Résumé Workshop

Overview This presentation will cover –Résumé basics –Résumé research –Résumé sections –Résumé design –Résumé samples and exercise

Résumé Basics What is a résumé? –A document that shows your education, job history –May also include experiences related to job you want Why do I need a résumé? –Employers use résumés to See who can do a job Read about your past jobs Decide which applicant will be interviewed

Résumé Basics What is the goal/purpose of my résumé? –To get an interview! General guidelines: –Length: Limit resume to one typed page –Font: Arial for heading, Times New Roman for body text, between point font –Paper: Use 8 1/2” x 11” 20 lb paper, white, light cream, or grey

Résumé Basics What should my résumé contain? –Your contact information –An objective statement –Education experience –Work experience –Skills and qualifications

Résumé Basics –References (some employers will ask for these separately) –Optional sections: professional affiliations, other experience (volunteer work)

Résumé Research Getting started –Before you write your résumé: Make five lists that include –Where you went to school or received training, including location, time/credits, classes completed –Where you have worked, including location, time, responsibilities, skills learned –Skills, qualifications –References, including all contact information –Professional affiliations: trade organizations, unions… If you are missing any information, you have some research to do…

Résumé Research Getting started –Before you write your résumé: Conduct some research on the company, job: –Company name, contact information, description –Job title (job number if applicable), requirements –Contact person (person to whom you address letter) –Application requirements (does company require a résumé, application, cover letter, list of references?) If you have some missing information, you have some research to do… –Also, it’s better to tailor résumés to a specific job, company because it shows you have researched position, organization

Résumé Sections To help employers find information, résumés are organized into sections: –Contact information – phone number (home, cell), mailing address, address –Objective – the name of the company and the job you want –Education – elementary, high school, college, technical school, certifications, vocational or trade school

Résumé Sections –Work history – jobs you have held (the order of the work history and education can be reversed depending on your situation) –Summary of qualifications – list of skills that apply to the job you want

Résumé Sections You may also add optional sections: –Professional affiliations – trade groups, unions, or other labor organizations –Other experiences – volunteer work or hobbies that relate to the job you want

Résumé Sections Sample contact information and objective sections: Michael includes his contact information and tailors his objective to the job he wants. Note that this objective is clear and concise. Elizabeth doesn’t have an address but does include her phone number. She also tailors her objective

Résumé Sections Sample education and work history sections: Jeremy includes the dates he worked at his previous jobs as well as the locations Jeremy includes the type of education he received at a local adult basic education center, a GED.

Résumé Sections Sample education and work history sections: Rosa includes some of her responsibilities from her previous jobs

Résumé Sections Sample of other experiences and summary of qualifications sections: She also lists one of her most valuable qualifications first: her ability to speak Spanish and English Rosa lists volunteer work she did while she was not working at a paying job

Action Verb List Handout – Action phrases will help clarify your message: – Before: Planned activities – After: Planned arts and crafts activities for preschool aged children

Résumé Sections Sample professional affiliations section Since his affiliations are so important to Karl’s profession, he lists the organizations he belongs to right after his Objective section You may adjust the order of your résumé sections depending on the job you want Remember!

Résumé Design Why is design important? –Employers rate your professionalism based on how your résumé looks Use: - Plenty of space - Headings - Bullet lists

Résumé Design Use the four-section (quadrant) method: When reading résumés, people move in a Z pattern So, your most important information should follow the Z pattern: 1, 2, 3, 4

Résumé Samples Chronological Résumé Combination Résumé

Résumé Samples Skills-Based Résumé References Section Sans-serif font Serif font Arial Times New Roman

Résumé Tips What do I do about any time I was not working? –Short breaks in work experience shouldn’t hurt your chances –Be ready to talk about what you did: Volunteerism Faith-based activities Family-related responsibilities

More Résumé Tips –Consider composing a skills-based résumé that focuses on what you can do now rather than explaining entire work history

Résumé Exercise Exercise –Make five lists that include 1.Where you went to school or received training, including location, time/credits, classes completed 2.Where you have worked, including location, time, responsibilities, skills learned 3.Skills, qualifications 4.References, including all contact information 5.Professional affiliations: trade organizations, unions… –If you are missing any information, you have some research to do…

Résumé Help Access hundreds of résumé resources at the Community Writing and Education Station (CWEST):

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