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Resume Writing Guide
Career Services
Workforce Innovation & Experiential Learning (WIEL) Center
North Hennepin Community College
Table of Contents
How to Use the Resume Writing Guide ................................................................................... 2
Resume Overview ..................................................................................................................... 2
Gathering Your Information ..................................................................................................... 3
Worksheet #1 Resume Header ............................................................................................. 4
Worksheet #2 Profile Statement and Skills ........................................................................... 5
Worksheet #3 Education ....................................................................................................... 7
Worksheet #4 Experience ..................................................................................................... 8
Resume Formatting and Pulling it Together .......................................................................... 11
Resume Samples ..................................................................................................................... 12
References .............................................................................................................................. 14
Resume Resources .................................................................................................................. 15
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HOW TO USE THE RESUME GUIDE
Before you begin typing your resume, you should gather important information relating to your education,
skills, work history, and experience. Use the worksheets in the Gathering Your Information section
(pages 4-10) to help you document your details and then decide what is most important and relevant to
include in the resume. The resume is a snapshot of you, your accomplishments and experience. Focus on
details that will help the hiring manager determine that you are a good candidate for an interview. It is also
a good idea to consult a current job posting to understand preferred qualifications and to reference skills,
experience and credentials using industry terminology.
Use the resume overview (pages 2-3) to help organize your information under appropriate headings. You
can rename the section headings or create additional sections to best suit your personal circumstances. The
sample resumes (pages 12-13) offer ideas for headings, layout and content.
Keep the following in mind as you work through this process:
Everyone is unique and so your resume will tell your own unique story. Avoid using resume
templates or copying phrases word-for-word from sample resumes. Design a resume that best
meets your needs.
Show the employer how you would be a benefit to the organization and the position you are
seeking. An employer does not want to see a generic resume but wants to hear about your
relevant accomplishments and experience.
Be succinct and focused with relevant information. Rarely should a resume be more than one
page.
Writing a resume is a work in progress. Be patient - do not expect to have a stellar resume at
the first attempt.
Additional resume resources are provided on page 15.
RESUME OVERVIEW
The resume is a summary of your skills, experience, and education, reflecting your career goals and
matching the needs of the hiring manager. It is written without using personal pronouns (such as I, me, my)
in order to create strong fragmented sentence statements that are quickly scannable by the resume reader.
There are different ways to construct a resume, but you should include most or all of the following sections,
depending on your background and experience:
1. Heading. Minimally, you should provide your full name and primary telephone number with area
code, and a professional-sounding email address. If you have an online portfolio such as a LinkedIn,
you can include the link as long as you are keeping the information current.
2. Objective versus Profile Statement. You may be familiar with the use of an objective statement,
where you simply state the opportunity you are seeking, such as “A position as a Bookkeeper.
Current trends favor replacing the objective with a more meaningful profile, which is a broader
statement highlighting a few skills, qualities and experiences that you will bring to the job. The
profile should focus on key attributes required for the job and show the organization what you can
do for them in the future. It differs from the objective by focusing on what you have to offer the
employer rather than what the employer can do for you.
3. Skills. Highlight the key skills that you possess and that are relevant to your targeted field of work.
You can build the skills into the introductory/profile statement or present them as a short-bulleted
list. Be sure to reference a current job posting and include as many skills as you possess.
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4. Education. Record your most recent education first, including the degree type, name of the
program of study/major, GPA if it is greater than 3.4, date (or anticipated date) of graduation, as
well as the school name, city, and state where the credential was obtained. You may reference
classes that are relevant to the job application (under a subheading of “Course Highlights”) or
additional academic information, including honor societies or other significant achievements. You
may include high school information if it is fairly recent and you have an outstanding achievement
or experience that is relevant.
5. Work Experience. Your previous work experience includes paid employment, volunteer work,
internships, and tutoring; in fact, any experience that demonstrates to the employer that you have
transferable skills that would benefit the organization. Organize work experience in reverse
chronological order, that is, the most recent experience comes first. Include the name of the
employer, the city and state, your job title (indicate if the position was an internship or volunteer
opportunity), the dates you were employed, and a brief description of activities/experience/
accomplishments, starting each idea with a strong action verb (see Skill-Specific Action Words
on page 9). Use the present tense for the current job and past tense for all other experiences. If
there are chronological gaps or work history that is less than one year that you want to leave out,
include the word “Relevant” in the title, which assumes there is experience not included.
