CVs (Résumés)

Three-Step Résumé Process Planning AnalyzeInvestigateAdapt Writing OrganizeFormatCompose Completing ReviseProduceProofread

Planning Your Résumé Audience Purpose Purpose InformationInformationAdaptationAdaptation Audience

What Employers Seek Results orientation Workplace achievements Versatility Signs of progress Standards of excellence Flexibility Communication skills

Common Résumé Problems Inappropriate length Inappropriate length Hard to read Hard to read Too many difficult words Too many difficult words Too professional Too professional Poorly reproduced Poorly reproduced Carelessly written Carelessly written A m a t e u r i s h A m a t e u r i s h M a k i n g M a k i n g D i s h o n e s t D i s h o n e s t G i m m i c k y G i m m i c k y C a r e l e s s l y w r i t t e n C a r e l e s s l y w r i t t e n

Organizing RésumésChronologicalRésuméChronologicalRésuméFunctionalRésuméFunctionalRésuméCombinationRésuméCombinationRésumé

Résumé Components Name and Address Career Objective or Summary EmploymentHistory Activities and Achievements AcademicCredentials Relevant Personal Data

Producing Traditional RésumésCleanTypefaceCleanTypefaceHigh-GradePaperHigh-GradePaperAmpleMarginsAmpleMarginsLaserPrintedLaserPrintedAppropriateLengthAppropriateLengthProfessionalDesignProfessionalDesign

9 Preparation  Research the job market. Use newspapers, the Web, and other resources to learn about jobs, qualifications, and employers.  Analyze your strengths. What will sell you for the job you want?  Study other résumés as models. Experiment with formatting. Writing a Persuasive Résumé

10 Heading and Objective  List your name, address, phone and address  Include a career objective for a targeted job. Education  Name your degree, date of graduation, and institution.  List your major and GPA. Give information about your studies, but don’t write a list of all your courses. Writing a Persuasive Résumé

11 Work Experience  List your previous jobs. Start with the most recent jobs. Include employer’s name and city, dates of employment (month, year), and most significant title. Manager, Fleet Equipment, Kettering, Ohio. 6/03 to present Salesperson, Kmart, Dayton, Ohio. 4/02 to 5/03 Tax Preparer, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. March, 2003, to present. Sinclair College, Dayton, Ohio Writing a Persuasive Résumé

12 Work Experience  Describe your experience. Use action verbs to summarize achievements and skills relevant to your targeted job. Prepared state and federal tax returns for individuals with incomes under $25,000. Conducted interviews with over 50 individuals to elicit data regarding taxes. Determined legitimate tax deductions and recorded them accurately. Writing a Persuasive Résumé

13 Work Experience  Include non-technical skills. Give evidence of communication, management, and interpersonal skills. Employers want more than empty assurances. Try to quantify your skills. Organized holiday awards program for 1200 attendees and 140 awardees. Praised by top management for enthusiastic teamwork and achievement. Writing a Persuasive Résumé

14 Special Skills, Achievements, Awards  Highlight your computer and language skills All employers seek employees proficient with word processing, databases, and spreadsheets. All employers will need to know your level of English and other foreign languages.  Show that you are well-rounded. List awards and extracurricular activities, especially if they demonstrate leadership, teamwork, reliability, loyalty, initiative, efficiency, and self-sufficiency. Writing a Persuasive Résumé

15 Additional Tips  Omit references (unless specifically required).  Look for ways to reduce the number of words.  Project professionalism and quality. Avoid personal pronouns.  Have several friends check your résumé. Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! Writing a Persuasive Résumé

16 RÉSUMÉ OF JENNIE JENKINS 3320 Lafayette Street, #12 San Leandro, CA (415) OBJECTIVE: An entry-level position where my proven communication, accounting, and administrative skills could be utilized in a path leading to advancement into management eventually. DEGREE from San Francisco State University. Broadcast Communication Arts. Bachelor of arts. 3.2 in major. RÉSUMÉ OF JENNIE JENKINS 3320 Lafayette Street, #12 San Leandro, CA (415) OBJECTIVE: An entry-level position where my proven communication, accounting, and administrative skills could be utilized in a path leading to advancement into management eventually. DEGREE from San Francisco State University. Broadcast Communication Arts. Bachelor of arts. 3.2 in major. Poor Résumé

17 Jennifer Marie Jenkins 3320 Lafayette Street, #12 San Leandro, CA (415) Objective: Administrative position involving Payroll Accounting Employee Benefits Customer Service SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS Two years’ experience in responsible administrative and accounting positions Disciplined self-starter; able to work without supervision Proficient with PCs including Word, Excel, and the Internet Jennifer Marie Jenkins 3320 Lafayette Street, #12 San Leandro, CA (415) Objective: Administrative position involving Payroll Accounting Employee Benefits Customer Service SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS Two years’ experience in responsible administrative and accounting positions Disciplined self-starter; able to work without supervision Proficient with PCs including Word, Excel, and the Internet Improved Résumé

18 EXPERIENCE Apprentice KPFA in Berkeley, CA. Duties included scheduling studios. Also recruited staff. Some paperwork. Often given responsibility to act as production manager. 10/03 to present. Pacifica House Position for financial manager. Duties included payroll and benefits for employees of shelter. Was responsible for the books, also for cash transactions. Took care of some donations. Expected to help raise funds. I prepared all payroll reports. EXPERIENCE Apprentice KPFA in Berkeley, CA. Duties included scheduling studios. Also recruited staff. Some paperwork. Often given responsibility to act as production manager. 10/03 to present. Pacifica House Position for financial manager. Duties included payroll and benefits for employees of shelter. Was responsible for the books, also for cash transactions. Took care of some donations. Expected to help raise funds. I prepared all payroll reports. Poor Résumé

