THE RESUME

The Resume my be the most important document in your job search, making or breaking your chance for an interview.  Cover letters are a vital part of the independent job search, and other correspondence can affect the success of your networking.

The age-old problem of how to connect the right employer with the right candidate has increasingly moved from print to electronic mediums as the Internet now plays an important role in the job search and hiring processes. If you’re not using the Internet, you may be missing the right places for finding jobs.

The following links provide valuable information to assist you in marketing your qualifications. And don’t forget the wealth of assistance available through our Workshops and our Resource Library.

Resume Basics

A resume is what nearly everyone you approach in your job search is going to ask you to send them before they take any action on your behalf.  You can think of it as the driver’s license of job hunting.  You can’t go anywhere without it.  What it is, in short, is a one-or two-page summary of your work history, educational background, and work-related personal qualifications.  Its fundamental purpose is to give perspective employers a convenient and reasonably efficient way to determine, at a glance, if you warrant a closer look.

The purpose of the resume is:

To get you past the initial screening so that you have an opportunity to be interviewed by someone who has the power to hire you.

Starting Your Resume

So, you are looking for a job.  You have an idea of what you want and where you want to look.  But before you can convince an employer that you are qualified for the job, you have to know yourself first.  The following section reviews some basic questions that we recommend you answer to help you make the most out of your resume.

Tip 1

Know your Personal Traits – describe yourself in your own words. T hink about how your personal traits may or may not match job descriptions you read about.

Example.  You feel you are friendly.  A job that requires you to work with others will probably suit you.

Tip 2

Define your Personal Values-describe the principles that you honor.  Think about the values associated with various positions you are interested in.

Example.  You value independence.  Does the position you are interested in foster or stifle your need for independence?

Tip 3

Evaluate your Skills-identify your basic and specific skills that you have developed through your education, any work experience, or any volunteer opportunities.  Consider how your skills relate to potential employers.  Ask yourself how your skills transfer to areas of interest as well as other potential career opportunities.

Example.  You worked at a restaurant as a waiter.  While there-you trained new hires.  This skill demonstrates your supervisory experience as well as your ability to work with others.  Working in a restaurant requires good customer service, the ability to think quickly, and be responsible for several tasks at once.  These skills easily transfer to other positions.

The Resume

There are various styles or resumes, including Reverse Chronological, Position-Oriented, Functional, and Combination.  The Reverse Chronological is the most frequently used and provides a logical and clear presentation.  The following tips use the Reverse Chronological as the reference for format.

Heading

Include your name, address, phone number, and E-Mail address.  If you desire the employer to reach you at either your local or permanent address, you may put both.  But if you do not intend to actually be at one of these addresses, leave it off the heading.  If you include two addresses, always put your first choice for contact on the left and be consistent with any abbreviations.  This focuses your resume and provides the employer a frame of reference.  In one or two short sentences you should either make a statement that focuses on a specific position, a statement that focuses on a specific industry, or a statement that summarizes your qualifications.  The objective should express your goals and career focus and may demonstrate how you could immediately benefit the organization.  REMEMBER- your resume should support your objective by demonstrating how you are qualified for the position you are seeking.  All the pieces of your resume should create a comprehensive picture that relates to your objective.  Your resume should tell your story.

Education

Put your degree and major first (spelled out completely).  Then the title of the institution, location, and date of graduation.  Don’t forget your GPA-they will ask if you don’t have it!  Be prepared to discuss it.  High school is not needed if you have a college degree!

Experience

Hopefully this represents the largest portion of your resume.  List your job title first (be descriptive!), location, and dates (include month and year).  Using action verbs in past tense, describe your duties.  Emphasize your major responsibilities, the skills you developed, and the results of your work.  These should be written in sentence fragments.

Optional Sections

Include Activities, Affiliations, Skills (may include computer/foreign language proficiency/fluency or certification/license), Honors/Awards, Interest.  We recommend including a skill section if you have knowledge that promotes your objective (today-computer skills and languages are valuable assets for any company!).  We also recommend Activities/Affiliations if you were highly involved with specific organizations or activities that demonstrate support for your objective (e.g. President of the Business College Council demonstrates leadership and managerial skills).  Honors/Awards sections may be used as well.  Interests and References do not need to be printed on the resume; however, these may be discussed during an interview.

An effective resume is your key to getting an interview.  Your resume allows you to present your qualifications in an interesting and efficient manner, focusing in on your skills, responsibilities, accomplishments, and leadership.  The following sample is presented to you to help you put the previously presented tips into a clear, concise and easy to read manner.  This sample is to be used as a reference, only you can determine the best format in order to reflect your strengths.  For additional assistance refer to various resume books in the SPO Resource Library.

RESUME CRITIQUE

VISUAL APPEAL & FORMAT

Is the resume attractive, clean, and unwrinkled?  Is it printed on good, light colored bond paper?  Proper margins?  Does it convey most important information, capturing attention in less than 30 seconds?

LENGTH & ORDER

One page is preferred-two page maximum.  Could your resume present the same facts if it were shortened?  Does it have good page placement, listing the most important information first in each section and on the page?

RELEVANCE

Each item in the resume should highlight your abilities and qualifications in your chosen field.  Has all necessary information been included?  All unnecessary information eliminated?

WRITING STYLE

Does your resume focus on specific information about your experience and accomplishments?  Is the writing style clear, concise, and easy to read, with a logical flow of information?

ACTION ORIENTATION

Did you use action verbs and phrases to present yourself as a "doer"?

SKILLS

Are your skills and achievements emphasized?

BOTTOM LINE

Does your resume arouse interest in 5 – 15 seconds? IS IT ERROR FREE?

TIPS FOR PRODUCING A SCANNABLE RESUME

Many businesses and organizations are using computer technology to scan resumes for information pertinent to evaluating candidate qualifications.  The following tips will help you produce an effective scannable resume:

• Focus on skills and facts, using key words for definition.
• Use concrete words to describe your experience.
• Avoid vertical and horizontal lines, italics, underlines, graphics, shadows, and boxes.
• Use standard typefaces, with a font size of 10-14 points.
• Do not condense spacing.
• Use white or light-colored paper, printed on one side only.
• Provide a laser-printed original.
• Do not fold or staple.

Question?  E-Mail Career Services at: Brileyt@lakecitycc.edu