Writing a Winning Resume A Presentation brought to you by: The Office of Career Services Frostburg State University

Resume Goals:  To convince an employer to interview you in under 30 seconds.  To summarize your skills, abilities, and interests in a clear/concise manner.  To write a resume that is targeted to a certain field or position.  To target the skills/experience listed in the position that is being advertised.

The 3 R’s: Research, Research, Research  Research Yourself: Assess your skills, abilities, interests.  Research the Position: Find out what the employer is looking for so you can tailor your resume to show them you can meet their needs.  Research the Organization: Use the Internet or literature in the FSU Career Center library.

Headings  Most Common Headings : - Objective - Education - Experience - Skills - Summary  Additional Headings :  Relevant Coursework, Research, Academic Honors & Awards, Computer/Technical Skills, Languages…  Internships, Volunteer Experience, Travel...  Organizational Memberships & Activities, Significant Presentations...  Experience Highlights, Professional Background, Publications

Resume Styles  Chronological -Experiences are in reverse, chronological order -Good choice if you have solid work history * Format most widely accepted by employers*  Functional -Concentrates on functional skill areas related to your job objective -Usually focuses on three skill areas or more -Work history section may only contain job titles  Combination (Chronological/Functional) -Has skills, relevant experience, and/or other work experience sections * Most appropriate for recent grads*

Personal Data Necessary Info: Name, Address, Zip, Phone, Bob A. Cat Current:Permanent: 100 Braddock Road100 Constitution Ave Frostburg, Maryland 21532Washington, DC 2000 (301) (555) Also include your personal web-site address if available.

 A brief description of the position you wish to be considered for - emphasize how you can help the company.  May be stated by the job title, by level or type of responsibility, in terms of skills you wish to develop, or a combination of all three.  Avoid being overly restrictive or vague!  Examples of Career Objectives “Detail-oriented Business Administration/Finance grad with excellent team and interpersonal skills seeking analyst position in public or private sector.” “Dynamic public speaker/presenter with advanced technical knowledge seeking to leverage these strengths as an award-winning computer instructor into an entry level software position where I can increase sales.” Career Objectives: Be Specific!!!

Education & Coursework Examples EDUCATION Bachelor of Science, Wildlife & FisheriesMay 2003 Minor, Forestry GPA: 3.5 Frostburg State University Frostburg, MD RELEVANT COURSE WORK: Environmental PlanningEcologyAnimal Physiology Forest ScienceDendrologyHerpetology GeneticsPlant DiseasesHydrology _____________________________________OR _______________________________________ EDUCATION Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology May 2003 Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD GPA: 3.5  Research: Female Eating Disorders and the Media, Attention Deficit Disorder in Elementary School Students  Relevant Course Work: Research Methods I&II, Introduction to Counseling, Child and Adolescent Disorders, behavioral Approaches to Human Problems, Social Psychology, Drugs and Human Behavior, Health Psychology, Human Cognition

Skills/Strengths…Highlights  Titles can be: Skills Summary, Highlight of Qualifications, Strengths, Abilities.  Skill sections that can be used: organizational, interpersonal, managerial, communication, leadership, creative, and computer. Examples: Computer Skills: - Systems: DOS, Windows, NT - Software: Microsoft Suite, Netscape - Database Management: Access, Excel, FoxPro. Skills Summary: -Able to utilize communicative abilities to coordinate efforts in a team environment. - Efficient in organizing and creating group activities to promote cohesiveness and productivity. - Act as leader to communicate delegation of group tasks in order to accomplish goals established by company.

Experience…It All Counts!!!  Experience can include : - Jobs, fieldwork, internships, clinical work, student teaching, volunteering, research or class projects. - It can be paid or unpaid  On your Resume include: - Job/Experience Title, Company, City, State, No Zip, Dates  Emphasize Skills/Accomplishments in action verbs

Sample Experiences Relevant Experience: Computer Science Tutor September May 2003 Student Support Services, Frostburg State University  Organized and scheduled tutor sessions for 50 students  Designed practice exercises to help tutees problem solve Teaching Internship January May 2001 Meyersdale High School, Meyersdale, PA  Maintained daily attendance and evaluation records  Observed daily classroom activities for grades 8 and 9  Monitored study halls Summer Volunteer June August 2002 Deep Creek State Park, Oakland, MD  Conducted nature tours for groups of over 50 campers  Implemented concept of “Leave No Trace” to park guests and employees to promote park maintenance

The Reference Page… References for Bob A. Cat Name of Reference Job Title Name of Organization Address Work Phone Number Address * 3-5 references is an appropriate amount. Remember to ask people whom you know will provide a good reflection of you and in a timely manner. Remember to provide copies of your resume and send thank you notes!

Resume Checklist  Length: (Depends on Industry) - One page for recent graduates - Two for experienced candidates  Layout/Appearance: (Professional) - Neat, concise, easy to read, - Balance of text and white space - Use of bolds, underlines, different fonts (standard) - Absolutely NO spelling/grammar errors  Content: (Dynamic, Persuasive) - Action-oriented verbs, emphasize skills - Grammar, present/past tense - Lead w/ strengths/accomplishments

Electronic Resumes  Employers now search a database, using keywords. (i.e. an employer will type in “business major” into the database and look at hits )  Register with and view your resume.  Guidelines if it will be scanned or uploaded from disk: - Choose keywords and place in order of importance - Choose basic fonts - Avoid italics, graphics, underlines, bolds - Light colored paper is best