1. Functional resumé format: Emphasizes relevant skills Used for entry-level positions Chronological resumé format: Emphasizes related work experience and skills Lists most recent employment history first Stresses major accomplishments and responsibilities

2.  Keep updated Every time your situation changes.  Use action verbs  Use power words  Quantify accomplishments List all rewards, recommendations, scholarships etc.  Update reference list References need to be current.

3.  Job-specific skills:  Directly related to a specific job  May not be useful in a career change  Example: A Medical Billing Clerk who knows how to use a specific program such as Medical Manager would not need to use this program if he or she changed jobs to become a teacher

4.  Ideal oral and written communications skills  Understanding of office practices and procedures; ability to operate fax machine, copy machine, and ten-key machine; ability to enter data; ability to effectively interpret policies and procedures; work well under the pressure of deadlines; establish and maintain a positive working relationship with others; ability to communicate  Accurate typing skills at ______ wpm  Experienced with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook

5.  Excellent English grammar, spelling, and punctuation skills  Accurately proofread and edit documents  Strong attention to detail  Accurately follow oral and written instructions  Skills power phrases  Excellent attendance and punctual record  Maintain confidentiality  Positive attitude, motivated, and organized

6.  Prepared reports and other materials requiring independent achievement  Enjoy working in a flexible team situation  Established and maintained positive and effective working relationships  Planned, scheduled, and performed a variety of clerical work  Maintained office equipment and supplies  Proofread forms and materials for completeness and accuracy, according to regulations and procedures

7.  Processed and prepared materials for pamphlets, bulletins, brochures, announcements, handbooks, forms, and curriculum materials  Provided training of temporary or new employees  Maintained department files and records  Demonstrated ability to receive incoming calls and route them efficiently  Experience power phrases  Processed purchase requisitions, ordered and distributed supplies, and maintained inventory control  Responsibly planned and conducted meetings

8.  Make sure your objective is job-specific  If you are starting out in your career, use a functional resumé; education and skills are listed before work experience  Keep your resumé to one page  If you have work experience in your career, use a chronological resumé; experience and skills are listed before education  If you need two pages, put your name on the second page

9.  List your high school in the education section only if you are using a functional format and have not graduated from college  Use telephone not phone (this is slang)  Use the postal abbreviation for your state; for example, the state is CA, not Ca., Ca, or C.A.  Any reference statement does not belong on your resumé  References should be on a separate sheet and provided only when requested

10.  Do not use bullets throughout your resumé; use them only to emphasize your skills  Do not use different color fonts or highlights on your resumé  Make sure your resumé is consistent in both setup and formatting (periods at the end of each line, alignment of dates, date format, bold/italics, etc.)

11.  Include job-specific and transferable skills  List experience and education with most recent first  Watch for consistency in tense—if you have words ending in “ing” or “ed” under an area, make sure they all end the same

12.  Professional references  Potential employer will contact  Do not list on your resume  Create a separate page for references  Do not send this list with your resume unless it is requested by the employer  Have a copy available at the interview

13.  You should have at least three letters of recommendation  This is a written testimony from another person that states that you are credible  The letters should not be more then two years old  These letters can be from past or present employers, coworkers, instructors, or someone you worked for as a volunteer

14.  First impression a potential employer will have of you.  Use a friendly but professional tone.  Point out how you can meet the employer’s needs.  Do not just duplicate the resume; instead, expand the areas of interest to the employer.

15.  If the position is a good one, you can bet that you are not the only person interested in it. When an employer posts an open position, they will get many resume’s and cover letters. They may get 100 replies to a position, out of all of them they will probably only call 10% of the applicants. It is very important that your cover letter and resume focuses on what they are looking for. Remember, these documents are an employer’s first impression of you.