3: Communicate "Impact," Not "Duties"

Focus on Achievements: 'Move beyond a basic list of daily tasks and focus on what you achieved and/or the change that resulted from your efforts.

Use this formula to draft every bullet:  ACTION VERB + ISSUE (Context/What You Took Action On) + RESULT (Outcomes/Impact + Quantifiable Proof When Possible)

Example Resume Bullet: Instead of "Responsible for a group history project," try:  

Collaborated with a four-person team to analyze historical demographic shifts, synthesizing 50+ data points into a final presentation to convey research findings.

Lead with Action: Start every bullet point with a strong action verb to keep the focus on your achievements.

• Action Verbs

Core Resume Sections

While writing powerful bullet point statements is critical, your resume's layout dictates its readability for recruiters and hiring teams. Below, you will find the essential sections needed on all resumes, along with optional elements you can mix in to reflect your unique background and career goals.

The Essential Sections 

Every general resume requires these four foundational sections.

1. Contact Information

The heading at the top of your resume tells employers who you are and how to reach you. It should be easy to scan. 

• Name: Make this the largest text on the page, placed clearly at the top. 
• Location: Include City, State only (e.g., Columbus, OH). Leaving off your full street address saves space and maintains privacy. 
• Phone & Email: Provide your phone number and email address you check daily.

Pro Tip: Set up your voicemail box with a professional greeting and make space for messages.

• Digital Links: Include URLs for your LinkedIn profile, personal websites, or professional portfolios that showcase your skills and experience. 

2. Education

As a college student, your academic background is your primary asset and belongs near the top of the page. List institutions in reverse chronological order (most recent first). 

• Institutional Name: Write out the full name of the institution, the city, and the state. 
• Degree Titles: Spell out the exact name of your degree (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Master of Fine Arts). Include your major(s) and any minor(s). 
• Graduation Date: List the anticipated month and year of completion (e.g., Expected May 2028). 
• GPA Guidelines: Include your cumulative GPA if it is a 3.0 or higher. 
• Academic Honors: Highlight achievements like Dean's List (include specific semesters or a date range), graduation honors (such as cum laude), or graduating with distinction.

3. Experience

This is where you show you can do the job. Feature internships, part-time jobs, campus roles and even freelance or self-employed work here. Remember: you do not have to list every single job you’ve ever had. Focus on roles that demonstrate your skills and career readiness. List entries in reverse chronological order.

• Organization & Title: List the organization, your position title, the location (City, State) and the dates of employment. 
• Action Verbs: Begin every bullet point statement with a strong, descriptive action verb. 
• Verb Tense: Use present tense verbs for jobs you are currently doing (e.g., Manage) and past tense for completed roles (e.g., Managed). 
• Impact Over Duties: Focus your bullet points on accomplishments, skills developed, and the results of your work rather than a generic list of daily duties.

4. Skills

Keep this section strictly reserved for "hard," measurable, and technical skills. 

• Technical Skills: List your technical competencies, such as specific software, coding languages, laboratory techniques, or world languages. 
• Proficiency Levels: Note your level of expertise like Fluent in French, Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite. Be honest! 

Pro Tip: Where do “Soft Skills” Go?

Looking to highlight soft skills like "teamwork" or "communication"? Weave them directly into your Experience bullet points instead of listing them in the skills section.

Optional Sections: Customizing Your Resume

Your major, experiences, and career goals are unique, so your resume layout should be, too. Select from these optional sections to highlight specific academic milestones, creative projects, or extracurricular achievements that align with your target industry.

