Resident Assistant Resume Example

This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a resident assistant resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. You'll find useful insights on constructing a resume that makes the most of your unique skills, experience and strengths. You'll also learn how to tailor your resume according to the job description, and depending on your experience levels. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your resident assistant resume.

Key sections for a resident assistant resume

Although the content of a resident assistant resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same. For junior candidates with little work experience, other sections of the resume take on more prominence and might be placed before the work experience section. These could include education, skills, projects, hobbies and volunteer work.

The order you present these sections can vary according to your career stage, but it's still essential to include each of the following:

Resume Header

A resident assistant resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.

Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Objective

Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for resident assistant roles.

Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.

The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a resident assistant, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your resident assistant resume summary.

Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your resident assistant resume summary.

Hard and Soft Skills

Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a resident assistant role. Skills such as conflict resolution techniques or communication and empathy are particularly useful for resident assistant jobs. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as a resident assistant.

Listing hard skills on your resident assistant resume

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for resident assistant jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in resident assistant roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a resident assistant resume below.

Soft skills on your resident assistant resume

In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a resident assistant job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.

Your soft skills section should make the most of your unique personal qualities and strengths, while also reflecting the requirements laid out in the job description. See below for some examples of useful soft skills for a resident assistant resume.

Education

In your education section, include details of your most relevant resident assistant qualifications and educational achievements.

Working as a resident assistant doesn't usually require a degree. Even though a degree-level education isn't a necessity, it's still important to highlight your key educational achievements, including a First Aid Certification or other courses or training that showcases your conflict resolution techniques or event planning skills.

List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.

If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.

Relevant Certifications and Licenses

Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to resident assistant jobs. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, make sure you list the dates of your certifications and licenses so employers can see they're up-to-date and valid.

Below you can find several examples of certifications for a resident assistant resume:

Employment History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a resident assistant. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.

Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.

The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. See the examples below for some ideas of what a great resume work experience looks like.

In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Less effective resume work experience sections might take a more vague, descriptive approach to previous jobs. They focus on responsibilities and everyday duties rather than referencing career achievements and the value you've added for previous employers.

Additional Information

To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a resident assistant resume. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a resident assistant resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.

Volunteer Work

Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your resident assistant resume. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.

References

It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard resident assistant resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.

Best action words for your resident assistant resume

Using strong action words to make your resume resonate with the employer. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.

Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.

Example of a resident assistant resume

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your resident assistant resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers to manage their hiring process. They can handle some of the more time-consuming and resource-intensive jobs, such as initial screening of resumes. Employers often receive hundreds of applications per vacancy, and ATS software can quickly and accurately scan and rank resumes based on their likely suitability for any role. When writing your resident assistant resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.

Follow these guidelines to create the best ATS-friendly resume:

• Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
• Include keywords throughout your resume that align with the job description. ATS software tends to compare your resume to the job description for points of similarity, so careful, considered use of keywords should help your chances of success.
• Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
• Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
• Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.

Key takeaways for your resident assistant resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.

Sources:

(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx

(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/