1. What is a resume? (www.RockportInstitute.com)

2.  a one-of-a kind marketing communication  an advertisement of yourself  makes you stand out as a superior candidate  a tool with ONE specific purpose:  TO WIN YOU AN INTERVIEW

3.  ATTRACTS an employer’s eye  CONVINCES the employer that you have what it takes to be successful in the position  STIMULATES interest in meeting you  INSPIRES the employer to interview you  WINS you an interview before someone even more qualified

4.  Pass the screening process  required education  necessary experience  Provide contact information  phone  address  E-mail  Establish you as a professional with high standards and excellent writing skills  Supply references  Use as a “business card” – keep with you

5. WRITE A RESUME... DO NOT WRITE A RESUME...  with the goal to persuade the employer to call you  knowing it is your ticket to getting the job you want  with enthusiasm  thinking it is only a history of your past  thinking it is a personal statement  thinking it is some form of self expression CREATE A MASTERPIECE!

6. How do I write an effective resume?

7.  research shows that only 1 interview is granted for every 200 resumes  your resume will be quickly scanned, not read  10-20 seconds is all you have to persuade a prospective employer to read further  top half of the resume will either make or break you  people often buy the best advertised product, not the best product

8. FOCUS ON THE EMPLOYER’S NEEDS, NOT YOURS:  Ask yourself,  What would make someone the perfect candidate?  What does the employer really want?  What special abilities would the perfect candidate have?  What would set a truly exceptional candidate apart from a good one?  Gather hints from...  the help-wanted ad  other people in the same company or field  the prospective employer (call and ask what they want)

9. 1. Make assertions about your abilities and achievements 2. Provide evidence for your assertions

10. DEMONSTRATES YOUR CLARITY OF DIRECTION WITHIN THE WORKFORCE  EXAMPLE:  Objective – a software sales position in an organization seeking an extraordinary record of generating new accounts, exceeding sales targets and enthusiastic customer relations.  EXAMPLE 2:  Objective – a position where I can hone my skills at selling goods and strengthen my expertise in customer relations.

11.  work history, including job title descriptions of tasks, dates of employment, etc.  education & training  professional affiliations  awards and honors  special talents and/or interests (if applicable)  civic / community leadership  references

12. Presentation

13.  simple and clean  easy to read  symmetrical and well balanced  uncrowded  as much white space between sections as possible  no more than 6 lines per section  uniformity and consistency

14. 1. NO errors 2. Key information :  contact info - name, address, phone, e-mail  Professional Experience - reverse chronological order  job title  name of company  city and state  term of employment  description of responsibilities/achievements 3. Education/Training - reverse chronological order  even if unfinished

15.  highlight strengths / de-emphasize weaknesses  use power words  show you are results-oriented  concise and to the point  use phrases rather than full sentences  most important or most impressive first

16.  use quality paper  use an ink-jet printer  use off-white, ivory or bright white paper  use 12 pt. font or higher  2 pages maximum  use bold and italics to draw attention, but be consistent

17.  put the word “resume” at the top  fluffy, rambling Objective statement  salary information  full addresses of employers  reasons for leaving jobs  personal statistics  names of supervisors  character references  fabricate the truth