Resumes

WRITING A RESUME Thursday, February 21, 13 WHAT IS A RESUME? • A concise summary of your education, experience, skills and accomplishments • A marketing tool to entice your reader to invite you to an interview • Employers are looking for well-rounded applicants in these areas: academic, work accomplishments and other activities • There is no one perfect resume or resume format Thursday, February 21, 13 GENERAL RESUME GUIDELINES •One page for recent graduates; two (full) pages if you have extensive work history •Direct the reader’s eye using layout/headings. • Proofread! No typographical, spelling or grammatical errors. Don’t rely on spell-check. Thursday, February 21, 13 GENERAL RESUME GUIDELINES • Tailor contents to each job/application. • List information in reverse chronological order. • Sell yourself — be selective about what you include and organize information logically. • Use consistent verb tense. (Past for things done in the past, present for things you are currently doing) Thursday, February 21, 13 RESUME CONTENTS • Objective • Educational Background • Work Experiences • Honors • Activities • Skills • Statement about References Thursday, February 21, 13 OBJECTIVE • First major section of your resume • It communicates what sort of job you are seeking and what skills you have to offer • Your objective may be oriented to: • The position (“Seeking a position as a social worker for the elderly.”) • The field (“Desire a social service position working with youth.”) • Your skills (“Looking for a position utilizing my counseling & writing skills.”) • A combination of the above (“Seeking a position as a public relations officer in a medical facility. Wish to utilize my skills in communications & photography.”) Thursday, February 21, 13 OBJECTIVE • Be work-centered rather than self-centered • Focus on what you have to offer, not what you want • Avoid generic objectives, such as: • “Seeking an entry-level position which will offer plentiful opportunities for professional training & career advancement” • Be as specific as possible • Every new job you interview for should have a new objective • Do not state a career goal for which you are unqualified • Must reflect a goal you can do with your present skills & qualifications Thursday, February 21, 13 EDUCATION • University’s name • Dates you attended the school • Degrees (If you already have graduated) • Major(s)/Minor(s) • Additional courses not covered by your Major or Minor • Do so only if it is relevant to the position you are applying for • Highlight any strong educational achievements • GPA • Membership in honorary societies • Dean’s List citations Thursday, February 21, 13 WORK EXPERIENCE • Position held (job title) •Name & location of company •Dates employed • Responsibilities/Duties • Achievements/significant contributions Thursday, February 21, 13 HONORS • Scholarships • Academic awards • Honor Societies Thursday, February 21, 13 ACTIVITIES • Campus organizations with which you were involved •Make sure to include leadership roles •Don’t just create a long list • Remember that whatever you list must show that you are suited for the job for which you are applying • Volunteer experiences Thursday, February 21, 13 SKILLS • List things such as: • Language skills • Native speaker of Mandarin • Advanced English/Intermediate Korean/Basic Japanese • Provide information to support your claims • CET6 Score: Excellent • Passed Japanese Proficiency Test Level 2 • Computer skills • Proficient user of Microsoft Office Thursday, February 21, 13 REFERENCES •Make statement at bottom of resume • References available upon request • References furnished upon request Thursday, February 21, 13 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS • Resume should look visually appealing to the reader • Avoid cramming & crowding, don’t have big blank areas • One page is best for college students • Never exceed two pages. If two pages, it must be two full pages • Highlight important information for emphasis • Use bold letters/italics/underlines/capitalization • Use a consistent pattern • Put dates on the right side & align along right margin Thursday, February 21, 13