WRITING AN EFFECTIVE RESUME

GENERAL GUIDELINES, 1 of 2
Keep your resume organized & easy to
read
Write your own resume!
Keep it one to two pages
Always lead with your strongest suit
Keep it positive and refrain from using
any negatives
Write brief, clear, & informative
statements
GENERAL GUIDELINES, 2 of 2
Use the proper tense
Never underestimate the power of
appearance
Have someone critique your resume
Dont send out a resume that is not
100% spotless
Things to put on a resume, 1 Of 3
OBJECTIVE
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
COMPUTER SKILLS
LANGUAGES
RESEARCH
Things to put on a resume, 2 of 3
HONORS/AWARDS/ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL WORK
EXPERIENCE
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
STRENGTHS
INTERESTS
Things to put on a resume, 3 of 3
REMEMBER
Most important information on Page
One.
Page One should be able to get you the
interview all by itself.
Page Two are all of the extras that go
along with the great candidate described
on Page One!
HEADER
Name
Full current mailing
address
Telephone Number (s)
Email address
OBJECTIVE
In ONE or TWO lines tell
what job or position you want
Example:
Operations Research Analyst
position with Midwest Technologies
QUALIFICATIONS
List accomplishments and skills
that show you can handle the job

Begin with those most relevant to
the position you are seeking
EDUCATION
Degree Awarded
School Name and Address
Date degree awarded
Optional:
- Additional qualification
- Scholarships
- Relevant Classes

WORK EXPERIENCE
Job Title
Employers Name and Address
Years of employment
Description of your responsibilities
- Begin with your most important
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
List the things that you can
operate
Software knowledge
Procedures you know
- List everything that will help you
in your new job
Resume Tips in a Nutshell
Use bullets NOT paragraphs
Use ACTION verbs to start your
statements
Highlight areas of importance
Keep resume to 1 or 2 pages
Always TARGET it to a specific job
It MUST be 100% error free!
THE DESCRIPTIVE OBJECTIVE
Briefly describes the
type of job youre
interested in
Works best in being
seen as an overall
candidate
Used if there are no
specific openings
THE TITLED OBJECTIVE
Names the
SPECIFIC job title
for which you are
applying
Best used if you are
applying for a
specific position and
do not want to be
considered for any
other positions
Specific
stuff
DO NOT USE OVERDONE CLICHES
A chance to use my
skills
A challenging
opportunity
An opportunity for
growth
These have been used
so much they dont
even register!
TWO WORDS TO USE CAUTIOUSLY
ENTRY LEVEL
Most companies are
not looking for entry
level employees -
they are looking for
employees who can
contribute to the
growth and
development of the
organization
Your Resumes MOST IMPORTANT
Feature is...
This section is the 10-second sound bite
that draws the reader into the remainder
of your resume.
This section is CRUCIAL in the high
speed resume review world we live in.
Make sure it is there and bulleted!
RESUME TYPE:
CHRONOLOGICAL , 1 of 2
ADVANTAGES:
Widely used; logical flow & easy to read
Shows growth in skills & responsibilities
Shows promotions and titles
Shows company loyalty
RESUME TYPE:
CHRONOLOGICAL , 2 of 2
DISADVANTAGES:
Shows gaps in employment
Highlights frequent job changes
Emphasizes employment not skills
Emphasizes lack of related experience
Points out demotions and career set
backs
RESUME TYPE:
FUNCTIONAL , 1 of 2
ADVANTAGES:
Emphasizes skills rather than
employment
Organizes a variety of experiences
Disguises gaps in work record or a series
of short term jobs
RESUME TYPE:
FUNCTIONAL , 2 of 2
DISADVANTAGES:
Viewed with suspicion by employers
due to lack of information about
specific employers and dates
De-emphasizes growth/job titles
RESUME TYPE:
COMBINATION , 1 of 2
ADVANTAGES:
Highlights most relevant skills and
accomplishments
De-emphasizes employment history in less
relevant jobs
Combines skills developed in a variety of
jobs or other activities
Minimizes employment gaps and absence of
directly related experience
RESUME TYPE:
COMBINATION , 2 of 2
DISADVANTAGES:
Confusing if not well organized
Requires more effort and creativity
to prepare
RESUME TYPE: TARGET , 1 of 2
Personalized
Shows research
More impressive
Written specifically
to employers needs
ANY format can be
made into a Targeted
Resume
RESUME TYPE:
TARGET , 2 of 2
DISADVANTAGES:
Time consuming to prepare
Confusing if not well organized
Needs to be revised for each
employer

Name
Address
City State Pin
Phone and email
OBJECTIVE STATEMENT
SUMMARY OF SKILLS
EDUCATION
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
RELATED VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
OTHER WORK AND/OR VOLUNTEER
EXPERIENCE

COMPUTER SKILLS
ORGANIZATIONS/CLUBS
AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
HOBBIES
INTERESTS
SOME PET RESUME PEEVES
More than 2 pages
Outlandish or poor
quality paper
Clerical mistakes
Handwritten
corrections
Inflated
responsibilities

