RESUMES

Capturing and
Marketing
Yourself on Paper

Kim Ballard, Liza Brockway, Jen Clyde, Jo Doran,

Katie Howard, Kristen LeClair, DiFei Li, Juwan Watson
Resume Principles

Resumes…
 Are tailored for a specific job/purpose
 Present focused image of your background,
experience and abilities
 Match your background to readers’ needs
 Offer most relevant information first
 Are formatted for left to right reading
Resume Segments

 Header
 Opening
 Body
 Other Elements
Header Purpose

Provide complete, correct contact information

to resume reader
Header Samples
Opening Purposes

 Forecastswhat readers will find in resume

 Begins marketing writer’s abilities
 Encourages readers to review rest of resume
Opening Parts

 Objective OR Qualifications

» Do not include both an objective

and a qualifications section.
Objective/Qualifications

 Objective states your goal and highlights

your abilities

 Qualifications section summarizes

resume
Sample Objective

Campaign staff position requiring my political

experience, knowledge of Michigan politics,
people skills and computer literacy
(Skills objective–promotes skills)

Part-time campaign staff position

(Functional objective–only details position)
Avoid Me-Based Objectives

Campaign staff position allowing me to learn

more about politics

Part-time campaign staff position from which I

can advance my career in politics
Sample Qualifications Section

Experience campaigning for state government

offices, ranging from senate to governor; deal
well with constituents and officials; extremely
knowledgeable about Michigan politics and
districts; computer skills include Microsoft
Word, PowerPoint, Excel and data entry.
Choosing Objective
OR Qualifications Section

Ask…
 Will
mentioning a specific goal best market
me?
Yes? Use Objective.

 Does summary best tell my story?

Yes? Use Qualifications Section.
Body Purpose

Details image you offer in resume opening and

want to project
Resume Body Types

Experience–Highlights your experiences

Skills–Highlights skills you want to offer

Project/Class–Highlights skills you learned in

specific projects or classes
Experience Resume Sample

TRAINING EXPERIENCE
Intern, Duke Center, Durham, NC, Aug-Oct 2004
      Taught exercise classes to fit clients’ medical needs
      Designed lesson plans for water exercise classes

Intern, Zen Martial Arts, Chicago, IL, Oct-Nov 2004

     Taught karate classes to special needs clients
Skills Resume Sample

RELATED SKILLS
Academic Abilities
 Acquired math reasoning in four math classes
 Learned scientific principles in science class

Musical Talent
 Played tuba in band; first chair four years
 Played sousaphone in band four years
 Project/Class Resume Sample

PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE
Production Class Rice College, Smith, TX Spring 2005
Produced half-hour news packages to air on Fox’s WXMI

“Ride Along” Royal Oak, MI Fall 2004

Used digital effects in short musical montage
Education Section Purpose

Offers selected aspects of education

experiences key to resume purpose
Education Categories

 Schools (name and location)

 Related Classes
 Degrees
 Major, Minor, Specialization, Program
 Honors
 GPA
 Special Projects
Choosing Education Categories

Ask…
 What will enhance my academic image?
Sample Education Section
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, Peace College, Spark, NC Dec 2004
Major: Finance Minor: French
Professional Classes
Retail Marketing Business Law
Retirement Planning Business Writing

Special Projects: Designed marketing strategy for large

electronics company using real demographics and market
data for Retail Marketing class.
Other Elements Purpose

Allow you to market experiences and skills that

do not fit in other resume categories
Possible Other Elements

 Activities
 Honors
 Technical Abilities
 Presentations
 Volunteer Experience
 Publications
Possible Other Elements

 Memberships
 Certifications
 Workshops Attended
 Language Skills
 References or Reference Line
Choosing Other Elements

Ask…
 What else will promote the image I want to
market?
Sample Other Elements

CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
First Aid (For Aerobics
CPR (adult, child, and infant) Instructor)
MEMBERSHIPS
National Strength & Conditioning Association
Aerobics & Fitness Association of America
American College of Sports Medicine
Sample Other Elements

LANGUAGE/ SKILLS
English, Hindi and Bengali (fluent in all three)
Microsoft Office and Internet
(For Sales Internship)
HONORS/ACTIVITIES
Dean’s List, Western Michigan University, Fall 2004
Indian Student Association, Member, WMU, Fall 2004
Sample Other Elements

SELECTED ACTIVITIES
Kalamazoo Civic Theater, Volunteer, 2005
Kalamazoo Ballet Academy, Board Member, 2003–2004
Red Cross, Volunteer, 2002 (For Graduate
Assistantship)
RELATED CONFERENCE/WORKSHOPS
Counseling Workshop, Detroit, MI, Jan 2004
MI-MAEOPP TRiO Summit, Troy, MI, Feb 2004