What will an effective resume do for you….. It should reveal your individual strengths and personality not just your work history.. It should focus on the direction you want to go… It should also prioritize and accentuate the most relevant pieces of your background It also translates and summarizes your most important assets for employers…. Resume is driving force behind career management Not the resume itself but the energy, planning and strategizing behind it that will position you for success – prep impacts outcome No one way to do them, but some general guidelines – pick one and stick with it.

Selling Your Product Job search is a sales & marketing endeavour You are the product, you are the salesperson Know your product Create a match between the benefits of your product and prospective employers - Knowing your product takes time and commitment – make the investment and it will pay off.

Resume Defined …a formal written communication, used for employment purposes, notifying a potential employer that you have the skills…credentials to meet specific job requirements. A successful resume is a marketing tool that demonstrates that you can solve {an employer’s} problems…meet specific needs and…warrant an interview in anticipation of being hired (Betrus & Block, 1997;11 – 101 Best Resumes)

Resume Writing Process Broad Inventory Collect Facts Identify your Skills Identify your unique contributions Organize and prioritize Decide on format and layout

Skills Inventory 3 categories: Job-related skills (i.e. Financial controllers work with data and info.) Transferable skills (valued by many orgs. i.e. creating, problem-solving) Self-management skills (describe attitude and work ethic – i.e. persistent, adaptable) This is the most intensive part of developing your resume Use the categories above as a guide when creating an inventory of your skills

Resume Styles Targeted – used when you know the industry you want to work in and what you want to do Inventory – used when you are open to a number of options or are unable to define what you want to do – used to showcase your marketable skills Targeted – match your skills, abilities and qual to the needs of your target – position text on resume to match job requirements as closely as possible Ex. Sales position – identify key assets such as; exceptional closing skills, proven track record of sales accomplishments Focus on accomplishments vs. responsibilities Inventory – more general – i.e. solid sales and marketing skills, training and development abilities – appeal to employers across a range of industries

Resume Formats Chronological: Most popular Chronicles your work history from most recent job to earlier jobs Appropriate when on-going progression in same type of work with no obvious gaps

Resume Formats cont’d Functional: Highlights skills and achievements vs. where and when you did them Preferred approach when you want to shift careers and don’t want to be seen as last job title you had

Functional cont’d Suitable if you’ve done various jobs across different areas and appears that there is little consistency Appropriate when gaps exist in work history ie. Due to travel, caring for sick relative etc. Jobs and dates are listed, but only on second page

The 5 P’s of Resume Writing Packaging Positioning (of Information) Punch, or Power of Information Personality Professionalism (Betrus & Block, 1997;17-19)

Packaging Includes paper, graphics, font etc. Usually on white, ivory or grey paper Spell check, proofread again and again! Make it stand out from the crowd, but keep it PROFESSIONAL

Positioning of Info A.k.a., organization of data Make info easily accessible to reader Ensure that reader is able to quickly see significant information - Employers are busy – need to find what they want to know quickly – make it easy on the eyes

Punch or Power of Info Most important of 5 P’s Matches skills, abilities & qualifications to employer’s needs = hireability Try to anticipate hiring criteria Emphasize specific accomplishments i.e. successes & results - What have you accomplished? How can you help them?

Personality Hiring managers want people with personality! Used exciting vocabulary to convey personality i.e. ignited vs. increased; a catalyst for…vs. being responsible for… GET A THESAURUS!

Professionalism The way you present yourself to a hiring manager tells the employer how you will represent their company Suggestions: 1) Include a personalized cover letter 2) Send resume in flat envelope, not folded 3) Send by express mail 4) Follow-up phone call to ensure resume has arrived - You wouldn’t go to an interview without washing – your resume is the same thing! 

Anatomy of a Resume Five Primary Sections Include: Heading Introduction Employment Section Education Misc. Sections

1. Heading Name, address, phone (home & cell), email address Do NOT include a work # Repeat contact info at top of each page 2 styles: a) centered b) creative (anything not centered)

2. Introduction Sets the tone, ignites interest Answers the q’s – What do you want to do? What can you do for my company? This info is delivered in 3 ways Title (i.e. accountant) Objective Summary/Profile

Objective vs. Summary/Profile Objective tell the employer what you want, focusing on your wants and needs. Don’t use if it limits your scope Ex. An active administrative role in Health Care of Education with emphasis on community outreach Don’t use objective if it sounds fluffy…

Summary/Profile Written from the employer’s perspective Tells employer what you can DO for them vs. what you WANT from them All points must be proven in body of resume Lists 3 – 5 highlights of your achievements and qualifications Should precede your work history

Summary/Profile cont’d Inspires the reader to carefully review the rest of your qualifications…. Ex. A motivated and skilled individual with sales and training experience, certified in the travel industry, with more than 8 years experience.

Ex. Summary/Profile Effective problem solver using excellent written and verbal communication skills Excellent track record for generating overall cost reduction and operation efficiency improvements Strong leadership skills while advancing a team player approach. Confident, professional communicator with outstanding presentation skills Special talent for identifying clients’ needs and presenting effective solutions

3. Employment Will not be the focus for recent grads but becomes most important section Highlights professional careers, experience, qualifications, achievements For each employer include: name of org, city/prov where you worked, dates of employment, titles/positions held Do not include salary history or expectations Watch the formatting on this – can use bold, italics etc.

Employment cont’d Include 3 pieces of info for each job: Basic responsibilities and/or industry-specific information Special skills required to perform resp. Specific accomplishments Ex. Revenue increases, productivity improvements, reducing employee turnover etc. - This is for chronological format, for functional, list only information about company/position

Use Power Words/Phrases Designed and implemented Researched and developed Coded and tested Communicated Facilitated Managed or coordinated

Example of phrases/sentences Gave work assignments to accounting clerk staff. Instead….. Directed workflow, supervised and trained accounting staff performing posting to general ledger, receivable and payable accounts.

4. Education Appears at beginning of resume if limited work experience List from most recent If you have a degree, do not list high school credentials Details might include: GPA (if high), awards, scholarship, research projects, relevant coursework etc.

5. Misc. Sections Extra-curricular/volunteer work Certifications/Licenses Professional and Board Affiliations Technical Expertise Honours/Awards (other than academic) Languages Interests - Highlights areas that distinguish you and demonstrate the desire to advance in your area or community

References ‘References available upon request.’ Should be in writing (i.e. reference letters) Select 5 or 6 people who can best support your credentials and value (i.e. supervisors, professors, co-workers). Ask reference if they will support you in your job search by providing a ‘favourable’ reference. - Keep this in mind when terminating employment. Try to leave on good terms.

Reference cont’d Should support what is in your resume You can offer to write. Ensures you get what you want. Company letterhead. Shorter is better - 1 page. Best to be current. A testimonial to promote you! - Keep for your portfolio.