Top Resident Assistant sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a Resident Assistant resume experience section
Resident Assistant Resume’s Job Experience Checklist:
- Use 4-6 bullet points per job title;
- Don’t go further than a decade behind when describing your job history, unless you’re applying for an executive position;
- Combine job responsibilities as well as achievements with numbers in results when you describe your past work;
- Start each sentence with a power verb and avoid overused buzzwords;
- Use either C-A-R or S-T-A-R methodology, when describing your experience.
The work experience samples below come from real Resident Assistant resumes that got people hired at top companies. You can use them as an inspiration to build your own resume:
- Leading a team of 5, as a Senior Resident Assistant;
- Planning schedules, coordinating weekly tasks, developing and leading trainings and workshops;
- Solving issues, related to university policies and other conflicts that arise in the residence halls.
- Provided professional and personal advice to entire residence hall of 150+ undergraduate students and enforced policy
- Conducted programs on diversity, substance abuse, personal development, safety and academic performance
- Executed tasks including room inspections, service maintenance requests, incident reports and conflict mediations
- Organized, planned, and scheduled student programming that promoted culture, education and the resolution of student conflicts.
- Served as a positive role model through demonstrating positive attitude, fair approach, and cultural sensitivity related to a diverse student body.
- Cultivated relationships with campus community members from several backgrounds. Supported the intersectionality of a diverse student body and created programs that celebrated our cultural differences.
- Learned the importance of being on the right side of potential change by becoming the one who can enforce changes that would benefit the student body.
- Assessed facilities thoroughly for a weekly reporting and suggestions
- Consulted residents with issues and liaised them with relevant parties
- Administered third-party access procedures to improve security
- Strategically planned courses and projects for students
- Taught Business solutions, ideas, and structure to high school students
- Lead open discussions to world ideas in business
- Trained entrepreneurial business mind and competencies
- Oversaw development of 10+ business startup ideas
- Responsible for 22 students 6 days a week
- Created daily group exercises, gatherings, and events
- Held over 25 programs for residents in one year on education, fiscal policy, environmental duty, and mental health awareness
- Ranked and Nominated number 1 RA of the semester the first semester qualified
- Represented UW Housing at a conference and awarded the "Top 3 Program" Award, out of 30 programs by 10 UW schools
- Conducted a successful campaign of 4 people and nominated Chair for Association of Resident Assistants (ARA)
- Influenced over 300 residents in 6 semesters
- Facilitated staff Meetings
- Conceptualized and lead over 70 programs in 2 years to promote diversity and social well-being of 350+ students; managed all aspects of the program, including budgeting, fund allocation and marketing campaigns
- Established a safe and positive living environment for 44-50 assigned residents each year, complying with University policies and guidelines
- One of the few Resident Assistants selected in sophomore year for demonstrated leadership ability and team-building skills
- Assisted in evacuation of 1100 students during Hurricane Matthew
- Responds to and assists in emergency/crisis procedures
- Supervises 31 students
- Plans and hosts programs and small community builders to further encourage students to get involved in the community
- Conducts health and safety inspections regularly
- Completes all paperwork in a timely manner
- Executively handled emergency situations and inspired residents to apply for the (RA) Resident Assistant position.
- Provided mentorship and inspired young students to be active in the community, by hosting thought provocative socials.
- Vigilant about PTSD, trauma from sexual violence, overall mental well-being of residents and connected them to appropriate resources.
- Provided of a safe life and study environment at a floor of 35 residents;
- Hosted social and wellness programs for the residents;
- Performed administrative tasks including room condition reports, maintenance requests, incident reports, etc;
- Enforced dormitory policies and university regulations;
- Organized of annual diversity training workshops, aimed at teaching the upcoming first-year class inter-cultural competence
- Assisted in coordinating and running Property activities such as Orientation Program, information sessions and open days to support growth and development of the property.
- Provide Mental Health, First Aid support to residents in Building.
- Enhanced the student experience through the provision of peer support and general administrative and operational duties to develop a supportive and safe community conductive to study.
