Marketing Your Resident Assistant Experience on Your Resume

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 Skill Development 

In your tenure as an RA you have developed an endless supply of skill and abilities and had experiences that are going to be relevant to almost any profession.  RA’s acquired interpersonal, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, & leadership skills through the job.  Here are some examples of how to communicate these skills and experiences in your resume.

►Created/Developed a positive living environment designed to link community, faculty, and residents, often resolving conflict

►Promoted academic excellence, addressed student needs, and encouraged involvement among residents in a way that supported the mission of the University and the Department of Housing and Residence Life

►Promoted the interaction and construction of social networks between community and residents

►Marketed/Developed/Led student centered hall programs to promote social, education,  diversity, health, emotional, understanding and growth

►Maintained and updated the residence hall website

►Assisted in the selection, evaluation and training of incoming RA’s

►Communicated, corresponded & collaborated with on and off-campus offices such as counseling, student activities, campus security, Planned Parenthood, maintenance, etc.

►Implemented and enforced all University and Housing policies

►Collaborated with orientation staff  on freshman opening week activities

►Budgeted and allocated money used for residence hall/floor  events

On the Resume

This type of information could show up on your resume in couple of different places depending on how you have it set up.  It could fall under you Professional Experience or Employment History section as one of your experiences or jobs.  If you have “skills and abilities” outlined in your resume, these activities could be listed as evidence of that particular skill.

References

Depending on the relationship you have built with different members of the housing staff, there are many people to choose from that will serve well as a reference including your Resident Director, Area Director, Director or Assistant Director of Housing, VP of Student Affairs.

 RA Action Verbs

Administered, Advised, Assigned, Assisted, Allocated, Budgeted, Collaborated, Communicated, Conducted, Coordinated, Corresponded, Created, Delegated, Developed, Directed, Encouraged, Facilitated, Implemented, Initiated, Investigated, Led, Maintained, Marketed, Mediated, Moderated, Planned, Promoted, Provided, Purchased, Recommended, Selected, Served, Supported, Trained...