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The Resume- A marketing tool

What is a resume?

‘Resume’ derived from French means ‘to summarize’. It is a brief summary of personal

details about education, work experience and skills. Two other words used for ‘resume’ in

India are ‘bio-data’ and ‘curriculum vitae’. Americans prefer ‘resume’ and it is quite popular

in India as well.

A marketing tool-

A resume is a marketing tool. You may have qualifications and experience required for a

particular position in an office but unless you communicate them in a resume, you will not

be able to reach the interview stage. Again, if your excellent academic credentials are not

presented attractively in the resume, it may not reach the recruiter’s desk. Thousands of

resumes are received for a few vacancies and many of them are hurriedly scanned and

disposed of rather than seriously read. The employer takes 10-12 seconds to glance through

the resume and the decision to call a candidate for an interview is based on the interest it

creates in the very short period.

In this process, there is a possibility of a really worthy candidate being ignored. Hence, your

resume which the recruiter holds for a few seconds should be visually appealing with some

arresting content features which should compel him to retain it for a few more minutes for

a careful study and favourable decision. Candidates generally use the outdated and

outmoded procedure and prepare dull and dreary resumes and wait for the interview call

with batted breath and later they find themselves disappointed.

The customer strategy in business transactions is applicable to job market as well. We buy

the best advertised product rather than the best product. Similarly, a spectacular resume

has a better market value.

A sales brochure-

A resume is considered a sales brochure and you are a product ‘on sale’. A TV sales brochure

is resplendently designed with all selling points about the product explicitly explained and

attractively illustrated to influence the customers. In a similar manner, a resume should

contain all the essential information about the product i.e., yourself- your academic record,

professional experience and potential skills in a visually appealing manner to attract the

employer, who should visualize clearly the person behind the resume. It should highlightthe

end result of your activities.

Designing a resume-

Preparing a resume should not be considered a casual affair. It is a serious task, which involves your

employment prospects. A lot of planning precedes its preparation. What should find a place in a

resume? A resume should be viewed as a truthful sales presentation. Hence, you should provide

information, which the employer requires in respect of the job. Academic record, career vision and


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objectives, past accomplishments and plans for the future growth of the organization form the bolts

and nuts for shaping an attractive resume. Students mostly prepare one resume and send it to all

organizations without concern for the needs and requirements of each job. More often they send

only a photocopy of the resume which may create an impression that the candidate has been

sending the resume to all the companies and has so far not succeeded in getting a job. This may

belittle his importance and value in the eyes of the employer. It is advisable to compose a fresh

resume for each job depending on its professional requirements.

Two types of resume-

A resume has two types- the chronological resume and the functional resume. The chronological

resume is most commonly used and is preferred in the case of persons who have continuity of

service and steady job growth. A functional resume focuses on functions rather than employment

history. It is relevant to persons involved in research, managing resources and handling problems.

The functional resume is preferable if:

You have no work experience.

You have periodic gaps in your service.

You re-enter service after a considerable period.

You seek employment unrelated to your previous job.

In these cases, the incumbent does not like to present his interrupted service track but lays

emphasis on certain talents, skills and abilities that helped him function effectively in his

career. More than 95% of job seekers prefer a chronological pattern of resume, as it is direct

explicit and complete in itself and also easier to design.

Designing a resume-

Some don’ts

A conservative resume is written in the pattern of filling up an application form. E.g.

Name- N.Sarvana Raj.

Father’s Name- G. Narayanaswamy.

A modern resume on the other hand begins straight with the postal address and contact detailsi.e.,

telephone number and email address. Father’s name is considered irrelevant, as the employer’s

exclusive concern is only on you. Personal data like marital status and number of children have no

place in a resume. Sex need not be included as the name suggests the sex and even otherwise the

person’s sex is perceptible at the time of interview. The information on health may attract the

response, ‘excellent’ even in the case of an ailing person and hence its inclusion is meaningless. The

employer, however, obtains an authentic medical report about the selected candidates at the time

of their joining the organization. You should not volunteer information on your physical appearance

or disabilities as it can be discussed at the time of interview.

Education and employment-


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The two important components of a resume are education and employment history. The order of

placement of these components depends on their relative importance. For senior persons, work

experience or professional records gain priority over education, as the employer is interested in

what they have been doing professionally all along rather than their academic details, on the

strength of which they have already secured a few jobs.

