How to Include Military Service on Your Resume
Loren Kelly

I have worked with many student-athletes who feel like they have very little information to highlight on a resume or cover letter.

If you want help translating your achievements into great content on a student athlete’s cover letter, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’ll help you relevantly communicate your athletic and academic achievements in a cover letter for a job or internship!

Most student-athletes have limited work experience because playing a collegiate sport is a full-time job! I have worked with many student-athletes who feel like they have very little information to highlight on a resume or cover letter. If you can relate to this struggle, fear not. You have developed a plethora of transferrable skills as a student-athlete. You simply need the strategy in this article to help you relate your skills and accomplishments to future employers.

The Value Student-Athletes Bring to Employers

Do you know what skills and characteristics employers value most? 

Surprisingly, it isn’t technical skills or knowledge about how to do a certain process, etc. Employers will teach you the skills you need to know to do the job how they want. What they cannot teach, however, are skills like time management, a hard work ethic, how to be a good team player, etc. And guess what? As a student-athlete, you have demonstrated all of these skills daily, plus more!

Time management

You managed a full class schedule (12 or more units) while playing a college sport, which probably meant about 20 hours of work or more a week with weights, practice, study hall, games, etc. You had to ensure you scheduled time for studying and homework amidst a busy class and sports schedule. This is just one example of how you have demonstrated excellent time management.

Work ethic

A hard work ethic cannot be taught. And you didn’t become a successful collegiate athlete just because of talent. You had to work hard to get where you are, and then you had to work harder to maintain your athletic career in college. Many graduates don’t know the work ethic that athletes possess because they have never dedicated such a vast amount of time and energy to a skill or endeavor. You are unique, and employers want the work ethic that you possess!

Team player

Regardless of your sport, you have had to learn to work as a team, support others, and collaborate for a common goal. Again, many graduates have not been a part of such a cohesive team and do not understand the level of support and sacrifice it takes to get a group of people to work together tirelessly for a common goal. Your ability and willingness to put a team’s goal above your own agenda is of great value to employers.

Understanding the Cover Letter for Student Athletes

We must discuss the purpose of the cover letter.It is a one-page document for candidates to describe how they have demonstrated the skills the employer is seeking. Along with the resume, the cover letter is a persuasive piece that will, hopefully, result in an invitation to interview for the position. 

I like to be really clear with clients. The resume and cover letter are used to get an interview, not to tell your entire story. So, content should be chosen carefully so it is most relevant to that employer. Specific, relevant content is better than a broad overview of who you are professionally.

In addition to selling yourself with relevant skills and accomplishments, the cover letter is your opportunity to showcase your written communication skills. Applicants often overlook this benefit of submitting a great cover letter. Written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills are among the most sought-after by employers. So, a well-written cover letter can make an exceptional first impression!

How Student-Athletes Should Structure a Cover Letter

The first paragraph of a cover letter should always “hook” the reader. 

What do you offer that will be of immediate interest to the employer? How can you capture their attention and persuade them to keep reading? Much like the resume, you have only a few seconds to get the reader’s attention.

I typically recommend three body paragraphs for a student-athlete cover letter. The first two body paragraphs should address two key skills the employer has written in the job description. For example, if the job description emphasizes collaboration and communication skills, you would write two body paragraphs providing evidence of how you have demonstrated those skills. The third body paragraph can highlight courses, projects, and aspects of your education that are most relevant to the job and employer.

Finally, end your paragraph with a confident, compelling conclusion paragraph. Express excitement for the opportunity to discuss the position and your qualifications in a formal interview. Remember that they want a great fit for the position just like you want to find the best-fit job for you!

Highlighting Athletic and Academic Achievements

There are many ways to highlight your athletic and academic achievements in a student-athlete cover letter. 

My favorite strategy is to list the skills the employer is seeking on a piece of paper. Then, next to each skill, note how you have demonstrated it. For example, if they are looking for public speaking, perhaps you list that you have spoken at an athletic banquet, recruiting event, or fundraising event for your athletic team or college. You can list your academic and athletic accolades if they seek a results-driven salesperson. Perhaps you maintained a 3.7 GPA while earning all-conference athletic honors.

