1. MCFAM – Minnesota Center for Financial & Actuarial Mathematics
Resumes
For Industry
Presenter: Laurie A. Derechin
Executive Director - MCFAM

2. WHAT IS A ?
A personal summary of your academic and professional experience and qualifications.
Includes your education, work experience, activities, honors, skills
Tailored to the position, employer or industry of interest
Marketing tool to gain an interview

3. GENERAL GUIDELINES
Length: One page for bachelor’s level; Two for Masters or Ph.D.
O.5” – 1.0” margins (recommend 0.5” on all 4 sides)
Font: point font (Times New Roman, Ariel, Garamond)
Don’t use resume templates, tables, columns or other graphics
Single Spacing
100% factual – don’t lie
Proofread!

4. GETTING STARTED
Write down all experiences – work, volunteer, leadership, internship, extra-curricular, projects, awards, etc. (MASTER RESUME)
Organize resume into categories
Define target audience (job, internship, graduate school, etc.) and write down related skills/qualifications.
For Examples: Career & Job Search Guide, Resume Binder in CCSE

5. COMMON RESUME SECTIONS
Name and Contact Information
Objective
Education
Professional Experience
Research Experience
Teaching Experience
Activities
Skills/Certifications
Honors and Awards
Volunteer Experience
Leadership Experience
Professional Memberships
Projects
Publications
Presentations
Patents

6. OBJECTIVES What type of position are you seeking and in what field?
Be concise
What skills can you bring to the position?
Example: To obtain a summer internship in Risk Analysis, utilizing my _______________ (skills in the description that you possess).

7. EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Expected May 2012
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, College of Science and Engineering, Minneapolis, MN
Emphasis – Actuarial Science
GPA: 3.981
High school information (1st and 2nd Year students only)
Study abroad
Honors/Awards (or separate heading if more than 2)
Master of Science in Financial Mathematics Expected May 2011
Emphasis: Finance
GPA: 3.750
Relevant Coursework: Fundamental Structures of Algebra; Introduction to Numerical Analysis; Introduction to Analysis I, II; Combinatorics A (in progress)

8. EXPERIENCE Title “Experience” headings based on industry of interest
Research Experience, Industry Experience, Actuary Experience
Include: company name and location, job title, dates, and duties, responsibilities (contributions) and accomplishments.
Make this section easy to read by using indents and bullets
Use action verbs to highlight your experience (do not use personal pronouns (i.e. I, My, We)
List your “Experiences” in reverse chronological order – most recent first
3M Co., Maplewood, Minnesota
Tech Aide May 2009 – Sept. 2009
Detailed description of your specific duties and responsibilities, as well as the skills used to accomplish these tasks (how you contributed)

9. PROJECTS Include Project Title Include Dates Involved
Provide a detailed description of the project, what your roles were and the technical skills used
Financial Mathematics Winter Workshop Fall 2009
Detailed description of your project, what your roles were, and the skills used to accomplish these tasks

10. USE ACTIVE LANGUAGE
Use concrete words to describe your experience with strong action verbs.
Use present tense to
discuss current activities
and past tense for previous. (or all in past—be consistent)
Be as specific as possible
in descriptions
Use field terminology
Vague:
Worked as a Sales Associate.
Specific:
Interact sensitively and tactfully with hundreds of customers each day.
Visualize and create imaginative window and in-store product displays for over 100 clients

11. TRANSFERABLE SKILLS COMMUNICATION PROBLEM SOLVING CREATIVITY
LEADERSHIP
SUPERVISORY/MANAGEMENT
RESEARCH/QUANTITATIVE
ORGANIZATION/PLANNING
TECHNICAL
TEAMWORK

12. SKILLS & ACTIVITIES
Skills section with technical/lab skills/field specific skills
Technical: C, C++, Java, Mathematica, MS Excel
Applied Mathematics: Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Risk Management/Analysis
Activities demonstrate your leadership ability, communication skills, and time management ability
Focus on structured activities rather than hobbies (extra-curricular activities, leadership, etc.)
Include your title if appropriate
Include dates of involvement
Active Member, Financial Mathematics Student Association Present
Member, Intramural Soccer, Softball and Ultimate Frisbee Present

13. What NOT to Include on a Resume
Lies & Exaggerations:
Employers typically conduct background checks, so everything on your resume is fair game for discussion in an interview; Do not lie about or round your GPA. The U of M posts GPAs to three decimal places (Ex )
Personal Information:
Age, gender, political affiliation, race, marital status, sexual orientation, ID number, test scores, course grades, pictures
Supervisor Contact Information
Contact information related to experiences may be included on a reference sheet, and only after asking permission
Salary History/Requests
Disclosing this information may make salary negotiation more difficult and may rule you out of the candidate pool; More appropriate to discuss during an interview
Hobbies/Interests
Keep everything on your resume professional– hobbies are personal information
However, if it is unique or related, it may come in handy. Ex. Mechanical engineering student listing auto repair
Personal Pronouns
Example: I, I’m, My, Our, We, etc.; Begin statements with power verbs and do not write sentences
“References Available Upon Request”
Use a separate page for references provided during an interview. Employers assume you have them

14. VISUAL APPEAL
Headings should stand out and be different from other text
Ex. Bold, ALL CAPS
The most important information should be toward the top
You don’t have to include everything
Balance of text and white space on page
Easy to read, professional, focused
Clean, consistent format and punctuation
Print resume on resume-based paper (stay conservative with color choice)

15. How To Read Job Postings
Credit Analyst 6 – Quantitative Analyst US Bank
Job Description
Design, develop, test and document mathematical models; Apply knowledge and understanding of quantitative methods, modeling methodologies, database and SAS statistics; Develop validate and track probability of default & loss severity models; Prepare reports re: the estimation process, accuracy of estimate default rates, loss severity rates & expected losses;
Qualifications
Master's degree (Stats., Math, Econ, or related) and 2 yrs of experience
Must have 2 yrs. of work exp. w/ statistics & quantitative methods and 18 mos. work exp. w/ credit analysis, modeling, and database & SAS software.

16. Target Cover Letter to Key Requirements
February 15, 2011
Dear Mr. ____/Hiring Manger,
I was pleased to hear about the Quantitative Analyst position at US Bank which I saw on your website. After reviewing the requirements, I think I am a strong fit for the position.
Your job description requires a Master Degree in Statistics, Math or Economics, 2 years of experience in financial modeling, database and SAS statistics analysis, probability of default and loss severity models as well as 18 months in credit analysis and SAS software. Here are some of the ways my background fits your needs:
I will be graduating with a Master in Financial Mathematics this spring
I have had 2 years of experience as an associate risk analyst at Wells Fargo Bank
My assignments focused on credit analysis & loss forecasts using large data sets & SAS software.
I am extremely interested in this position and believe I am well suited for the job and look forward to hearing back from you about an interview so we can further explore how I could contribute to the success of your department
Thanks for your time and consideration,
Jon Smith

17. Bullet Point How You Match Requirements
Try to always outline the key skills you
have that match what they are looking
for in bullet format because they will
take 30 seconds to read your letter

18. Career Advancement Resources
MCFAM
112 Vincent Hall
For Career Development, Job/Internship Search Strategy, Interview Preparation
Set Up Appointment with Laurie Derechin via

19. Career Advancement Resources
Career Center for Science & Engineering
50 Lind Hall
If you don’t already have a resume,
Get resume/cover letter reviewed here before appt. with Laurie
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Quick Stop Counseling: Monday-Friday, 11:30-1:00