6. Additional Information. If there is information that you feel is important to share with the
employer, and it does not fit into the above categories, then create additional headings, such as
Computer Knowledge, Activities, Honors and Awards, International Experience, Languages, or
Additional Skills. Always keep in mind that the employer is looking for well-rounded individuals,
since active people make good employees. Include activities that show leadership ability,
interpersonal skills, or that you are a hard-worker or a self-starter. Keep it relevant.
7. References. Do not list your actual references on the resume. It is sufficient to use a statement
such as “References Available on Request” although this statement is no longer necessary on the
resume. Create a separate Reference Sheet using the same header formatting as the resume. It is
recommended to have a list of at least three professional references (this can include colleagues,
instructors, advisors, or activity mentors) who can speak to your qualifications. See page 14 for
more information.
GATHERING YOUR INFORMATION
The four worksheets that follow (pages 4-8) will help you pull together details relating to your goals,
education and training, skills, and work history. Make extra copies of the worksheets if you need more
space. Once you have completed the worksheets, use the content to guide you in constructing your resume
in a new Word document.
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Worksheet #1 - Resume Header
The employer needs to be able to easily contact you for an interview or to ask follow up questions. Most
often an application will ask for your street address, so consider leaving it off your resume for security
purposes, especially when posting to an online job board. Include your full address on your cover letter or
when applying directly to the employer. Add your personalized LinkedIn address, if applicable.
Below are the two examples from the sample resumes included in this guide:
Example 1:
JESSE FISCHER
Linkedin.com/in/jessefischer
(763) 222-4323
jfischer11@gmail.com
Example 2:
TAYLOR WILSON
Linkedin.com/in/taylorwilson
763-000-000
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
Taylor.Wilson@my.nhcc.edu
Either version or something similar is just fine. Notice the name is in a larger font (at least 18pt),
CAPITALIZED, and bolded. Type the remaining information in 10, 11 or 12 font. Write your header in the
box below.
MY HEADER
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Worksheet #2 Profile Statement and Skills
Profile
The profile statement clearly summarizes your next career goal, highlighting your most important skills and
qualities that are relevant to the job. It should be no more than three or four short sentences and may
include a job title or function area in which you wish to work. Make notes of your own goals and skills
below. The examples provided demonstrate information that an accounting graduate or computer science
student might consider using. Record your own information in the spaces provided, use it to create a
compelling profile statement.
Job Target or Goal may include a job title, the job function, or preferred industry. Examples:
Job Title/Goal Bookkeeping; Help Desk
Job Function - Geriatrics; Accounts Payable
Industry Healthcare; Education
My Job Target or Goal:
Summary statement may include length of experience in an area or type of training. Examples:
5 years’ customer service and administrative experience
Strong communication skills and computer related training
Skills can include technical skills such as Excel, QuickBooks; job content skills such as customer service; and
personal management skills such as organization and planning.
My Key Skills and Attributes:
Identifying Skills
If you find it difficult to identify your skills, think about the following technical, job content self-
management and personal skills/attributes you might possess. Check all the categories that apply to you
and describe them in the space provided. Once you have completed the list, circle the skills that are most
relevant to the job(s) you are applying for (these are your transferable skills) and include them in your
profile/skills section. Consult a current job posting for preferred skills and include if you possess.
Equipment
Interpersonal/ Communications
Clerical/ Office
Computer/ Software/ Technical
Relationship Building/Team Work
Helping/ Teaching
Customer Service
Management
Creative
Foreign Languages
Personal Management (organization,
planning, etc.)
