Guide to Writing a Resume

GuidetoWritingaResumeThepurposeoftheresumeisnottogetajobbuttogetaninterview.Itisyouradvertisementtocompaniesandrecruiters.Youaretheproduct;theyarethebuyers;itisyourjobtoconvincethereaderofyourresumethatyouaretheproducttheyshouldbuy.Thefirststepinwritingaresumeisaself-assessment.Whatskillsandexperiencesdoyoubringtothejob?Andmoreimportantly,whatkindofajobdoyouwant?Thesecondstepinwritingaresumeistoresearchtheemployerorjobfamilyforwhichyouareapplyingandstructureyourresumeaccordingly.Ideallyyoushouldhaveoneresumeforeveryjobforwhichyouapply;morerealisticallyyoushouldprepareoneresumeforeachtypeofjobforwhichyouapply.Considerthoseskillsandexperienceswhicharemostrelevantforthejobandstructurethoseinthemannerthatbestshowcasesthem.Nowyouarereadytowriteyourresume.Thereisnooneperfectformat.Justmakesurethatitcontainstheinformationyouwanttoimpartclearly,concisely,anderror-free.Formostpeople,andcertainlyformostcollegestudents,itshouldbenolongerthanonepage.CategoriestoincludeareObjective(optional),SummaryofQualifications(alsooptionalbutincludeoneortheother),Education,WorkHistory,SpecialSkills,ExtracurricularActivities/CommunityServiceandanythingelseyouthinkwillbepertinenttothepositioninwhichyouareinterested.Referencesshouldbeplacedonaseparatepageandonlyprovidedwhenrequested.Therearethreebasicformats:Chronological,FunctionalandCombination.TheChronologicalresumeistheeasiesttofollowsinceitbeginswiththemostrecenteducationandexperienceandcontinueswithadditionalinformationinreversechronologicalorder.Ithasonegreatadvantage—prospectiveemployerslikeit—andthatisthereasonmostpeoplechoosetouseit.TheFunctionalresumefocusesonthefunctionalareas(MarketingExperience,CommunicationExperience,etc.)andrelieslessonchronologicalorder.TheCombinationresumecombinesthetwobypresentingsomeinformationundertraditionalheadingsandorganizingotherelementsaccordingtojobfunctions.Whichformattouse?Theanswerisreallyverysimple—Usetheformatthatbesthighlightsyourqualificationsandabilities.Afteryouhavedecidedupontheformatyouwishtouse,youmustclearlyandconciselydelineatetheskillsthatyouhave—whatyouhavedoneinpreviousjobs,activities,etc.thatwillbenefittheemployer.Besuretouseactionverbstodescribewhatyouhavedone;andwheneveryoucan,quantifyyourexperience.(“Increasedproductivityby45%overatwo-monthperiod”or“Savedthedivision$40,000by...”)Onceyouhavechosenaformat,usedclearandconcisewordsandwrittenyourresume,themostimportantthingforyoutodoisproofreadit.Rememberthatemployersarelookingforanexcusetothrowaresumeoutoftheapplicantpool.Yourresumemustbespotlessanderror-free.Haveatleasttwopeopleproofreadit;don’tdependonyourspell-check.Edit,edit,edit.ResumeTipsforNewGraduates1.Attendresumeworkshopsofferedatyourcampuscareercenter.2.Counselorsatyourschool’scareerservicecentercanhelpyouunderstandtheprerequisitesthatindividualrecruiterslookforintheirspecificcareerfields.3.Experience,orlackofit,isthebiggestobstaclefacedbynewgraduates,especiallythosewhoarenotemployedbeforetheyleaveschool.Thickenyourworkexperiencebyincludingallunpaidpositions—internships,specialprojects,volunteerjobs.4.Highlightyourworkexperiencethatismostrelevanttoyourintendedfuture.Ifyouhavemorethantwoyearsoffull-timeprofessionalexperience,educationshouldbeplacedatthebottom.5.Ifyouuseanobjectivestatement,makeitclearwhatobjectiveyouhaveinmindwhenyougettojobland—don’tusealoftystatementoftheabsurd,likethisone:I’mseekingachallengingpositionthatwillallowmetoactualizemytalentsinsavingtheworld,withgoodpotentialforprofessionalgrowthandpaycommensuratewithmyability.6.Don’tjustidentifyyoureducationandalaundrylistofstudentjobs—usewordsthatidentifytheskillsyoulearnedorusedinschooloratwork.7.Awards,honorsandcitationshelp.8.Showevidenceofdedicationandgoals.9.IncludeyourGPAifitisatleast3.0orhighenoughforemployerprerequisites.10.Deletehighschooldataunlessitaddsauniquefacttothetotalimpressionthatyou’recreating.11.Ifanactivityrevealsskills,accomplishments,resultsorthequalificationstosupportyourintendedjob,includeit.FromResumesforDummiesbyJoyceLainKennedyACTIONWORDSANDPHRASESFollowingisalistofeffectivewordsandphrasestouseinyourresume.Thesewordsareaction-orientedandrepresentskillareasyouhavethatwouldbebeneficialtotheprospectiveemployer.Usethesewordstobegingoodresumephrases.AccomplishedDiagnosedInterviewedReinforcedAcceleratedDirectedInventedReorganizedAchievedDiscoveredInvestigatedRepairedActivatedDispensedJudgedResearchedAdaptedDisplayedLaunchedRespondedAdministeredDistributedLecturedResponsibleforAnalyzedDramatizedListenedReviewedAnsweredEarnedLocatedRevisedAppraisedEditedLoggedRewroteArrangedEliminatedMaintainedScheduledAssembledEnlargedManagedSimplifiedAssistedEntertainedMeasuredSolvedBargainedEstablishedMediatedSpokeBudgetedEstimatedModeratedStrengthenedBuiltEvaluatedMonitoredSupervisedCalculatedExaminedMotivatedTaughtChartedExhibitedNegotiatedTestedClassifiedExpandedObservedTrainedCoachedExpeditedObtainedTranslatedCollectedExplainedOperatedUpdatedCompiledExploredOrganizedWroteCompletedFacilitatedOriginatedComposedFormulatedParticipatedConceive