Resume Workshop

Marketing Yourself for Job Search

What makes a good resume?

• Well organized summary of abilities and accomplishments

• Customized to meet the organization’s needs o Candidates who clearly demonstrate that they meet

the qualifications listed in the job posting will be selected for an interview.

• Sells the recruiter by demonstrating your skills and accomplishments

• Showcases your potential to contribute

• Should be visually pleasing

• Is always sent with a cover letter

Employers spend

approximately 10 – 30

seconds on each resume!

Resume Basics

• Two pages maximumo Reference page is additional.

• Good quality bond paper – white or ivoryo You can buy paper from the Career Development

Centre…but cannot print it in the office!

• Email friendly (MS Word 97-2003 compatible) PDF if emailing!

• Start each bullet with a STRONG action verb

Resume Basics

• Use spell check, read it out loud to yourself, start reading it from the end…

• Font size: 11 or 12

• Create a header or footer

• Use plenty of white space

• Don’t use the word “I”, “me”, etc.

• Customized – mirror the job posting

Key Components of a Resume

• Personal Contact Info (email/phone)

• Profile Statement

• Summary of Qualifications

• Education and Academic Achievements

• Work Experience

• Memberships/Community Involvement/Volunteer Experience

• Technical Skills/Languages

• Interests

Personal Letterhead

• Can be left, right or centered on page

• Use a larger font for your name – remember you are marketing yourself

• Cut and paste this header on your cover letter and reference sheet for a stylish, personalized letterhead

• Voicemail: be sure your message is professional sounding and return calls promptlyo Cell Phone: Answer in a professional manner all the

time!

• Email: check it daily and use an appropriate address

John Smith456 Cooper Street

Winnipeg MB R4B 9K8(204) 555-5555

jsmith@cc.umanitoba.ca

Profile

• Describes who and what you are

• Defines your area of expertise – your field of study or work, your level of experience

• States two or three unique competitive advantages about you

• Sets the stage for the rest of the resume and lets the reader know your target

• Should be 3-5 sentences long at most

Summary of Qualifications

• List your skills, strengths and experiences that relate specifically to the position

• Keep in mind what the job and organization needs • Define for the recruiter what you mean when you say you

possess a skill• Strengths should match your career aspirations

A summary allows recruiters to consider you for additional positions by showcasing

your potential in diverse areas

By identifying your skills and abilities in concrete terms, you will ‘sell yourself’ better on your resume and during the

interview process. You will feel more confident, particularly if you are asked the question ‘What are your

strengths?’

• Working independently and in teams

•Researching, analyzing

• Solving problems

•Organizing your time and priorities to meet deadlines

•Presenting ideas

Sample Summary of Qualifications

• Excellent planning and organizing skills used to complete tasks and assignments on time, and to balance priorities of school and the workplace

• Strong customer service focus combined with excellent inter-personal skills; appreciate the importance of meeting the customer’s needs and of building strong relationships to ensure customer satisfaction

• Solid technical accounting skills gained through university coursework and “hands on” experience as a part-time bookkeeper

• Proficient in various computer softwarepackages including Word, WordPerfect, Excel and Lotus

Education

At this point in your career, education should be on the first page of your resume.

• List your education in reverse chronological order.

• Include the name of your degree as well as your major, institution and expected graduation.

• Include your G.P.A. - only if it is to your advantage to do so.

• Consider listing some of your relevant coursework, especially if you are light on experience.

Sample

Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) Program 2007 –presentAsper School of Business, University of Manitoba

Co-operative Education ProgramMajor: AccountingExpected date of graduation: December 2010

Courses Completed: Managerial & Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Intermediate Accounting - Assets

AwardsUniversity of Manitoba Entrance Scholarship 2006

Work Experience

• Consider ALL your experience – volunteer, student group activities, leadership roles, academic projects as well as paid employment

• Focus on results - Employers look for signs signaling potential future performance

• Avoid listing your duties like a job description

• Use the SMART approach (specific, measurable, action oriented, realistic, time based)

• Add $, % and #’s whenever possible

• Link your skills to what the organization needs

• Start each statement with a strong ACTION VERB

Memberships, Community Involvement

& Interests

• Gives a "snapshot" of who you are outside of work and demonstrates skill development.

• List information that is relevant and applicable to the position.

• Can showcase leadership, social conscience and community interest.

• Be interesting!

Reference Page

• Choose someone who is positive

o Minimum of three references!

• Ask permission

• Can be work related, academic, volunteer

• List them on a separate page

• Provide only when requested

• Bring your list of references to your interview

• Thank your references and keep them informed

Sample Reference List

John Smith456 Cooper Street

Winnipeg, MB R4B 9K8(204) 555-5555

jsmith@cc.umanitoba.ca

Judy Williams, Manager Bill Brian, Manager Canada Safeway RBC Financial GroupPh: 895-7597 Ph: 222-5555Email: jwilliams@cs.cs Email: bill@rbc.com

John Hill, Assistant ControllerThe North West CompanyPh: 225-9776Email: jhill@nwc.ca

TypeFocus: Self-Awareness Report

• Circle words or ideas that seem important to you.o Think about what skills, abilities and

traits employers are looking for: team work, initiative, goal-oriented,

research, commitment to continuous learning, etc.

• Use these words throughout your resume!

Editing your resume…

• Asper Peer Coaches: Room: 145o Schedule posted on Co-op Website

• Resume Blitz: Fishbowl, 11:00 – 1:00o Monday, January 18th 2010o Tuesday, January 19th 2010

• Co-op Office & Career Development Centreo A finalized version of your resume must be in your file

before Thursday, January 28th 2009.

Next Steps:

• Co-op Resume Competition

o Win a professional leather Asper portfolio to take with you to your first co-op interviews! (And other great Asper gear!!)

o Email your resume to Courtney before Friday, January 29th 2010, 4:30 pm (courtney_griffith@umanitoba.ca)

NETWORK!

• Asper Career Fair!o Thursday, January 21st 2010

o Drake Centre – tell them you are a co-op student!

• CDC Finance Panelo Fishbowl Drake Centre, 5:00 pm

• Celebrating Co-op!o Thursday, January 28th 2010

o RSVP online – speed greet and reception

o Don’t Be a Cocktail Weinie!

More Next Steps:

• Sign up for a Cover Letter Workshop

• Check Co-op Website for Jobs!

o Out of Province jobs now posted – watch application instructions and deadline.

Handing in your co-op applications…

• Tuesday, March 2nd 2010 is the deadline to hand in all co-op applications (unless otherwise posted.)

• How to hand in your applications:o Put all applications in alphabetical order

according to company name.o Staple in top left hand corner.o Order: Cover Letter, Resume, Transcript (if

requested)o Hand all applications in on one day! At this

time you will receive a time to come and sign up for your interviews.

Questions?