1. Get Started with your Resume Simple steps for generating professional results

2. Get started!

3. Where do I start?

4.  Job-specific or general purpose?  Template or custom-made? Template  What defines me?  What sets me apart?  What are my strengths?  One page or more?

5. What do I include?

6.  Employment and education  Awards and recognition  Specialized training  Professional memberships  Skills snapshot  Major projects at work and school

7. What don’t I include?

8.  Hobbies and personal interests  Vague information  Uncategorized information  Personal information that’s not job-related  Large blocks of text  Graphics

9. Language Tips

10. Use active verbsactive verbs Use incomplete sentences Be concise Be consistent Offer specific details Avoid clichés

11. Design Tips

12.  Create your own document  Mix fonts to control information  Use bulleted lists rather than paragraphs  Be consistent  Take the quadrant testquadrant test  Find a friend and take the 20 second test

13. Electronic Resumes

14.  General purpose for posting to job sites  Job-specific for sending to employers  PDF works best for file attachments  Keywords help employers find your resume  Plain text works best for online databases  Appearance matters!

15. Printed Resumes

16.  Use high-quality paper  No decorated paper  Black text only  Be careful with your printed documents  Use a laser printer  Appearance matters!

17. The Cover Letter

18.  Match resume formatting  Simple and to the point  Be sure to sign it!  Highlight special skills  Business letter format  Suggest a meeting

19. References

20.  Available upon request!  Make a separate document  Match resume formatting  Keep them up to date  Remind them that they may be called  Provide title and contact information

21. Additional Resources

22.  The Trinity Writing Center The Trinity Writing Center  The Purdue OWL  Trinity Career Services Trinity Career Services  Symplicity

23. Quick Reminders

24. Be concise and consistent Prioritize Target your job search Ask for help and let others help you

25. Online Samples

26. Get Started with your Resume Simple steps for generating professional results