|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|||
 
Resume Writing Tools Here are several resources that can help you in preparing your résumé. They are drawn from the training materials that we use in our free Résumé Writing Workshops, which are held monthly at various locations throughout the Louisville area. Included is a "how to" guide for writing an effective résumé, a résumé worksheet, two types of sample résumés that you can use as models for your own résumé, a guide to writing an effective cover letter, and some résumé proof-reading tips. You may want to search our links page for résumé-oriented web sites where you can find other useful information. Résumé Guide Many résumé books and job search
"experts" tell you that a good résumé is important. A
well-done résumé will help you get an interview over others whose
résumés are not as good. While it is true that a poorly done
résumé can get you screened out, a résumé alone is not the only
tool for getting an interview. The best way to get an interview is
through direct contact with people. Most people find their jobs
through one of two techniques: leads from people they know or by
making direct contacts with employers. While a résumé is not the only
tool to get you a job, there are still some reasons you need one.
First, employers expect you to have one. And, two, a good résumé
will help you present what you have to offer an employer. Employers use résumés to find out
about your credentials and experience. Covering these details in an
interview is not always the best use of that valuable time. A
well-written résumé also forces you to summarize the highlights of
your experience. When you’ve done this, you are better able to talk
about yourself during the interview. What A Résumé
Can Do
Before You Write Before
you start writing this all-important document, take some time to pull
together some documents you may already have at your disposal. Some
materials that can help the process go somewhat smoother are:
Tips on Writing an Effective Résumé There
are no firm rules for writing a good résumé, only opinions. Every
résumé can be different. There are however, some tips that are
important in writing any résumé. Write
It Yourself Look
at the sample résumés and résumés of family and friends, but don’t
use their content in your own résumé. If you do, your résumé will
sound like someone else. Many employers will know if you didn’t
write it yourself. Make
Every Word Count Most
résumés should be limited to one or two pages, depending on your
experience. After you have written a first draft, edit it at least two
more times. If a word or phase does not support your ability to do the
job, cut it. Short is often better. Make
It Error Free Just
one error on your résumé can create a negative impression. That
could be enough to get you screened out. So ask someone else to check
your résumé for grammar and spelling errors or mistakes. Check each
word again before you have your résumé printed. You just can’t be
too careful. Make
It Look Good Have
your résumé done on a computer and reproduced on good quality paper
and ink. Choose white, ivory or gray standard 8.5" x 11"
paper. Keep a 1" margin on all four sides of the page. Double
space between each section and single space within sections. Avoid
fancy type such as outline, shadows, script or other difficult-to-read
styles. Use Bold, Underline or CAPITALIZED section
headings to make them stand out. Use bullet or dot points (ş) or an
asterisk (*) at the beginning of each entry to separate one item from
another and to guide the reader’s eye into the sentence. The best
fonts to use are Times Roman, Arial or Courier. Do not use a font, or
point, size smaller than 10 point as it is very difficult to read. Appearance,
as you know, can make a lasting impression (see the sample
résumés). Stress
Your Accomplishments A
résumé is no place to be humble. Emphasize what you have done and
the results. Quantify and/or qualify your accomplishments as much as
possible. Be
Specific Give
specific facts and numbers to support your accomplishments. Instead of
saying you are good with people, say "I supervised and trained
five staff and increased their productivity by 30%." Numbers do
make a difference! Don’t
Delay Don’t
delay your job search while working on a better résumé. Many job
seekers say they are still improving their résumé when they should
be out looking for a job. A better approach is to do a simple,
error-free résumé at first. Then actively look for a job. You can
always work on a better version at night and on weekends when you may
not be able to conduct your job search. Keep
It Lively Keep
it short and simple (KISS). Use action verbs and short sentences (12
words or less). Do not write in paragraphs. Keep it interesting. Be
positive and enthusiastic. And, be honest, don’t exaggerate or lie.
