Effective resume
-
date post
18-Oct-2014 -
Category
Education
-
view
232 -
download
0
description
Transcript of Effective resume
Résumé 101
The Basics of Writing an Effective Résumé
Résumé Rules…
What are the Absolute, Unbreakable Rules of Resume Writing? There are only a few absolute rules in resume writing! These rules, however, are absolutes:
No typing errors.
No misspellings.
Do not tell a lie or mistruth.
Do not include any negative information.
It is YOUR résumé, your opinion matters. Use your critical thinking skill and filter suggestions from others.
Think of WHO is going to be reading your résumé and what THEY are most interested in knowing.
Résumé = Marketing Tool
How long do you think the average employer looks at a résumé?
What do you most want the employer to know about you?
Formatting: first, BOLD, white space!
THE PURPOSE OF A RESUME IS TO GET AN INTERVIEW
MUST HAVE Categories
on a Résumé
Personal Logo (Name, Address(es), Phone Number(s), and
Email)
Education
Experience (Work or Volunteer)
Categories NEVER Included on a
Resume
Height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, sex, race, health, social security number (except on an International Resume)
Reasons for leaving previous job(s)
Picture of yourself
Salary Information
References (more on this issue later)
The title "Resume"
Religion, religious affiliations, political affiliations
Templates:
To Use or Not To Use?
What About Those Resume Wizards in Microsoft Word?
Word's Resume Wizards are increasingly popular with students.
They can be help get you started with categories for your resume.
CAUTION: Formats are not geared to college students and can cause students to set up your resumes inappropriately. If you use Wizards, adapt them to recommended guideline for college students.
FURTHER CAUTION: Since so many college students are using Resume Wizards, employers are seeing an awful lot of resumes that look exactly alike.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Scientific and
Technical Communication
Emphasis in Web Development
College & University
Year
Percentage / Grade
Work Experience
Five Components:
Job Title
Name of Employer
Location
Dates of employment
Description
Use Action Verbs! Keep it brief and to the point
Organized Communicated
Directed
Planned Created Assisted
Supported Initiated Solved
Reported Edited Analyzed
Described Developed Managed
Led Sold Designed
Tie skills to context How have you applied them?
Excellent communication skills
vs.
Presented detailed information related to resume writing in strategic career planning
workshops
And now for the numbers…
Conducted presentations for sales
orientation programmes
Led over 30 presentations to groups of 50 corporate and their representatives introducing them to the organization’s services
Other Resume Categories
Objective
Computer Skills
Honors and Achievements
Scholarships and Awards
Volunteer Experience
Leadership Experience
Campus or Community Activities
Certificates and Additional Training
Objective
Objective can add focus to the resume
Specific to field and industry, but not to job
Examples:
Obtaining an editing position within the
medical industry
To provide web development services to a
health care company in the Chicago area
Summary of Qualifications
Must be specific, weighty, & descriptive
Must NOT be a list of vague skills Example of a good Summary:
Three years editing experience through college newspaper
Adept at using Pagemaker, Quark, Flash, and Dreamweaver
Lead designer for 11 web sites used in higher education and industry
Where to start?
What are you trying to communicate? Three guiding questions:
What is that particular employer looking for in the dream candidate?
What are the 3-5 most important aspects of your experience that you need to describe based on what the employer is looking for?
What is your competitive advantage relative to other candidates?
Other strategies
Placement of content makes a difference
Clump related qualifications
Use category headings that communicate
your qualifications – be creative.
The Importance of Research
Talk with people who know the employer,
it’s products, past employees, or customers.
Web, of course.
Checklist
Is it attractive? Does it make a good first impression?
One page? Or can two pages be justified?
Is it concise? Is extraneous information reduced or eliminated?
Is unfamiliar information clarified? Just what is the Wilma Wonderwoman scholarship? Example:
Wilma Wonderwoman Scholarship Recipient: Awarded to the senior who displays outstanding leadership.
Types of Resumes
Standard Resumes: Laser printed, well-formatted, & reader friendly.
Scannable Resumes: Text-based, plain, no formatting, key words (nouns & phrases), & qualifications summary.
Web-based Resumes: It is available 24/7, global exposure (good and bad), no page restrictions.
Cover Letter
Basics
Guiding Principles
What are your themes? What sets you apart?
Specify how you will benefit the employer
Be as specific as possible-- with examples
How does your background meet their specific
qualifications?
You are just what they are looking for and you
have the proof to back up your statements
Employer Name
If the name isn’t given, employ your research skills to find out the name
Be sure you have the gender and title correct
Position
A good cover letters targets a specific
position
Lack of clarity may lead to the perception that you don’t know what you want to do
Use examples
My excellent financial management skills
will greatly benefit your company
vs.
Through my work at the Jane Smith House, I honed my financial management skills by developing spreadsheets,
reporting on cash-flow accounts and ledger balances
Show your knowledge
of the employer I am interested in working for Delta
because of your reputation for quality
I have been following your decision to pursue portal technology as a part of your
communication strategy. I am eager to work for a Delta because of your
commitment to cutting edge technology.
Relate skills to the objective
Objective: Entry-level writing position
In my position at Joiner Co. I entered data,
contacted clients to update their addresses, and
wrote letters and reports.
Composed more that 50 letters sent to corporate
clients such as Zeneca and Campbell, Inc.
Wrote narrative for statistical report that was
included in annual report sent to 1000
organizations nationwide.
The Big Finish
Ask for an interview
Indicate how you will follow-up (unless instructed specifically otherwise)
Be sure you really do follow-up!
Questions?