Does Your Resume Communicate The Right Message?

MIT Career Development Center

Room 12-170 (617) 253-4733

http://web.mit.edu/career/www/ Bob Dolan dolanb@mit.edu

Jan 2010

Does Your Resume Communicate The Right Message?

Intended Learning Outcomes: Understand the purpose of a Resume Learn a strategy to develop and write a resume that
drives impact Practice writing an accomplishment statement

Career Planning A Lifelong Process

Todays Workshop

Job Search Action Plan

Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews, Networking!

Focusing
Which organizations are a good fit? What do I need to be competitive? Who can connect me to these organizations? Networking!

Exploration
Whats out there? What options do I have? What jobs fit my skills? What careers and industries can use them? Networking!

Self Assessment
Who am I? What are my interests? What kinds of skills do I have? What are my workrelated values? What is my work style? Networking!
Adapted from Peter Fiske: To Boldly Go: Practice Career Advice for Scientists, Workshop at MIT Modified from Stanford University Career Planning and Placement Office

The Purpose of a Resume

Your Resume serves many purposes:

A Marketing Tool
You are the product your resume is selling Your resume must be user friendly

A Calling Card and A Reminder

Brief summary of what you have done Impression of you remains after the interview

A Way to Direct the Interview

Specific accomplishments can direct the interviewers attention

Your Resume should be externally focused !

Resume Development

Content Format Style

All three send a message

Content - Strategy

Tailor your resume content to both your audience and the job description
Hiring Manager may look for technical expertise Human Resources may look for behavioral attributes

Exclude data related to salary expectation, religious or political affiliation, geographical restrictions, age, relationship status, etc.
Your hiring should be based upon your ability to do the job, and nothing else

Content - Strategy
Only include data relevant to the position for which you are applying Choose, prioritize, and tailor headings and experience relevant to the targeted position
Know your audience, and give them what they need !

A good resume piques the interest of the reader and prompts them to invite you in for an interview

Content - ?
How do you know what to write?
The Job Description provides all of the vital information and requirements about the job Information gathered during Networking and your individual research can provide content thats on-point Your resume message should target job related requirements, both technical and behavioral

Content
Actual Job Description Entry Level
Entry Level Civil Engineer Job Description:

An Aerotek client, a leading utility firm is seeking an entry Level Civil Engineer. The civil engineer is someone who wants to get their foot in the door and grow within a well established firm. The individual will be responsible for the design and drafting of civil engineering and construction projects. Must be comfortable working with a team of designers to focus on large town/city projects. Job Requirements: * O-1 years of experience. * BS in Civil Engineering. * EIT preferred. * Excellent witting and communication skills. * This position involves travel to other locations will also be required.
Be prepared to talk to these requirements as well

Highlight the key responsibilities and requirements and make sure your resume addresses their needs

Content
Actual Job Description - Experienced
Project Engineer Job Description The Project Engineer will be assigned to one of multiple planned commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol projects. He/she will be the point-person for the identification, tracking, coordination and resolution of technical issues between project team members, including Verenium project management and process engineering, contractors, vendors, and external engineering entities. Responsibilities include: -Being the the focal person for the project engineering change management process, including Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) and Requests-for-Information (RFIs). -Tracking and expediting of document issues, submittals, reviews and approvals to ensure timeliness and completeness of performance. -Participating in design and constructability reviews, and as well as assist in the tracking of material quantities as detail design proceeds. The Project Engineer will be based in Cambridge; however, he/she will be spend considerable time at the engineers offices and project site during the design and construction / start-up phases of the project, respectively. Requirements: Bachelors degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Civil, Structural or Electrical Engineering with 5 10 years experience related to the design, engineering, construction, and/or operation of chemical process plants. EIT or Professional Engineering Registration is preferred. This candidate must have experience in the following areas: Interaction with engineering service suppliers, contractors and equipment vendors. Demonstrated excellence in applying modern software and hardware tools to solve practical problems. Ability to work well in a team encompassing many disciplines as well as independently with minimal supervision. Ability to read and analyze engineering drawings for quantity determination purposes. Ability to organize and manage large volumes of data, and to summarize and present such data in a clear manner. Ability to prioritize and structure multiple-front work efforts to meet deadlines.
Looka typo

Content
Actual Jobs and Descriptions in CareerBridge

Log onto Career Bridge

https://www.myinterfase.com/mit/student

Go to: DatabasesJobsSearch Enter current date in first Expiration Date box, Leave second box blank, and click Search As of Jan 13, 2010 (today) there were 1,025 open jobs in the databasefull-time positions and internships

Click on jobs of interest, review the Job Descriptions and use this data to develop your communication

Top Qualities/Skills Employers Want

5.0 Scale

Communications Skills (verbal & written) 4.6 Strong work ethic 4.6 Teamwork skills 4.5 Motivation/initiative 4.4 Interpersonal skills 4.4 Does your resume Problem Solving skills 4.4 communicate these skills & attributes? Analytical skills 4.3 Flexibility/adaptability 4.2 Technical/Computer skills 4.1 Detail oriented 4.0 Organizational skills 4.0 Leadership skills 3.9 Self confidence 3.9
NACE National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2008 Survey

When Deciding on Two Equally Qualified Candidates, Hiring Managers Look At:

Has held leadership position Major High GPA Co-curricular activities Volunteer work School attended 4.0 3.9 3.7 3.6 3.0 2.9

5.0 point scale, where 1 = no influence, 5 = extreme influence

National Assn. of Colleges and Employers, 2008 Job Outlook Survey

Content - Headings
Personal Contact Information:
Name, Address, Phone, e-mail, etc

Summary of Qualifications
If you have work experience

Education degree(s) and date of graduation

Relevant Courses/Projects

Scholarships/Awards (if applicable)

Content - Headings
Experience or Work Experience
Accomplishments/Professional Achievements
Key MessageValue Added Contributions

Relevant Skills Section

Computer, Languages, Technical, Lab, Equipment, etc

Other Headings, if Applicable

Relevant Presentations/Publications Professional Affiliations Leadership/Service Activities/Interests

Content - Message
The way you express yourself in written form will be evaluated by the readers and will unveil your thought process
Consider using the following format when describing your skills: PAR Statement (P=Project, A=Action, R=Results)

Example: Project = Upgrade Defect Sensing and Marking Devices Action = As Project Manager, researched, analyzed and identified process improvements Result = Eliminated human inspection on line, saving $200,000 Transfer to Resume as Accomplishment Statement: Managed project to upgrade defect sensing and marking devices resulting in the elimination of human inspection on line, saving $200,000 per year

Content - Message
Quantify experiences to convey size and/or scale of projects, budgets, and results makes a stronger impression
what was value added about your contribution?

Lists relevant accomplishments and skills, NOT job duties and responsibilities
Your Resume is not an Autobiography

Content = Message
Examples

Before Responsible for the development of enterprise-wide Quality Engineering services After- Created Strategic Quality Engineering services for enterprise-wide solutions resulting in greater effectiveness of E-Commerce organization
___________________________________________________________________________________

Before - Responsible for product optimization across U.S. manufacturing operations After Developed and managed a common product release cycle initiative for a multi-site manufacturing operations that resulted in a 60% performance improvement within 100 days
Dont list what you were supposed to do, list what you did!

Content = Message
Examples

Before Responsible for merger and acquisition due diligence which included financial and sensitivity analysis After- Performed comprehensive M&A due diligence and financial analysis including management evaluation, historical results, sensitivity analysis, and relative company valuation materials
___________________________________________________________________________________

Before - Responsible for improving reliability of optical networks After Developed and optimized a lightpath diversity scheme that achieved instantaneous response to multiple network failures for ultra-reliable optical networks, leading to a more reliable product.
Dont list what you were supposed to do, list what you did!

Content = Message
Examples

Before - Duties included assisting in project administration, field measurements and records, project inspection, setting up and tracking project using Microsoft Project, and developing computerized material take off sheets After- Initiated and managed tracking systems used for the Bay District water decontamination project which decreased staff allocation time by 20% and saved $100,000 on overall project
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before - Responsible for chairing the Graduate Student Promotional Committee After - Chaired promotional committee of 15 that resulted in a 30% increase in ticket sales

Dont list what you were supposed to do, list what you did!

