1. Concepts of Engineering and Technology
Passport to Your Future
Technical Communication:
The Resume

3. Technical Communication
Chapter (c) (8) (TEKS) - The student understands the opportunities and careers in fields related to electrical and mechanical systems.
Engineers must possess strong technical communication skills. To interview for an engineering career, the engineer must first create a resume highlighting his/her qualifications.
The resume is the passport to an engineer’s future.

4. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Communications
A technique for expressing ideas effectively (such as writing or speech).
Design
A plan or protocol for carrying out or accomplishing something.
Electronic Publishing
Publishing in which information is distributed by means of a computer network or is produced in a format for use with a computer.

5. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Heading
Something that forms or serves as a head, especially an inscription, headline, or title standing at the top or beginning (of a resume, letter or chapter).
Objective
Something toward which effort is directed: an aim, goal or end of action.
Education
A degree, level or kind of schooling.

6. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Work Experience
The experience that a person has working, or working in a specific field or occupation.
Computer Skills
One's ability to utilize the software (and sometimes hardware) of a computer.
Honors
An award: a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction.

7. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Activities
Organized student activities connected with school and usually carrying no academic credit, such as sports, clubs, volunteer activities.
References
Character: a formal recommendation by a teacher or former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability.

8. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Activities
Organized student activities connected with school and usually carrying no academic credit, such as sports, clubs, volunteer activities.
References
Character: a formal recommendation by a teacher or former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability.

9. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Employer
A person or firm that employs workers.
Experience
The accumulation of knowledge or skill that results from direct participation in events or activities.
Human Relations
The social and interpersonal relations between human beings.

10. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Management
The act or manner of managing; handling, direction, or control.
Qualifications
Qualities, accomplishments, etc., that recommend a person for some function, office, or the like.
Research
Diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject in order to discover or revise facts, theories, applications, etc.

11. Technical Terms & Definitions
The terms and definitions listed below are discussed in this lesson. Please review before proceeding with this lesson.
Terms
Definitions
Resume
Is a piece of paper (or an electronic document) that serves to introduce you to the people who will eventually hire you.
Skills
The ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well.
Technical
Of or relating to technique or proficiency in a practical skill.

12. What is a Resume?
A resume is a piece of paper (or an electronic document) that serves to introduce you to the people who will eventually hire you.
A resume is one of the most important technical communication documents you will ever create as an engineer.
A resume is a document that contains a summary of relevant job experience and education.

13. Why Do I Need a Resume?
Your resume is the tool you will use to sell your qualifications to a potential engineering employer.
A resume tells the employer what you have done in the past and what you can do for their engineering company now.
A resume provides an advance contact with the employer to generate interest in you so that the employer will want to interview you.

14. Types of Resumes There are two types of resumes: Skills Resume
Experience Resume

15. The Skills Resume
The Skills Resume is for people who have not yet completed significant work experience.
It allows the job seeker to present school and extracurricular activities to good effect.
A Skills Resume combines the skills you have from a variety of experiences - paid work, volunteer work, student activities, classroom work, projects, you name it - and groups these skills by categories related to the kind of job you're seeking.

16. The Experience Resume
The Experience Resume highlights prior work experience related to the job for which a person is applying.
A skills resume will be used by most engineering students in the first two years of study and those who graduate without technical work experience.
However, engineering students with internship and co-op experience in an engineering context would use an Experience Resume.

17. Elements of a Skills Resume
As high school students you will create a Skills Resume because you have not yet completed significant work experience.
You should keep your resume to one page.

18. Elements of a Skills Resume
As high school students you will create a Skills Resume because you have not yet completed significant work experience.
You should keep your resume to one page.

19. Elements of a Skills Resume
As high school students you will create a Skills Resume because you have not yet completed significant work experience.
You should keep your resume to one page.

20. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Heading
Objective
Education
Work Experience (if any)
Computer Skills
Honors/Activities
References

21. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Heading
Your Name (Centered)
Address (Street, City, State, Zip code)
Permanent Phone Number
Address

22. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Objective
Write a clear statement.
For example, an entry level position in (state field or position sought).

23. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Education
Your degrees
Your school
Graduation date (or anticipated date)
Grade Point Average (e.g., 3.0/4.0)

24. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Work Experience
Your job titles (list most recent first)
The companies for which you worked
Dates during which you worked for those companies
Responsibilities in those positions

25. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Computer Skills
List Operating Systems
List Software Applications
List Languages & Scripts
List Hardware
List Certifications

26. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
Honors/Activities
Meaningful honors you have received
Meaningful activities in which you have participated

27. Elements of a Skills Resume
Your Skills Resume should include the following elements:
References
List three (3) individuals who can verify your credentials and all or part of the information you have written in your resume
Current or former teachers
Current or former project managers or supervisors
Other contacts from industry associations

28. Strategies for Resume Writing
Keep your resume to one page.
List dates in reverse chronological order (your most recent information first).
Use a 12-point font size and typeface such as Times New Roman.

29. Strategies for Resume Writing
Use one-inch margins around the page.
All headings (Heading, Objective, Education, Work Experience, Computer Skills, Honors/Activities, References) should be in bold, in capital letters, and should be the only information on that line of the page.
Your resume should be printed using high-quality laser printer on excellent bond paper (white, off-white or ivory colored paper).

30. Recommended Action Verbs
Here are recommended action verbs you may want to use in your Skills Resume, categorized by topic:
Human Relations
worked with
taught
helped
volunteered
served
assisted
interacted
counseled
trained
sponsored
directed
guided

31. Recommended Action Verbs
Here are recommended action verbs you may want to use in your Skills Resume, categorized by topic:
Research and Design
researched
experimented
observed
analyzed
tested
assessed
solved
verified
designed
discovered
devised
created
investigated
evaluated

32. Recommended Action Verbs
Here are recommended action verbs you may want to use in your Skills Resume, categorized by topic:
Communications
drafted
edited
addressed
designed
revised
interpreted
composed
prepared
lectured
published
taught
conducted
presented
instructed

33. Recommended Action Verbs
Here are recommended action verbs you may want to use in your Skills Resume, categorized by topic:
Management
managed
contracted
saved
rated
maintained
scheduled
evaluated
established
sold
devised
negotiated
verified
planned
controlled
produced
organized
purchased
improved
coordinated

34. Sample Skills Resume Review the sample resume

35. Assignment: Write Your Resume
Write your Skills Resume using the Microsoft Word TM document

36. References
Gomez, Oakes, Leone (2006). Engineering Your Future, Second Edition. Wildwood, MO: Great Lakes Press, Inc.