A Guide to Choosing the Right Resume Tense
Read the following tips on how to write a clear and concise resume, as well as the resume template provided at the bottom. Bearing in mind the aforementioned device, consider your own skills, experience and achievements to write your own resume. Be ready to talk about it in class:
Keeping a sense of consistency is key when writing a resume. One way to di this is by using the correct tense as this helps managers know what you are currently doing versus what you have achieved or done in the past.
Present tense: Use this tense when describing the work you're currently doing.
Past tense: This tense is appropriate when describing positions you have had in the past and are no longer doing.
Future tense: This tense can be used in a resume objective to show what you hope to achieve in a specific role or at a specific company.
1. Use past tense for past jobs.
If you are referring to previous employers that you're no longer with, use the past tense. List every accomplishment (e.g., work experience, education background and skillset) and responsibility in the past tense. If you don't have an idea where you should switch to the present tense, listing all resume elements in the past tense is a good strategy.
2.Combining present and past tense under one heading.
To keep a sense of consistency throughout your resume, avoid combining past and present tense under the same heading. You may only do this if you have a current job for which you are listing as accomplishments and responsibilities. Keep specific accomplishments in the past because you completed it. Job responsibilities would stay in the present tense because they are ongoing. Here's an example:
Supervise the team of 10 customer support agent
Carry out strategic development
Trained 10 new employees
Developed a performance appraisal system
3. Examples of distinctive resume verbs
Instead of using common past-tense phrases like "served as," "responsible for," "duties included" or "actions encompassed," try the following verbs:
Analyzed
Accomplished
Increased
Improved
Developed
Spoke
Presented
Performed
Coordinate
Consolidate
Delegate
Design
Engineer
Fabricate
Maintain
Operate
Assist
Assess
Coach
Audit
Balance
Budget
Calculate
Resume example
Josh Sanchez 12071 Crest Ct., Studio City, Beverly Hills, CA [email protected]•555-012-1234
Summary IT Professional with over 15 years of experience specializing in IT department management for business process outsourcing companies. I can implement effective IT strategies at local and international levels. My greatest strength is business awareness, which allows me to permanently streamline applications and infrastructure. Seeking to use my IT management skills in Microsoft, Inc.
Experience
Senior Project Manager 2015-present St. Lukes Medical Center, ME
Responsible for developing, improving and creating IT project strategies
Oversaw all IT projects of the hospital for over 10 years, focus on cost reduction
IT Support Office 2006-2019 New Town Hospital, ME
Prepared more than 100 infrastructure performance reports and analyses
Assisted hospital staff and project managers for two years
Education
Master of Computer Science, Harvard University Year Graduated: 2005
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Year Graduated: 2001
Skills
*Sales analysis: background in IT sales with knowledge of negotiating contracts*
*Project scheduling: more than 80% of projects led was completed in due time*