For a fresher, education is perhaps the most significant achievement and his resume should begin

with it, followed by a short note on his project profile if he has done a project in the final year of his

academic career. Besides, educational credentials and employment history should be presented in

the reverse order. The work experience should begin with your present position and move back to

your first appointment. Similarly, your highest educational qualification should top the list of your

academic record. For a senior person seeking a better and higher post, professional accomplishment

is an important entry in the resume. Information on your contribution to the development of the

organization, your performance in sales and production fronts will constitute vital points to sell your

candidates.

Good selling points-

The main principle that governs the designing of an arresting resume is that it should suit the needs

of the job advertised. In other words, you must find out whether you have the required skills,

aptitude and abilities for the job you apply. For an office assistant, word processing, for a sales

personnel, negotiation and inter personal skills, and for a teacher, public speaking talents are good

selling points. You have to open a small section in the resume to highlight your relevant attributes

and skills, which should create an impression that you are a strong exceptional candidate for the job.

Professional and career objectives-

A modern resume has a new dimension- professional objective. It is a clear statement that tells the

employer about your focus and career track, which either explicitly or indirectly assures him of your

contribution to the growth of the organization. A clear objective statement will prove to be a vital

factor in securing a job. It should not be a hyperbolic statement making the employer suspect its

veracity. It should be realistic and practicable. You can also include your career objective, which

should indicate how you would like to develop academically in your field of specialization. For

example, the career plan of a commerce graduate may be to obtain M.Com and MBA degrees and

similarly for a medical practitioner, an MS/MD qualification.

Reference-

The resume generally ends with a reference. It is usual practice to cite three persons- two to certify

your technical skills, managerial abilities and academic records and the other to vouch your

character and family background. The first two persons for senior professionals should be their

superiors or colleagues or even persons who worked for them. A fresher can cite his professors,

research guides and department heads. These days, references are de-linked from the resume and

sent separately on request. The reference should have a clear postal or e-mail address along with

the telephone number. Also mention the nature of your relationship with them.

Resume length-


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The ideal length of a resume is one page and it can be extended to two pages but never should it

exceed this limit. Print resume on good quality paper usually white or ivory. Laser or inkjet printers

can be used for resume printing. You should also have a matching envelope and cover letter.

Sample reference list

J.BENJAMIN FRANKLENE

428 Millenium Road,

Ahmedabad.

Md. Salman Irani Chief Sales Executive

Wincent Computer parts

Santhosh Industrial Colong

Agra.

I served as a Senior Sales Executive in his sales wing for three years- 1985-1988. We have known each

other for 10 years.

Carona War Wick Prop. Montel Computer Accessories

236, Saurabh Circle.

New Delhi

Carona and I worked on a computer project for two years. We have known each other for 10 years.

Dr. Manjeet Singh Sales Executive

Suneet Chemicals

27, Manoj Colony

Kanpur.

He worked for me as a Sales Agent for two years.

Afak Razvi Head of the Department of Business Administration

St. John’s College of Science and Commerce.


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Kanpur.

He has known me ever since my college days.

SAMPLE RESUME I

(Chronological)

Entry level

Kiran Kumar

32,Patel Street

Bangalore

Phone- 6341114

Email:- [email protected]

Position sought: Junior Engineer

Education:

B.E. : Electronics and Communication Engineering 1999 to 2003- first class 84%

Naveen College of Engineering and Technology

Bangalore.

Higher: 1997-1999- 93% aggregate 8th rank in the district. Secondary Course: St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Bangalore.

Project Profile(Final Year):

Bio-Medical instrumentation and signal processing- a comparative study of the

cardiac and respiratory rates of human beings and animals leading to the

perfecting techniques in treating acute respiratory track problem in asthma

patients.

Computer Knowledge : Advanced Java, Oracle.

Professional affiliation : A member of AMIE

Curricular activities

Publication: “ New trends in bio technology” a paper presented at A three day National Conference on Biotechnology at Anna University, Chennai. Dec. 10-12, 2002.

Seminar: Attended a three day All India Conference on “Techniques on digital programme”

mailto:[email protected]


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at REC Warangal. May 20-22, 2001.

Awards and prizes won:

Best Debater in Inter Collegiate debate organized by a local college in Bangalore. Oct,12,2002.

First Prize in Oratorical Competition held in the college in 2001&2002.

Professional objective:

To find a challenging position in a research oriented fast growing biomedical instrumentation firm

with global reach where I can dedicate myself and produce exceptional results.

Career plan and objectives:

To do ME in biomedical by attending evening college and also to obtain MBA degree through

correspondence.