Customizing your Cover Letter for Each Application

The best approach for student-athlete cover letter writing is tailoring your letter to each employer. 

It is great to have a cover letter “template” that is a basis for each cover letter you write; however, you must make sure each body paragraph is tailored to the skills and experience each employer is seeking, and that you are using the language that the employer uses in the job description and on their website.

A thorough analysis of the job description is critical when writing a cover letter, and research on the company website, social media pages, and LinkedIn can also give you valuable insight as you write a compelling cover letter. The more you know about the company’s brand and mission, the more persuasive you will be when you write each cover letter.

Dos and Don’ts of Student-Athlete Cover Letters

Do This:

• • Tailor your cover letter for each position

• • Use the language the employer uses

• • Give tangible evidence of your skills, experiences, and accomplishments

• • Write confidently and enthusiastically

• • Have your letter proofread by someone else to check for grammar and clarity

Avoid This:

• • Use the same generic cover letter for all positions

• • Vaguely describe transferable skills without tangible examples and evidence

• • Write hopefully; be confident!

• • Don’t forget to get a second set of eyes (or even a third!) to proofread your cover letter

• • Putting content in the cover letter that isn’t on your resume

Final tips & finishing touches

After you have written a standout cover letter, it is important to ensure it is polished and ready to submit! 

I recommend making your cover letter’s header match the resume’s header. These documents go together and should be cohesive. As reiterated in the section above, having someone else (or multiple people) read your cover letter is important. They will likely catch errors that you have not noticed and will be able to identify any unclear examples or phrases in your letter. Feedback is extremely valuable as you strive to get the most compelling cover letter in front of each employer!

As a former student-athlete, I can assure you that you have the skills and character traits employers crave! Confidently, write cover letters that sell who you are and what you have to offer! If you desire help writing a standout cover letter, let’s chat! I offer cover letter writing services and will personally meet with you to collect the best, most relevant information to include in your cover letter. If you aren’t getting the traction you want in your job search, I can help!

About Loren

I am a passionate career coach with over 10 years of experience helping student-athletes and students with job searches! I specialize in highlighting your best skills and accomplishments in relevant and valuable ways! It is hard to write about yourself without feeling like you are bragging. On the flip side, it can be difficult to connect your experiences to what the employer is seeking! Leave the strategizing and writing to me! Let’s chat today to see how I can help you land your dream job!

More Resume Resources for Student Athletes

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If you are looking for help with your resume writing strategy, check out this Student Athlete Resume Case Study which comes with three free downloads. 

More Helpful Content for Student Athletes

• Winning Strategies: Writing a College Athlete Resume
• Case Study Examples of Student-Athlete Resumes
• How to Write a LinkedIn Profile for Student Athletes
• The Key to Communicating Athletic Experience in a Job Interview

How to Write a Standout Cover Letter as a Student Athlete
Loren Kelly

Recently, I’ve helped several student-athletes rewrite their resumes following robust college athletic careers.

The struggle these athletes faced was having limited time to devote to career planning and development activities. Being a student-athlete is a full-time job in itself! You’re not alone if you are a student-athlete struggling to write your professional resume.

This student-athlete resume case study below (plus three real student athlete resume examples) will help you with your resume writing strategy!

Case Study Example of a Student-Athlete Resume  – The Student’s Profile

Identity: College student-athlete.
Sport: Baseball.
Institution: Member of a prestigious Division One program.

This student-athlete played baseball for one of the nation’s most prestigious Division One programs. This led to very little time available for any career-related extracurricular activities. He did not participate in an internship program, and he limited work experience.

What this student-athlete didn’t realize is how we can strategically highlight other experiences and accomplishments in ways that are relevant to employers! We were able to make great use of some volunteer experiences and highlight the many transferrable skills he demonstrated as a part of the baseball team. He also had a good GPA, leadership experience, and an impressive list of athletic accolades that demonstrated his work ethic, determination, time management skills, and more!

