RESUMES Joseph J. O’Hare Career Services Montgomery College-Takoma Park Campus 06/24/2013 for JobAssist.org 1RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

A RÉSUMÉ IS … A clear and professional summary of skills, education, and work experience, designed to get you an interview BUT NOT … A Biography ● An Application Form ● A Cover Letter (where you use personal pronouns like “I” or “We”) 2RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

FORMAT …? Prioritize readability: stick to font sizes of 11 or 12, not less. Be generous with space for a reader-friendly setup. Use bullets (●) to list duties and accomplishments How long should it be? Chronological Presentation? Functional Presentation? A Job OBJECTIVE can introduce the document: it shows the type of work you seek, and the skills, education, and work experience you have to offer: Seeking a staff management position where leadership skills, experience, and training can be applied. A Job Objective would not be necessary for a career professional seeking to move within the same general industry. 3RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

YOUR AUDIENCE DIRECT YOUR RESUME TO THE SPECIFIC AUDIENCE – HIGHLIGHT THE RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS. BE PREPARED TO WRITE A SEPARATE RESUME FOR EACH POSITION YOU SEEK: THE MORE TARGETED YOUR DOCUMENT, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS TO RECEIVE ATTENTION. 4RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

JOB SKILLS … Your SKILLS section can be a useful introduction, like the Table of Contents in a book HARD SKILLS … ● Microsoft Office, not “Computer Literate” ● Bilingual (English and Italian) ● Staff Recruitment, Training, and Evaluation Personality traits or SOFT SKILLS (like, dependable, hard-working, quick learner, able to work in a team or independently) may not be necessary. Your work history may already verify these qualities. 5RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

CONTENT … For Work History … Job title, with name of the company/city and state location/dates of employment Office Assistant – XYZ Company, Olney, MD, 02/2010 – 08/2011 You do not need to list the street address, office phone number, or name of your supervisor. References are not included on the resume, but kept on a separate document. It is not necessary to say “References available upon request” – the resume indicates that you already have references. 6RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

SUCCESS IS A SELLING POINT Avoid listing routine tasks that would be associated with your profession. These are a given. Instead, emphasize RESULTS: they get attention. Use the resume to show the outcomes for your work or activities: ● Increased customer satisfaction by 30%. ● Consistently achieved performance goals for sales and new accounts. 7RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

WHAT ABOUT UNPAID WORK? If you have useful experience as a volunteer, include it with your WORK HISTORY. Provide job title/company/location. Don’t mention that you were unpaid – just describe the duties and accomplishments. 8RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

VOLUNTEER WORK Keep volunteer experience recent: Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, Silver Spring, MD – Business Recruitment Project, 2012 Volunteer Activities from long ago do not add value: Six-Hour Red Cross Thanksgiving Drive, Derwood, MD, RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

A NOTE ABOUT HISTORY… You can leave out dates of college graduation if they go back more than 15 years or so. It is sufficient to identify your accomplishment without dates: BA (History) – Temple University, Philadelphia, PA If you have many years of employment history, you can go back just years … you do not need to list every job. 10RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

AND REMEMBER … The resume is designed to get you an interview. It’s about what the employer needs – not just about you. Show clearly what skills, education, and professional experience you have to offer -- reasons why you should be considered for the job. Once you get hired, there’ll be opportunities to talk further about your needs, and where you want to go in your career. 11RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

SOCIAL MEDIA Social Media is increasingly the way that professionals network and post their resumes. The value of “Social Resumes,” like LinkedIn profiles, are they serve as living documents, not static presentations. Through updates they allow personality and skills to shine through. As online video becomes widespread, video resumes and screening will further transform the landscape. 12RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

SITES LinkedIn is currently the most popular site for professionals when it comes to social media resumes. But other sites include: – WordPress, Tumblr, ResumeSocial.com, Razume.com, Ziggs.com or VisualCV.com. Pinterest can also be a good way to showcase qualifications and accomplishments. Resumes cannot be set up readily on Twitter or Facebook, but it is important to maintain them as well. 13RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

On-Line Formatting for resumes Use the simple formatting. This may sacrifice some features such as tables, borders, or custom fonts. Use fonts such as Courier so that each full line of text appears as the same width on the page. Avoid tabs or indents; keep the document left-justified. To emphasize words, use ALL CAPS rather than bold, or surround the text with ***asterisks*** or #other characters#. 14RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

ARE COVER LETTERS NECESSARY? While there is discussion about the continuing need for a cover letter, most experts see the value. A well-written and targeted cover letter sets the candidate apart, and offers a sample of written communication. It is an excellent way to make a good impression on a prospective employer and illustrate qualifications for the job. 15RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013

HOW TO HIRE A RESUME WRITER Careful choosing is essential if seeking help from a resume professional. Expect to pay for the quality of service you receive. Choose a Professional Resume Writing Service, such as or you can also consult professionals in the field, HR, or industry associations. Ensure a good fit with your needs – does the writer understand your particular requirements and goals? Ask About Years of Paid Resume Writing Experience Ask about Guarantees Check Testimonials Ensure social media aptitude. 16RESUME WORKSHOP: 06/24/2013