1. Resume Strategies Career Connection Younkin Success Center 2nd Floor
1640 Neil Avenue

2. Career Connection Services
Individual Career Counseling (appointments and walk-ins)
Career Assessments
Career Planning & Decision-Making
Resumes, Cover Letters & Interviewing Skills
Applying to Graduate School

3. What should you think about before beginning?
Why are you using this resume? What do you hope to communicate?
Try to think like the person who will be receiving your resume—be aware of your audience
What are they looking for? What skills? What experience?
How can you best communicate your skills and abilities to the employer?

4. Resumes and Cover Letters
Focus on tailored content
Targeted & Relevant
Resume: Will shape entire document
Job Objective/Skills Summary
Overall structure/Language
Cover Letter

5. Steps for Resume Writing
Determine job target/Grad School
What is needed for this target position? What the employers are looking for
Specific (Job Posting)(Previous addmitted/classes)
General (What everyone is looking for)

6. Specific—usually technical
Of the requirements….what do you have?
Example: Target job: Health Coach
Relevant Skills:
Provides education on wellness topics
Encourages adoption of positive habits
Coordinates the distribution of health education materials
Works collaboratively with participants and other team members
Your Relevant Skills:
Education on wellness
Working collaboratively

7. General—usually broad/transferable
What general skills fit?
Can you do the job? (qualified skills, knowledge & experience)
Will you do the job? (motivation & interest)
Do you fit with our organization? (personality & work style)
What skills have you developed from your experiences with SURI that might be transferable?

8. Transferable Skills Leadership Teamwork Initiative Time Management
Communication Skills
Organization
Attention to Detail

9. Resumes What the Employers are Looking For
Can you do the job? (qualified skills, knowledge & experience)
Time Management
Organization
Communication
Will you do the job? (motivation & interest)
Leadership
Do you fit with our organization? (personality and work style)
Teamwork
Loyalty-investment

10. Resumes Targeted & Relevant Make a list of the specific and general
Keep this list on your mind as you move forward

11. Identifying information
Name (should be prominent)
Present address + Alternate or permanent address (if you’re moving within the next 6 months)
Phone number(s)
address (use your OSU account or other professional looking address)
1 line
***Do not include age, marital status, religion, or other personal information. - spell out everything

12. Job Objective/Summary
State
1) The type of position you are seeking or the actual job title and the employer-be specific if possible
2) Include how you will benefit the employer – not what you are seeking from the employer…2-3 things
An exciting position within any clinical research company doing interesting things that will allow me to get a promotion quickly.
To obtain a Clinical Research Associate position with Cardinal Health, utilizing my previous lab experience and strong organizational skills developed as the vice president of the Ohio State Student Research Society

13. Education
Name and location of institution(s) attended in reverse chronological order
Degree(s) awarded/ Majors and minors
Anticipated or actual dates of graduation
Optional
GPA
Related Coursework
Study abroad experiences
Awards and Honors/Thesis

14. Education - Samples The Ohio State University Columbus, OH
Bachelor of Science in Biology May 2014
G.P.A. 3.5
EDUCATION
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio(August 2013)
Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry
Minor: Spanish
Related Course Work: Health Care Management and HR, Health Promotion, Health Care Delivery

15. Experience Layout
Name and location of employer, (internship, volunteer experience) dates of employment (involvement) and title
Uniform layout * Clustered Experiences
RULE OF RELEVANCE
The more that a past experience is related to the work you are seeking the more space you should allot to its description.
Any experience that is particularly relevant to the job for which you are applying should be closer to the top of the resume.

16. Explaining your experiences
In draft form, write down everything you did -- answer the question: “If I did not show up, what would not have gotten done?”
Think about all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities developed on the job.
Accomplishments. Problem-Action-Result.
Now think back to the job posting.
NOTE: Use present tense for current job responsibilities and past tense for previous responsibilities

17. Specific—usually technical
Of the requirements….what do you have?
Example: Target job: Health Coach
Relevant Skills:
Provides education on wellness topics
Encourages adoption of positive habits
Coordinates the distribution of health education materials
Works collaboratively with participants and other team members
Your Relevant Skills:
Education on wellness
Working collaboratively

18. General—usually broad/transferable
What the Employers are Looking For
Can you do the job? (qualified skills, knowledge & experience)
Time Management
Organization
Communication
Will you do the job? (motivation & interest)
Leadership
Do you fit with our organization? (personality and work style)
Teamwork
Loyalty-investment