The ‘Before’ Resume

I applaud the student-athlete for having a starting point with his resume! He had utilized the help of a student-athlete academic advisor. Having some experience and skills in a document is a great start. The issue with his “before” resume was it was very generic and only about half a page long. It is very important that your resume fill one page or it could appear as though you have little to offer (which is not true!). At the same time, the content must be relevant and valuable, which is where resume strategy comes into play!

Key Resume Transformations for This Student Althete

I immediately looked at the student’s transcript and matched coursework and academic projects to the skills and experience listed in the job description. Additionally, I asked many questions about his weekly schedule, leadership contributions, and involvement with the baseball program’s success. From his responses, I could pull out many skills the employer sought and highlight those relevant to his resume.

The ‘After’ Resume

When I met with the student to finalize his resume, he responded, “Wow, this is amazing! I can’t believe how relevant I am to employers now! I felt like I had nothing to offer before, and this process and my new resume give me so much confidence!” He had been applying to jobs for three months with no traction. He needed a carefully crafted resume that easily related his academic and athletic accomplishments to the desired role.

Key Resume Learning Points for Student Athletes

•  Your athletic experience is relevant! You build invaluable transferrable skills as a student-athlete, and your work ethic, grit, and networking skills are important and valuable to employers.

• Make the connections for the employer! Instead of listing athletic accomplishments, list the skill they seek, followed by how you have demonstrated it. Anyone can say they have leadership skills, but providing evidence of how you have demonstrated those leadership skills is crucial in selling yourself to employers.

• Consider relevant coursework and projects! You can use relevant coursework and large academic projects, presentations, and case studies to highlight knowledge and skills on your resume.

• Include experience relevant to your career within your athletic program! As student-athletes, you often conduct tours, meet with prospects, and help with fundraising. All of these activities within the athletic program demonstrate valuable transferable skills. Include these experiences on your resume as they are relevant!

• Short-term industry-relevant experience is still relevant! Perhaps you couldn’t commit to a semester-long internship, but you did complete some job shadows, industry tours, and informational interviews with mentors. All of these activities are valuable! Include them as they are relevant and as space allows.

3 Examples of Student-Athlete Resume 

• Student-Athlete Resume 1 – The student-athlete discussed throughout this article now has a relevant and impressive resume that attracted his ideal employer and helped him establish himself in medical device sales!

• Student-Athlete Resume 2 – This resume belongs to a former golf student-athlete who wanted to utilize his education and internship experience in finance in the business management realm.

• Student-Athlete Resume 3 – This resume belongs to a football student-athlete who acquired a prestigious summer internship with a multi-family real estate investment firm because his document demonstrated his commitment to the industry and exceptional work ethic!

Download Student-Athlete Resume

Download Student-Athlete Resume

Download Student-Athlete Resume

Let’s get you hired!

I promise you have a lot to offer your future employer as a student-athlete! I know my experience as a student-athlete instilled motivation, drive, and grit that has fueled my professional successes! Contact me today to get your resume custom-written to your future employer! I’ve helped so many student-athletes get their ideal start professionally, and I can help you too!

About Me

As an experienced educator and career coach, I help with students and young professionals one-on-one with their career endeavors! Whether you want tailored resume help or assistance finding and landing your dream job, I can help!

More Helpful Content for Student Athletes

• How to Write a LinkedIn Profile for Student Athletes
• The Key to Communicating Athletic Experience in a Job Interview
• Winning Strategies for Writing a Student Athlete Resume
• Writing a Standout Cover Letter as a Student Athlete

A Student Athlete Resume Case Study
Loren Kelly

Congratulations on your transition to civilian life after your military career! This transition is fresh in my mind as my husband, active-duty Navy for 15 years, just transitioned from the military to a civilian career. One of the key tools you will need for this transition is a resume, and as a military resume writer, I would be happy to help with your military-to-civilian resume!

