A résumé should reflect the full range of your experiences—paid work, community involvement, cultural roles, and family responsibilities. These experiences demonstrate initiative, collaboration, and leadership in different ways.

You can list your experience under Experience, Leadership & Community Involvement, or Skills.

Use this formula: Action Verb + What You Did + How You Did It (optional) + Why It Matters/Impact

Example: Organized community dance practices, coordinating schedules and leading younger students to prepare for performance.

To get started, you can use Big Interview’s Résumé Builder for structure and formatting guidance. Then visit the Résumé Resources page on the Career Hub to explore more examples and learn how to safely use AI to strengthen your career documents. 

Your cover letter is a chance to show who you are, not just what you’ve done. It’s a space to share how your values, cultural experiences, and community work have shaped the way you approach learning and leadership.

You can use a short story or example from your experience to show how you practice teamwork, problem-solving, or care for the community.

How to include your story:

• Start with a short reflection or example from your life or community that connects to the role.

  • Example: “From helping organize community events, I learned how to coordinate people and details while keeping everyone’s needs in mind.”

• Link it to the skill the employer is looking for.

  • Example: “That same experience taught me the importance of clear communication, which I bring to every project I support.”

• End by connecting your values to the organization’s mission.

  • Example: “I’m drawn to your organization’s focus on service and inclusion because those values mirror what I was taught growing up.”

You can learn more and explore examples on the Cover Letter Resources page of the Career Hub.

An interview is more than answering questions — it’s your opportunity to share who you are and how your experiences have prepared you to contribute. The goal is to connect your story to the skills and values the employer needs, in a way that feels genuine to you.

You can practice doing this with Big Interview, an online tool that helps you build confidence through mock interviews, feedback, and skill-based practice questions.

How to include your story in interviews:

• Begin with cultural or community experiences that show your skills.

  • Example: “In my community, I helped plan ceremonies and events. That taught me how to stay organized and work with many people respectfully.”

• Explain how the experience connects to the job.

  • Example: “Those same skills—planning, communicating, and keeping commitments—help me manage responsibilities and meet deadlines.”

• Share your values as part of your professional identity.

  • Example: “I always aim to bring respect and accountability into my work because that’s what my community taught me.”

When networking, use these stories to build connections and show what makes your perspective unique.

Tip: Practice out loud. Big Interview can help you record, review, and strengthen how you talk about your experiences before your next interview or networking event.

You don’t have to do this alone. Pima’s Employer Engagement & Career Services team can help you translate your experiences into résumés, cover letters, and interview stories that feel true to you.

Meet one-on-one:
Schedule an appointment to get personalized feedback and support. You can talk through your story, practice sharing it in interviews, or refine how it appears in your career documents.

Connect with us:
careerservices@pima.edu

You can also explore online tools available anytime:

• MyCareerLink – create and update your résumé using templates and examples.

• Big Interview – practice interviewing, get feedback, and build confidence in how you share your story.