Career Planning: Resume Writing- Work History

Provided by our partner ResumeEdge -the leading student resume writing services resource

Job responsibilities are the daily tasks that you do in a job or during volunteer work. For a student or recent grad, volunteer activities are as important as professional experience and can be used inside of your work history section. What are the duties of your job or volunteer activity? If you’re having trouble writing this part of your student resume, look at the job description you were given when you were hired, or the posting you answered when you applied for the job or volunteer opportunity.

Daily duties
Many students and recent grads mistakenly believe that all duties must be listed in a student resume or entry-level resume because this is what admissions directors and hiring managers expect. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The duties you should include your student or entry-level resume are those that directly relate to the entry-level job you are applying for or enhance your candidacy for admission to school.

Work history that helps
When providing your work history, make sure you accentuate the positive, minimize anything negative and keep your information accurate. While you should be sure to never exaggerate your past roles, keep in mind that you can use enhanced versions of a job title to better represent yourself. For example, you can use the phrase "child care worker" instead of "babysitter" or "counterperson" rather than "order taker."

Let's say you're a high school grad who has held several summer jobs like babysitting, selling handmade crafts and working at a call center answering phones. Now that you've graduated and want a full-time customer service job, you should make sure to list the similarities your previous roles have with the position you are applying to. Hiring managers like to know that your experiences in the past will help you considerably in what you will be doing in your potential new job.

Going beyond that, you should also include information that is unique to your career, field, or industry to indicate your skill set so your prior experience in the field is detailed.

Formatting your work history
To keep your work history easy to read, try the format below:

Name of the Company, Company Location (City, State)
Dates of employment (Months or Years)
Your job title (i.e.: Retail Clerk)
Bulleted list of your responsibilities

Example:

Winchell's Donuts, Palm Desert, California June – August 2009
Summer Counterperson

Worked a full summer in franchise environment
Helped customers to make selections and rang sales
Kept counter and eating areas clean
Performed daily inventory counts

As you can see, there are certain ways to display and organize your past experiences that will make you a more appealing candidate for future positions. If you need help structuring your resume, take advantage of the many professional resume writing services like ResumeEdge available to you.

Want more information on resume writing?

Look at our articles on how to write a resume:

All Career Planning Info

Military Officer Candidate Test Prep

Peterson's has recently contracted with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide every branch of the military and their families with a wide range of...

postal-exam-prep-book

Postal Exam Practice Test

The United States Postal Service offers many career opportunities. Whether you want to be a clerk, carrier, technician, or information specialist there's a job for...

Firefighter Exam Practice Test

Firefighters work every day to protect the public in emergency situations. To qualify, you must first pass a written Firefighter Exam, in addition to medical and...

NCLEX Practice Test

The NCLEX is your gateway to a career in nursing — once you pass, you get your license and you're on your way! Whether you're preparing for the RN or PN exam, we'll...

Online Academic Skills Course

Peterson's Online Academic Skills Course helps you advance your career by building your math and verbal skills. You start by taking pre-tests which measure your...

Law Enforcement Test Practice

Across the country, there are many career opportunities in law enforcement. Qualifying tests are part of the application process for most positions. Make sure you're...

Military Officer Candidate Test Prep

Peterson's has recently contracted with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide every branch of the military and their families with a wide range of...

Career Planning

These days, students come from all walks of life and enter college for a variety of reasons, and with a variety of expectations. Many of these students are acutely...

Real Estate Exam Practice Test

As a licensed real estate agent, broker, or appraiser, you have the opportunity to embark on a lucrative and rewarding career path. While each state administers...

ASVAB Practice Test

Looking for some direction? The ASVAB, a 3-hour career-placement test, is best known for its use in the military recruitment process. But even if you don’t plan...

Career Planning: How to Write a Resume- Activities

Provided by our partner ResumeEdge- the leading student resume writing services resourceActivities including clubs, membership organizations, hobbies, and interests...

Why Career Planning Now Often Includes a Focus on Green Jobs

Today, it seems as though everywhere you turn, all you see and hear is "green." Eat organically grown food. Use only low- or no-VOC paint. (What's VOC?) Trade in...

Career Planning: How to Write a Resume- Honors, Awards, and Accomplishments

Provided by our partner ResumeEdge -the leading student resume writing services resource In a competitive academic and job market, many students or recent grads...

Career Planning: How to Write a Resume- Education Information

Provided by our partner ResumeEdge -the leading student resume writing services resource As a recent graduate or a student continuing your education, academic...

Job Announcements are Important to Your Civil Service Career Planning

If your career planning involves exploring civil service jobs, you will need to understand and interpret job announcements in order to find opportunities for the...

Taking ASVAB Prepares You for Career Planning or Military Enlistment

If you're not sure what kind of career planning or career options you'd like to pursue, you may want to consider taking the ASVAB to get a sense of the occupations...

Graphic Design Career Planning

Have you ever been seduced into buying something by a wildly creative ad — or at least been tempted to try it out? How many of the choices you make when shopping...

Career Planning for a Fashion Design Position

If you're one of those people who haunts the retail clothing stores, has a closet bursting with the latest styles, and who can't resist offering wardrobe advice,...

Ask the Experts: Career Planning

Read actual questions from students about career planning and see answers and advice from college planning and admissions experts

ASVAB Course

Do you need to improve your ASVAB AFQT score so that you can enter the military or get promoted? Peterson's Online Course for the ASVAB gives you the most highly...

Career Planning: How to Write a Resume - Avoiding the Top 10 Pitfalls of Resume Writing

Provided by our partner ResumeEdge -the leading student resume writing services resourceCreating a succinct and attractive resume that contains well-prioritized...

Civil Service Practice Test

The civil service sector offers rewarding jobs, not to mention great benefits. To qualify, you must first prepare for and pass the tests related to your chosen field,...

Career Planning: How to Write a Resume- Skills Matter

For a recent graduate or a student continuing your education, you may find that utilizing a skills section of your resume can be a useful tool to supplement a less...

Career Planning: How to Write a Resume- Overview

A well-written resume is an integral component to both the job search and admission application packet. However, resume writing can be intimidating especially if...

Career Planning: Qualifications and Requirements for Civil Service Jobs

If your career path may include a civil service job or government position, it's important to understand the typical qualifications and requirements for the wide...

Help us improve Petersons.com
Take our brief survey!

Share this Page

Featured Colleges

University of Southern California
The University of Southern California, or USC, is located in a neighborhood ...

San Diego State University
With some of the finest weather in the country and pastimes suited to that ...

University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley is one of the most revered and ...

Universal Technical Institute

Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs
Accounting: All businesses have Accounting professionals that keep them on ...

Colleges Near You

Your Zip Code: