Writing your resume

What is a resume?

• It is a concise summary of an applicant’s qualifications for employment.

• It should emphasize skills & abilities that you want employers to recognize.

• It is a tool that you can use to sell yourself.• A resume should be easy to read, attractive,

crisp, & clean.

Guidelines for the resume

• One inch margins on all sides• Use high quality, 20-lb. bond paper• Paper color should be white, off-white or gray

(use matching envelopes)• Use headings, boldface print, different font

sizes, underscores, listings, bullets or asterisks, or capitalization to emphasize your qualifications.

• Limit your resume to one page• Format attractively using white space

effectively• Use parallel structure in headings & listing• Never use the pronoun “I” as the first word of

a sentence on resume; use “Filed correspondence”

• Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation

Sections

• Heading• Job objective• Special qualifications• Work experience• Education• Activities, interests, & achievements• Personal information• References

Tips

• Use general resume if you are applying for a variety of jobs

• Use a specific resume if you have one particular job or type of job in mind

• Omit any information that might cause a negative reaction; for example, if you have an interrupted work history, omit dates when listing work history.

• Organize information so that it impresses potential employers

Organizing your resume

• Reverse Chronological Order– Most recent work experience first & works backward to

earlier jobs.– Most resumes are organized this way

• Functional Order– Present accomplishments or skills in order of their

importance.– List items in descending order of importance;

emphasizes strengths & de-emphasizes less important aspects of your background.

Functional Order, continued

• Suppose you are applying for a job that requires strong communication skills, then you might want to put those experiences/accomplishments first

• If you don’t have much relevant work experience but have taken courses beyond high school level, education is your most important qualification.

• So, you would put your educational qualifications first.

• Now, let’s look at each section.

Heading

• Information to include– Name– Address (street & postal)– Telephone numbers where you can be reached including

area code– Email address

• If you send out resumes while still in school, you may want to show both your school & home address (and the corresponding telephone numbers.)

Job Objective

• A brief statement that describes the type of position for which you are applying.

• This is an optional section• This lets the employers know if your interests

match their needs.• When unsure, omit it.• Example: To secure a position as a______with the

opportunity for advancement into_________.

Work Experience

• For each job, list the name of the company or organization you worked for; the city & state; dates of employment (often included but not mandatory.)

• Also include the job title & a description of your responsibilities & accomplishments.

• You can list your work experience by date, company, or job title.

• Mentioning summer or part-time jobs will show prospective employers that you are hard working.

Here’s an example of listing by work experience

Telesystems Corporation, Lake City, Utah, Technician, March 2006 to present. Prepare repair estimates, repair mobile devices, and answer customer inquiries. Operate testing equipment, analyze repair records, schedule customer repairs, and order parts.

Here’s an example of listing by job title

Cashier. Wheeler’s Variety Store, Snow City, Wyoming, October 2006 to May 2009. Assisted customers in making purchases and returns; operated electronic cash register; and handled cash, checks, and credit card transactions.

Education

• Begin with the most recent postsecondary school you have attended.

• List each school, the degree or certificate earned, the major study & completion dates (month & year.)

• Include credit & non-credit workshops, seminars, & classes if they relate to the job objective.

Other information you can include if space permits…..

• Academic honors &/or awards• GPA if you have a good one (at least 3.0 on a 4.0

scale)• List your GPA as an overall average, an average in

your major, or an average in your last 30 hours of schooling.

• Military experience• Average number of hours worked during school• Percentage of school your paid for yourself.

Check out this example…..

Education Associate degree in Business Administration,

May 20xx, Polk Community College, Winter Haven, Florida. Additional courses in management

information systems and business communication. Worked part time while attending college. (Worked 25 hours a week while attending college to pay 100 percent of school expenses.) Overall GPA = 3.55

Activities, interests, & achievements

• List information that reflects your ability to work hard, think creatively, show initiative, work well with others, & show your leadership qualities.

• You can title this as– Achievements, awards, and honors– Interests– Activities and achievements– Additional interests and qualifications

Personal Information

• This is optional• Includes age, gender, national origin, religion,

race, disability, marital status, number of children

• Only include what is relevant & will help you get the job.

• A picture is not necessary unless physical appearance is part of the job.

References

• This is also optional.• If you include references, the information should be

placed on a separate page.• Use the notation at the end of your resume

“References available upon request.”• Before you include people as references, ask their

permission first; if they agree, tell them what kind of job you are applying for so they can describe their experiences with you appropriately.

F.Y.I.

• Applicants are sometimes asked to sign a statement that the information on their resumes & application forms is complete & accurate. If an employer learns you have lied, you may be fired.

• The purpose of the resume is to open the door for an interview; it is not a guarantee for a job offer.

• Make sure your references are readily available in case the prospective employer asks for them.