Finally, continue to support your objective. The Three Basic Types of Résumés Résumé
styles vary. The two most common types are chronological and skills
or functional résumés. We will cover both types of résumés and
you will be given samples of each. There is a third type of résumé,
the combination résumé. This résumé combines parts of both
the chronological and skills résumé. Each
of the résumé styles has advantages and disadvantages. The best type
of résumé for you will depend on your situation. Let’s look at
each type of résumé and their advantages. Click
here for sample résumés. The Chronological Résumé This
is the most popular style of résumé. "Chronology" refers
to time. A chronological résumé begins with your most recent
work or experiences and moves back in time. Advantages
and Disadvantages One
big advantage is that this is the simplest and quickest résumé style
to write. Many employers want to know details about where you have
worked in the past, including dates of employment. This is a good
résumé style to use if you have a good work history in jobs similar
to those you want now. However,
a chronological résumé is simple and quick to do. For this reason,
you should complete a simple chronological résumé before making a
"better" one. You might even be able to get a job offer
before you finish your improved version. In
this format, your experience is organized under key skills. A
well-done skills résumé emphasizes skills that your job
objective requires. These should also be the same skills that you are
good at and want to use! Advantages
and Disadvantages A
skills résumé allows you to present accomplishments from all
your life experiences. It is a good format when you need to
"hide" problems that a chronological résumé might show. A
well-written skills résumé presents your strengths and avoids
showing your weaknesses. For example, it can hide limited paid work
experience, gaps in your job history and little or no paid work
experience in the field you want to get into now. Because
a skills résumé can hide details that can be used to screen
people out, some employers don’t like them. Skills résumés
can also be much harder to write than a chronological résumé. The Combination Résumé A
combination résumé includes elements of both the chronological and
skills formats. This is a good type of résumé to use if you have a
reasonably good work history, but want the advantages that a skills
résumé has. For example, you may want to emphasize certain skills
you have or include other life experiences besides work to support
your skills. The Nuts and Bolts of a Résumé Below
are the categories you can use in your résumé regardless of the
résumé format you choose. However, while you need to complete all of
the areas, based on your situation, you may decide to leave some of
the information out. In addition, based on your situation, you may
also decide to use a different order than presented in below. Heading Tell
the employer where they can reach you. At the top center of the page,
type your name. Put the name on your résumé with which you want to
be identified. For instance, if your name was John Michael Jones but
you were known as Mike Jones, that's what you should put on your
résumé. If an employer were to call for a John Jones, a
message taker might not recognize the name. Below
your name, type your complete mailing address with zip code, avoiding
abbreviations (i.e., Street or Avenue instead of St. or Ave.). If you
might move, use a relative’s address or arrange with the post office
to forward your mail to your new address. Below
your address, list your telephone number with area code. If a person
or machine can’t answer your home phone during the day, give an
alternative phone number that can be answered during business hours. Finally,
list your email address, if you have one, below your telephone number. Objective If
you don’t choose an objective, the employer may not review your
résumé. In one short sentence, tell the employer the type of
position you are seeking. Using the following formula can make
objective writing process very easy: Position
+ Environment + Skills = The Perfect Objective You
do not need to put this statement in the form of a sentence; it’s
probably better if you don’t use a sentence structure. However, it
is helpful and easier to understand if you use descriptors. Consider
the following: Seeking
a full-time position in the banking industry that requires my
excellent keyboarding and 10-key skills and a team player. Using
the example above, notice that adding "full-time" helps the
reader understand the type of position you are seeking. Some other
position descriptors you may use are:
These
are just a few suggestions for describing the position so the employer
understands the type of position you are seeking. Next,
describe the type of working environment in which you can be most
successful. Samples include:
These
are just a few suggestions for describing the work environment. In
order to list the most appropriate skills in your objective statement,
think of your 2-3 greatest strengths that you can benefit the
potential employer or the position. Examples of the skills you may
list in your objective statement can be found in most classified ads,
job descriptions, etc. Finally,
before you put this statement in stone, make sure you can live
with any limitations you put on yourself and your career choices. For
example, consider the following objective: "Seeking a
full-time teller position in a fast paced bank that will utilize my
10-key skills and strong communication skills." What
are the limitations with this objective? Qualifications Summary This
section should be brief, clear, concise and easy to scan. The summary
should show your contributions to past employers, give examples of
your talents and personal strengths and basically provide the employer
a short list of what you bring to an organization as an employee. You
will gain these statements when you complete the Résumé Worksheet
(on the next couple of pages). The information you need is found
throughout the worksheet, not in just one section. Finally, the
summary should be presented in a bullet or dot point fashion (·). Education Show
that you’re capable of learning. Include any apprentice training,
on-the-job training, special workshops, seminars, military training,
self-study, high school, vocational school or colleges. Start
with your most recent school or program. On one line give the date of
completion, the degree or certificate awarded, the school’s name and
the city-state address. Immediately
under each school, list a few of the courses you took which would
interest an employer or help you in the job. Work Experience First,
if you have never worked a day in your life, skip this section and
move on. If you do have some work experience – full-time, part-time,
casual, civic, volunteer or charitable – put it in your résumé. Start
with your most recent employer. On one line, list the year you started
your employment, and the year you left that job (if you’re still
employed there, state "present"), your job title, the name
of the company, and the company’s city-state address. Directly
under that line, list your greatest accomplishments. Don’t forget to
change each job responsibility into an accomplishment following the
quantifiable and qualifiedly examples. Military Service If
you never served in the Armed Forces, skip this section and move on.
Under the heading Military Service, give your date of separation, your
highest rank and rate, and your branch of service. On
the next lines, enter your security clearance, special assignments,
special talents and decorations. List your technical training and
on-the-job training under "Education" even if you received
the training while in the Armed Forces. List
your job duties under work experience and, as with all jobs listed,
change the duties to accomplishments. Personal Do
not list any personal information.
You do not need to explain your age, sex, race, marital status, family
size, disabilities or hobbies to anyone since it doesn’t relate to
your employment. Do not include this section on your résumé. References Do
not list any reference contacts on your résumé and it is not
necessary to list "References available upon request."
Every human resources professional or hiring manager certainly
understands that if they ask you for references, you will provide
them. These professionals do not need to read the statement on your
résumé to know that its appropriate to ask any candidate for
references. Besides, this is just wasted space. Use this area for
something the employer doesn’t know about you and needs to know. This
doesn’t mean that you do not need references. You do! List your
references on a separate sheet of paper. And, before you offer someone’s
name as a reference, make sure you have that person’s explicit
permission to do so. If possible, give your reference a copy of your
résumé. Click here to advance
to the Résumé Worksheet
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
