Western Oregon University Career Guide - 2025 - Flipbook - Page 9
TRANSLATE YOUR EXPERIENCE
One of the elements that makes you unique that professionals look for are the activities you do outside of the classroom.
This could mean having been an athlete, gone on a study abroad, or even holding leadership roles such as a resident assistant.
All of these experiences can, and should, be worked into your resume. There are two ways to do this, and it all depends on
how you want to highlight them.
1. Mention your experiences as part of your education. Usually when your experience is highlighted this way it is
because you have quite a bit of relevant history that overshadows this, or, you don’t have any perceived skills that
you gained from the experience that you believe will benefit the employer.
E XA M P L E
Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education
Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR
Expected June XXXX
• Study Abroad Costa Rica
• Track and Field Team Member
• Resident Assistant, Barnum Hall
2. Talk about this activity as part of your experience. Often there are skills you have gained from your experiences
that are exceptional and should be highlighted. In this case you want to highlight these experiences on your
resume in the main body if they are a significant source of your experience.
E XA M P L E
EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
Track and Field Team Member
Western Oregon University, Monmouth OR
August XXXX-June XXXX
• Organized, allocated, and managed the resources of time, space, and attention to actively
better one’s physical self, and improve team communication.
• Took an active role on the team, gave and received feedback on practice, analyzed data
from multiple sources, and shared responsibility for decision making.
Costa Rica Study Abroad, English Language School in San Jose
Western Oregon University, San Jose, Costa Rica
June XXXX-July XXXX
• Communicated in ways that demonstrate respect for and responsiveness to the cultural
backgrounds of members of the group.
• Monitored student learning, engaged students in assessing their progress, and adjusted
instruction in response to student learning needs.
Resident Assistant Barnum Hall
Western Oregon University, Monmouth OR
September XXXX-June XXXX
• Maintained open lines of communication with all staff to establish and support a positive,
professional, and productive work environment.
• Listened effectively to others to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes,
and intentions and responded appropriately to them.
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