Other
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Combine your profile information (goals, summary of experience and skills) to create an introductory
statement. Here are two completed profile statements with skills taken from the resumes in this guide:
Example 1:
Recent college graduate with 5 years’ customer service and administrative experience pursuing entry-
level bookkeeping position. Committed to supporting community healthcare as an accounting
professional, demonstrating the following competencies:
o Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access
o QuickBooks; Payroll Accounting
o Managerial and Financial Accounting
o Inventory Management
o Detail oriented; strong time management
o Fluent in Spanish
Example 2:
Work Study Help Desk
Second year computer science student seeking opportunity to combine strong communication
skills and computer related training in a hands-on setting. Eager to learn and confident in ability
to troubleshoot and work effectively with technology team.
o Languages: Java, C# for .NET, C++, HTML,
ASP.NET, SQL
o Object-Oriented Programming
o Web Site Design & Development
o Operating Systems: Linux, Windows 10,
Mac OS
o Customer Service Experience
o Teamwork and Communications
Write your own profile statement in the box below.
MY CAREER PROFILE STATEMENT
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Worksheet #3 - Education and Training
Education
List all the schools, colleges, trade schools, business schools, and adult education programs you have
attended. High school is typically not included. Begin with your current or most recent education (usually
North Hennepin Community College). For each institution provide the following information:
School Name, City and State
Type of Degree (AA/AS/AAS/AFA) or Certificate
Full name of the program of study (include majors and minors where applicable):
Date (or Expected Date) of Graduation/Program Completion
Relevant courses (optional)
Activities, accomplishments, awards, scholarships, honors, memberships, organizations, study
abroad (optional)
Only include what is relevant to show your academic goals and accomplishments, leadership and campus
involvement. Here are two examples for the Education section taken from resumes in this guide:
Example 1:
EDUCATION
NORTH HENNEPIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Brooklyn Park, MN
Associate of Science: Accounting (May 20xx)
Course Highlights: Computerized Accounting, Decision Making Excel
Example 2:
Education
NORTH HENNEPIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Brooklyn Park, MN
Associate in Science: Computer Science GPA 3.6/4.0 (Graduate Dec 20xx)
Certificate: Game Programming (May 20xx)
Member of Phi Theta Kappa - Honor Society
Member of Math Club
Vice President Student Anime Game Club
Write your education information in the box below.
MY EDUCATION
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Worksheet #4 - Experience
Gather your employment history, beginning with your most recent employer. You may want to include
summer, temporary, part-time, internship, and volunteer work, but indicate if the position is not a
permanent position. Make as many copies of this worksheet as you need to document information of your
work experiences. As a general guide, you should include your past ten years of work experience or your
three most recent jobs. Start by documenting your most recent job, entering information in the box below:
NAME OF ORGANIZATION/EMPLOYER
City and State
Job Title
Start Date (month/year) End Date (month/year)
Well-written bullet points, describing what you have done throughout your work experiences, are key in
letting potential employers know what you have to offer. A strong bullet point offers enough detail about
your qualifications for the job, using action words (verbs) that describe your transferable skills, details of
the tasks completed, and/or result of these actions. Here are two approaches to structuring concise
bulleted information to show case your skills and accomplishments:
Example 1 (showing communication skills):
ACTION VERB
SKILL(S) GAINED
TASK(S) COMPLETED
Developed
excellent interpersonal communication
skills
by meeting the needs of hundreds of guests
in a fast-paced environment.
Developed excellent interpersonal communication skills by meeting the needs of hundreds of
guests in a fast-paced environment.
Example 2 (showing leadership skills):
ACTION VERB
TASK DETAILS
POSITIVE RESULT(S) FROM ACTION
Coordinated
Student Volunteer Club meetings and
activities
promoting positive relationships between
campus and community.
Coordinated Student Volunteer Club meetings and activities, promoting positive relationships
between campus and community.
Transfer employer/job title information from the top of the worksheet and create your own bullets to
complete your work experience in the box below (see page 12 for format and layout examples):
MY WORK EXPERIENCE
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SAMPLE SKILL-SPECIFIC ACTION WORDS
Strengthen the work experience section of your resume by using effective verbs (action words) to
describe your skills and experience.
