, not
yours; this means the more content you have and the more bullet points you list, the higher the
percentage chance likelihood that you’ll hit the marks the employer is looking for.
What does this mean? It means that if you find yourself applying to an opportunity through a
candidate portal that asks you to build a profile, don’t just copy/paste your resume and consider it job
done. You should still customize your content where possible, but you can go beyond what you have
in your formatted resume.
4. WORDING & TEMPLATES
BULLET POINT STRUCTURE
A good format to use when creating bullet points for your resume is:
ACTION VERB + WHAT YOU DID + VALUE ADDED/ KEY TAKEAWAY/ SKILL DEVELOPED
The value-add section can include the outcome, why the task was significant, who the task was for, or a
quantified metric. See "Magnify Your Experience" for tips on making your bullet points stand out!
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ACTION VERBS FOR BULLET POINTS
Helpful Tools to Prepare You for
Summer and Postgraduation Opportunities
L
LinkedIn Learning
Develop, strengthen and develop your skillset, earn
Licenses & Certifications, and access over 15,000
courses through this online video platform. Typically
a paid subscription,
free for UW Students
.
Handshake
Search UW’s online job and internship database,
schedule career coaching appointments, and RSVP
for events with this recruiting platform. Set up
special alerts and search features to be the first in
the know for Humanities-related opportunities.
Husky Landing
Wondering where Humanities alumni work or what they
do? Whether you’re looking for your first job out of
college or are looking to build your professional network,
this powerful networking tool was created with you in
mind to get you connected with Husky alumni.
everage your Humanities education, skills and experiences by engaging with
University of Washington’s many resources designed to support you in becoming
a competitive applicant for summer jobs and internships, fellowships, and
postgraduation opportunities—it’s never too early to start planning!
C21: The Center for 21st Century Liberal Learning
Specifically designed for students within the College of
Arts & Sciences (including Humanities!) C21 offers
immersive learning experiences, partnerships both on
campus and in the community, and a network of
mentors to help guide you on the pathway toward
selecting a major and preparing for a career after college.
StandOut
Designed to improve your interviewing skills, this mock video interviewing tool helps you to
prepare for meeting with prospective employers and make a lasting impression and show what
you have to offer.
More resources and opportunities to explore
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship
Funding for academic year or summer study in acquiring modern foreign languages and area or
international studies competencies, many of which are taught in within the Humanities.
• Academic Year Undergraduate: $10,000 tuition, $5,000 living stipend
• Summer Graduate/Undergraduate: $5,000 tuition, $2,500 living stipend
• Application Deadline: end of January
Beinecke Scholarship
The Beinecke Scholarship program seeks to encourage and enable highly motivated students to
pursue opportunities available to them and to be courageous in the selection of a graduate
course of study in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
• $34,000 in support of graduate education
• Deadline for Nomination: early January
Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards
The Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards supports UW undergraduate students in
developing skills and personal insights necessary to pursue scholarships appropriate to your
goals. Search their scholarship database, attend scholarship info sessions and workshops, or
meet with one of their expert staff members to strengthen your applications.
UW Career & Internship Center
The Career & Internship Center provides one-on-one career coaching to help you prepare for
your next step after graduation. Develop a competitive resume, participate in mock interviews,
and attend workshops, events, and more to deepen your career exploration and find internships
and jobs that align with your Humanities related interests.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
CAREER SUPPORT
For more information or questions on how to get connected with
these resources, please contact Humanities Academic Services
(has-center@uw.edu)
UNDERGRADUATE-LEVEL
An undergraduate student
might include research
interests to give the
potential employer an idea
about their future goals.
Morgan included
projects from
both formal
research settings
as well as her
academics.
CURRICULUM VITAE EXAMPLE
Morgan categorized her
experience by areas of
importance in academia:
Research, Teaching and
Leadership. This is a good
idea for someone using a
CV to apply to graduate
programs.
Undergraduate students who have
published or presented their work
should deitely show it o on a CV!
Same goes for grants, fellowships and
special academic honors.
Jalila Asha
Seattle, WA 98125
[email protected] || 206.222.3344
Objective
Liberal arts, interdisciplinary problem solver seeking summer internship in project-based environment to
utilize and enhance skills in writing, project management, business and team collaboration.