19 Can be counted on to follow through on every detail, until a task is successfully..completed B.A. degree, San Francisco State University RELEVANT EXPERIENCE 10/03 toApprentice, Radio Production, KPFA , presentBerkeley, CA As production manager, schedule studios, recruit support staff Process scripts, permissions, and logs involved in weekly productions Financial manager, The Pacifica House (shelter), San Francisco, CA Used computer to manage payroll and employee benefits for a staff of 26 Completed all projects on time, despite chronically chaotic environment Can be counted on to follow through on every detail, until a task is successfully..completed B.A. degree, San Francisco State University RELEVANT EXPERIENCE 10/03 toApprentice, Radio Production, KPFA , presentBerkeley, CA As production manager, schedule studios, recruit support staff Process scripts, permissions, and logs involved in weekly productions Financial manager, The Pacifica House (shelter), San Francisco, CA Used computer to manage payroll and employee benefits for a staff of 26 Completed all projects on time, despite chronically chaotic environment Improved Résumé

20 Spring, 1999 Worked for one spring with Renaissance Rainbow, which is a performing arts troupe operating out of San Francisco. My duties included scheduling interviews with print and broadcast journalists. Was responsible for volunteers and publicity. Other temporary positions Manpower, Inc. San Francisco. Worked at many different places as a temp Dorhring Company. File clerk, receptionist, general duties. Other places. Good Earth Restaurant - server Spring, 1999 Worked for one spring with Renaissance Rainbow, which is a performing arts troupe operating out of San Francisco. My duties included scheduling interviews with print and broadcast journalists. Was responsible for volunteers and publicity. Other temporary positions Manpower, Inc. San Francisco. Worked at many different places as a temp Dorhring Company. File clerk, receptionist, general duties. Other places. Good Earth Restaurant - server Poor Résumé

21 Managed agency's cash flow, involving funder reimbursements, in-kind donations,..and fund-raising Processed all accounts payable and receivable, monthly, and quarterly statistical..reports for local, state, and federal funding agencies; oversaw petty cash Designed a flow chart to track success of a $25,000 fund-raising project Spring, 1999 Publicity coordinator, Renaissance Rainbow (performance arts troupe), San Francisco, CA Scheduled all media interviews and supervised volunteers Coordinated publicity mailings for African-American Performance Arts Festival Temp positions, Manpower Temporary Services, San Francisco, CA Developed customer service skills as telephone interviewer for Dorhring..Company Managed agency's cash flow, involving funder reimbursements, in-kind donations,..and fund-raising Processed all accounts payable and receivable, monthly, and quarterly statistical..reports for local, state, and federal funding agencies; oversaw petty cash Designed a flow chart to track success of a $25,000 fund-raising project Spring, 1999 Publicity coordinator, Renaissance Rainbow (performance arts troupe), San Francisco, CA Scheduled all media interviews and supervised volunteers Coordinated publicity mailings for African-American Performance Arts Festival Temp positions, Manpower Temporary Services, San Francisco, CA Developed customer service skills as telephone interviewer for Dorhring..Company Improved Résumé

22 Poor Résumé Personal Self-starter, can finish jobs without supervision. Marital status: singleBirth: 6/15/80 Health: ExcellentHobbies: Knitting, singing, like to read Captain of High School Volleyball team Dean’s List, college, 2 semesters Personal Self-starter, can finish jobs without supervision. Marital status: singleBirth: 6/15/80 Health: ExcellentHobbies: Knitting, singing, like to read Captain of High School Volleyball team Dean’s List, college, 2 semesters

23 Improved Résumé Maintained files, routed incoming telephone calls, input employee progress..journals, prepared interoffice memos, recorded accounts payable checks,..keyboarded accounts payable correspondence, learned systems in various..assignments EDUCATION B.A. in Broadcast Communication Arts, San Francisco State University, 2002 GPA in major: 3.2 Dean's list, 2 semesters Maintained files, routed incoming telephone calls, input employee progress..journals, prepared interoffice memos, recorded accounts payable checks,..keyboarded accounts payable correspondence, learned systems in various..assignments EDUCATION B.A. in Broadcast Communication Arts, San Francisco State University, 2002 GPA in major: 3.2 Dean's list, 2 semesters

24 Emphasize keywords–nouns that describe traits, skills, and characteristics from job description. Avoid unusual typefaces, underlining, and italics. Use 10 to 14-point type. Preparing a User-Friendly Résumé

25 Use smooth white paper, black ink, and quality printing. Be sure that your name is on the first line. Provide plenty of white space. Avoid double columns. Don’t fold or staple your résumé. Preparing a User-Friendly Résumé

26 Use abbreviations carefully. Include all your addresses and telephone numbers. Be prepared to send your résumé in ASCII. Note: Unlike a paper résumé, one that will be scanned by a computer may be as long as you think necessary. Preparing a User-Friendly Résumé

Electronic Résumé, Résumé, and Web Résumé Electronic Resume A resume that is written into a text box provided by the company or job search site Generally written in very simple text and saved as an ASCII or text-only file Resume A resume that is written in plain text and can be sent as an attachment or in the frame Web Resume A resume that is published onto a web site or page using graphics and hypertext

28 “The objective. Plus dates when things happened and achievements.” “Information about skills that apply to the job; less about job history and past duties.” “Valid information in an easy-to-read, attractive style.” What Do Recruiters Consider Most Important in a Résumé?

29 “The candidate’s address and phone number. Lots of people put them only in the cover letter!” “Meeting the qualifications for the job.” “The presentation and the objective.” “A clear objective, backed up with qualifying experience and continuity in the work history.” What Do Recruiters Consider Most Important in a Résumé?

Each CV is different!

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