Presented by: The Office of Career Development Smith UC Suite 210 (843)

Employers report that they form an opinion about a candidate's qualifications within 3 – 30 seconds of looking at his or her resume.

Your resume should be: Neat and easy to read Current/Up-to-date Free of spelling and grammar errors Consistent in format and style

Your resume should not include:  Information like your age, sex, race, religion, height, weight, etc.  A picture of you  Nicknames  Silly or suggestive address

Use 8 ½ x 11” (white or off-white) resume quality paper. Follow these guidelines to start on your road to success: Use black ink only and do not include graphs, pictures, or shading. Print on only one side of the paper. Use a non-decorative typeface. Use a font-size of points.

1. Do not use a pre-made template from a program. Templates usually do not present your information clearly and it is very likely that others are using the same one. This will lessen the chances of your resume standing out.

2. Be prepared to write and revise multiple times. A good resume cannot be written in a few minutes; it requires drafting and editing. Have your resume critiqued by a career counselor until there are no more revisions to be made.

3. It is important that your writing is free of spelling and grammar errors. One spelling error can get your resume thrown away. Employers see spelling and grammar errors as signs of a careless work ethic and a lack of attention to detail.

4.A one-page resume is enough for most students. Do not include every job and extracurricular activity you have participated in. Only include information that is relevant to the job you are applying for.

5.Accentuate the positive. List your accomplishments instead of just what duties you performed at each job. This will show the employer that you can contribute your success to the betterment of the company.

6.Custom-design your resume for each position. A single resume won’t get the job done. Each time you apply for a different job, you should revise your resume to fit that job. Emphasize skills related to the job you are applying for. Arrange/organize your experience and skills to emphasize your qualifications for the job.

Chronological Resumes Highlights your work experience in reverse chronological order Better for those who already have experience in their field of choice Chronological Resumes Highlights your work experience in reverse chronological order Better for those who already have experience in their field of choice Experience Key Holder, Montblanc April February 2005 Opened new specialty boutique Placed orders to restock merchandise and handled receiving of products Integrated new register functions

Functional Resumes Highlights your personal skills and achievements Better for those just entering work in their field of choice Functional Resumes Highlights your personal skills and achievements Better for those just entering work in their field of choice Relevant Experience and Skills Leadership Identified Habitat for Humanity project sites and prioritized work assignments for groups of more than 100 people. Coordinated fund-raising events, transportation, lodging, and registration for service projects. Current President of Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology Francis Marion University Chapter. Mentored underprivileged children and organized and coordinated events for groups of more than 20 children.

 Contact Information  Objective Statement  Education  Work Experience  Relative Skills

Your full, real name Make your name stand out! It should be the biggest piece of information. Permanent address Phone Number Professional address

Be specific in your description. Tailor your objective to every job that you seek. An example of a good objective statement is: To obtain an entry-level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.

Example New graduates without a lot of work experience should list their education first. Your most recent educational information is listed first. Do not list your high school information. Your entry should include the following: Your degree, major/minor, institution attended, expected date of graduation, GPA (if it is higher than a 3.0), and any academic honors. Bachelor of Science in Biology Expected: May 2011 Minor: Chemistry Francis Marion University, Florence, SC GPA: 3.6

If you do not have a lot of direct experience in the field you are interested in, and many students don’t, it is best to create a functional resume. Each skill should be supported with a bulleted list of examples that show an employer how you developed these skills. Examples of good skills to use are: Communication Organizational Leadership Interpersonal Teamwork Computer Analytical Motivational Detail-oriented

Provide an overview of experiences in which you learned skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements. Use strong action verbs in the correct tense. Examples of good verbs to use are: Assist Train Handle Evaluate Collaborate Conduct Promote Manage Operate Process Develop Initiate Serve Research Draft

Instead of including references or the phrase “References available upon request” on your resume, bring a list of references when you secure the interview. Resumes no longer include references

You can include: relevant volunteer work productive extracurricular activities leadership positions in clubs or other organizations participation in athletics.

Don’t forget to: Run a spell check on your computer. Ask someone to proofread your resume. Schedule a resume critique with the Office of Career Development. Opportunity is knocking and your resume is the key.