Critical Thinking/
Problem Solving
Analyzed
Applied
Assessed
Compared
Conducted
Correlated
Critiqued
Diagnosed
Evaluated
Examined
Experimented
Extracted
Formulated
Identified
Investigated
Researched
Resolved
Searched
Simplified
Solved
Summarized
Systematized
Validated
Verified
Leadership/
Management
Approved
Assigned
Chaired
Contracted
Coordinated
Decided
Delegated
Developed
Directed
Enforced
Established
Executed
Facilitated
Handled
Initiated
Interviewed
Organized
Oversaw
Planned
Prioritized
Produced
Recruited
Supervised
Teaching/
Helping
Accommodated
Adapted
Advised
Advocated
Assisted
Coached
Contributed
Counseled
Demonstrated
Enabled
Encouraged
Engaged
Guided
Inspired
Instructed
Motivated
Provided
Referred
Rehabilitated
Remedied
Represented
Taught
Innovative/
Creative
Amended
Arranged
Composed
Conceived
Conceptualized
Created
Designed
Developed
Drafted
Formed
Founded
Illustrated
Invented
Launched
Modified
Originated
Revised
Revitalized
Tailored
Transformed
Initiation/
Improvement
Accelerated
Accomplished
Achieved
Attained
Awarded
Effected
Enhanced
Enlarged
Excelled
Expanded
Fortified
Improved
Increased
Initiated
Instituted
Introduced
Mastered
Restored
Safeguarded
Selected
Stimulated
Strengthened
Succeeded
Upgraded
Technical
Administered
Calculated
Computed
Detected
Devised
Diagnosed
Engineered
Fabricated
Maintained
Overhauled
Programmed
Regulated
Transmitted
Upgraded
Financial
Allocated
Appraised
Audited
Balanced
Budgeted
Calculated
Determined
Earned
Estimated
Forecasted
Generated
Increased
Managed
Marketed
Projected
Sold
Clerical
Arranged
Catalogued
Categorized
Classified
Consolidated
Detailed
Grouped
Monitored
Organized
Prearranged
Prepared
Recorded
Reviewed
Scheduled
Summarized
Communication
Clarified
Communicated
Consulted
Conveyed
Convinced
Corresponded
Defined
Influenced
Informed
Interpreted
Narrated
Persuaded
Recommended
Related
Relayed
Translated
Manual/
Dexterity
Assembled
Built
Circulated
Constructed
Contracted
Controlled
Distributed
Equipped
Inspected
Installed
Operated
Rectified
Remolded
Secured
Supplied
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Aim for 3-6 bullet points per job, typically providing more bullets for the most recent/most relevant
positions. The following examples from the resumes in this guide show the use of strong action verbs to
start each bullet, written as fragmented sentences (which is preferred in resume writing) and avoiding
personal pronouns such as I, me, you, them, their. Use bold, capital, and italics to make your section
header, job titles and employers stand apart, and include dates of employment and location of employer.
Example 1:
WORK EXPERIENCE
HEALTH FOR TEENS, Minneapolis, MN
Administrative Assistant (2014 present)
Welcome visitors to the drop-in clinic, completing in-take information and orienting patients to
the services available.
Create and manage electronic records for registered patients, ensuring confidentiality of data at
all times.
Support counselors and medical professionals, filing documentation, following through on patient
referrals and communicating with insurance companies.
Ensure adequate inventory of medical and office supplies, ordering items in a timely manner, and
managing accounts payable process.
MOVING FORWARD REHABILITATION SERVICES, Brooklyn Park, MN
Nurse Aide (2011-2014)
Assisted nursing staff with daily rehabilitation activities, guiding patients through routine
exercises and offering encouragement.
Organized and sanitized exercise equipment to maintain a pleasant and safe environment for staff
and patients.
Logged daily patient activity in Excel, recording rehab session time and type of services provided.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Treasurer of Student Volunteer Club: North Hennepin Community College (2015-2016)
Mobile Library Volunteer: Maple Grove Hospital (2014-2015)
Example 2:
Experience
OSSEO SCHOOL DISTRICT, Osseo, MN
Math Tutor (Aug 2015-present)
Provide tutoring services to high school students in after-school math development program
Work 1-on-1 and in small groups to guide students in learning math fundamentals.
Assist students in developing effective study habits to advance math skills.
Support students in understanding curriculum and identifying concepts that need reinforcing.
ABC WIRELESS, Minneapolis, MN
Sales Associate (June 2014-July 2015)
Managed cellular phone sales booth in busy mall setting
Organized schedule for team of four sales associates to ensure adequate coverage at the booth.