19. Skills and Tasks
Think of several accomplishment statements for each specific and general skill
Make it concise and filled with action verbs (specific to skills)
Winning Formula = Action verb + subject + outcome
Outcome: Connecting words (to, for, resulting in, improving)
Be descriptive and quantify as much as possible -- the reader should be able to “see” you doing the job
Use their words

20. Experience Example Work Experience Java Cup, Columbus, Ohio
Customer Service Representive, June 2011-Present
Direct store closing operations, including the auditing of cash registers and completion of security checklist
Demonstrate leadership through training and monitoring new employees to establish an efficient and productive work environment
Collaborate as a member of a team to provide high quality customer service in a fast paced environment
Explain menu items and responded efficiently to customer requests
Exhibit time management and organizational skills while balancing school and work commitments

21. Additional Skills
Computer hardware and software with which you are familiar
Foreign languages
Work-related training, conferences or workshops attended
Academic skills that are related to the job (research, leadership, etc.)
Additional Skills
Foreign Language skills, Fluency in Spanish
Computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Front page
Research skills, collect and analyze data utilizing SPSS for various Departmental child development research projects

22. Optional Sections Relevant Coursework Honors/Awards
Community Service/Volunteer Experience
Leadership Experience
Professional Memberships/Organizations
Publications/Presentations
Licenses/Certifications

23. References List on a separate page
Copy your identifying information at the top of your reference page
Use the same format for each reference
Balance of academic and professional
Consider supervisors from volunteer experiences and internships
No family members

24. Characteristics of a successful resume
Consistent (verb tense, format, etc.)
Factual
Visual appeal
One page (in most cases)
Write your own resume – avoid templates
Zero typographical errors
The ultimate purpose of a resume is to get you an interview

25. Cover letters: general guidelines
Tells a prospective employer what you can do for them and why you are qualified to meet their needs
Connector-Not a rehashing of the resume
It is an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills and it opens a window to your personality
Tailor to EACH position
Address to specific person when possible
One page - keep at 3 to 4 paragraphs

26. Elements of a cover letter
Your return address and today’s date
Employer’s contact information
Greeting
Introductory paragraph
Main paragraph
Closing paragraph
Signature

27. Cover letter format Your Street Address City, State Zip Code Date
Name of Person
Job Title
Company/Organization
Street Address
Dear Mr./Dr./Ms../Mrs. XXXXXXXXX (an actual name vs. “To Whom It May Concern”):
FIRST PARAGRAPH:
SECOND PARAGRAPH:
CLOSING PARAGRAPH:
Sincerely ,
Your Name
Cover letter format

28. Introductory paragraph
Tell why you are writing (e.g., name the specific position or type of work for which you are applying)
Mention the resource used in finding out about the opening or company/organization *optional
Include when you’re graduating from The Ohio State University and with what degree (+ highlight of job history)
A highlight of how you match the posting: I believe that my leadership skills combined with my experience in structural design and analysis as well as electrical design make me an ideal candidate for the ME position.

29. Introductory paragraph
It is with great interest that I am applying for the position of Mechanical Engineer at Nissan. I learned about this opportunity from Kristen Hall, an Engineer in your office who highly encouraged me to apply. I am currently a Mechanical Engineering Major at Ohio State and expect to graduate in Spring of I believe that my leadership skills combined with my experience in structural design and analysis as well as electrical design make me an ideal candidate for the Mechanical Engineer position.

30. Middle paragraph What you did, What you learned and how it Matches
Include certain skills you want to highlight that are mentioned in the job posting
Where and how you developed those skills (academic background/training, work experience, personality traits)
Achievements that relate to the field in which you are applying.
How you would make a good fit in the company based on its mission, goals, and current projects

31. Main Paragraph
My Bachelor‘s degree in Mechanical Engineering from OSU has taught me the importance of collaboration and teamwork in completing tasks efficiently and on deadline. While at OSU, I was a member of the Women in Engineering Society. These experiences advanced my leadership and communication skills through volunteer programs with the greater Columbus community. In addition, I gained considerable experience in structural design and analysis as well as electrical design through my engineering internship at Honda. What appeals to me most about Nissan is your commitment to research and development and your aspiration to be on the forefront of new technology.

32. Closing Paragraph Your resume is included
You’d like to further discuss the job opportunity
How you can be reached (phone number and ) to answer any questions
Thank them for his/her time and consideration
***If the employer is far away and you plan to visit the area soon, consider writing that you will be in the geographic vicinity on a certain day and will call to see if an interview can arranged at this person’s convenience on that day

33. Younkin Success Center, 2nd Floor
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Younkin Success Center, 2nd Floor