From a Military Resume Writer: How to Write a Military to Civilian Resume

Writing a resume is daunting for most military and veterans because one has not been required of you! Additionally, the terms used in the military rarely translate to civilian lifestyle. Here are some steps to ensure your military experience translates well to civilian employers.

1. Find a job description for your ideal position and analyze it.

You’ll find this advice in every single resume blog I write. No matter your background, you must tailor your resume to the job and employer; however, this step is even more critical for transitioning servicemembers. Find the job description for your ideal position and analyze it carefully for keywords, phrases, and duties. Once you have the job description, highlighted key terms, and made notes, you are ready for the next step in writing a military-to-civilian resume.

2. List your hard and soft skills from your various military roles.

Most people will jump right into writing a resume next. But first, I want you to list all of the roles you have held in the military and brainstorm the hard and soft skills you developed and utilized in each. You often wear multiple hats for a command in the military, so think through this step. Your list will likely be quite long!

Hard Skills are technical skills one uses to complete tasks and are often developed through formal education or on-the-job training. Examples include changing a hard drive on a computer, installing software, or mechanic skills. List out your hard skills utilized in each role.

Soft skills are transferable skills that one organically builds and uses throughout employment. Examples are communication skills, public speaking skills, and leadership skills. As you list your soft skills, note how you demonstrated those skills in each role. This will save you time later and make your experiences more tangible to employers.

You will yield the best results if you give yourself time and space to create this list. Also, speak with your partner, colleagues, and friends to help you remember what you did in each role (especially if you’ve had a lengthy military career).

3. Align your hard and soft skills from the military to the keywords in the job description.

As a military resume writer, I can’t stress enough how important this step is when writing your military-to-civilian resume. And it is probably the most difficult. Go back to the job description where you highlighted keywords, phrases, and skills. Find hard and soft skills from your list that match the position’s requirements. If you struggle with this step, please book a free consultation, and as a military resume writer, I’ll be happy to assist you!

4. Speak the employer’s language.

After matching your hard and soft skills to the position description, you must use the employer’s language on your resume, not the military’s terms and language. For example, if you are in the Navy or Marines, your performance evaluations are called FITREPs. To a civilian, that would likely translate to a physical fitness evaluation, not a job performance evaluation. Add to your military notes how you will speak the employer’s language and translate the military language to the civilian market. Not only does speaking the employer’s language appeal to the hiring manager, but it will ensure you get passed an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) in the likely event one is used.

5. Choose the best resume structure to highlight your unique career.

The last step of writing a military-to-civilian resume is choosing the best strategy to organize your information. Most people default to a chronological format, but that is not always the best option! A functional or combination resume could be the best structure to make you stand out! I also urge you to choose your resume headings wisely. What will speak to the hiring manager but also meet the requirements of ATS? If you need help with resume strategy and organization, I am a military resume writer and offer free consultations to help!

Military Resume Writer

My name is Loren, and I am the proud spouse of a veteran. My husband recently transitioned to the military reserves after 15 years of active-duty service! I have helped him and many others with military-to-civilian resume writing, and it would be an honor to help you, too!

Book a Free Consultation to chat about your resume!

Here’s where past resume clients have been hired:

• Lockheed Martin
• Cashman Equipment
• Army Core of Engineers
• Delta Airlines
• United Airlines
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Sandlot & Company
• California Community Colleges
• Saint Luke’s Health System
• FEV Tutor
• Monarch Property Group
• ResMed

https://lorenkellycoaching.as.me/free-consult

 

How to Write a Military-to-Civilian Resume
Loren Kelly

When looking for summer internship opportunities, many ask about writing cover letters for interns. Today, I’m answering that question by providing a basic cover letter template for students to highlight their skills, experience, and education when writing a tailored cover letter! Use the tips and examples outlined in this article to make your cover letter stand out! I’ve also provided a video explanation for you!

Cover Letters for Interns

I suggest cover letters for interns have four paragraphs. Each one serves a unique purpose and should be tailored each time you apply for a position. Here is a cover letter template for students and an outline with a description of the information you should include.

Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph should identify the position for which you are applying and hook the reader. Remember writing essays in middle school? Your English teacher probably told you, “You have to hook the reader in the introduction!” The same applies. Ask yourself, “What is the one thing that I can do, that I possess, etc. that would be most impressive and valuable to an employer?” That one thing is your hook to keep them reading.

Body Paragraphs

Cover letters for internships should include two body paragraphs. These paragraphs are your opportunity to really stand out amongst other candidates. For young students, I suggest writing one paragraph about your education and one paragraph about your experience and skills. For professionals with more experience, choose the two positions (or one position and education) that best highlight the skills outlined in the position description.

The biggest mistake I see candidates make is using one generic cover letter template to apply for all jobs. This is a huge mistake! The paragraphs of your cover letter, specifically these body paragraphs, should be revised and tailored each time you apply for a position.

Be as specific and tangible in your body paragraphs as possible. Include the words and language that the employer utilized in the position description. Utilize numbers as frequently as possible to communicate your achievements to the hiring manager. For example, if a job description stresses the importance of good customer service skills, make sure you provide some very specific examples and information that demonstrate those skills. Anyone can write, “I have developed exceptional customer service skills” in a cover letter. What the employer is more interested in reading is, “During my two years as a Customer Service Associate at Target, I had a secret shopper satisfaction rating of 95 percent.” Providing a number and statistic makes this statement strong, relevant and impressive to the employer.

If you writing cover letters for internships and feel as though you lack the experience to highlight, don’t worry! It is wise of you to highlight your education or training. You can state the degree you earned, or are pursuing, as well as titles of specific courses you took that relate to the job duties outlined in the description. Campus and community involvement can also be described to highlight soft skills you have demonstrated that are relevant to the position.

Closing Paragraph

The closing paragraph of a cover letter does not need to be lengthy; however, it should communicate confidence and request action. Instead of, “I hope to hear from you soon,” write, “I look forward to further discussing how my knowledge and experience will contribute to the continued success of XYZ company. To schedule an interview, I may be reached at (559) 432-1111.” Confidence and clarity are key!

Cover Letter Template for Students

So, what do the parts of the cover letter template for students look like when they are all put together? Here is an example cover letter from a student applying for a summer internship program. Notice how he has chosen to predominately highlight his part-time work experience in the body paragraphs but also finds ways to include his education as well.

It can be very beneficial to engage in the cover letter writing process with a professional. If you begin writing a cover letter but feel as though you are struggling to really highlight yourself, I offer resume and cover letter writing and revision services! Let’s chat!

Finalizing Your Cover Letters for Internships

After you have used this cover letter template to write your letter, be sure to let your work sit for a while before jumping into the revision process. When you go back and read your work, ask yourself these questions:

• Will my audience be hooked after reading the first paragraph?
• How well did I address the skills and requirements listed in the position description?
• Did I include specific examples or is my content general?
• Is my word choice confident and clear throughout the letter?
• Have I communicated passion and enthusiasm for this particular position/company?

Would you like expert eyes on your cover letter? I can help you tailor and polish your cover letter to ensure you get an interview. Confidently put yourself forward for the job of your dreams by getting assistance tailoring your professional documents! Learn more about my services here and see what others have to say about my resume and cover letter help!

Want help with your resume, cover letter, or job search?

As an experienced educator and career coach, I sit down with students and young professionals one-on-one with their career endeavors! Whether you want tailored resume help or assistance finding and landing your dream job, I can help!

Book a free consultation today!

Cover Letters for Interns: A Free Template!
Loren Kelly

I wanted to put it up for a challenge and see just how good a ChatGPT resume could be. In the video below, I have taken the job of a certified medical administrative assistant and compared a ChatGPT resume to one I have professionally written!

