1. DESIGN
The Office of Career Advancement
(oca) has developed design templates
that are pleasing to the eye and easy for
a reader to scan. We recommend that
students use the overall design,
incorporating appropriate changes to
fit individual circumstances. You may
download the template from the jack
document library on the oca website.
Additional samples of mpa and mpa/id
resumes are also available in the library.
If you have fewer than five years of
professional experience, we usually
recommend a one-page resume.
We suggest these design specifications:
t Times New Roman 10.5 or 11 point
throughout the document
t Margins:
top and bottom —
minimum of .5 inch, maximum 1.0 inch;
left and right —
minimum of .5 inch, maximum 1.0 inch
t Text left justified, except header,
which is centered, and locations,
which are right justified
t Insert your name and page number
in header, if your resume is more than
one page
t Use FULL CAPITALS, Initial Capitals,
and Bold to help the reader readily
distinguish the elements in each
block of text
t Use italics for book or thesis titles,
for example: Soft Power: The Means
to Success in World Politics;
Understanding International Conflict
Office of Career Advancement
Skills: Resume
1
RESUMES THAT WORK:
Market Your Story Successfully
INTRODUCTION
A good resume presents a prospective employer, and all
potential advisors in your job search, with a clear and concise
summary of your knowledge, skills and accomplishments. In
essence, it is a snapshot of the “professional you” designed to
get you the interview!
As you start to prepare a resume, always keep in mind that it may be
a person’s first introduction to you, the candidate. First impressions
count. In just a few seconds, the reader will form a judgment on the
care and reflection you have brought to writing your resume and,
by inference, how committed you are to the job search. Both the
presentation and content are important to forming the employer’s
initial impression of you. Therefore, be sure your resume reflects the
same level of professionalism that you would bring to a presenta-
tion to a client. Be sure that the content is thoughtfully prepared to
emphasize your most significant accomplishments and to address
the specific requirements of the type of work you plan to pursue.
Employers usually scan a resume quickly, rather than reading it as
a narrative. Therefore, the resume must be clear and consistent,
making the highlights of your training and accomplishments easy to
spot. Your reader will be asking: “Do I want to talk to this candidate;
does s/he have the skills and knowledge we need?” Your reader will
have many applications to consider and will be making quick com-
parisons between candidates. Of course, you want to stand out for
the clarity of your presentation of your knowledge, skills and accom-
plishments. The Office of Career Advancement (oca) has consulted
with employers about their preferences and recommends the follow-
ing guidelines in preparing a resume.
OCA
OFFICE
OF CAREER
ADVANCEMNT
t
HKS
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161
t
career_adv[email protected].edu
t
www.hks.harvard.edu/career
t
2
page
2. CONTENT
Present information in reverse chrono-
logical order within each section of the
resume.
3. NAME & CONTACT
INFORMATION
Provide your current mailing, e-mail
and telephone information.
4. EDUCATION
Your educational history should be
described in reverse chronological order.
Present the information in a consistent
format, listing university first, then school
within the university as appropriate, for
example: Harvard University, John F.
Kennedy School of Government.
Write the full name of your hks degree:
t Master in Public Policy
t Master in Public Administration
t Master in Public Administration in
International Development
t Mason Fellows may add below
Master in Public Administration:
t Fellow, Edward S. Mason Program
in Public Policy and Management
If your resume includes credentials
from universities outside the U.S., use the
exact name of the degree as provided by
the granting institution. If necessary, you
may add a phrase to clarify the level of
training attained, for example:
“equivalent to JD.”
t coursework Here is an opportunity
to educate your reader about your
program and your own focus. You may
include selected course titles, if they are
short, or key words such as “statistics”
or “environmental policy.” mpps may wish
to include their pac.
mpps and mpa/ids are advised to use
the term “Policy Analysis Exercise” or
“Second Year Policy Analysis,” respec-
tively. In a cover letter, you may then
explain briefly that the pae or sypa is the
hks-equivalent to a master’s thesis.
t honors Be selective in honors you
list, enumerating the highest in each
category. Similarly, if you were awarded
several scholarships/fellowships, list only
those to which you attach the most