Advised potential and existing customers on services to best meet individual needs.
Activated service plans, clearly outlining terms and conditions and payment options.
Assisted customers in troubleshooting technical issues, referring to corporate office where
necessary.
Promoted special offers and consistently exceeded monthly sales goals by 10%.
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RESUME FORMATTING & PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
You are not limited to one specific look when compiling your resume. Your choice of layout and style is
usually a combination of personal preference and choosing a format that most effectively highlights your
key skills and accomplishments in relation to your career goals. However, there are good resume rules that
you should adhere to, and these include:
Templates. These pre-formatted documents force you to present the information in a particular way.
Avoiding using templates! Not only are they restrictive but they have a “cookie-cutter” appearance, which
means your resume looks just like the next. Instead, start with a new Word document and use the resume
overview to guide you in choosing appropriate headings.
Consistency in presentation. For example, if you use open punctuation at the end of each bullet point, do
this throughout the resume. Similarly, all dates should adopt the same format, a job title bolded for one
experience means that all job titles should be bolded, and so on.
Font size and spacing. Select the No Spacing style (rather than the default Normal) before typing the
document. Ideally, the main body should be in 11 or 12 font size. Do not minimize the font size or create
narrow margins to reduce your resume to a single page. For most job applicants, one page is sufficient so if
your resume goes over to a second page consider either changing the layout or reducing some of the text.
Your information should be concise and to the point; in resume terms “less is best”.
Resume language. Avoid personal pronouns such as I, me, my, and their. Use fragmented sentences,
starting each statement with an action verb. Typically, you will use the present tense for the current job
and the past tense for all others. “Identified and implemented programs to improve service, performance,
and productivity is an example of a past tense statement. Use key words (nouns and verbs) to describe
your skills and experience.
Accuracy. Always check your resume for accuracy and proofread it thoroughly. An error free resume shows
that you care about your job application, as well as reflecting your attention to detail and writing skills. Use
Spell Check, and have someone else read it too you do not always catch your own errors.
Following this formatting advice, type the information that you have recorded in the boxes on your
worksheets to create a resume in a Word document. Refer to the following resume samples for ideas for
layout and labels for the different sections of your resume.
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RESUME SAMPLE 1
JESSE FISCHER
LinkedIn.com/in/jessefischer
(763) 222-4323
Recent college graduate with 5 years’ customer service and administrative experience pursuing entry-level
bookkeeping position. Committed to supporting community healthcare as an accounting professional,
demonstrating the following competencies:
o Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access
o QuickBooks; Payroll Accounting
o Managerial and Financial Accounting
o Inventory Management
o Detail oriented; strong time management
o Fluent in Spanish
EDUCATION
NORTH HENNEPIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Brooklyn Park, MN
Associate of Science: Accounting (May 20xx)
Course Highlights: Computerized Accounting, Decision Making Excel
WORK EXPERIENCE
HEALTH FOR TEENS, Minneapolis, MN
Administrative Assistant (20xx present)
Welcome visitors to the drop-in clinic, completing in-take information and orienting
patients to the services available.
Create and manage electronic records for registered patients, ensuring confidentiality of
data at all times.
Support counselors and medical professionals, filing documentation, following through on
patient referrals and communicating with insurance companies.
Ensure adequate inventory of medical and office supplies, ordering items in a timely
manner, and managing accounts payable process.
MOVING FORWARD REHABILITATION SERVICES, Brooklyn Park, MN
Nurse Aide (20xx-20xx)
Assisted nursing staff with daily rehabilitation activities, guiding patients through routine
exercises and offering encouragement.
Organized and sanitized exercise equipment to maintain a pleasant and safe environment
for staff and patients.
Logged daily patient activity in Excel, recording rehab session time and type of services
provided.
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Treasurer of Student Volunteer Club: North Hennepin Community College (20xx-20xx)
Mobile Library Volunteer: Maple Grove Hospital (20xx-20xx)
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RESUME SAMPLE 2
TAYLOR WILSON
LinkedIn.com/in/taylorwilson
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
763-000-0000
Work Study Help Desk
Second year computer science student seeking opportunity to combine strong communication skills and
computer related training in a hands-on setting. Eager to learn and confident in ability to troubleshoot and
work effectively with technology team.
