Résumés
Why do I need a résumé?
•Marketing tool to sell your skills to an employer
•On average, only one interview is granted per 200 applicants
•Not a legal document, but honesty is important• No plagiarism!!!
Where do I start?
•Previous employment• Dates• Addresses• Managers• Phone numbers• Contributions
•All skills• Examples
•Attributes• Examples
•Education• Dates• GPA• Honors• Scholarships• Courses• Projects
•Organizations• Contributions
•Certifications
What is the employer looking
for in an applicant?
Skills Employers are Wanting
•Communication skills•Strong work ethic•Team work•Initiative•Analytical skills•Computer skills•Flexibility/adaptability
•Interpersonal skills•Problem-solving •Technical skills•Detail-oriented•Organization•Self-confidence•Leadership
Source: Job Outlook 2009, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Research
• The Company– What is their focus?– Any new initiatives?
• The Position– What are the responsibilities?– What skills are needed
• Yourself– What skills do you have? – How does your experience qualify you for this position?– Where are you lacking?
• How can you develop those skills?
Transferable Skills
Identify how you have acquired those skills in past work experience, coursework/projects, or activities
Make a list of the skills needed for job you want
If you do not have a skill set, now is the time to find a way to develop those skills before you graduate
• 1 full page for up to 7-10 years of experience– 2nd page must have full name and page 2 in
header• .7”-1” Margins
• 11-12 point professional font
• Use bullets, bold, italics, & CAPITALIZATION
• Begin with most recent information and work backwards
• White or Ivory résumé paper
• Print with a high quality printer
Appearance/ Format
Do not use a
template!
•Name•Employer/ School •Positions•Accomplishments•Most Relevant Information
•Dates•Locations•Least Relevant Information
CHRONOLOGICAL
•Most general format
•List all experience in reverse chronological order
•Accomplishment statements included in experience section
FUNCTIONAL
•For those changing career paths
•Focus on skill sets instead of experience
•Experience is listed but does not include accomplishment statements
COMBINATION
•Focus on skill sets and detailed experience
ELIZABETH EXAMPLE910 University Drive
Springfield, MO 65897
417.555.994
Samuel Sample1234 Main Street 567 Elm AvenueSpringfield, MO 65897 St. Louis, MO 63119314-962-1234 [email protected]
Jane Doe222 South National*Springfield, MO 65897* 417-555-9898* [email protected]
OBJECTIVE STATEMENTTo obtain an internship in marketing requiring interpersonal communication skills and sales experience
EDUCATIONBachelor of Science in Accounting Expected Graduation: May 20xxMissouri State University, Springfield, MOGPA 3.5/4.0, Major GPA 3.8/4.0
• Admitted into Accelerated Master of Accountancy program• Financed 100% of costs of education and living• Dean’s List Fall 2009
Associate of Arts in General Studies May 20xxOzark Technical Community College, Springfield, MOGPA 3.3/4.0
RELEVANT EXPERIENCESales Associate Spring 2007-PresentBanana Republic; Kansas City, MO
• Assist diverse customer base to assess options based on individual style and price range
Optional Headings
• Computer Skills• Language Skills• Accomplishments• Community Service• Military Service• Managerial Skills• Professional
Accomplishments
• Leadership Ability• Professional
Organizations• Publications• Certifications• Coaching Experience• Awards• Communication Skills
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTPhilanthropy Chair Spring 2007-PresentDelta Delta Delta; Springfield, MO
• Led a team of 150 peers to raise over $15,000 for children’s cancer research
COMPUTER SKILLS• Designed web pages using FrontPage and Dreamweaver• Created spreadsheets and analyzed reports utilizing
Microsoft Excel
Accomplishment/Contributions
Development•Begin each statement with an ACTION VERB
•Focus on skills and abilities required for the position
•Describe what you did and how it benefitted the organization
•Never use personal pronouns• “I,” “My,” “Me,” or “We”
•Write detailed yet concise statements• limit to 1-2 lines
•Use past tense verbs for previous experiences and present tense for current positions
Finalize•Customize to specific job
•Include keywords and industry specific terminology
•Quantify your accomplishments using #, %, $ values
• Never include personal information – gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, political
affiliation, salary requirements, social security number, disabilities, reasons for leaving past jobs, photograph, or height/weight
• References belong on a separate page and should not be included with your résumé unless specifically requested
Accuracy
Have résumé reviewed by multiple people to get different perspectives and catch any grammatical errors
1 Misspelled Word or Grammatical Error= NO PASS!
Accomplishments/ Contributions Pass
Fail
Yes No Comments
No personal pronouns
Start with an action verb
Appropriate verb tense
Quantifiable Information (#, $, %)
Skills listed are relevant to position in which you are applying
Student Course Section Instructor Semester Year
Appropriate Information Pass Fail
Contact Information Yes No Comments
Name and address
One phone number and email
Education
Official title of degree with major/minor
Date of graduation or anticipated graduation and GPA
Name of school and city/state
Employment
Job title, company name, & location
Month/Year of employment range
Detailed contributions
Optional Sections
Use at least one additional section
List dates and contributions
No personal information
Date of Evaluation Evaluator Pass Fail
Date of Re-evaluation Evaluator Pass Fail Résumé meets minimum requirements, but a follow-up consultation is highly recommended
Accuracy Pass Fail Yes No Comments No Spelling Mistakes
No Grammatical Errors Appropriate Punctuation Accurate Information No Plagiarism
Appearance/Format Pass Fail
Yes No Comments
Professional font style-11-12 Point
Use of Bold, Italics, & ALL CAPS
Consistent formatting with .7”-1” margins
1 page for up to 7-10 years of experience
List most recent experience first and work backwards
List most relevant bullets first and progress to least relevant
NOT A MICROSOFT TEMPLATE!
QUESTIONS?