Resume Writing An Introduction to Planning and Writing a Winning Resume

What do you already KNOW about resumes?

What do you WANT or NEED to know? What do you think you may need to know in order to develop an effective resume?

Topics of Discussion Defining a Resume Identifying your Skills and Experience Formatting the Resume Additional tips for creating a good resume Tips on what employers expect from applicants and new-hires

What is a Resume? A Summary of your: Skills Experience Education

Planning for Your Resume What SKILLS do you have? First…Think about things you CAN do and develop a list Next…Evaluate your list for skills that may be related to jobs you may seek

Some Skills to Consider…

More possibilities… Leadership Communication ▫Verbal ▫Written Organization Reliability/dependability

What is your EXPERIENCE? Are you currently employed? Have you been employed? If yes, ▫Where and when ▫Job title ▫Job duties

Do you have EXPERIENCE as a Volunteer? School Clubs and Organizations Civic Organizations Church Groups

Additional Skills/Experience to Consider… First Aid/CPR training Languages you speak Certifications you have earned

Awards and Honors Academic Community Service Employee

Formatting Your Resume

FIRST…Contact Information Your Name ▫Place at the top of the page ▫Use Bold lettering ▫Use Font size 14 Address ▫Use Font size 12 ▫Create so its easy to read and find

Also Include ▫Phone number(s)  Home  Cell ▫ address (the one you access the most)

SECOND…The Objective Statement An objective statement can show potential employers that you know what you want to do and are familiar with the job and field for which you are applying The statement should be MEANINGFUL and SPECIFIC to the job It should also highlight what you have to offer The more specific your objective is, the better chance you have of being considered for the job It should not be too wordy – two sentences or less is sufficient

Let’s look at some example Objective Statements... ▫Seeking a part-time cashier position allowing me to use my knowledge and expertise in a variety of ways ▫Good objective statement? Why or Why Not?  What kind of cashier position?  What knowledge?  What kinds of expertise? Used in what ways?  How will you contribute to this company?

Now, look at this Objective Statement ▫ Seeking a part-time position as a cashier in a retail sales environment where I can utilize my strong customer service skills and cash handling experience while becoming familiar with business operations and inventory control procedures ▫ Is this statement better than the first one? Why or Why Not?

REMEMBER… A good objective statement answers questions ▫What position(s) are you applying for? ▫What are your main qualifications? ▫What are your career goals? ▫How can you help the company?

THIRD…Skills Summary OR Work Experience Heading Use the Skills Summary heading if you do not have work experience or in addition to the Work Experience heading when you want to highlight specific skills relevant to the job for which you are applying.

Strategies for Developing the Skills Summary Section Obtain a copy of a job description Circle job duties Compare with your list of skills for possible matches

Formatting the Skills Summary Section Use the heading of “Skills Summary” Use bullets ▫Keep it simple, not overly detailed ▫Make it easy to read SKILLS SUMMARY  Computer literate in both Windows and Macintosh  Fluent knowledge of Spanish and Italian  First aid/CPR certified

Use the Work Experience heading if you have formal work experience

Formatting the Work Experience Section List your most recent job first Include: ▫Your job title ▫Name of Company ▫City, State ▫Period of employment ▫Summary of job duties

FOURTH…The Education Section After the Skills Summary and/or Work Experience headings, you’re ready to highlight your Education ▫List the name of high school you’re currently attending ▫List year of expected date of graduation ▫Include GPA/class ranking ▫List Honor Society/Honor Roll membership

FINALLY, After Your Resume is Developed… Proofread for errors Ask trusted friend, parent or teacher to proofread Ask proofreader to conduct 20-second test ▫Should tell the reader who you are ▫How you can be contacted ▫What your experiences/education/skills are

What about References? Develop a list of references ▫List name of person, title, company, phone number, address ▫Place this list on a separate page CAUTION: REMEMBER TO ASK THE PERSON BEFORE LISTING THEM AS A REFERENCE!

Additional Tips for Resume Writing Use good quality bond paper in a business-style color; white, eggshell or cream Do not use fancy script font or graphics Always be truthful; do not exaggerate or lie on your resume Be prepared to answer questions about your resume Do not include personal information such as age/date of birth, hobbies

Tips for Securing and Preparing for an Interview Use your best manners when speaking with a potential employer Use proper phone etiquette when calling to ask about job openings or when answering your phone after you’ve applied for a job Be polite to all company employees Wear business-style clothes that match company setting to pick up/return application – dress slightly above the company dress code Fill in all blanks of the Application ▫Use N/A when appropriate Arrive 15 minutes early for the interview

Tips for Securing and Keeping a Job Employers are seeking individuals who are: ▫Reliable/dependable ▫Enthusiastic ▫Ready to learn ▫Goal oriented/driven Take your job seriously by following company policies/rules

What Have You LEARNED about Resumes?? TRUE OR FALSE A RESUME IS AN ADVERTISEMENT A GOOD RESUME CONTAINS YOUR DATE OF BIRTH MOST EMPLOYERS SPEND MINUTES LOOKING OVER EACH RESUME BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO INTERVIEW SOMEONE A RESUME SHOULD BE SEVERAL PAGES LONG A RESUME MUST BE PERFECT!! IT’S OK TO INCLUDE LITTLE “WHITE” LIES IN A RESUME USING PINK PAPER AND SPRAYING IT WITH PERFUME OR COLOGNE IS A NICE TOUCH WHEN DEVELOPING YOUR RESUME THE OBJECTIVE STATEMENT SHOULD BE MEANINGFUL AND SPECIFIC TO A PARTICULAR JOB

Helpful Resources for Resume Writing