Skills
o Languages: Java, C# for .NET, C++, HTML,
ASP.NET, SQL
o Object-Oriented Programming
o Web Site Design & Development
o Operating Systems: Linux, Windows 10,
Mac OS
o Customer Service Experience
o Teamwork and Communications
Education
NORTH HENNEPIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Brooklyn Park, MN
Associate in Science: Computer Science GPA 3.6/4.0 (Graduate Dec 20xx)
Certificate: Game Programming (May 20xx)
Member of Phi Theta Kappa - Honor Society
Member of Math Club
Vice President Student Anime Game Club
Experience
OSSEO SCHOOL DISTRICT, Osseo, MN
Math Tutor (Aug 20xx-present)
Provide tutoring services to high school students in after-school math development program
Work 1-on-1 and in small groups to guide students in learning math fundamentals.
Assist students in developing effective study habits to advance math skills.
Support students in understanding curriculum and identifying concepts that need reinforcing.
ABC WIRELESS, Minneapolis, MN
Sales Associate (June 20xx-July 20xx)
Managed cellular phone sales booth in busy mall setting
Organized schedule for team of four sales associates to ensure adequate coverage at the booth.
Advised potential and existing customers on services to best meet individual needs.
Activated service plans, clearly outlining terms and conditions and payment options.
Assisted customers in troubleshooting technical issues, referring to corporate office where
necessary.
Promoted special offers and consistently exceeded monthly sales goals by 10%.
Page | 14
REFERENCES
References are never included on the resume but are typed on a separate sheet of paper. It is not
necessary to type References Available on Request at the foot of the resume, although you may see
this on some resume samples. Do not staple the reference sheet to the resume. Include the
reference sheet with the resume only if the job posting specifically requests the information. It is a
good idea to take spare copies of the reference sheet to interview. Otherwise, employers will let
you know at what stage in the hiring process they require the references.
Always get the permission of your references before including them in the job application and
keep them up-to-date on your job search. Clarify with your references what information you may
include such as business or mailing address, telephone numbers and email address. Include a job
title with the name of the reference. If you know the reference in a non-business setting, provide
an appropriate title that explains your relationship with that person. Examples could be Professor,
Instructor, Volunteer Coordinator, Pastor, Football Coach, and so on. It is usual to provide three
references that may include work, academic and community activity contacts. Avoid providing
references from friends and family unless requested by the employer.
To give your reference sheet a professional look, replicate the heading from the resume. This will
provide all your contact information and allows the employer to separate it from the resume. The
following example illustrates how Taylor Wilson might present references.
TAYLOR WILSON
LinkedIn.com/in/taylorwilson
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
763-000-0000
REFERENCES
Ms. Jody Prince
Computer Science Professor
North Hennepin Community College
Email: JoPrinceRN@nhcc.edu
Tel: (763) 555-5555
Dr. J. McDonald
Principal
Osseo School District.
Email: JMcDonald@osseo.edu
Tel: (763) 555-5501
Mr. Peter Brown
Regional Manager
ABC Wireless
Email: ppbrown@abcwireless.com
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RESUME RESOURCES
The following are additional resources for resume samples and helpful tips to create the perfect
resume.
Online Resources:
Visit the WIEL Center’s D2L site to watch a series of short videos on resume and cover
letter writing, learning about LinkedIn, and other career development topics. There are also
career readiness competency modules you can complete to earn a digital badge for each.
Visit the CAREERwise website at www.careerwise.minnstate.edu, select the Find a Job tab
and go to the link for Write Your Resume.
Other Resources:
Stop by the Workforce Innovation & Experiential Learning (WIEL) Center located in LRC
153-155 to obtain resume samples and other printed resources.
Attend a resume writing workshop (check the scheduled events in D2L or
www.nhcc.edu/wfinnovation ).
Meet with WIEL staff to receive comprehensive feedback on your resume draft. Call 763-
488-0445, email [email protected], or visit the WIEL Center in LRC to
schedule a time.
Updated: 4/4/22
WIEL Center
North Hennepin Community College