- Supervise a floor of 60 undergraduate students
- Facilitate roommate conflicts with solid communication and listening skills
- Create, plan, and implement interactive/informational programs for up to 280 residents
- Work cooperatively with staff members on programs to ensure that educational opportunities are available to foster personal growth and to meet quality standards
- Apply sound decision-making skills in responding to crisis situations
- Planned and advertised bi-monthly events for 900 students
- Implemented most attended hall event all year
- Gained multi-cultural and interpersonal skills through working with many diverse students
- Assessed facilities thoroughly for weekly reporting and suggestions
- Handled tenants' complaints and liaised them with management
- Administered third-party access procedures to improve security
- Counseled tenants regarding academic, personal, and other issues
- Interpreted, explained, and enforced university and residential life policies
- Created a floor community conducive to academic success and healthy living
- Conducted academic conferences with each resident each semester and supported residents academically throughout the year
- Develop an inclusive community among 35 residents, maximizing positive resident interactions
- Work with Co-Resident Assistants to execute creative programs, fostering student development politically, socially, and culturally
- Conduct rounds throughout the building in order to assure security and enforcement of University policies
- Mediated and provided conflict resolution in a professional and timely manner
- Serve as a role model for responsible behavior, personal integrity, and maturity, both on-campus and off-campus
- Planned and executed community building events for residents
- Created and updated monthly bulletin boards
- Enforced university polices and counselled 48 residents
- Developed and facilitated programs on diversity, personal development, academic performance,
- Served as a mentor and advisor for 35 first year students and provided paraprofessional advise and academic support
- Mediated and provided conflict resolution in a professional and timely manner.
- Managed administrative tasks including weekly reports, room condition reports, maintenance requests, and incident reports
- Built a close-knit community in a corridor of 35-40 women through.....
- Assisted first year students through their initial transition period from living at home to living on campus
- Attended regular training on and regular staff development in-services
- Secured the safety of a building of 240 students on duty nights on an average of 3 nights per month
PRO TIP
Make sure to relate your experience to your job description, but never lie. That’s not tolerated and will show up in the face-to-face interview later on.
Action Verbs for your Resident Assistant Resume
Recommended reads:
Resident Assistant Resume Skills’ Tips & Tricks to Impress Recruiters
Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Skills for your Resident Assistant resume
- Jira
- Smartsheet
- Microsoft Office
- keyshot
- 3D print
- Asana
- Communication
- Negotiation
- Networking
- Tactfulness
- Patience
- Social Cues
PRO TIP
When picking skills to feature in your resume, make sure they'll be relevant to the position you’re applying to. The point of listing skills is for you to stand out from the competition. Stay away from repetitive, meaningless skills that everyone uses in their resumes. Or else, they’ll backfire and make you look like an average candidate.
Resident Assistant Resume Header: Tips, Red Flags, and Best Practices
CHECKLIST For Your Resident Assistant Resume Header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have non-discrimination policies about what kind of information can be included on your Resident Assistant resume. This might include a photo (which is often included in a resume header and might be on personal web pages you link to). You can always email the company’s HR department to ask about their policies before you apply.
Resident Assistant Resume Summary Best Practices
Checklist: What to include in your Resident Assistant resume summary:
- Years of experience;
- Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
- One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
- Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
Resume Summary Formula:
PRO TIP
Read the job description carefully and understand what the hiring company is exactly looking for. After that, write your summary accordingly while highlighting your potential and ability to be the best at that job.
Recommended reads:
Listing Your Education, Certifications and Courses
Resume Education Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Certifications for your Resident Assistant resume
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you hold a certain major and a minor, your majors should be mentioned first.
Resident Assistant Resume: Additional Writing & Formatting Tips
There are three basic resume formats you can choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional resume format;
- Hybrid (or Combination) resume format;
The most optimal format for your particular case will depend on your years of experience, as well as whether you’re switching industries or not.
Reverse chronological resumes are best suited for experienced individuals who are sticking to their industry. The experience section takes a central place, and its bullets contain your responsibilities and achievements, coupled with numbers and results.
Functional resumes are used by less experienced jobseekers or career changers. Note that it’s not a format that recruiters prefer, as most are used to the classic chronological alignment. Instead of a list of job titles, functional resumes focus on your skills, and through what experiences you gained them.
Hybrid resumes are great for both experienced and entry-level candidates, as well as career changers. They combine the best of both worlds - most often in a double column format, where one side of the content is focused on your experience, whereas the other - on your skills, strengths, and proudest moments.
Resident Assistant Resume Summary best practices
Here are more resume tips regarding your layout and style:
- Clear and legible 12p resume font size;
- Use 10’’ resume margins - that’s default for a great resume design;
- Use a one-page template resume length if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- Save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiter.
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Test your draft Resident Assistant resume by sending it out to peers and mentors in your circles. Ask them to review it as if they are hiring you for a project and implement the feedback afterwards.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company (corporation or start-up; innovative or traditional), job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Resident Assistant resume:
Resident Assistant Resume: How to Make Yours More Creative & Stand Out
When you send your resume to a potential employer, chances are it's the fiftieth one they've seen that day. That's why you need to make your Resident Assistant resume stand out for the right reasons. That means showing your personality, not just your professional experience. Employers are far more likely to remember a candidate who seems like a genuine person and not a robot. Do this by including your passions (which is also a great place to demonstrate skills on a resume), share your favorite books, or even what your usual day looks like.
What Makes a Great Resident Assistant Resume: Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
