Types of Resumes Chronological – Snapshot of what you did and when you did it Skills or Functional – Describes what you can do for an employer Combination – Mix of recalled history and self-assessment

Writing Strategy Recommend using the Chronological format because its easy to understand and most commonly used Divide resume content into 3-5 categories Use a consistent writing style – Case, structure, font, action words – Phone numbers, (213) – Capitalization of Sections

Resume Content Header with contact information Objective Statement briefly explaining who you are and what you are looking for Experience Section Education Section Summary List of specific skills and abilities – Software, professional accreditations, coursework Activities/Affiliations – Show leadership and other skills

Header Name at the top in larger font Other information to include under name – address – Complete Mailing Address – Telephone number of where you can be reached

Objective Statement Use interesting active wording Describe type of position desired and skills you will bring to that position

Objectives Weak A summer intern position in mechanical engineering. Better A mechanical engineering summer intern position in a team-based learning environment. Preferably in the area of product development or manufacturing where problem solving and technical capabilities can be utilized.

Experience Section This section catalogs your work history and accomplishments beginning with most recent. State achievements, not duties and responsibilities – Include measurable results; money, time, and amounts Focus on special relevant duties – Highlight relevant special achievements Job-related and non job-related Use action words Show periods of employment with years range, not months – e.g., 2001 – 2004, not 4/2001 – 11/2004

Experience Section (cont.) Include work performed and benefits to the company, challenges/obstacles faced Improved efficiency – Developed a new process for evaluating bid proposals which improved response time by 3 days; a 30% improvement. Improved profitability – Identified, researched and recommended a new Telephone Service Provider, reduced the company’s phone costs by 10%. Challenges faced – Managed development and assembly of department documentation for QS-9000 Certification under severe time constraints.

Education Section Name of college or university Type of degree, i.e. B.S. in Electrical Engineering Graduation Year (Seniors show month) GPA (3.2/4.0 overall) Honors (cum laude)

Activities/Affiliations Show leadership and other skills Social or academic organizations only if directly relevant to position you are seeking Professional affiliations Any leadership positions/offices held

Resume Layout Professional positions – use up to 3 pages, but must have quality content Adequate white space – Too much space appears skimpy – Too little space appears cluttered Uniform margins Consistent Format – Line spacing between sections – Spaces after period – Spaces after tabs

Resume Layout (cont) Use easy to read font type – choose one, stick to it Use 10 point or larger font size Avoid underlining Use italic and bold facing to draw attention Avoid overuse of bold facing Use bullets for relevant information

Resume Format Be consistent in the use of phrases Use capitalization properly – Names of people, companies, organizations, government agencies, awards, prizes – Title of jobs – References to academic fields, i.e. Math, English – Geographic regions – Computer Programs PageMaker, WordPerfect, MS-DOS, FORTRAN, BASIC, COBOL

Cover Letter The cover letter is needed only if mailing or faxing unsolicited resumes Purpose is to establish rapport with reader Demonstrates your writing ability Indicates desire for employment Highlights something of key importance contained in the resume References initial contact, if one was made Addresses a specific person

Cover Letter Composition Use “I” and “My” sparingly Refer to business as “it” or “we”, rather than “they” Confirm subjects and verbs agree in number Use active words Spell everything correctly Avoid use of short cut words, i.e. thru Use numbers consistently Avoid use of colons after headings Limit to one page

Cover Letter Content Answers these questions: What does the prospective employer need? What are your objectives? What 3-5 qualities would you bring? How your experiences matches with job? Why you want to work for the company? Never include salary expectations

Other Suggestions Most resumes will be ed – Include brief cover note in the – DO NOT embed your cover letter or resume in the – attach them as MS Word documents OK to have more than one resume based on your experience Always follow-up an interview with a thank you! GOOD LUCK!