Academic & Global Sections

• Study Abroad: Place within education or as a separate section below Education. List the host university or program provider, the country and the term or months attended. Use bullet points to highlight intercultural growth, language immersion, or specialized global coursework.
• Relevant Coursework: Include within Education to show an employer you have foundational knowledge in a specific topic. List the titles of 4 to 6 advanced or relevant courses.
• Academic Projects: If you want to showcase a major class assignment, capstone, or complex lab work, create a dedicated Academic Projects section. Treat these entries like a job, listing your project title, course name and the date/semester completed.  Use action-oriented bullet points to explain your research methods, tools utilized (e.g., R, Python, Excel), and the final outcome or presentation.
• Research Experience: Recommended for students pursuing lab work, graduate school, or analytical roles. List the department or lab group, your role (e.g., Research Assistant), faculty advisor, city/state, and dates (right justified). Use 1–2 bullet points to detail laboratory techniques, data methods, and outcomes.
• Publications & Presentations: Did you present undergraduate research at forums or conferences, or get published in a journal? List it here using the standard citation style of your major. 
• Creative Performance & Production: Perfect for Art and Design students to highlight creative work. Detail roles in gallery exhibitions, stage management, performances or concert productions, including venues and dates. 

Leadership & Engagement Sections

Pro Tip for: Quality over Quantity

Focus on active contributions over passive membership. If space allows, add 1–2 bullets for high impact roles that relate to your target field. If space is tight, simply list organization, title and dates of involvement. Avoid using valuable space for generic club descriptions or passive activities like attending meetings.

• Leadership Experience & Activities: Highlight your roles in student organizations, sports clubs, or peer mentorship. Recruiters value your leadership and collaboration outside of class. 
• Volunteer & Community Service: Treat your volunteer work like a job entry to highlight civic engagement and relevant skills. 
• Interests: Only include an Interests section if you have personal accomplishments or high-level skills that complement your industry like listing Scuba Certification for marine biology. Avoid generic, passive hobbies like “reading,” “baking,” or “watching movies,” that do not add professional value or set you apart.

Next Steps: Take Action

• Want a Layout Template? Download our pre-formatted resume template and plug in your details to quickly build a clean, well-organized layout. 
• Get Instant Feedback: Upload your draft resume to BigResume (via BigInterview) for immediate AI-powered feedback on your formatting, readability and job keyword match – available 24/7.
• Have a Coach Review it: Drop into the Career Studio for a quick 1-on-1 review with a  peer career coach – no appointment needed! 

Action Verbs

Action verbs transform your resume from a basic list of job duties into a clear picture of your impact. Use the following guidance to craft powerful bullet point statements that highlight your skills, accomplishments, and value to an employer.

Why Action Verbs Matter

• Show ownership: Action verbs highlight what you did, not just what you were responsible for.
• Demonstrate skills: Readers can quickly identify competencies like leadership, communication, and problem-solving.
• Create stronger bullet points: Starting each bullet with an action verb makes your resume easier to scan and more persuasive.
• Emphasize accomplishments: Powerful verbs help shift the focus from duties to contributions and results.

Build Strong Resume Bullets

An effective resume bullet often follows this formula:

Action Verb + Issue (Task) + Result

Choose Verbs That Match Your Experience

Leadership & Management

Led, supervised, coordinated, directed, organized, oversaw, initiated, trained

Communication

Presented, advocated, negotiated, promoted, consulted, persuaded, wrote, facilitated

Research & Analysis

Analyzed, investigated, examined, evaluated, collected, tested, interpreted, synthesized

Teamwork & Collaboration

Collaborated, partnered, coordinated, supported, mentored, strengthened, delegated

Creativity & Innovation

Designed, developed, created, conceptualized, produced, customized, formulated

Technical & Data Skills

Built, programmed, engineered, debugged, upgraded, implemented, operated, developed

Teaching & Helping Others

Advised, coached, educated, guided, instructed, encouraged, counseled

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Repeating the same verb. Avoid beginning every bullet with "Managed" or "Worked."
• Using weak verbs. Replace words like "Helped" or "Assisted" with more specific verbs when possible.
• Describing responsibilities only. Focus on what you accomplished and the impact of your work.
• Using complete sentences. Resume bullets typically do not require pronouns or periods.

Choose Stronger Action Verbs

Some verbs are “weak” because they are vague. Words like “helped” or “responsible for” fail to communicate what you did, how you contributed, or what skills you used. Stronger verbs give employers a clearer picture of your role and make your resume bullets more specific, confident, and results-focused.

