Career Workshop@ Your Library

Resume Writing & Computer Skills

Your Resume What It Is & What It Does

□Your resume is “you” to potential employers

□It is their first opportunity to get to know you

□If it is merely “good enough” it tells them that is the kind of job you will do

Your Resume What It Is & What It Does con’t

□It takes potential employers 8-30 seconds to “read” a resume1

□The purpose of the resume is to get an interview

□Put nothing in a resume that will discourage them from asking you for an interview

1What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard N. Bolles, 2009, p. 53

Resumes in the Digital Age

□Computers, word processing software are standard creation tools for resumes

□Posting, emailing, uploading resumes are common, as well as saving and printing

□Digital resumes are easier to change

The MS Word Interface

Resume Templates in Word

Using Templates:highlight text & replace

Resume Writing Pointers

1. If you state a goal, make it about what you want to do for THEM, not for YOU.

2. Be consistent with the formats you use.3. Consider using a “Profile” section.4. State achievements and accomplishments and use dollars

and percentages when possible. 5. If skills and abilities are varied, group them in categories.6. If there are gaps in employment, list the number of years in

each position.

Challenges

□Format □Readable, 11 or 12 point font

□Organization□Chronological or Functional

□Cover letters□Customize!

□Number of pages□One is best

Resources

□Career center books

□Brochures, additional workshops

□Resume builder in Learning Express Library