Personal data:

Place and date of birth & age : Mysore, 12-03-1962, 31 years.

Languages learnt : Conversant with Kannada, Hindi and English.

References:

Dr. V. Sen Gupta Principal


Bangalore.

( Our Principal)

Dr. Asma Samar Head, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering


Bangalore

( Our HOD)

Dr. Somnath Chatterjee 40, Nehru Street

Bangalore

( Our family Doctor)

Kiran Kumar

Bangalore

Date:-


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A Sample Resume-2

Senior Official

(Chronological)

G. Paul Samwell

121, Mahatma Gandhi Road

Thirunelveli

Phone- 240375

Email- [email protected]

Position Sought:- Senior Sales Manager

Employment History:

Sales Manager- Senior, 1997- till date:

K.H. Shoes Limited,Sipcot, Ranipet

Revitalized selling operation and reached a target sale of Rs. 40 million worth of shoes in 2001-2002 which is 30% more than the last year’s.

Organized show rooms for sales in four big cities.

Streamlined sale process, leading a team of 6 sales executives.

Visited European and Middle East countries and procured sales order from potential and reliable companies.

Sales Manager- Senior, 1993-1197:

Metro Shoe Materials, New Delhi.

Selling about 10 million rupees worth of shoe materials annually along with two other Senior Sales Managers.

Functioned as Chief Sales Manager whenever he was on leave.

Sales Manager- Junior, 1991-1993:

Vikram Shoe Industry, Agra.

Selling about 8 million worth of shoes every year, leading a team of 5 sales agents.

Assisted the sales manager in all aspects.



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Relevant skills-

Problem solving skills as demonstrated by revitalizing the sales department and recording a sales increase of at least 10% every year in all the organizations served.

Team building skills as demonstrated by forming a cohesive sales department and monitoring the performance of sales executives and also recruiting sales professionals, training and guiding them.

Professional objective-

To use my specialized knowledge, skills and experience to create a global market for the product of a

fast growing organization with global reach and make the brand number one in world ranking.

Career plan and objective-

To obtain an MBA through correspondence,without affecting my regular official work.

Awards won-

Won from the chairman of the present organization the “Most Efficient Sales Manager” awards in

three continuous years 2000,2001 and 2002.

Affiliation and Membership-

A member of the International Business Association.

Education-

M.Com first class with distinction 85% - 3rd rank 1991 (Agarwal College of Arts and Science, Palayamkottai)

B.Com first class with distinction 80%- 1989

(Agarwal College of Arts and Science, Palayamkottai)

Computer literacy- C,C++, Advanced Java, Oracle.


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Personal data:-

Place and date of birth & age: Madurai, 5-10-1968, 35 years.

Passport no.- 6352789.

Languages learnt:- Conversant with Tamil, English and German.

Reference- Will be made available on request.

Thirunelveli

Date- G. Paul Samwell.

A sample Resume-

(Chronological)

[Type a quote from the document or the summary of an interesting point. You can position the text

box anywhere in the document. Use the Text Box Tools tab to change the formatting of the pull

quote text box.]

Dr. Lakshmi Sheshadri

73, Reddy Street

Cuddappah

Phone- 08565-242038.

Photo


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Position sought:-

Senior Surgeon, HOD, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

Employment History:-

Senior Surgeon- 2000- till date.

Kailash Nursing House,

Peters Road,

Madanapalli.

A leading member of the operation team, performing complicated operations in gynaecology.

An important member of the decision making body for the growth and development of the hospital.

Performed the maximum number of operations in the department during 2001-2002.

Assistant Surgeon:- 1998-2000

Sujatha Hospital

Naidu Street

Kurnool.

Performed minor as well as major operations and assisted the chief in clinic and operation theatre.

Professional objectives:-

To use my specialized knowledge and skills to treat gynaec. Patients and conduct complicated

operations with 100% success.

Career objective:-

To do MS in England or the USA at the earliest opportunity.

Education:-

M.S.- Apollo Medical College Hospital 1996-1998: first class Shree Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Science, Tirupathi.

M.B.B.S.- Apollo Medical College Hospital 1990-1996: First class with distinction. Shree Venkateshwara Institute of Medical Science, Tirupathi.



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Seminar-

Attended a two day national seminar on ………… at Madras Medical College,Chennai and presented a paper on ……… September 10-12,2001.

Presented a paper on ….. in the International Seminar on……….. held at Hyderabad, August 5-8,2001.