importance. The terms summa cum laude,
magna cum laude, and cum laude are
always italicized.
GPA is not routinely included in an HKS
resume. However, if an employer states a
minimum requirement, include your GPA
in the resume. Similarly, if an employer
requires high proficiency in quantitative
analysis, you may include your GRE or
GMAT score.
5. LEADERSHIP
This section of your resume is
discretionary. You may wish to include
information on extra-curricular activity
that highlights your growing interest in a
professional field, your capacity to
organize and manage people and teams,
personal accomplishments, or
management skills that may not be readily
discerned from the Experience section
described below.
6. EXPERIENCE
As in Education (see above), you should
always list your professional experience in
reverse chronological order. List the name
of the organization, followed by your
department within the organization. If the
organization is not well-known and its
mission is not evident from its name or
the context, you may choose to add a
descriptive phrase.
Provide a brief description of each
experience. Present the information in
abbreviated sentences, omitting definite
and indefinite articles such as “the,” “a,”
“an,” and also omitting pronouns, such
as “I” or “their.” As a convention,
numbers with $ or % signs and all
numbers 10 and above are written as
figures, for example: 9%, team of 25.
Use verbs, in the past tense, to describe
your work. Use active voice. See page 4 of
this document for a list of verbs
commonly used in resume writing.
Whenever possible, introduce a variety
of verbs, for example: “managed,”
“directed,” and “oversaw.”
Emphasize your accomplishments in the
context of the resources available to you.
Be specific about size of budget, size of
team supervised, etc. Numbers are more
effective than adjectives in describing
your success. For example, “increased
enrollment by 15%” lets the reader learn
more than “successfully increased
enrollment.”
Within each job, organize information in a
logical flow so the reader can understand
the different elements of what you have
accomplished. Assign more space to
describing more recent and/or more
significant experiences and less space to
less recent or less significant experiences.
The description of each experience should
be presented in a bulleted format that
highlights your accomplishments and
results. These descriptions should market
your skills and accomplishments, not
simply list tasks and duties. We suggest
that each bullet point be one to four lines.
t for example:
• Wrote successful grant proposals
generating $1.2 million in new revenue.
Funds supported development of
innovative literacy programs reaching
100,000 additional clients across five
states.
• Received “Top Volunteer” award from
local City Council for more than 100
hours volunteering in homeless shelter,
food bank and senior citizen day
program.
HKS
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161
t
career_adv[email protected].edu
t
www.hks.harvard.edu/career
t
1
RESUMES THAT WORK
3
page
7. OPTIONAL
ADDITIONS
Your resume may conclude with the
Experience section, or you may choose to
add further relevant information. Below
are some common additions in an hks
resume.
t travel Be specific about countries
visited and length of time spent abroad
where this sheds light on your
professional interests, capability to live
in hardship conditions, etc.
t languages Be specific on your
fluency: native, fluent, proficient,
intermediate, beginner, and whether
skills are spoken or written.
t professional affiliations You may
include membership in professional
organizations. Be prepared to discuss
your active involvement.
t computer skills General proficiency
may be assumed and does not need to be
stated. Include in this section specific
skills required for a type of position, for
example: Proficient in stata.
8. POLISHING
YOUR RESUME
Always proofread your resume, and never
rely entirely on the spell check function on
your computer to catch all errors. The
most effective way to catch mistakes is to
read your resume aloud from start to
finish, and also to read it aloud from last
word to first. In addition, ask a friend to
proofread with you.
For individual advice, make an
appointment (30–45 minutes) with an
oca coach. Coaches can advise you on
tailoring your resume to a particular
employer, assist in organizing material,
and brainstorm an effective resume for a
student making a significant transition.
Quick questions can be addressed in
15-minute walk-in sessions offered daily.
9. FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
t How long should my resume be?
A general rule is that a candidate with less
than five years work experience should be
able to write an effective one-page
resume. No resume should be longer than
two pages. Candidates with extensive
