Developing a list of all the jobs you have had, organizations you have been a part of, and accomplishments you have achieved… …or how to develop your first resume

Why is a resume important?  First impression of you for an employer  Simple way to detail all of your accomplishments  Required with most graduate school and job applications  Can help you remember the skills you have gained so you can discuss those experiences during interviews

Objectives of this Lesson 1.Understand the three major components of a resume: the personal information section, the section headings, and experiences explained with action descriptions 2.View multiple options for resume layouts and learn the pros and cons of each 3.Learn how to write an effective action description 4.Review resume do’s and don’ts in order to avoid common resume mistakes and mishaps 5.Find resources that you can utilize for resume help

Feel free to move through this presentation at your own pace, completing each section of your resume as it is introduced.

Major Components Personal Information Section Headings Experiences and Personal Information

Major Components of a Resume  Include your  Name (legal, not a nickname)  Permanent Address (where you live when you are not at school)  Current Address (where you live while you are at school)  Telephone number (usually a cell phone number)  address (create a professional address, such as your first and last name)  Links to professional social media sites, such as a personal webpage, Twitter, or blog A resume should include your personal information

Basic Requirements of a Resume  Do NOT include your  Photograph  Links to social media that are not professional and/or not used regularly A resume should include your personal information

Basic Requirements of a Resume  Include your  Education  School and school location  Anticipated date of graduation  Major(s), Minor(s), Concentration(s)  GPA  Do NOT include your  High School education* A resume should include your educational background. * Are you a College Freshman or Sophomore? You can still include your high school education below your college education. Include both your cumulative and major GPA if there is a big difference between the two. Be sure to always indicate what GPA you are listing.

Basic Requirements of a Resume  Examples of Section Headings  Education  Study Abroad Experience  Practicum Experience  Relevant Coursework  Communication Experience  International Experience  Leadership Experience  Research  Career Achievements  Management Experience  Grant Writing Experience  Honors and Awards  Memberships  Conference Participation  Fellowships  Volunteer Activities  Community Involvement  Activities  Relevant Skills  Language Competencies A resume should include section headings that identify what information is included in the section.

Basic Requirements of a Resume  Include your:  Examples of recent jobs, organizations, and projects that have given you valuable skills relevant to the position  Skills, such as fluency in foreign languages, knowledge of software programs, etc.  Do NOT include your  High school experiences  An exception to this rule is if you had a very profound experience in high school, such as studying abroad or raising $50,000 at an event you organized or you are a freshman or sophomore in college. A resume should include your recent experiences and skills.

Organizing Your Life Layout Options for Resumes

Chronological Resume A chronological resume organizes information based on when the job, organization, or project was completed and is best for anyone who has had many experiences or has worked in different fields. This is how many people often imagine a resume, and it allows a potential employer to see the tasks you were responsible for with each experience. Examples of section headings for this resume format include: education, work experience and skills. Negative: This resume can be difficult for a potential employer to follow or quickly grasp what experience you have.

Example of a Chronological Resume Note how each experience is listed in order from the most current to least current.

Functional Resume A functional resume organizes information based on the tasks you performed during any jobs, organizations, or projects and is best for anyone who has concentrated experience or few job experiences. This resume is less common, but allows you to highlight areas that you have more experience in, as well as experience that will be important to a future employer. Examples of section headings for this resume format include: education, grant writing experience, research, and relevant coursework. Negative: This resume can de-emphasize any leadership positions or titles you may have held.

Example of a Functional Resume Note how experiences are organized by the skills utilized and tasks performed.

Combination Resume This resume utilizes the strengths of both the chronological and functional formats by highlighting areas of expertise as well as positions and companies or organizations and is best for anyone! This is considered the best resume format because of how information is organized and because it is easy to follow. Examples of section headings for this resume format include: education, communication experience, and relevant skills.

Example of a Combination Resume Note that experiences are listed by both skills utilized and tasks performed as well as indicating when the experiences occurred.

Action Descriptions Explaining Your Experiences

Example:

Each description in your resume should start with an action verb in past tense  Examples:  Acted  Administered  Advertised  Arranged  Articulated  Assessed  Assigned  Audited  Authored  Chaired  Collaborated  Conceptualized  Contracted  Convinced  Corresponded  Consulted  Counseled  Critiqued  Delegated  Drafted  Experimented  Formulated  Guided  Increased  Interviewed  Maintained  Managed  Measured  Monitored  Motivated  Organized  Photographed  Prepared  Purchased  Researched  Reserved  Surveyed  Upgraded  Utilized

Action descriptions should be specific  Include numbers such as dollar amounts, percentages, totals, and time durations  Rather than saying “managed employees” say “managed 12 employees”  Include specific examples rather than generalized examples that apply to an overall area of work  Rather than saying “completed office paperwork” say “completed human resources paperwork for new office hires”

Practice Writing Action Descriptions  Scenario:  Sally worked at a marketing firm as an intern where she filed papers, answered telephones, and answered questions for any visitors. She also used this experience to reorganize the office protocol training for her department.  Good Example:  Completed general office tasks, such as answering phones and filing papers  Great Example:  Utilized experience with general office tasks to develop an office protocol training manual for the department

Practice Writing Action Descriptions  Scenario:  Dennis works for Target and is the department head for Customer Service. He is responsible for training all new employees in his department, as well as dealing with guests who are dissatisfied with their Target experience or product.  Good Example:  Managed and trained department employees to deal with guests who are dissatisfied  Great Example:  Managed and trained 20 hourly employees designated to the department  Interacted with customers who were dissatisfied with their experience and corrected any problems by utilizing Target Customer Service tactics

Do’s and Don’ts What you should strive for and avoid while writing your resume

Do’s  Print on resume-grade paper when attending an interview or career fair.  Be as specific as possible with your action descriptions.  Get your resume reviewed by a professional or trained volunteer.  Review your resume before entering an interview.  Tell the truth! Never lie or stretch the truth. Just be yourself. Don’ts  Use a template. These restrict your ability to organize your experiences in a way that is specific to you.  Forget to highlight your name by making it at least 2-3 sizes larger than the other text.  Make margins smaller than.5” or font smaller than 10 point.  Put your references or “References available upon request”. This is implied.

5 Simple Steps To Making a Resume

5 Simple Steps 1.Decide which resume format you want to use. 2.Choose which section headers you will use. 3.Make a list of all experiences you want to include on your resume. Create 3-5 action descriptions for each. 4.Use a word processing system (such as Microsoft Word) to create your resume. Utilize a plain text, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and plain bullets.

…Step Five After developing your resume, be sure to have it reviewed by someone with resume experience. Examples: manager at your current job, Career Advisor, Academic advisor, or a parent

Resources

Resources for Resume Help  College Career Center  Temporary Employment Agency  Former Employer  Parent or Guardian  Siblings

Sources of Reference for this Presentation  es/format.shtml es/format.shtml