Get to Work!

Write your Resume in English! Activity

In this activity and the workshop we will be learning what makes an effective resume and how to write
the most important sections in English. You will also learn how to identify key words that should be
included in your resume.

Complete the activity before the conference so that you can follow along and practice the activities
that we will be doing in the workshop.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
STEP 1: YOUR SKILLS FROM LINKEDIN-GLISH WORKSHEET 2
STEP 2: RESPONSIBILITIES VOCABULARY 3
STEP 3: USING THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE 3
STEP 4: IDENTIFYING KEY WORDS FROM JOB DESCRIPTION 4
STEP 5: YOUR SUMMARY STATEMENT 5
APPENDICES
#1: SAMPLE RESUME 7
#2: RESPONSIBILITIES, TASKS, ACHIEVEMENTS VOCABULARY LIST 8
#3: PAST TENSE AND KEY WORDS ANSWERS 9
#4: HOW TO WRITE A SUMMARY STATEMENT 10
#5: CREATING AN EFFECTIVE RESUME - RESUME OUTLINE WORKSHEET 11

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INTRODUCTION

The resume gets you the interview.

The interview gets you the job.

What is a Resume? (We say it like this: ré-zu-may)

A resume is a one-page overview of your skills, education, and experience which you use to apply for
jobs.

It is essentially a quick, effective advertisement of who you are, what you know and can do, and what
your potential value is as an employee.

The strategy behind a resume is to do 2 things:

1. Prove to the employer that you have the skills and experience needed for the job.
2. Create enough interest that they want to know more – which means inviting you for the
job interview.

It is one of the most important pieces of writing that you will ever create so it is worth the time and
effort needed to make it effective at communicating the essential points, easy to read, and visually
inviting and attractive.

Resume Sections
These are the standard sections for today’s resumes.
You don’t need to include all of them, but your resume should include at least numbers 1-6.

1. Personal/Contact Info
2. Summary Statement
3. Work And/Or Related Academic Experience
4. Education
5. Hard Skills
6. Soft Skills/Strengths
7. Awards/Achievements (If Applicable)
8. Extracurricular Activities (If Applicable)
9. Optional: Hobbies, Interests, Etc.

SEE APPENDIX #1 FOR AN EXAMPLE OF A RESUME

SEE APPENDIX #5 FOR A WORKSHEET THAT YOU CAN USE TO PLAN
YOUR RESUME.

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STEP 1: YOUR SKILLS FROM LINKEDIN-GLISH WORKSHEET
Instructions: From the LinkedIn-Glish Worksheet copy and paste your Soft skills, Hard skills, and
Languages and Software.
This is to have in mind this vocabulary for a later activity.

My Soft Skills are:

1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
5.  

My hard/technical skills are:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

MY LANGUAGES AND SOFTWARE SKILLS:

The languages that I speak are:
The software programs that I know how to use are:

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STEP 2: RESPONSIBILITIES VOCABULARY
Instructions: In preparation for the workshop, review the Responsibilities Vocabulary List in
Appendix #2 on page 9.
Choose 5 Responsibilities that you have had before and write them in the list below.
These can be from previous jobs, volunteer experiences, university or training courses, or even
academic projects and classwork.
In the workshop we will practice writing “One-Liners” which are specific sentences that highlight our
experiences and our abilities and knowledge.
This is an example of a One-Liner:
Created Excel database to track and analyze manufacturing costs resulting in savings of USD $1
million.
My 5 Responsibilities verbs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

STEP 3: USING THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Most often we use the simple past tense in our resumes. This is because we most often talk about our
past experiences, education, jobs, and training.
Instructions:
Practice putting these verbs into the simple past.

Check your answers in Appendix #3 on page 10.

PRESENT TENSE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Work
Have
Make
Study
Participate
Direct
Design

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STEP 4: IDENTIFYING KEY WORDS FROM JOB DESCRIPTION
Each time you apply for a job, you must adapt and modify it to the job you are applying for.
This means you need to identify the KEY WORDS that are important for the job, starting with the
job title.
We do this for 2 reasons:
#1: By matching key words from the job description in our resume, we can try to “game” the
Applicant Tracking System (ATS), also known as resume screening, and have our resume pass the
filters based on key word hits.
#2: We ensure that our resume fulfills the requirements of the job and make it more likely to be
invited to the job interview.
Instructions: Read this excerpt from a real-life job description and identify some of the key words
that the employer and the ATS would want to see on your resume.
Check your answers in Appendix #3 on page 10.
Finance Young Professional, Commercial Finance

Role Expectations And Tasks

Finance Young Professional is a key role within Commercial Finance Department (e.g. manage sales interactions, propose and review
commercial offers. Very important in this role is interaction and communication with other team members and managers in an
international environment, and as such requires advanced communication in both English and Spanish languages.