ChatGPT Resume Writing

For some background, I’ve gone into an AI generator, specifically one of the more popular ones – GPT chat. I have written a little background here to write a resume for a medical Administrative Assistant job. In this fictitious client that I’m talking about today, we will say it has 15 years of experience in property management and hospitality. Recently been a stay-at-home mom, but has a good amount of experience prior in property management, restaurant ownership, personal assistant property manager, and also the property manager for an apartment complex.

I gave the generator quite a bit of information about the client, and then it pops out a nice resume template for someone to use. So that is what it looks like if you use an AI generator to write a resume.

Professionally Written Resumes

If you use a professional resume writer like myself, the process is much more tailored. I first have them send me a job they’re interested in and either a quick snapshot of their work history or an old resume that they may have used. From there, I have an hour, usually 45 minutes to an hour-long phone call with that client to gather good information and find those hidden gems that make each client unique and special and how I can leverage those for the field and the job they’re interested in. From there, I write a resume draft and a cover letter for that client and the job that they’re seeking.

Comparing a ChatGPT vs. Professionally Written Resume

So an AI generator, sure, it’s going to pop out a template in a matter of seconds, but a professional resume writer takes the time to get to know you. A lot of strategy is involved in resume writing to ensure that you are best highlighted for both computer resume screeners and that the human eye optimizes your resume.

In the video, you’ll see a comparison of a ChaptGPT resume vs. a professionally written resume. You’re going to notice instantly that the headings on the professionally written resume are very tailored to the person, and right away, I’m advertising that they have a certification that will be important to the industry. So that pops off the page quickly and lets hiring managers know that this candidate has a certification already in place.

The second thing that you’ll notice that are similar about both resumes is the AI resume has an objective where I’ve written a professional summary. The big key to see here is the length. We want things on the resume to be quick and easy to read at a glance. My two-line professional summary is very quick and easy to read at a glance. When we have five to six lines of text, human eyes will skip right over that.

Finally, I’ll scroll down to the skills area. GPT did have a skills list here. Again, anyone can say they have excellent organization and time management abilities. What you’ll notice over here in a professionally written skills section is not only do I have the relevant skill that the employer is looking for, but then I have how this candidate has demonstrated it.

The Bottom Line about ChatGPT Resumes

So, don’t sell yourself short by just using an AI-generated resume. Chances are, you’ll never get past resume screening software because the right keywords aren’t used or the right strategy isn’t used to get you through to the hiring manager. If you have questions about professional resume writing services, please reach out using my contact form!

About Me & My Resume Services!

As an experienced educator and career coach, I sit with students and young professionals one-on-one with their career endeavors! Whether you want tailored resume help or assistance finding and landing your dream job, I can help!

Book a free consultation today!

ChatGPT Resume vs. Professionally Written Resume
Loren Kelly

Resume Writing Tips for 2025
Loren Kelly

When I begin working with clients on resume revisions, I get the question, “What’s wrong with my resume?” a lot. If you feel your resume is generic or isn’t getting you invitations to interview, this article will help you problem-solve. Whether you are 16 or 66, check your document for these resume mistakes to avoid!

First test your knowledge with this FREE resume quiz!

Before we get into the tips, try this free resume quiz! No follow-up emails, no spam – just test what you know.

What’s wrong with my resume?

Below are five common resume mistakes to avoid. I recommend having your resume open and checking for each common mistake as you read this article.

Too much information

It is so easy to fall victim to the common resume mistake of including too much information on your resume. You have less than 10 seconds to capture the attention of your audience and give them a reason to keep reading. The more information you have on your resume, the more muddled the “good stuff” is going to be. Determine what skills and experience are most important to the employer by carefully analyzing the job description. Then, use that as your screen and keep the content that is most relevant and impressive.

You might be wondering, are two-page resumes OK? Ninety-nine percent of the time, I suggest one page. The purpose of the resume is to give the employer your best, most relevant experience instead of your full story.

