“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Building a High-Impact Resume

Presented byPam Gibellino, B.S., M.Ed.

Coordinator of Career ServicesEdison Community College

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

First Things FirstWho you are, in 15 seconds or less

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Key PointsBegin early; resumes are a work in progressKeep an on-going skills analysis Promote your strengthsCreate strong, positive imagesTarget your audience’s needs – what you have to offerUse action verbs and key wordsEmploy these C’s of effective communication:

Clarity Conciseness Concreteness Correctness

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

What gives a resume IMPACT?

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Excellent Appearance

Meaningful Content

Audience Appeal

Information Displayed Effectively

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Appearance

AttractivenessAppropriate SectionsEffective OrderingProper BalanceParallelismEnhancementsQuality paper

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Content

What is the best way to market YOU?Do I need an objective statement? What about a profile statement?Where should you put emphasis?What are your achievements?Any other EXTRAS?How else can you “shine”?

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Audience Appeal

Is your resume “EMPLOYER” centered?

Do your skills match their needs?

What makes you “stand out”?

What’s makes you an “ideal” candidate?

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

DisplayDetermine resume “type”

ChronologicalFunctionalCombination

Optimize use of “sections”

Apply enhancements and formatting

Emphasize key information through page placement

Check for readability

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

How does your resume stack up?

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Step 1 – A BASIC ResumeUses Word or other templateReflects the basic “nuts and bolts”Contains basic sections, such as

EducationExperienceReference Statement

May not fill the pageContains basic font and point sizeLacks enhancements, such as bold or italicize

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Use caution before using resume templates!

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Step 2 – A BETTER Resume

Has a nice appearance

Is well organized

Basic information is displayed nicely

Some enhancements have been applied

Uses bullets and formatting effectively

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Step 3 – A GREAT Resumewith High Impact!

Exceptional appearance

Optimal display of key information

“Stand out” information such as achievements,

application of skills, leadership, community

involvement, etc.

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

See the sample resumes on the Career Services web page

Also visit www.monster.com for additional samples and career advice!

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Career Portfolio

A collection of files and documents that showcase your strengths, market your individuality, and improve your chances of being hired.

Provides a more in-depth picture of who you are and what you’ve accomplished

Supports what you claim in your cover letter and resume

Can be hard copy or digital

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

May include but is not limited to:Educational transcripts, diplomas, certificatesHonors, citations, letters of recommendationScholarships and awardsInternships and co-op experiencesWorkshops and seminars attendedVolunteer and community servicePublished or printed worksSports and co-curricular leadership positionsTravel, languages, relevant hobbiesPhotos and videos; music and audio samples

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Skills/Qualities Employers Want(in order of importance)

1. Communication skills2. Strong work ethic3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)4. Initiative5. Analytical skills6. Computer skills7. Flexibility/adaptability8. Interpersonal skills (relates well to

others)9. Problem-solving skills10. Technical skills

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

7 of the 10 Skills are “Soft” Skillswith Technical Skills listed last

How can you convey these skills

in your resume, cover letter, portfolio,

and, ultimately, an interview?

“A personal experience, a rewarding education.”

Your resume is a reflection of YOU!Strive for the BEST!