 Provide guidance on licensing and pricing questions

 Assist with deal structuring
 Business administration

Education And Qualification / Skills And Competencies

 Excellent "Customer Focus" approach

 Advanced MS Office skills: Excel, Word, Outlook
 Communication skills (verbal and written)
 Ability to work under pressure
 Ability to work in an international environment
 Ability to coordinate a team
 Strong attention to detail
 Strong will to deliver excellent quality
 Willingness to learn and improve
 Team spirit contribution

The first major key word that should be included in your resume is the Job Title.
What other key words do you see?
Answers:

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STEP 5: YOUR SUMMARY STATEMENT
Summary or Profile or Objective statements are increasingly used on resumes and are a great way to
provide a quick profile of your skills and traits and the position you are seeking. It is an overview, your
elevator pitch, and allows the person reading your resume to quickly get a sense of who you are and
what you offer.
It should be three to five lines describing your strengths, the position/industry you are seeking, and
what you will bring to the job.
The major points that should be included in your summary statement are:
a. Specific strengths and transferrable skills
b. Personality traits that are important to you and the job for which you are applying
c. Slight mention of professional expertise – for example: “Experience in creating budgets
and supervising staff.”
d. Type of position or industry you are seeking

Using the template below, fill in the summary statement with your own skills/traits.
Consider this a first draft/template that you can later modify.
You can find more information and examples in Appendix #4 on page 12.

Example:

Sales and marketing professional seeking brand management opportunity. Excellent

communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work comfortably at multiple
organizational levels. Accomplished fteam leader. Detail-oriented, highly motivated to
succeed, and I bring integrity and a willingness to learn to the workplace.

Your first draft:

________ professional seeking ___________ opportunity. Excellent
____________and ____________ skills. Ability to work ___________.
Successful __________________. ____________, ____________ and I
bring ________ and ______________ to the workplace.

Here is my example. Mine doesn’t follow this exact format. But it’s good to start with a
simple base then adapt as you see fit.

I am currently a University ESL teacher, love teaching, and strive to bring this passion to my classroom
instruction, student teacher relationships, and curriculum/material design. Small business entrepreneur
with a corporate background in international business. I constantly search for new approaches to teaching
that adapt to current circumstances, fully engage students and teach lessons that go beyond the classroom.

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 EXCELLENT!
YOU HAVE FINISHED THE SECOND ACTIVITY!

Now, you have a few ideas that we can use in the Writing Your Resume in English Conference.

Remember the conference is on Wednesday, October 6th at 4pm.

The dates of the remaining conferences are as follows:

Workshop #2: Write your Resume in English! - Wednesday, October 6th at 4pm.

Workshop #3: 10 Qs for Interviews - Wednesday, October 27th at 4pm.

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APPENDIX 1: EXAMPLE RESUME

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APPENDIX #2: RESPONSIBILITIES VOCABULARY LIST

accomplished successfully completed

advised gave advice to; offered an opinion
analyzed to examine or think about carefully
A group technique for solving problems, generating ideas, stimulating creative thinking, etc.
brainstormed
by unrestrained spontaneous participation in discussion.
collaborated worked together
communicate to exchange or share thoughts, feelings, or information with people, using words, writings, or
d other methods
completed finished
coordinated negotiate with others in order to work together effectively
created made or built
delegated To divide up, especially responsibilities
designed to have planned or developed something
developed brought into being or made bigger and more complex
directed control the operations of; manage
documented recorded
drafted prepare a preliminary version of (a text).
prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting; to make changes
edited
by adding, deleting, or modifying text, graphics, or other items in a document
established to set up
evaluated assessed
identified recognized
illustrated made clear with pictures or examples
implemented to put a decision or plan into effect
improved made better
increased made greater in size or amount or degree
innovated to make changes; to modernize
investigated to observe or study by examining closely and questioning systematically
liaised establish a working relationship, typically to cooperate on a matter of mutual concern.
managed to succeed in doing something
negotiated talked with one another to work out an agreement
organized arranged in an orderly way
persuaded convinced by argument or pleading
planned design or make a plan of (something to be made or built).
prepared made ready
presented exhibit something to others
produced created, made
provided supplied; gave
published something that is written and distributed
recommended suggested
redesigned design (something) again or in a different way.
reviewed To look over, study, or examine again
revised improved or brought up to date
set up to establish
strengthened made stronger
supervised looked after and directed
supported gave assistance to; helped
trained taught a person how to do something

APPENDIX #3: PAST TENSES AND KEYWORDS ANSWERS

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Finance Young Professional, Commercial Finance

Role Expectations And Tasks

Finance Young Professional is a key role within Commercial Finance Department (e.g. manage sales interactions, propose and review
commercial offers. Very important in this role is interaction and communication with other team members and managers in an
international environment, and as such requires advanced communication in both English and Spanish languages.

 Provide guidance on licensing and pricing questions

 Assist with deal structuring
 Business administration

Education And Qualification / Skills And Competencies

 Excellent "Customer Focus" approach

 Advanced MS Office skills: Excel, Word, Outlook
 Communication skills (verbal and written)
 Ability to work under pressure
 Ability to work in an international environment
 Ability to coordinate a team
 Strong attention to detail
 Strong will to deliver excellent quality
 Willingness to learn and improve
 Team spirit contribution

PAST TENSES ANSWERS

PRESENT TENSE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Work Worked
Have Had
Make Made
Study Studied
Participate Participated
Direct Directed
Design Designed

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APPENDIX #4: HOW TO WRITE A SUMMARY STATEMENT

Summary statements are very useful for students who have varied experience, or who are looking to make a career
change. A summary statement can help transition your resume from your current education and experience to the type of
position you are seeking.