Instead of...                                        Consider...

Helped                                                     Supported, Facilitated, Coordinated

Worked on                                             Developed, Implemented, Designed

Responsible for                                Managed, Directed, Oversaw

Did research                                       Investigated, Analyzed, Conducted

Pro Tip

As an Arts and Sciences student, you've developed valuable skills through coursework, research, campus involvement, employment, and community engagement. If you're struggling to describe an experience, ask yourself:

• What did I create?
• What problem(s) did I solve?
• What did I improve?
• Who did I support or influence?
• What skills did I use?

Your answers often point you toward strong action verbs.

Next Steps: Take Action

• Want personalized feedback? Bring your resume to the Career Studio for a drop-in review.
• Need help describing your experiences? Schedule a Career Coaching appointment to strengthen your resume bullet points and identify your transferable skills.

Writing an Effective Cover Letter

Why Cover Letters Matter

A strong cover letter explains the story behind your resume and connects your experiences to a specific opportunity. By tailoring your letter to the position, you help employers see beyond a list of experiences and accomplishments to understand why you're a strong fit for the role.

Focus on Three Key Questions

An effective cover letter clearly answers three core questions:

• Why this organization? Show that you've done your research by mentioning something specific about the employer's mission, values, industry, or work that interests you.
• Why this role? Explain what attracts you to the position and how it aligns with your interests, skills, or career goals.
• Why you? Connect your experiences, accomplishments, and strengths to the qualifications the employer is seeking.

Structure Your Cover Letter

An effective cover letter can be summarized with the following formula: Interest + Evidence + Connection

• Interest: Explain Your Motivation – Introduce yourself, identify the position, and briefly explain your interest in the opportunity.
  • Example: "I am excited to apply for the Marketing Intern position with ABC Company. As a Communication major at Ohio State with experience creating content for student organizations, I am eager to contribute my skills while learning from a team known for innovative marketing campaigns."
• Evidence: Demonstrate Your Qualifications – Select 1-2 experiences that demonstrate your qualifications. Focus on examples that show relevant skills, accomplishments, or impact. Rather than repeating your resume, explain: what you accomplished, what skills you developed, and how those experiences prepared you for this role.
  • Example: "Through my role as Treasurer for a student organization, I managed a $10,000 annual budget and collaborated with campus partners to coordinate events for more than 200 students. This experience strengthened my project management, communication, and problem-solving skills, all of which would support my success in this position."
• Connection: Tie It All Together – Reaffirm your interest in both the role and the organization, thank the employer for their consideration, and express enthusiasm about discussing how your experiences align with their needs.

  • Example: “Thank you for your time and consideration. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to ABC Company and support your commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experiences and skills align with your team's needs. I look forward to hearing from you.

    Sincerely, 

    Taylor Smith”

Common Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid

• Using the same letter everywhere: Tailor each letter to the specific employer and position.
• Repeating your resume: Add context, stories, and examples rather than listing experiences again.
• Focusing only on what you want: Explain how you can contribute to the organization's goals.
• Overlooking details: Proofread carefully for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors before submitting. 
• Forgetting to update employer-specific details: Before submitting, confirm that the company name, position title, hiring manager's name (if applicable), and any other references to the employer are accurate.
• Making it too long. Most cover letters should be about one page (or 3-4 short paragraphs).

Pro Tip

Quality matters more than quantity. A thoughtfully tailored cover letter for a position you genuinely want will often be more effective than sending the same generic letter to dozens of employers.

Next Steps: Take Action

• Want personalized feedback? Bring your cover letter draft to the Career Studio for a drop-in review.
• Need help tailoring your materials? Schedule a Career Coaching appointment to discuss your application strategy.
• Looking for examples? Review sample cover letters and resume resources available through Career Success.

While our general Resume Writing Principles apply to the majority of Arts and Sciences students, certain industry sectors and student populations benefit from highly tailored strategies. Visit our Specialized Resume Guidance page to find resume tips specific industries and students. 

Specialized Resume Guidance