Ambiguous skills section

I see many young and experienced people make common resume mistakes of having broad “skills” sections on their resume. Students tend to list skills such as leadership, time management skills, etc. They know these skills are essential to employers; however, they don’t realize that employers want to know HOW they have demonstrated those skills. Anyone can write “leadership” on a resume. Stating that you were an officer of a campus organization is a much stronger use of the space. It tells us how you developed and demonstrated leadership skills.

Lack of focus on outcomes

If you’re wondering, “what’s wrong with my resume?” or aren’t being invited for interviews, your resume might be lacking tangible evidence of professional outcomes. For each professional experience, ask yourself what your key accomplishments were. Include numbers as frequently as you can when writing your resume. Outcomes and numbers bring your experience and achievements to life for a hiring manager.

If you are an experienced professional, consider having a section at the top of your resume where you highlight essential accomplishments that will capture interest. For example, I recently worked with a professional with years of experience in landscaping and was looking at various project management positions. We titled a section, “Key Projects & Achievements,” where we highlighted five of his most significant contracts and projects that he had managed. We included the number of years to communicate longevity, provided the size of the contract in dollars to communicate the magnitude, and, because the specialty was landscaping project management, we also included the size of the projects in acreage.

Avoid the common resume mistake of omitting outcomes. Highlighting your achievements and results is one of the best ways to make your resume and experience stand out to employers.

Wasting space on weak content

It sounds harsh, but wasting valuable resume space on weak content definitely is one of the most common resume mistakes I see. An example is someone listing “Microsoft Office” on their list of skills. Most of the workforce is proficient in Microsoft Office; this is not a skill that will make you stand out amongst other applicants. Another example is listing outdated high school information on a resume. Once a student has entered their second year of college, omit the high school information. It is no longer relevant or needed and is taking up space.

If omitting weak content leaves your resume empty, make it your mission to volunteer, acquire certifications, etc. Then, your resume will contain the valuable information you need to be a standout candidate.

Repeating job duties or skills

I often see candidates state identical or similar information multiple times on their resumes. It’s a common resume mistake and one that can easily be avoided. Remember, more information is not better when it comes to resumes! More text means more time, more reading, and less chance that hiring managers will see the content you want them to see.

When I meet with resume clients, we try to tease out the three best job duties or accomplishments we can highlight for each position. Then, we go back through the resume’s work experience section to ensure we aren’t repeating the same skill sets or outcomes. Demonstrate that you are a well-rounded candidate with various skills and achievements.

What if I made a mistake on my resume?

If, while reading this list, you realize you have made one or more of these mistakes, don’t consume yourself with worry or shame. It happens. If you have the right skills and experience for the job, making one of the mistakes above may not stop you from getting the interview! However, you will want to fix the mistake right away.

The best way to catch these mistakes is to get help. Have a seasoned resume writer or someone in your network with hiring experience help you. The second set of eyes, especially if those eyes look at a lot of resumes, can help you polish your resume and stand out. I offer affordable, one-on-one resume writing services that will help you move past the competition and onto the interview process!

Do you need resume help?

A resume is an important document! If you have been wondering, “what’s wrong with my resume?” and really want to land the interview, you must be able to sell yourself on paper in about 10 seconds or less! That’s a lot of pressure, but it can easily be accomplished with the right content. I can help you take your resume from average to exceptional!

As an experienced educator and career coach, I sit down with students and young professionals one-on-one with their career endeavors! Whether you want tailored resume help or assistance finding and landing your dream job, I can help!

Book a free consultation today!

 

FREE GUIDE: Download the Ultimate Resume Checklist

Make sure your resume includes these key elements so you stand out amongst multitudes of applicants!

What’s wrong with my resume?
Loren Kelly

Top 5 Resume Tips from a Colorado Resume Writer
Loren Kelly

I am a big fan of the functional resume. Why? The functional resume is flexible. While I promise to provide you with a functional resume sample pdf, let’s take a closer look at what a functional resume is and when to use one.

What is a functional resume?