Your summary statement should be three to five lines describing your strengths, the position/industry you are seeking,
and what you will bring to the job. Strengths and traits should be focused on the direction you are moving, not where
you are coming from.

The major points that should be included in your summary statement are:

a. Specific strengths and transferrable skills

b. Personality traits that are important to you and the job for which you are applying
c. Slight mention of professional expertise – for example: “Experience in creating budgets and
supervising staff.”
d. Type of position or industry you are seeking

This statement differs from an objective, which states what you want from the employer. An objective can also put in a
very narrow job opportunity situation. There can also be a problem with “semantics,” meaning the job you are seeking
may be called one thing by you and another by an employer. If you state your objective and it is not in the terms used
in the company, based on what you have asked for, you could be eliminated as a candidate.

Sample Summary Statements

Here are a couple of summary statements that include both experience and an emphasis on transferrable skills and
accomplishments. Notice how each is tailored to different opportunities or industries based on the individual’s
background.

Marketing/Sales
Sales and marketing professional with global expertise seeking brand management opportunity. Excellent
communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work comfortably at multiple organizational levels. Accomplished
team leader. Analytical strategic planner and presenter. Goal- and detail-oriented, high energy and integrity.
Committed and focused.

Accounting/Finance
Dependable and detail-oriented accounting and auditing professional. Works well under pressure. Successful in
meeting deadlines. Organized, focused. Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. Ability to
multi-task. Expertise with energy industry.

MIS
Proven IT professional with demonstrated management skills. Excellent technical, interpersonal and communication
skills. Ability to bridge gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders. Creative and resourceful in
development and implementation, as well as problem resolution. Presenter and motivator.
Knowledgeable and proactive, with high energy and integrity.

Management
Customer Service manager with extensive experience directing busy call centers. Proven ability to increase customer
satisfaction as well as call volume per representative. Excellent leader with history of improving employee morale and
reducing turnover. Skilled communication and team motivation have resulted in fulfilling service goals.

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APPENDIX 5: CREATING YOUR RESUME – RESUME OUTLINE WORKSHEET

RESUME SECTIONS
These are the standard sections for today’s resumes.
You don’t need to include all of them, but your resume should include at least numbers 1-6.

1. PERSONAL/CONTACT INFO
2. SUMMARY STATEMENT (LIKE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND STATEMENT)
3. WORK and/or RELATED ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
4. EDUCATION
5. HARD SKILLS
6. SOFT SKILLS/STRENGTHS
7. AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS (IF APPLICABLE)
8. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (IF APPLICABLE)
9. OPTIONAL: HOBBIES, INTERESTS, ETC.

Instructions:
Complete this Resume Outline Worksheet before you start creating your resume. This will help
you organize your information and ideas and then you can simply “cut-and-paste” a lot of it into your
template.

JOB TITLE THAT YOU ARE APPLYING FOR:

1. Personal Information
Name:
Cell Phone #:
Email address:
LinkedIn Handle:
Twitter Handle:
Other:

2. Summary Statement/Qualifications Profile

See HOW TO WRITE A SUMMARY STATEMENT worksheet in Appendix #4

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 3. Work Experience
List the most recent and relevant work experience in reverse chronological order. (newest first)
Add more jobs as needed.

Job #1
Position Title:
Company/Org:
Dates Employed
 Start:
 End:

Job #2
Position Title:
Company/Org:
Dates Employed
 Start:
 End:

4. Education
University:
Location:
Program/Major:
GPA (grade point average):
Expected Date of Graduation:
Honors/Awards:

Relevant Coursework
List some courses that were especially important to your studies, focusing on the job
description/industry:
1.
2.
3.

High School (OPTIONAL):

Location:
GPA:
Honors/Awards:

5. Class Projects
List some special academic projects that you feel added to your experience and knowledge. Sometimes
this can be used in lieu of, or in addition to, actual work experience.

1.
2.
3.

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 6. Volunteer Experience
Volunteer #1
Position Title:
Company/Org:
Dates Employed
 Start:
 End:

7. Hard (Technical/Learned) Skills (i.e. computer/technical skills/languages)

List all computer skills including hardware, software and programming skills.
Also list all languages you speak and level (native speaker, B2, etc.)
Use the job description to guide you!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

8. Soft Skills / Strengths / Personality Traits

List your soft skills/strengths/personality traits:
Use the job description to guide you!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

9. Achievements, Awards and Extracurricular Activities (if applicable)

List all (includes personal) accomplishments like academic awards and honors, club/association
memberships, volunteer activities, etc.
1.
2.
3.

10. Hobbies and Personal Interests (optional)

List your hobbies and personal interests:
1.
2.
3.

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