PRESENTED BY:Barbara Jackson, PHRClaudia Giliberti, MBA

www.utsa.edu/careercenter

What is the purpose of a RESUME????

• Generates job interviews

Markets your skills

Prepares you for interviewing

THE PURPOSE OF A RESUME

TYPES of RESUMES

CHRONOLOGICALHighlights stable work history and career

progressionPreferred by Human Resource

ProfessionalsSuggested for Entry level positions

FUNCTIONALHighlights skill sets - good for career

changers For Experienced job seekers

On average, how long does an employer spend reading your resume?

A. 2-3 minutes

B. 20-30 seconds

C. 1-2 minutes

D. As long as it takes

Emphasize successes and achievements rather than job duties

Quantify using numbers, percentages and dollar amounts (#, %, $)

Utilize language and keywords used in the job posting

Sell your strengths to the employer

RELEVANTto the position you are interested in

CONCISE

First person (do not use pronouns such as “I” or “my”)

Limited use of articles such as “the,” “an,” and “a”

Begin with action verbs One page preferably

VISUALLY APPEALING

Do not use templates (ie: Microsoft Word)

Times New Roman, Arial, or Garamond font type

10-12 font“1/2 - 1” marginsUtilize bullet points, bolding,

formatting, CAPITALIZATION, indentation

Reverse Chronological orderUse white space effectively

Resume Do’s & Don’tsSome important rules about your resume:

Keep it short – one page if possible

2. Avoid gimmicks (large fonts, colored paper, etc.)

3. Be aware of your e-mail address!

4. Be professional and brief – you don’t have to tell the whole story in your resume!

5. NEVER put a picture of yourself on a resume!

Resume Do’s & Don’tsSome important rules about your resume:

1. Do not list high school graduated from or high school activities

2. Print on quality resume paper

7. White paper / black ink (only)

8. Make sure all contact information is up-to-date

9. No mispeld words

VERY Important!

In order to be considered an applicant, most employers require you to complete their

online application.

All the rules of resume writing – especially grammar and spelling – also apply to online

applications!

Sections of the ResumeHeading

Objective

Summary or Profile

Education

Related Coursework

Work Experience

Honors and Activities

Additional skills

Heading

Your full name in CAPS, boldedCurrent address , city, state, zipTelephone number/s with area code in

parenthesisProfessional E-mail address

ObjectiveShould be the specific job title or the type of job or industry you are applying for

THIS“I am seeking a professional position with a progressive, stable organization where I can use my background and skills to grow with your company and one that offers opportunities for career advancement”.

OR THIS

A summer 2011 internship in the Financial Analyst Internship Program with USAA

OR

Seeking an entry level position in Marketing, Sales or Communications

OR

The Business Development Account Manager position with Worldwide Express

Use 3-5 bullet phrases

Use descriptive phrases that emphasize your strengths

Include your transferable and industry skills to coincide with job description

Be able to back up each description with an example (if asked)

Be honest; don’t just list things that make you sound good

Summary of Qualifications Or Profile

ExamplesDependable and trustworthy; willing to go

above and beyond expectationsStrong foundation in financial concepts

and data analysisBi-lingual in English and Spanish or

Intermediate skills in Spanish, or Read, write and speak Spanish fluently

Dependable, detail-oriented, team workerOver four years experience performing

various accounting proceduresExcellent customer service skills with the

ability to interact with a wide range of personality styles

Education

Full name of current school - “The University of Texas at San Antonio”

Full name of degree and major

i.e.: Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting (include minor if applicable)

Expected graduation date (month and year)GPA if above 3.0 (Cumulative, Major) Any or allList other degrees completed at other colleges or

universities (i.e.: Associate degree)Can include your contribution towards educational

expenses (Financed 100% of college expenses through part-time work)

Relevant Coursework – double bullet 3-6 courses related to your major

EDUCATION

Can Also Include:

Study-abroad programs (name of University, dates, classes taken)

Class or group projects (experience gained, your role)

Honors college, Dean’s List

Work Experience

Reverse chronological order (most recent job 1st)

List 2-3 jobs Job title, name of employer, city/state,

dates Bullet achievements and results (what you

can do to meet the employer’s needs) Use action verbs to begin; quantify using

numbers, dollar amounts, percentages Include awards or recognition (Employee of

the month, exceeded sales goals) Can group similar jobs (summer jobs, similar

types of jobs) Include internship experience (can also list it

separately)