Personal data:-

Place and date of birth & age- Vijayawada, 5-8-1973, 30 years.

Languages Known :- Conversant with Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and English.

Reference- Available on request.

Cuddapah

Date- Lakshmi Sheshadri


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A Sample Resume-

( Functional)

Salman Yaseer

25, Mukherjee Circle.

Kolkatta.

Tel- 863720.


Position sought: Director/Chief Executive.

Selected accomplishments-

General Manager

Responsible for streamlining and over-hauling an unprofitable leather goods company to profit generating level.

Negotiated labour problems successfully to the satisfaction of the directors and the labourers.

Shifted a shoe manufacturing unit from Salem to Ranipet, attracting the raw material from adjoining places and reduced the cost by 10%.

Sales and Marketing-

Recruited, trained and guided a team of 5 sales personnel who exceeded sales target of 20 million rupees and consequently increased the profitability by 25% compared with last year’s.

Extended market penetration throughout the country by organizing showrooms of shoe products in important cities.

Offered relevant sales incentives to sales professionals to boost the sales which resulted in exceeding the sales target by 10-30%.

Manufacturing-

Managed the planning, design and completion of state-of-the –art manufacturing shoe unit at Ranipet.

Responsible for the total procurement of bulk raw material for the manufacture of electrochemicals.

Selected employment-

Photo



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Electronics Resume-

Most of the companies have their own web page, where they post their application form with details

of job requirements. You can download the relevant form and fill in and send it by post or even

transmit it online. The internet based resume has certain distinct features. The job advertisement on

electronic media is sure to attract plenty of candidates from different parts of the country and for

certain high positions even outside the country.

The electronic resumes are sorted out by the computer objectively. The computer is programmed to

read key words like nouns or short phrases rather than action words i.e. verbs. We read complete

sentences while evaluating a resume but certainly not the computer. In computer evaluation, if

there is a match between job requirements and your skills, talents and education spotlighted by key

words, you are sure to be selected. If the resume does not project your attributes by means of the

key words, it is likely to find itself in the casualty list. In other words, in an online search, individual

key words like computer engineer- e-commerce, chief executive etc are more important that action

words like revitalized,monitored,accomplished as the computer is not programmed to find these

words.

Group Counsellor and leader Marshall shoe Industry Private limited, Sipcot Ranipet- 1998- till date.

Sales Supervisor Quality chemical corporation , Market Point, Kanpur- 1994-1998.

Administrative Assistant Suraj Engineering Goods, Suraj Nagar, Kanpur- 1986-1992.

Education:-

Masters of Business Administration, Osmania University, Hyderabad- April 1982.

Bachelor of Commerce, Osmania University, Hyderabad- May 1980.

Computer- Advanced Java and Oracle.

Personal Data:-

Place,Date of Birth & age – Hyderabad, 18-5-1963, 40 years.

Languages learnt- Conversant with Telugu, Tamil , English and French.

Reference- Available on request.

Salman Yaseer

Kolkatta:

Date:


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Repetition of key words may not be advantageous to you. Each key word is credited with one point

and even if you use it a number of times, it will not increase your score. On the other hand, the use

of a variety of key words is sure to yield good results.

In standard resume, we adopt certain strategies to make it visually appealing like different fonts,

Italics, white space, bold face, underlining etc. But, these fancy treatments may have no effect in the

computer scanning of the on-line resume. It is the actual key words that suggest your performance

and professional status that matter.

The job seeker himself may have a webpage wherein he will post his resume and invite employers to

visit it. Then, the webpage should project him as a professional, academically sound. It should be

free from unrelated matters, cartoons, jokes, family photos which would rather create a silly image

about you and this may even adversely affect your chances of getting a job.

Sample online resume

D.Jayanthi

No.64 Lakeside Lane,

Trivandrum.

Phone- 0471……….


Position sought:- Production Manager

Employment History:

Senior production Manager: 1999-till date.

R.K. Motor Parts, Trivandrum.

Production target Rs. 20 million worth of motor parts- 20% increase from last year’s production.

Saved Rs. One million by identifying potential and reliable suppliers of raw material in Singapore and Australia.

Production process streamlined. Assistant purchase manager- 1996-1999. Shankar Motor parts, Cochin.

Independent management of 5 million worth of raw materials and spares.

Acted as purchase manager whenever he was on leave.

Skill Summary:-

Problem solving, team building and labour negotiation skills.

Experienced in dealing with diversity of professionals and clients.

