Resident Assistant Resume Examples & Template

Resident assistant resume template (text format)

Here’s a good template to follow when putting together your own resident assistant resume:

3 tips for writing an effective RA resume

Resident assistants or resident advisors (RAs) are an integral part of campus life, and dormitory-style living spaces would not be able to run properly without their guidance.

As an RA, you also hone valuable skills such as management and leadership while performing your residential assistant duties.

But getting a job as a resident assistant isn’t always simple, especially at more competitive universities. To land the job, you need a strong resume that highlights why you’re the best person for the job.

To help you get there, here are three tips for writing a great resident assistant/resident advisor resume:

1. Format your resume properly

As a resident assistant, you probably don’t have much formal work experience yet. That means your resume really needs to showcase the qualifications you do have.

To do this, you need to use a resume format that showcases your strengths. Start by using a chronological resume, with your most recent experience listed at the top.

Then, add a resume profile at the top of the page. This provides you an opportunity to catch the hiring manager’s eye by giving them a closer look at why you’re applying and who you are.

Finally, before sending your application out, save your resume as a PDF. That’s because PDF files can’t be altered and are easy to open on any platform. However, first check to see which file format the hiring department/university prefers.

2. Highlight relevant skills you’ve developed throughout school and your life

Being a great resident assistant requires a variety of different skills, from conflict management to people skills.

To show employers what skills you have, you need to do more than just list them in your resume skills section. To truly showcase your strengths, use the work experience section of your resume to highlight which skills you’ve demonstrated in the past.

Here’s an example of resident assistant job descriptions with the skills that they showcase:

If you’re not sure what skills to include on your resume, here are some commonly sought after RA resume skills:

Hard skills:

• MS Office Suite
• Google Workspace
• Budget Forecasting
• Zoom
• Foreign Language
• CPR Certification

Soft skills:

• Critical thinking
• Problem Solving
• Creativity
• Facilitating group discussions
• Conflict Management
• Delegating duties/responsibilities
• Cooperation
• Leadership skills
• Organizational skills
• Time management skills
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Adaptability/Flexibility
• Patience

3. Include extracurricular activities & clubs

If you’re applying for work as a resident assistant, you’re likely still in college and have little or no work experience yet.

Including extracurricular activities on your resume is a great way to pad out your application and show that you still have transferable skills, even if you haven’t held a job yet.

Some extracurriculars that are great additions to your resident assistant resume are:

• Being in a fraternity or sorority
• Volunteering at an animal shelter
• Performing community service
• Participating in a debate team
• Being on a sports team

Your extracurricular activities can demonstrate leadership potential, teamwork, and a variety of other skills that are valuable for working as an RA.

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Average resident assistant salaries in the US

After you’ve written your resume, make sure you use it to apply for jobs within a fair salary range.

The following table includes information from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report (May 2024). Here are the ten states with the highest salaries for resident assistants, as well as the national average for your reference when applying for work.