ExamplesSold 1000 units of office equipment to

customers, exceeding monthly quota by 50%

Selected by Management to train 6 new employees on corporate policy and procedure

Promoted to Shift Manager after 4 months of service

Accurately balanced $10,000 cash drawer daily

Received numerous compliments for excellent customer service or recognized by Management for providing excellent customer service

Gained experience resolving customer service issues

Honors and ActivitiesDO’S

Professional and campus organizations with date, officer titles (can state purpose of organization and community benefits)

Scholarships received

Volunteer involvement

Dean’s List (can also be listed under Education)

National designations

DON’TS

List controversial organizations (ie: Young Democrats)

Abbreviations (ie: AZP) List full name of organization

ExamplesSociety of Human Resource Management, Student

Chapter, UTSA, President, 2009-Present

McDermott Scholarship, 2008-2010

American Heart Association, Volunteer Coordinator, 2009-Present

Dean’s List – UTSA, fall 2010

National Society of Collegiate Scholars – 2010

HEB CAP (Career Action Program); fall 2010; College of Business program designed to promote professionalism and prepare business students for career opportunities)

Junior Achievement, spring 2009, presented business topics to elementary students

Additional SkillsMicrosoft Office Skills – Word, Excel,

PowerPointOther Languages SpokenOther Certifications (CPR, OSHA) and

expiration date

Examples: Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPointFluent in Spanish; conversational in FrenchBloomberg Certification, UTSA, spring 2011Texas Real Estate Broker License, valid through

August 2012

What not to put on a resume

Social Security numberDate of BirthPicturesHobbies“References available

upon request”High School Information

(once you are a Sophomore/Junior)

Political AffiliationsAnything negativeRace, religion, ethnicityMarital Status or # of

childrenCriminal RecordHealthGender

The Finished Product

Proofread it and have it reviewed by others; no mistakes

Most HR managers see the resume as a reflection of the applicant

Accompanied with a cover letter targeted to each specific company

LIST OF REFERENCES

Preparing Your Reference List

Separate Page with letterhead matching your resume

3-5 references who know you and your work (work and/or school)

Ask their permission and know what they will say about you

Only provide when requested by employer

Make sure your References have an updated copy of your resume, and keep them informed of your progress

Send them a thank you note once you’ve been hired

Reference Content

Each reference should include:Person’s first and last NameTheir title (don’t guess)Name of Organization they work forBusiness address, City, State, ZipPhone Numbers (where they want to be

contacted)E-mail addressYour relationship to that person

Tom E. Hummer (Full Name) Senior Manager and Supervisor (Title)Enterprise Rent A Car (Organization)

731 ERAC Drive (Address)Austin, Texas 79110 (City, State, Zip)

936-342-0909 (work or home phone)rentus@eracs.com (work or a personal e-mail)

Former Supervisor (their relationship to you)

Dr. Sara A. TaylorProfessor – Management Information Systems

The University of Texas at San AntonioOne UTSA Circle

San Antonio, Texas 78249210-458-4766

sara.taylor@utsa.eduFormer Professor

BOB E. JONES 4752 Wall Street

New York City, NY - 20012(410) 756-2575

bobejones@gmail.com

COVER LETTERS

The PurposeTo accompany your resume/on-line

application to a potential employer

Stimulate interest in you

Discuss how your skills match the job opening

Inform the employer about what you can do for them and differentiate yourself from other candidates

Provide a sample of your writing ability

Important things to consider

A cover letter should be sent with every resume

Effective cover letters require research on the job opening and the employer

Cover letters must be tailored to each job posting (make sure you possess the requirements for the job and you highlight your skills in the body of the letter)

Cover letters should be directed to a specific person whenever possible.

No spelling or grammatical errors.

Parts of a Cover Letter

Heading (same as resume)

Date

Company Name of Contact, their title, address

Salutation (Dear Ms. or Mr. …, Dear Human Resource Manger)

Introductory Paragraph (how you heard about the opening, title of job opening, why you’re interested)

Body of Letter (most important section, match your skills to the job skills stated in the job opening, sell your strengths)

Closing (what you would like to see happen next, how you can be reached)

Signature