Fluent in English and German.



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Professional objective:

To use my specialized knowledge, skills and experience to improve the quality of the product to

global standard and create a world market for it.

Career objective and plan:

To do a course on material management through correspondence.

Education: B.E. Automobile Engineering- 1995.

IIT Kanpur

MBA

JNTU-1998

Personal:

Date of Birth & Age: 15-10-1977, 36 years.

Letters

Reference permission letter

In these days, the reference list is prepared separately and sent to the employer on request. The

references should be able to provide an overall report about your abilities and skills. For that

purpose, you must seek their formal permission either by writing to them or talking over phone. A

casual ok from the persons concerned is enough. You should also send a copy of your resume to

them so that they could substantiate what you have highlighted in the resume.

A Sample Permission Letter- I

J.Benjamin Francis

428,Millenium Road

Ahmedabad.

Dr.Abhinash Agarwal

Head of the Department of Business Administration

St.John’s College of Business Management

Kanpur.


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Dear Prof. Abhinash,

I applied for the post of a Senior Sales Executive, Malhotra Computers private ltd,Kolkatta and would

like to use your name as a reference.

I have known you even since I joined your college as an MBA student. You also supervised my project

work. There is no better person than you, who could vouch my technical abilities and skills.

If you are willing to be a reference for me, kindly respond to me and also confirm whether your

telephone number and e-mail address given below are correct.

Telephone number- 0512 3734623.


My resume is enclosed

With Regards

Yours Sincerely,

Cover Letter

Should you send a cover letter along with your resume? The job seekers always have this question in

their mind when they send their resume to companies. Unless you personally meet the employer,

talk to him and hand over the resume, the cover letter should accompany it. Sometimes, the

employer quickly glances through the letter and decides whether the resume is worth reading.

Some organizations have their own printed cover letters and you are required to fill a few words and

sign at the end. In such letters, there is little scope for you to highlight your accomplishments and

unique skills. A cover letter is intended to explain to the employer his basic question. “Why should I

hire you?” The letter is to be addressed to the person who takes a decision on appointment. Hence,

you should find out the person who is likely to hire you and address the letter to him.

A cover letter should have the following format-

First paragraph:- The purpose of writing the letter- the position you apply for- how

you come to know of the vacancy- a few words about the company and its

reputation.

Second paragraph:- A brief account of your qualifications and accomplishments.

Third paragraph:- Why should the company hire you?

How can you contribute to the growth of the organization?



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Final paragraph :- A formal request for the job- Ask for an interview on a suitable

date.

Sample Cover Letter

Ms. Asma Samar

27, Hashim Nagar

Jamuna Cross road

Thirunelveli

The Principal

St.Peter’s Engineering College,

Cuddalore.

Dear Sir,

I am responding to your advertisement in the Hindustan Times on 15 May for vacancies in the

department of Computer Science Engineering. I have been watching with interest the growth of your

institution, which has recently obtained and ISO 9000 certification and accreditation for several

departments within a short period of its establishment. I wish that I would serve such a reputed

college.

I am an ME in Computer Science from IIT Kanpur and secured a creditable II rank. I worked for 3

years at Agarwal Engineering College, Trichy as a lecturer. Besides, I have invaluable industrial

experience of 2 years at Martin computers, Hyderabad , which manufactures computers and

computer parts.

I would like to bring my industrial and teaching experience and other technical skills and talents to

your institution, which reward creative drive, dedication and hard work. Besides, my technical

expertise, team building and inter personal skills will strengthen you already popular and efficient

department.

I look forward to meeting you in the near future to discuss in detail how my experience, knowledge

and skills can contribute to the growth of the institution. Kindly, let me know when you are free so

that I can call on you on that day.


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My resume is enclosed

Yours sincerely,

Enclosure:- Resume.

Sample solicited response to an online advertisement

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Attached file: Resume

In response to your online advertisement for the position of a Senior Technical Assistant( Reference

No. drl 001) my resume is included.

I served for 12 years in two multinational companies involved in the manufacture of surgical

instruments. My professional background includes identification of market requirements, system

implementation, designing of the latest surgical and other medical instruments and preparing

relevant literature for the newly manufactured equipment.

I would like to use my technical knowledge, experience and skills to great advantage in your

organization, which is known for recognizing the talents and innovative skills of its employees.

I would like to meet you on a suitable date of your convenience so that I could discuss with you my

role in the growth and development of your organization.

Anurag Gupta.




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