These
peeve me
off!
OTHER RESUME PEEVES
Old jobs that
dont mean
anything
Fancy graphics
A photocopy of a
photocopy
Pictures


What is THIS
stuff???
TIP: DISTILL = BULLETING
Long dense paragraphs makes finding
information too hard with too much
effort
SOLUTION: DISTILL!
Create bulleted, focused statements.
Short powerful lines show the reader, in
a glance, why they should keep reading
TIP: HOW TO BULLET, 1 Of 2
ACTION + OBJECT + OUTCOME =
BULLET STATEMENT
Action: : Verb
Object : What, quantity or size; subject,
type or kind
Outcome : For whom, purpose or final
results
BULLETING, 2 of 2
Use most of the elements when you
want to emphasize an experience

You are not expected to use all of
the elements in every statement;
sometimes you may use only a few
BEFORE DISTILLING.
Before
distilling
Im just a
bunch
DISTILLING, EXAMPLE #1
Primary Duties: Computer
repair and assembly,
software troubleshooter,
Internet installation and
troubleshooting.
DISTILLING, Example #2
Responsibilities included assisting with
artist releases, compiling sheets based on
information given from reservationists
and box office attendants, handling photo
and press release mailings to media,
assisting in radio copy writing, and
performing various other duties as
assigned.
Attract attention to your skills
Employers want to
see results
Use percentages and
numbers
Outline actions you
took and emphasize
the resulting benefits
List information in
order of importance
Sell your skills every chance you get!
ESPECIALLY
COMPUTER
SKILLS!
List all the software
programs you have
knowledge of
If you dont have
computer skills -
GET THEM!
TIP: TARGET YOUR RESUME, 1 of 2
Tailor your resume
to each position
Vague, general
resumes may get
lost in the shuffle
An effective resume
supports and
strengthens your
objective
TARGETED RESUMES, 2 of 2
Highlight your
experience when
it is relevant
Focus on why
you are qualified
not necessarily
on what you
have done
TIP: Use ACTION Verbs
Descriptive words add
POWER
Some examples are:
- organized
- prepared
- streamlined
- established
TIP: Be Concise
A 3-page or longer resume may not even
receive the typical 15-second glance
Best results are achieved with a one or two
page, well-organized resume
Keep your resume...
short
well organized
to the point
TIP: MAKE IT INVITING!
Capture your
readers attention by
making it attractive
to the eye
Emphasize
important
information by
bolding, italicizing,
using different fonts
YOURE
INVITED!
TIP: Be Complete
Emphasize your professionalism
by giving complete information
Avoid abbreviations, slang,
negatives
Avoid the overuse of the personal
pronouns I or MY
TIP: BRAG BUT DONT EXAGGERATE
Be Honest! Play up
your skills but never
lie or exaggerate
An effective resume
must sell as well as
tell.
Are you good?
Can you do the job?
Do you want the job?
I can do anything!
TIP: Proof and Edit
An effective resume is 100% error free,
not 99%, not 99.5% but 100%
Use spell check but do not rely totally on
it
Always check for grammar, punctuation
and capitalization errors
Proof at least 4 times
Have someone else proof it
TIP: USE VERBAL PROOFING
Read your resume
aloud
Grammatical
mistakes and
faulty construction
are often most
obvious when you
hear them
My fellow
Americans...
TIP: ASK FOR OTHERS OPINIONS
A 2 nd opinion can
be more objective
and make
worthwhile
suggestions
A 2 nd eye can also
find errors you may
have overlooked
Who do you ask ?
Ask me, Ask me
Ask me!!
TIP: DO NOT INCLUDE PERSONAL
STATISTICS
This includes
information about
age, marital status,
height, weight,
health, etc.
Requesting this info
violates anti-
discrimination laws
so do not volunteer it
TIP: NO PHOTO COPIES!!
An effective
resume is an
original, not a copy
Use a computer
and good word
processing
software so
revisions can easily
be made
Whew!
COVER LETTER FORMAT
Your Cover Letter
should cover these
important topics
WHAT CAN YOU DO
FOR THE
COMPANY?
WHAT CAN YOU DO
FOR THE COMPANY?
WHAT CAN YOU DO
FOR THE
COMPANY?
COVER LETTER TIPS, 1 of 2
Send to a specific
individual
Have a strong,
positive opening
statement that
mentions the position
and something about
the company
Convey enthusiasm
and commitment
Be brief and focused
Cover Letter Tips, 2 of 2
Identify something unique about yourself
that is relevant to the position
Highlight your strong points that relates
to the specific job
Three or four paragraphs long - thats it!
State how you will follow-up - and then
make sure you do it!
Cover Letter Paragraphs, 1 of 2
PARAGRAPH 1:
Why you are writing.
State your strongest point and the job for
which you want to be considered.

PARAGRAPH 2:
Explain why you want to work for this
company and why you desire this position
Cover Letter Paragraphs, 2 of 2
PARAGRAPH 3:
Highlight your skills and qualifications
that are relevant to this job and company

PARAGRAPH 4:
Request an interview and state how you
will follow-up
Your resume is Alive
Remember
Your resume is a
living
document
Continue to add
and upgrade as
your career
progresses