publications and presentations may
include this information as an addendum
in following pages.
t Should I include references?
Where required with an application,
references should be listed on a separate
sheet of paper. Be sure to include current
contact information.
t Should I include information about
my date of birth, marital status and
number of children?
Should I include a photo?
NO. U.S. law prohibits recruiters or
employers from asking for any personal
information that is not essential to the job
function. U.S. employers may not ask for,
nor should you provide information
about, your date of birth, height or
weight, marital status, number of children
or sexual orientation. Never attach a
photograph to your resume for a U.S.
employer.
t Should I mention political affiliations?
First ask yourself: “Is this information
relevant?” Include information on your
political involvement only if it will be of
interest to your reader, and you are
reasonably certain it will be viewed in a
positive light by your audience.
t How far back should I go in listing my
positions and activities?
Kennedy School students in two-year
programs usually include all professional
positions from the completion of their first
degree, with a description of each that
will vary in length depending on the
activity and relevance. Students with very
extensive experience may describe more
recent experience in full and a summary
of their earlier work history. As for
activities, list those which most directly
connect to the work you want to do, and/
or which you believe most distinguish
you. Be selective and keep the list brief.
t What type of paper should my
resume be printed on?
Is it ok to email a resume?
If you are sending a hard copy resume,
print it on resume stock in a neutral color,
white or cream. Many resumes today are
submitted by email, and some through
online resume collection systems for
posted opportunities. Follow the
directions for submission indicated by the
employer. PDF format is recommended.
t How should I name the file?
Name your resume clearly, using last
name, first name or initial, and the word
“resume,” for example: BennettD_
resume.pdf.
HKS
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161
t
career_adv[email protected].edu
t
www.hks.harvard.edu/career
t
1
RESUMES THAT WORK
4
page
10.
ACTION
WORDS
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
adapted
adjusted
administered
advised
allocated
analyzed
applied
appraised
articulated
assembled
assessed
assigned
attained
authored
balanced
briefed
budgeted
built
calculated
carried out
catalogued
categorized
chaired
changed
channeled
charted
clarified
coached
coded
collaborated
collated
collected
committed
communicated
compared
competed
compiled
completed
composed
computed
conceived
conducted
confronted
consolidated
contacted
continued
contracted
controlled
conveyed
convened
convinced
coordinated
corresponded
counseled
crafted
created
critiqued
decided
defined
delegated
delivered
demonstrated
derived
designed
detected
determined
developed
devised
diagnosed
directed
discovered
dispensed
displayed
distributed
drafted
dramatized
drew up
earned
edited
educated
effected
elicited
employed
encouraged
endured
enlisted
entertained
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
exchanged
executed
exercised
exhibited
expanded
expedited
experienced
experimented
explained
explored
facilitated
figured
financed
focused
forecasted
formed
formulated
fostered
functioned
generated
governed
grouped
guided
handled
helped
identified
illustrated
implemented
imposed
improved
increased
influenced
informed
initiated
inquired
inspected
installed
instilled
instituted
instructed
insured
interpreted
intervened
interviewed
introduced
invented
inventoried
investigated
judged
lectured
led
licensed
located
maintained
managed
marketed
mastered
measured
mediated
modeled
modified
molded
monitored
motivated
named
negotiated
observed
obtained
operated
ordered
organized
originated
outlined
oversaw
participated
perceived
performed
persuaded
planned
predicted
prepared
prescribed
presented
presided
printed
processed
produced
programmed
promoted
protected
provided
publicized
published
purchased
questioned
raised
rated
recommended
recorded
recruited
reduced
regulated
reinforced
rendered
reorganized
repaired
reported
represented
reproduced
researched
resolved
responded
restored
retained
retrieved
revamped
reviewed
revised
rewrote
routed
scheduled
searched
selected
served
serviced
shaped
shared
showed
simplified
solved
sought
specified
spoke
sold
solicited
staged
stimulated
streamlined
structured
studied
succeeded
suggested
summarized
supervised
supported
surveyed
synthesized
targeted
taught
tested
trained
translated
tutored
visualized
won
wrote
HKS
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161
t
career_adv[email protected].edu
t
www.hks.harvard.edu/career
t
1
RESUMES THAT WORK
5
page

