1 RESUME WORKSHOP

2 Resume Workshop INTRODUCTION Introduction Resumes Cover Letters Conclusion Resumes and cover letters get interviews; interviews get jobs Table of Contents

3 Resume and Interview Workshop RESUMES

4 Resume Workshop RESUMES Your resume is the foundation of your initial marketing to companies Allows you to highlight your: –Competencies –Qualifications –Accomplishments –Future capabilities Resumes should be focused and tailored Format be straightforward, logical and easy to read Overview Building your resume is the first step in being able to communicate “your story”

5 Resume Workshop Limit your resume to one page –NEVER go onto two pages Format the resume to tell your story –Selectively use bolds, italics, underlines, and capitalization Left margin format is very common Maintain consistency of approach Use only professional fonts –Times New Roman –10 point font at a MINIMUM 8 ½” x 11” inch piece of white or ivory high-quality bond paper Try to maintain 1” inch margins all the way around No graphics – do not be unconventional Format and Presentation RESUMES There is nothing more important than proofreading and spell-checking your resume for typographic, spelling and grammatical errors Recruiters will often reject error- filled resumes out of hand

6 Resume Workshop RESUMES Best to use reverse chronological order –Most common format for undergraduates –List specific positions and education in reverse order –Start with what you are doing now and work backwards Use either bullets or paragraphs throughout your document –Bullets are easier for a reader to digest quickly Be dynamic and concise –Omit the words I, me, my, a, an, the Organization and Writing Since resumes are seen by busy people who may see hundreds of resumes per day, your challenge is to get your message across quickly and easily

7 Resume Workshop Mandatory Sections –Identification –Education –Honors/Awards –Extracurricular Activities –Experience –Interests Optional Sections –Technical/Computer Skills –Language Competencies –Community Activities –Registration/Licensing/Certifications –Publications –Professional Affiliations Sections RESUMES Remember, your resume is just a framework for telling YOUR story Don’t be afraid to combine/re- organize sections as necessary

8 Resume Workshop As you go through each of your jobs/activities, think about two things –What soft skills did you develop that can be applied elsewhere? Communication skills Customer service Organizational abilities –How were you better at your job than your peers? Tasks above and beyond the scope of your position Measurable results or rankings Meaningful/lasting contributions to your company or organization When writing your bullet points, provide extra details where you can –Quantifiable results are more powerful than simple claims Page size of reports Length of presentations Number of people taught/supervised Amount of money saved Content RESUMES Thinking about your soft skills and providing quantifiable results will make even mundane jobs stand out

9 Resume Workshop Planning Words –Conceived Directing Words –Supervised Responsibility Words –Established Service Words –Delivered Interactive Words –Participated Investigative Words –Calculated Action Words RESUMES Use strong action words to describe your accomplishments The first word of EVERY bullet should be a strong, active- voice verb

10 Resume Workshop DO NOT use an un-professional address NOT DO NOT include an “Objective” section DO NOT use technical jargon –Avoid specific industry terms –Write so a lay person can understand what you have done DO NOT say “References available upon request” DO NOT include salary history or requirements DO NOT include reasons for previous terminations DO NOT include age, sex, race, ethnic background, etc. DO NOT include politics, unless it is a major activity for you Common Mistakes RESUMES The absolute biggest mistake you can make is not proofreading your resume thoroughly enough… Your resume should be a reflection of your best-possible work product

11 Resume Workshop COVER LETTERS

12 Resume Workshop Cover letters should draw attention to the highlights of your resume Cover letters are a great way to provide additional information –Name of the person who referred you –Explanation of something unusual Companies request cover letters for a variety of reasons –To see if you are well-informed on the position –To asses your professionalism and manners –To assess your writing skills See the included hand-out for additional information on structure/style Overview COVER LETTERS Always proofread your cover letter for “find and replace” mistakes!

13 Resume Workshop CONCLUSION

14 Resume Workshop CONCLUSION Questions Please check your hand-outs for additional information including sample resumes and interview questions Any questions?