PAR Statement Practice

Lets write one (takes ~ 3 minutes)

Think about a job or project that you wish to include on your resumedescribe the job or project:
P: What was the Project? A: What were your Actions? R: What was the Result or Impact?
On the next page, write the answers to the PAR Statement beginning with an action verb

PAR Statement Practice

Lets write one (takes ~ 3 minutes)

P: The Project _________________________________________ _________________________________________

A: Your Actions __________________________________________ __________________________________________
R: The Result or Impact __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

Format
Reverse Chronological (Most Used) - list your experiences in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent position Be consistent with tenses Functional - Functional resumes promote and headline specific job skills and responsibilities, without emphasizing where or when you developed those skills jobs, job titles, and employment dates are inconspicuously placed toward the end Not recommended for students and recent graduates Combination utilizes reverse chronological order as well as organizes experiences in order of importance

Style
Use high-quality bond paper

Print on one side only Use white, ivory color paper Do not use school letterhead Example fonts: Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, etc.

Use one conservative typestyle

Size 10 12 size font are recommended

Style
Use bolding, italics, and CAPitalization to help

emphasize what is most importantminimally and consistently

The use of Bullets is effective in directing the readers eye

Margins should be no smaller than a half inch Dont overcrowd your resume

Only include what is relevant to the position Use white space to emphasize what is most important
Rememberyour Resume is not an autobiography

Final Tips
Proofread - use spell and grammar check and have
someone review your resume for errors

Have several people critique your resume

Counselor, friend, critical proofreader, someone

familiar and unfamiliar with the field/industry

Make sure the reproduction is good, with no

blurring, stray marks, or faint letters

Final Tipscont.

How many pages? length is performance based

Always have a one-page version available Advanced degrees and extensive work experience may result in a two-page document Patents and Publications may be included on an Addendum

Avoid jargon (acronyms, course numbers, etc) Avoid word repetition and the use of I Less is more; Leave out unnecessary words or phrases Tailor resume to your audience and job

The Do Nots

Do Not:

List references Exaggerate Include a photo of yourself (youll scare them) Over-emphasize Include extraneous or personal information Use odd sized paper Forget to proofread

Why Proofread?
ITS ALL SO OVIBOUS Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosnt mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers are in a wrod, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteers are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Readers Digest

You cant proofread your own writinghave someone else do it

Career Resources
MIT Career Development Center - 12-170 617- 253- 4733 http://web.mit.edu/career/www/

We offer
One on One counseling

Mock Interviews (behavioral based) Resume and Cover Letter reviews Job/Internship Search tips Negotiating Job Offer advice General and Tailored Workshops Preprofessional Advising (Pre-Med Pre-Law) Daily walk-in hours check schedule for times Plus a lot of other wicked good stuff !!!

Take Advantage of these ResourcesWe Work for You

Does Your Resume Communicate The Right Message?

Intended Learning Outcomes: Understand the purpose of a Resume Learn a strategy to develop and write a resume that
is impactful Practice writing an accomplishment statement

Did we accomplish the intended outcomes?

Q&A Resume Messages

Resumes Messages

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark..
Buonarroti

Bob Dolan Career Development Counselor

Bob joined the MIT Career Development Center in 2007 as a full-time Career Development Counselor after serving three years on campus as a seasonal career consultant. He is a Certified Job Search and Career Transition Consultant with experience in the field of career management since 2001. He is also certified to administer and interpret the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) psychological assessment instrument. Before joining MIT, Bob had a private Career Consulting practice and worked with clients across multiple industries, as well as, providing career consulting services for Lee Hecht Harrison, a leading global Career Management firm. Bob's clients spanned all industries and positions ranged from company Presidents to administrative staff. Prior to choosing a profession in Career Services, Bob worked in several industries as a member of Corporate Finance Management teams. Bob holds a BS in Business, an MBA, and worked in the Publishing industry, Chemical industry (polymer sciences), and 12 years in the High Technology sector, predominately in telecomm. During this time, he managed local and global finance organizations supporting Corporate Finance, Tax, R&D and Manufacturing Engineering functions. Bob was also a company trainer, delivering seminars on workplace diversity, effective presentation skills, and conflict resolution. As a hiring manager for over twenty years, Bob brings a unique blend of "real world" and career services expertise to his clients. Since 2003 Bob has been on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Career Counselors' Consortium of New England, a Boston-based non-profit organization established for the edification and advocacy of practitioners in the Career Management field.