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Education HARVARDUNIVERSITY,JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernment 
MasterinPublicPolicyexpectedJune2009
 
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ent: Miami-Dade County Ofce of Strategic Business Management.
BROWNUNIVERSITY 
BachelorofArts,magna cum laude,May2002
Phi Beta Kappa
Leadership Co-Chair
PublicPolicyandLeadershipConferenceCoordinator
Experience HARVARDUNIVERSITY,RappaportInstituteforGreaterBoston 
 ResearchFellow
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LegislativeAide
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
 

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 



 

 

 

 
Skills 
Personal 

(RESUME: SAMPLE ONE, MPP)
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


 [email protected]d.edu
Executive 
Summary 
 

 

Education HARVARDUNIVERSITY,JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernment 
MasterinPublicAdministration,June200

 

 

 

 


 
RUTGERSUNIVERSITY
MasterofBusinessAdministration,June1986

BachelorofScience,cum laude,June1982

Professional
Experience MAJORBANK,N.A 
 SeniorRelationshipManager,VicePresident,WealthManagementGroup
 
 
 
 

THEBANKOFNORTHAMERICA 
 VicePresident,PrivateBankingGroup,BusinessDevelopment
 
 
 
 

(RESUME: SAMPLE TWO, MC/MPA)
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Jennifer Franklin, 2 of 2
CITIBANK 
 PrivateClientServices
SeniorBusinessDeveloper,VicePresident
 

 

 

 

 PrivateBankingGroup
SeniorRelationshipManager,VicePresident
 

 

 

 DevelopmentOfcer,VicePresident
 
 

 

 CommercialBankingGroup
LendingOfcer,VicePresident
 
 
 
BARCLAYSBANK,USA 
 CommercialLendingOfcer,AssistantTreasurer
 

 
Additional  
Information  
 
 

 

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


[email protected]d.edu
Education HARVARDUNIVERSITY,JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernment 
MasterinPublicAdministrationinInternationalDevelopmentexpectedJune2009
 
 
 

PONTIFICIAUNIVERSIDADCATÓLICADELPERÚ 
BachelorofEconomics

CENTRALBANKOFPERU 

Experience HARVARDUNIVERSITY,JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernment
 
 
 

 

 INTER-AMERICANDEVELOPMENTBANK(IADB),RegionalOperations 
 DepartmentII,EnvironmentalandNaturalResourcesManagementDivision
ResearchAssistant
• 

 

 


 
 MINISTRYOFFOREIGNTRADEANDTOURISM 
EconomicAdvisor–TradeNegotiator
 

 
 


 
 

 
 



(RESUME: SAMPLE THREE, MPA/ID)
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Maria Gonzalez, 2 of 2
 
 
 PONTIFICIAUNIVERSIDADCATÓLICADELPERÚ 
 AssistantTeacherofEconometrics:

 AssistantTeacherinEconomics:

 CENTRALBANKOFPERU 
AssistantinEconomicAnalysisArea,ProductionDepartment
 
 
 
 
Other FoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations,
Professional Consultant
Activities 


Training  
Programs  
 
 
  
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
Activities JohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernment,

PonticiaUniversidadCatolicádelPerú
 
 
 
Specialskills/ Languageskills:
Personal Computerskills:
Travel

Nationality:
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HKS
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161
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career_adv[email protected].edu
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www.hks.harvard.edu/career
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1
RESUMES THAT WORK
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HKS
CAREER ADVANCEMENT
617-495-1161
t
career_adv[email protected].edu
t
www.hks.harvard.edu/career
t
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
office of career advancement
1
RESUMES THAT WORK
Cert no. SW-COC-003135