Resumes & More

How does your Experience Demonstrate. . . 

Time management, trustworthiness, leadership, problem solving, teamwork, written & verbal communication, critical thinking?

On your resume . . . 

Document your research experiences the same way you would describe other campus involvement and work experience. Focus on your accomplishments. Select the skills that are transferable to your career interests and demonstrate the qualifications required for the position. 

List this experience with a few short bullets highlighting your achievements. 

For example: 

COLLEGIATE INVOLVEMENT, AWARDS & HONORS

(list other organizations/awards/positions held and duties)

Undergraduate Research – Project Assistant 

Missouri River Institute, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD August 2024-May 2025 

• Assumed the primary responsibility for the technical supervision, fiscal control and reporting of the research project. 

• Collaborated with five team members during the course of the research. 

• Calculated and managed a $2,000 budget for the research project. 

• Successfully investigated the impact of flow regulations on land cover and patch dynamics of the Missouri River floodplain. 

OR

Creative Scholarship – Grant winner & Project Director

Council for Undergraduate Research & Creative Scholarship, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. Mini-grant awardee. April 2024. 

• Wrote successful mini-grant application ($750) for funding of creative scholarship project

• Developed artistic project based upon performances in the University of South Dakota’s productions of “Young Frankenstien” and “Three Sisters”

• Used performative techniques of Arthur Lessac, Michal Chekhov, and Konstantin Stanislavsky

• Worked closely with production team and multiple crews (director, stage manager, costume, lighting, scenic design, sound technicians) to develop and deliver award-winning performance

OR

Undergraduate Research – Research Assistant

Department of History, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. October 2024.

• Researched collections in the South Dakota State Archives about women’s suffrage during the early 1900’s (over 100 hours of primary source analysis)

• Conducted multiple oral history interviews for a research project that were later deposited in the USD Oral History Center for cataloging and use by other researchers

• Nominated by faculty to present research at the USD Student History Conference, a regional meeting featuring a dozen area colleges and universities

• Completed an internship at the WH Over Museum where research results from the women’s suffrage project became the basis for a new museum exhibit

During the Interview . . . 

Remember that most questions are open-ended and situational in nature. The STAR method may help you better describe your accomplishments during a behavior-based interview. Describe the situation, the task you needed to accomplish, the action you took and the results of your actions. 

Tell me about the most significant or creative presentation that you had to complete. 

S ituation: The most significant presentation I have ever had to present was to a class of 50 students at the University. 

T ask: Our team had completed research for the Missouri River Institute on the impact of flow regulation on the future ecological state of the river system, as well as wildlife habitat. 

A ction: We focused on the research and collected information consistently at the site. We then analyzed this data using statistical software and discovered a significant relationship between water flow and wildlife habitat. We then wrote a report on these results and shared it with a Biological conference at the University. 

R esult: The presentation went over very well and was a success. We received positive feedback on the presentation evaluations and we were even asked to present our presentation at a community forum by faculty. Later that semester, it was also published in a peer review journal that showcases Biology students’ research from across the nation. 

Tell me about the most complex assignment you have had. 

S ituation: The most complex assignment was when I was the Project Assistant of a research project. 

T ask: My colleagues and I did research for two semesters to complete the project. It consisted of many complex components. 

A ction: I made many critical decisions along the way that would affect the outcome of the research project. I made these decisions by consulting with the other members of the group, seeking out as much information about our options as possible, consulting faculty, and reviewing the literature. I was trusted to maintain research results that were important in my faculty director’s own research agenda. 

R esult: The results of the research were very successful and all of us were happy with the final product. Our research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, for which I was listed as a co-author. We also earned an A on our project and presented it at several local events. 

Arts

2026 IdeaFest, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD

Paper (if poster/ say poster) “Title”

Humanities

Paper (if poster/ say poster) “Title”, 2026 IdeaFest, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD

Business

Poster:

Stevens K., Johnson A.T. Employment incentives impact on labor force participation. Poster presented at: National Economics Conference; February 2020; Los Angeles, CA.

Presentation:

Presentation Title in italics, IdeaFest, 2026

• Main points of presentation

• Provide details that tell employers about the nature of your presentation

STEM

The Effects of Glyphosate on Endocrine Health

IdeaFest, April 2026

·        The chemical composition of Glyphosate as it relates to cellular breakdown withing the endocrine system

·        Nature of recent scientific findings

Health Sciences

Melstad, S. & Kenyon, D. B. (2026, April). A Mixed-Methods Study to Understand Public Health Professionals Capacity to Improve Health Equity in South Dakota. Oral presentation to USD IDEAFest, Vermillion, SD.