Summary of Skills
Global business experience
Fluent in Arabic & English
Conversational Turkish
Collaborative team player
Strong written communication
Editing & copywriting skills
Entrepreneurial attitude
Comfort in multicultural environment
Familiar with design thinking
Education
University of Washington || Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Arts, English, concentration in language & rhetoric || Expected June 20120
Minor in Near Eastern Languages & Civilization
Study Abroad
Istanbul University || Direct Exchange Student || Istanbul, Turkey || August 2017-December 2017
Study Turkish language and culture while enhancing knowledge of near eastern literature
Demonstrate independence and adaptability in new and constantly changing environment
Project Experience
Ideathon Participant || UW Center for 21
st
Center Liberal Learning (C21) || Seattle, WA || May 2018
Collaborate with interdisciplinary team of 5 liberal arts students in weekend intensive workshop
Utilized design thinking to address question of enhancing engagement of UW humanities students
Conducted in-depth interviews with current students and coded responses to identify themes
Assessed findings and wrote and presented recommendations to university administrators
Student Consultant || Zain Iraq Telecommunications || Baghdad, Iraq || March 2016
Collaboration between national telecommunications company and students from local high school to
conduct market research assessing student and youth perception of new cellular technologies
Conducted research, wrote summary of findings and presented to board of directors
Experience
Writing Tutor || Odegaard Writing Center || Seattle, WA || September 2018-Present
Meet 10-30 students per day in one-on-one setting to assess grammar and presentation of ideas
Provide critical feedback in constructive manner to students from all academic disciplines
Blogger || BooksoftheWorld.com || Seattle, WA || July 2017-Present
Create and maintain blog reviewing new literature from global authors addressing cultural themes
Write and publish posts in English and Arabic for global audiences
Earn status as “verified reviewer” on Amazon.com
Customer Service Representative || Iraqi Airways || Baghdad, Iraq || June – September 2015, 2016
Communicated with international customers to ensure smooth and pleasant travel experience
Honors
UW + Amazon Mentor Program || March 2018-Present
Husky Leadership Initiative Student Advisory Board || September 2018-Present
SHIRLEY GALLO
Seattle, WA | [email protected]du | (206) 555-3281 | linkedin.com/in/sgallo
SUMMARY Passionate social justice advocate dedicated to creating sustainable programs addressing
community health and wellness needs among underserved populations. Strong work ethic
and time management skills demonstrated by balancing competitive play as Division 1
student-athlete for 2 seasons with deep campus and non-profit community involvement.
EDUCATION University of Washington Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Arts in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies Expected June 2019
Minor in Nutritional Sciences
Highline College Des Moines, WA
Associates of Arts June 2017
EXPERIENCE University of Washington Recreation Seattle, WA
Yoga Instructor January 2018-Present
Lead weekly yoga class for college students of diverse backgrounds and skill levels
Develop and adapt yoga sequences and teach proper techniques
University of Washington Health & Wellness Seattle, WA
Peer Health Educator April 2018-Present
Facilitate 1-5 workshops per week on health related topics including nutrition,
exercise, and stress management
Collaborate with 5 team members to organize, coordinate, and market 20+ events
Disseminate information regarding health resources available to students through
presentations and tabling
University of Washington Volleyball Team Seattle, WA
NCAA Division 1 Student-Athlete June 2017-December 2018
Supported team success through 15 hours per week of training and competition
Developed communication plan regarding team nutrition and hydration goals
Led tours of campus and athletic facilities for prospective students and families
Served as student-athlete panelist during visit programs
America SCORES Seattle Seattle, WA
Lead Youth Team Mentor April –June 2018
Developed and presented culturally relevant lesson plans to educate and inspire
200 program participants to lead healthy lifestyles
Encouraged inclusive behavior among students
Trained and oversaw five Youth Team Mentor volunteers on basic health
education, effective mentor techniques and coaching strategies
Youth Team Mentor April-June 2016 & 2017
Mentored and built relationships with 16 at-risk students at local school
Coached team on volleyball techniques and teambuilding exercises
Assisted staff to increase literacy by leading one-on-one writing sessions
ADDITIONAL Student Public Health Association, Member September 2017-Present
EXPERIENCE Latino Student Union, Member February 2018-Present
Starbucks, Barista January 2014-March 2017
TAYLOR REED
[email protected] | www.linkedIn/in/taylorreed | 206.999.1234
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Summary
Motivated to pursue experiences for making a positive impact in global security, diplomacy and mediation.
Calm and focused in stressful situations offering multiple perspectives to solve problems.
Recognized as leader who builds effective teams with clear communication and focus on exceeding goals.
Strong research, writing and presentation skills.
MS Project, GIS (basic), Prezi, Google Docs, social media, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Education
University of Washington, Seattle, WA June 2019
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science (International Security Option)
Minor: International Studies
Olympic College, Bellingham, WA June 2017
Associate of Arts and Sciences, Direct Transfer Degree
Related Experience
Northwest Model United Nations Seattle, WA
Assistant Logistics Secretary November 2017
One of 5 leaders managing most administrative and logistical info and processes for the largest collegiate simulation of
the UN in the Northwest.
Facilitated external relations for NWMUN included arranging guest speakers, resource fair co-coordination and solicited
sponsors/donors raising $350+.
United States Navy Bremerton, WA & Various Locations
Information Systems Technician / Communications Specialist 2007 - 2012
Operated and maintained equipment vital to the success of the organization; oversaw daily operations, policy
compliance and standard operating procedure compliance of all aspects of tracked vehicle.
Prepared and briefed daily analysis reports to division commander. Daily duties required long range communications
that were consistent and accurate.
Conducted operations with foreign forces, displaying ability to effectively communicate with diverse populations.
Ten-month deployment (2011).
Navy Achievement Medal (February, 2011).
Additional Employment
Cashier, Costco Wholesale, Silverdale, WA 2012-2016
Process customer purchases (400+ customers in a standard 7.5 hr shift) and provide effective customer service in a high
volume, fast paced environment.
Received staff recognition award for working plus attending college full time.
Started as cashier assistant and promoted to cashier in only 8 months due to attendance and customer service skills.
Activities & Interests
Husky Veterans; Husky Snow(boarding) Club; CrossFit, Tough Mudder, Half Marathons