Resume Development Workshop Ready, Set… WORK! Resume Resume Development Workshop Choctaw Nation Career Development

The Resume The Resume is a marketing document that appropriately positions a person for the job he/she is seeking. The resume highlights and summarizes the skills, achievements, education, training, experiences, etc. that qualify a person for a particular job. The resume contains key words that are directly related to the requirements of the desired job.

Resume Essentials Professional format Relevance Organized and focused on target job Neat and easy to read/skim Correct grammar, punctuation, & capitalization Relevance Skills, qualifications, and accomplishments that match target job Key words (terminology) that tie individual to target job or profession Accomplishments and performance from past jobs or projects Education, certifications, & training Professional experience

Tools for Effective Resume Development Job description or list of requirements for career field Description of education, training, & certifications/licenses earned with dates & locations Work experience (not more than 10 years) with titles, dates, accomplishments/responsibilities, & locations May be paid or volunteer experience

Tools for Effective Resume Development List of skills related to the target job— Soft Skills: dependability, professionalism, organization, time management, flexibility, initiative, leadership, etc. Transferrable Skills: skills that you have used/learned in other jobs that may “transfer” to this position – customer service, computer skills, management skills, sales, etc. Technical Skills: computer programs used, certifications, industry language, etc.

Tools for Effective Resume Development Contact Information Professional email addresses (john.smith@yahoo.com) Cell phone service with fully paid account Professional voice mail greeting (Hello this is John Smith. I am sorry that I can’t take your call at this time. Please leave your name and number and a brief message and I will return your call as soon as possible.)

Other Items A resume MAY include the following if it is relevant to the target job and adds value to the resume. Educational courses GPA (if 3.6 or above) Equipment operated Memberships in professional or community organizations Military service Extra-curricular school activities (leadership, event organization) Personal – foreign languages, special talents

Effective Resume Formatting Include a Qualifications Summary section Objectives – not recommended Dates – use the year only in the employment history and education sections Length – generally 1 page, more pages may be used if you have extensive relevant experience Font – use fonts that commonly available on most computers and that have high readability (Arial, Lucida, Verdana, Times New Roman, Tahoma, Garamond) References – separate reference page; 3-5 professional references, accurate contact information Always get a person’s approval before using as a reference

Using Key Words Job Description: Sales Representatives sought to join Specialty Healthcare Inc.'s successful sales team. Currently we are seeking a professional and dedicated Sales Representative with a background in respiratory services, durable medical equipment sales, home medical equipment, or pharmaceutical sales to help us grow our $600 million business. As part of our team you will be joining a group of dedicated professionals and the national leader in Respiratory Care and in-home patient care. As a Specialty sales professional, you will be responsible for establishing and maintaining relationships with doctors, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, local professionals and other referral sources in the medical community. In addition you will be expected to meet or exceed your monthly sales quota, continually educate clients, and market our services, respiratory equipment, and medications to new prospects. Job Requirements : 2 year college degree plus a minimum of two years related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience Applicant must possess a valid driver license issued by the state in which they are employed Motivated and self driven, with a proven history of success in sales Strong team player Relationship building people skills Highly organized, strong presentation skills Desire to work in an environment that rewards for top performance

Medical Sales | Respiratory Care Professional Key Words in a Resume Stephen D. James 1547 Circle Dr. 580-999-2222 Cell Hugo, OK 77745 sdjames@yahoo.com 580-222-9999 Home    Medical Sales | Respiratory Care Professional   Professional Qualifications Successful sales/customer relations experience with Dallas-based multi-state company. Effective relationship-builder who is personable, dedicated; aggressive in pursuit of new accounts. Outgoing personality with strong presentation skills and commitment to developing and maintaining solid customer base. Extensive experience-based knowledge of newest respiratory care equipment and related services. Goal-oriented team player who is motivated, organized, and takes pride in a job well done. Well-liked by others and known as a fast learner who works hard, is efficient, and believes in providing extraordinary customer service; competitive by nature.

Typical Resume Mistakes Writing your resume to sound like a series of job descriptions. Writing in the first person. Including unrelated and personal information. Using passive language or no action words. Repetitiveness.

Typical Resume Mistakes Poor formatting or formatting that is too flashy. Sending a resume without a cover letter. Sending an unfocused or generic resume. Typos and other spelling or grammatical errors. Sending your resume to a nameless, faceless person.

Up-loadable or On-line Resumes Online Applications and Resume Uploads (.txt files) 1. Create a new file using Word’s “Save As” feature. Under “format” select “text only.” 2. Close the new file. 3. Reopen the file, and you’ll find that Word has automatically reformatted the resume into Courier font, removed all formatting, and left-justified the text. 4. Review the resume and fix any “glitches” such as odd characters that may have been inserted to take the place of “curly” quotes, dashes, accents, or other nonstandard symbols. 5. Remove any tabs and adjust spacing as necessary. You might add a few extra blank spaces or move text down to the next line. 6. If necessary, add extra blank lines to improve readability. 7. Consider adding horizontal dividers to break the resume into sections for improved skimmability. You can use any standard typewriter symbols such as *, -, (, ), =, +, ^, or #. 8. Don't worry about the length of the resume. When you save it as a text file, it will generally increase the length. Then, if you add in a few more blank lines, it will be even longer and that's fine. Don't be concerned. Use this method for copying/pasting resumes into on-line systems.

Resume Builders OKCIS – OK Career Information System www.okcis.intocareers.org Click Individual School-Agency Login UN: choctawcd PW: okcis699 Click Create “My Portfolio” Set up your portfolio by entering your personal information (use correct capitalization & punctuation) Click My Portfolio at top right corner of page Click My Education and Work History (ResumeTool) Enter your resume information and follow instructions for organizing & printing the resume You may contact an Employment Specialist with the Choctaw Career Development program for assistance.

Resume Builders Career Ready 101/KeyTrain www.choctawcareers.com Use the same username & password used for your pretests (see a Choctaw Career Development Counselor if you are now a client of the program) Click on My Resume Follow the steps to build, save, and print your resume You may contact an Employment Specialist with the Choctaw Career Development program for assistance.

Resume Builders About.com – Microsoft Word Template http://video.about.com/consulting/Make-a- Resume-in-Word.htm Free on-line source for resume development with tutorials and templates. Resume Styles – Functional, Chronological, Combination Templates are a guide, and can be re-arranged or changed to meet your needs and your style.

Finalizing the Resume Proofreading Save the resume Have your resume proofread by at least 3 individuals Save the resume Save your resume with a file name that identifies the job the resume applies to and the date. You may have a number of similar resumes that you have created for particular jobs, and you may need to be able to access them specifically by job in the future.

Submitting the Resume Printing Presentation of the Resume Always print the resume on high quality bond paper Professional colors: off-white or gray Presentation of the Resume Mailing – mail the resume in a matching, correctly addressed envelope Personal delivery – present the resume inside a neat, professional presentation-type folder, possibly with a clear front cover Resumes are usually submitted with a corresponding cover letter

Misc. Tools Never “drop off” your resume or job application while wearing casual clothing Save your resume on a jump drive so that you can access it from anywhere Learn about the company before applying for employment Be aware of personal information and photos placed on the internet Google your name

Questions Rhonda Mize Academic & Employment Services Coordinator Choctaw Nation Career Development rmize@choctawnation.com 580-931-7624 cell 866-933-2260 office 580-920-1514 fax www.choctawcareers.com