1. Résumé Writing Workshop
David E. González BSEE | MBA | MSPM
Chair of IEEE Foothill Section

2. Areas We Will Cover Hands-On Workshop What is a Résumé? Why Start Now?
What goes into a Résumé?
Key Terms to Understand
Which Format Works?
Examples of Résumés
Summary
Extras

3. What’s A Résumé? "to sum up“ – But What? Why Do You Need One?
resume. n. also résumé, 1804, "a summary," from French résumé, noun use of past participle of Middle French resumer
"to sum up“ – But What?
It’s a “Living” Document – It evolves as your education and career grows. You’re never done
A Way to Market Yourself – Education, Skills, etc.
It’s How You Get Your Foot In The Door
Your Story…

4. Why Start Now? I Got Plenty Of Time…
A Résumé is like studying for an Exam…
Clarity of Telling Your Story is Essential
Have As Many People Look at Your Résumé
Ideally you want
REMEMBER: Since Your Résumé is a “Living” document, the earlier you start and keep refining it – the more polished it will be

5. What Goes into a Résumé?
Going Old School
Your Contact Information
Objective* or Professional Summary
Education (include GPA)
Relevant Coursework
Skills
Engineering Projects (past or present)
Work Experience
Honors, Awards, and/or Activities (like IEEE)
Keep Résumé to One Page without over crowding
Objective:
Typically objective statements are more general.
An objective statement tells an employer what you are looking for, and that is about it.
Sometimes seen as outdated.
Ex: “Seeking an internship in the Biomedical Field.”
Professional Summary:
Allows you to tell an employer what you can do for them, rather than what you want.
More space to discuss your skills, and build up yourself.
Avoid pronoun usage (No “I am a … “ or “My skills …”)
No more than words
Ex: “Knowledgeable Biomedical Engineering graduate student with strong foundational understanding of engineering principles and design methods seeking an internship opportunity to enhance my understanding of orthopedic bioengineering.”
We Will See Sample Résumés later to see how it all fits

6. What Goes into a Résumé?
Going Old School
Size Font: points
Type Font: Arial, Verdana,
Margins no smaller than 0.5”
Attention to Details
Entries in Reverse Chronological Order
Do not place dates in left-hand margins
Consistency with conjunctions in whole Résumé
Use Action Verbs when describing you activities
SPELLING &B GRAMMAR COUNTS!
We Will See Sample Résumés later to see how it all fits

7. Key Terms To Understand
Why The Words Make a Difference
One trick to have the “Right” words to put in your Résumé is to study the job posting.
It’s important to research the Company, but also the line of business that the company works in
Learn their Key Words (Buzz Words) and embed in many areas in your Résumé
Know acronyms and spell them out at least once then use freely

8. Which Résumé Works Best?
It Depends Who You Are Talking To…
The classical Résumé format I presented works well with Baby Boomers – We are old and don’t like change
Be Flexible & Adaptive is Important
Your Résumé changes with each job
Your Approach needs to Change too
More you Practice the Better you get
Consult an Old Guy
Younger people are less into the
Classical Résumé

9. Examples of Résumés
Good?
BAD?
UGLY? OR

10. Examples of Résumés
Good?
BAD?
UGLY? OR

11. Examples of Résumés
Good?
BAD?
UGLY? OR

12. Examples of Résumés
Good?
BAD?
UGLY? OR

13. The EXTRA
What Happens After …

14. Extra Okay Now They Have Your Résumé
Scan for
6 secs.
Okay Now They Have Your Résumé
Many Human Resource (HR) have automated electronic scanning to filter out Résumés, even before a hiring Manager sees it
The commonly used tools/technology they use is Optical Character Recognition (OCR) that is designed to look specifically for “KEY WORDS”
There is also Human-scanning once it gets to the Hiring Manager. He/she will spend anywhere from 6 – 20 seconds
One trick to have the “Right” words in your Résumé is as easy as looking at the job posting.
Your Résumé Got Them Interested Now Comes The Next Part…

15. Extra Preparation is Key Treat it like a major school project
Practice Makes for
A Good Interview
Preparation is Key
Treat it like a major school project
Do your research & find out as much as you can
Look for resources to help: professors, IEEE professionals, etc.
Learn the “Buzz” words associated with business & field
Visit the company’s website
Google the company
Practice your interviewing skills with someone
Practice in front of the mirror
The more Interviews you go on the better interviewee you’ll become

16. Extra First Impressions
Your dress, body language, posture says a lot about you
Your Handshake and eye contact are important
The Kadence of you speech is important (slow & controlled)
Interviews will be sizing you up even before you talk
Keep a positive and happy attitude & relax
Be confident with your answers and if you don’t
say you don’t know – don’t BS

17. Extra If it’s on your Résumé – It’s Fair Game
Your Resume Needs to Align with what you know
Don’t exaggerate or make up things on your Résumé
If it’s on your Résumé – It’s Fair Game

18. Extra
How Should You Dress>

19. Extra
How Should You Dress>

20. Extra
The Interview
Interviews can be just one visit or some can be up to 4-5 visits
Interviewers can be just one person – usually hiring manager, or
Interviewers can be made up of a panel of people (4-5)
Hiring Manager
Technical Interviewer
Human Resource person
Line or first level supervisor
Sometimes they bring in a team member
They will usually ask to talk about yourself and why you want to work for their company
At end of the interview they sometimes allow you to ask them questions about whatever you wish to ask.

21. Extra The Interviewers Programmer Manager Supervisor HR & FRANK
Engineers

22. APPENDIX

23. Action Verbs Teaching Skills assembled operated Etc. built overhauled
Calculated
Computed
designed
devised
engineered
fabricated
maintained
operated
overhauled
Programmed
remolded
repaired
Solved
upgraded
trained
Etc.

24. Action Verbs Research Skills clarified interpreted Etc. collected
critiqued
diagnosed
evaluated
examined
extracted
identified
inspected
interpreted
interviewed
investigated
organized
reviewed
summarized
Surveyed
systematized
Etc.

25. Action Verbs Communication Skills addressed arbitrated arranged
authored
corresponded
developed
directed
drafted
edited
enlisted
formulated
influenced
interpreted
lectured
Mediated
moderated
motivated
negotiated
persuaded
promoted
publicized
reconciled
recruited
Spoke
translated
wrote

26. Action Verbs Management Skills administered conducted developed
increased
produced
scheduled
analyzed
consolidated
directed
organized
recommended
strengthened
assigned
attained
chaired
contracted
coordinated
delegated
evaluated
executed
improved
oversaw
planned
prioritized
reviewed
supervised

27. Action Verbs Administrative Skills approved arranged catalogued
Classified
collected
compiled
dispatched
executed
generated
implemented
inspected
Monitored
operated
organized
prepared
processed
purchased
recorded
retrieved
Screened
specified
systematized
tabulated
validated