Objective 3.04: Academic, Occupational and General Employment Skills The Amazing Resume Objective 3.04: Academic, Occupational and General Employment Skills

The Resume A document containing appropriate and important facts about a person who is applying for a job is a resume A resume aids the job-seeking process in that it organizes experiences and skills.

What is a resume? Primary marketing tool to obtain interviews Represents your experience and strengths Highlights your competencies, accomplishments, and future capabilities

The type of resume that works best for a person with continuous work experience is a chronological resume

Format: DO’s ONE page and error-free Prioritize order Reverse chronological order One font choice Professional; single font color

Format DON’Ts AVOID: Personal information Personal photo Health status NO height, weight, age, marital status Personal photo Health status Abbreviations or acronyms

Anatomy of the Resume Contact information Objective Education Experience Related Additional Skills, Certifications, Professional Affiliations Community/Civic Involvement Leadership Volunteer Activities, Honors or Awards

jsmith2@iastate.edu ♦ 620 Lincoln St., Ames, IA 50011 ♦ (515) 555-7890 Contact Information Joe Smith 620 Lincoln St. jsmith2@iastate.edu 40 High Road Ames, IA 50011 Newton, MA 02648 (515) 555-7890 (617) 332-6312 JOE R. SMITH jsmith2@iastate.edu 620 Lincoln St. (515) 555-7890 Ames, IA 50011 First Name / Last Name Current Address Permanent Address (if applicable) Phone number Email address JOE R. SMITH jsmith2@iastate.edu ♦ 620 Lincoln St., Ames, IA 50011 ♦ (515) 555-7890

OBJECTIVE Specific to position and work-centered, not self-centered Stated on either the resume or cover letter Examples: A part-time position that offers contact with the public and the opportunity to market a quality product or service A summer 2007 internship in technical design with Land’s End When formulating your objective, avoid terms such as: growing, dynamic company; opportunity for advancement; challenging position; position dealing with people; a progressive company. These phrases have little meaning to the person who will make a decision for an interview invitation and in fact may indicate the candidate has no idea about his/her professional objectives. For instance, read the following poor resume objective: "Desire a rewarding position in a challenging environment using my people skills and problem solving talents." This objective tells nothing about what the individual wants to do. In fact, this objective could fit any position from a Doctor to a Zookeeper! EXAMPLES: Sales representative... A summer position/internship that offers contact with the public, structured on-the-job training, exposure to management, and the opportunity to market a quality product or service.

EDUCATION Institution name, city, state OPTIONAL: Degree, expected graduation date Major Minor Concentration Option May (or may not) include high school OPTIONAL: Related courses Honors and Awards GPA (3.0 or higher) Study abroad Study tours Research projects Honors

HONORS or AWARDS Awards Scholarships Prizes Honor Societies Professional affiliations

Education Example #1 Humboldt High School, Humboldt, IA High School diploma, May 20xx Top 10% of graduating class

EXPERIENCE Most recent first Employer name, job title, city, state, dates Separate experience into different sections (if applicable) Use action statements to highlight accomplishments Internships, practicum, volunteer, leadership

EXPERIENCE “LABELS” Community Service Related Experience Leadership Experience Volunteer Experience

ACTION VERBS Begin phrases with action verbs Start with best action first; least impressive action last Quantify and qualify Provide the context of your work

Use of Action Verbs Avoid Active verb examples Responsible for Duties included Assisted with Active verb examples Coordinated Oversaw Trained Performed Planned

Experience Example Experience Floor Team Member, Target Ames, IA, June 200x-present Assist customers with merchandise selections Create and maintain merchandise displays Complete sales transactions

Experience Example Experience Host, Chili’s, Des Moines, IA, December 200x-present Train new staff under direction of Restaurant Manager Greet and escort customers to seating area Process orders and complete sales transactions for Chili’s To Go carry out service

SKILLS A candidate with little work experience will need to focus attention on skills. Foreign Language(s) Computer Skills Special Technical Equipment or Software Possible descriptive phrases: Fluent Proficient Conversational skills Reading and/or writing ability Working knowledge of Familiar with

Skills Example Skills Computer: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Photoshop Proficient on Macintosh and PC Languages: Fluent in Spanish Conversational in French

REFERENCES First and Last Name Title Street Address City, State Separate page from your resume Match “header” format and content for resume Current or former supervisors Avoid family members, unless you have worked for them First and Last Name Title Street Address City, State Phone number Email address