A functional resume emphasizes skills and accomplishments and deemphasizes work history. A reverse chronological resume is a traditional way of highlighting oneself to an employer. The issue with the reverse chronological resume is valuable experience, skills, and accomplishments can hide toward the bottom of a document. A functional resume could be a great option if you are changing careers, niching down within your industry, or have a disjointed work history.

Benefits of a functional resume

The benefits of a functional resume are flexibility, uniqueness, and a deemphasis on short or disjointed work history.

1. Flexibility – Functional resumes are very flexible. You can choose what you want to highlight to the employer, and it can be very easily tailored from position to position.
2. Uniqueness – I often choose the functional layout for clients who are niching down to a specific role within an industry. Why? Because you can make your resume very tailored and unique with a functional resume. Part of the uniqueness of a functional resume is the ability to choose very tailored resume headings. Headings are one of the first elements of resumes readers look at, and those headings either entice them to read on or cause them to move on to the next document.
3. Deemphasize work history – A functional resume can deemphasize short employment or disjointed work history. If you have gaps or lack longevity, you may want to deemphasize the career timeline that a reverse chronological resume highlights. If you do choose a functional resume, I usually recommend having your full work history available. Employers will want to see it.

Drawbacks of a functional resume

If you’ve searched around, you have seen some bad press on functional resumes. Some say recruiters dislike functional resumes, many candidates find them hard to write, and functional resumes can be more difficult to review.

1. Some recruiters dislike functional resumes – This can be true if you completely leave off your employment history. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I advise against this practice. Keep your work history listed, but you can deemphasize it by moving it toward the bottom of the page.
2. Too much freedom – Another drawback of a functional resume can be too much freedom. Candidates often struggle to write a functional resume because there isn’t as clear of a structure for this type of resume. The flexibility perk of a functional resume could be a drawback if you don’t have experience writing this style of resume.
3. Difficult to review – because there is so much flexibility with the functional resume, they can be more difficult to review. If a hiring manager has a stack of reverse chronological resumes and then one functional resume pops up, it will take them a moment to compare the candidate because the information is presented differently. On the flip side, the difference in the organization can also cause the eye to pause since it is different and unique.

Functional Resume Sample PDF

One of the benefits of a functional resume that I mentioned above is flexibility. I love that I can pull the best highlights from my career and showcase them using a functional resume. Telling my entire professional story is long and sometimes irrelevant. The functional resume sample pdf I’m sharing allowed me to highlight three of my most important, relevant, and impressive projects to the employer.

LorenKelly_Functional_resumeDownload

Notice that although I used the functional format, I still included my work history. My strategy was to hook the hiring team with my tailored heading. After impressing them with the relevant experience, I can draw their eyes to my work history, so they have a glimpse of my professional journey.

Utilizing elements of a functional resume and a reverse chronological resume is called a combination resume. I advocate for combination resumes because they still include the work history for employers’ review.

Tips for writing a functional resume

1. Figure out your strategy – will you use a strictly functional format, or would a combination format be more appealing to your audience?
2. Choose your headings – resume headings hold a lot of power. Choose heading titles that will draw your audience in and convince them to take a closer look.
3. Highlight key accomplishments – notice my functional resume sample pdf includes bolded phrases. Strategically emphasizing information in bold helps draw attention.
4. Provide tangible outcomes over generic skills – a functional resume is skill-based. But anyone can write that they have excellent communication or relationship-building skills. Instead of writing your skills, prove them by sharing evidence and outcomes. “Acquired and onboarded five new clients in first quarter of employment” speaks to employers far more than “excellent relationship building skills.”
5. Include your work history – as I mentioned, employers still like to see your work history. Deemphasizing it and moving it down the resumes is fine, but I recommend including it.

Get help with your resume!

Professional resume writing is worth it! Just ask my clients. Bragging about yourself can be hard, and determining your resume strategy can be difficult too! My job is to analyze your experience, uncover hidden gems you hadn’t thought of including, determine the best strategy, and deliver a customized solution tailored to the job or niche you’re targeting! Let’s chat. Book a no-strings-attached free consultation today!

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Functional Resume Sample PDF
Loren Kelly