1. INGREDIENTS OF A GOOD RESUME Amy Gelb, M.S. Institute for Community Inclusion/Umass Boston/ UCED Workforce Action Grant January 26,2005

2. What is a Good Resume? Highlights the person’s positive experiences and skills Information is easy to understand and read Gives enough information to pique reader’s interest Leaves reader wanting to find out more

3. GOOD RESUME (cont.) Use proper grammar No spelling mistakes Natural progression/No gaps in professional activity Clean appearance One-Two pages depending on type of job person is applying for and skill level and experience

4. Resume for Person with Little or No Experience Use a personal profile Interests Life Experience Education Volunteer Work Create a “picture” of the person

5. Employment Gaps Use years, not months List jobs, not dates Explain in summary section Fill in with volunteer work Productive activities, skills, trainings, Educational classes

6. Types of Resumes FUNCTIONAL CHRONOLOGICAL COMBINATION

7. FUNCTIONAL RESUME Skills resume Experience is organized under key skills Advantages- Present accomplishments from all experiences Presents strengths and avoids weaknesses Disadvantages- Some employers may not like them Can be harder to write

8. CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME Most recent experience is listed first, followed by previous job Advantages- The simplest Disadvantages- Shows gaps in employment Frequent job changes Lack of work experience

9. COMBINATION RESUME Includes elements of both functional and chronological resumes Used for someone with a long work history Emphasizes certain skills Can include other life experiences besides work to support your skills.

10. Top 10 things NOT to do Spelling errors, typos, and poor grammar Too duty oriented Inaccurate or missing contact information Inaccurate dates or none at all Poor formatting

11. Top 10 things NOT to do Functional resumes Long resumes Long paragraphs Unqualified candidates Personal information unrelated to the job

12. Cover Letters Should be addressed to specific person State what job you are applying for State how you found out about the position Explain how your experience and education matches the job requirements

13. Cover Letters (cont.) Describe your interest in working with the particular company Thank person for their time Short and to the point is always best No spelling or grammar mistakes