Resume Strategies Career Connection Younkin Success Center 2nd Floor 1640 Neil Avenue 688-3898 www.careerconnection.osu.edu

Career Connection Services Individual Career Counseling (appointments and walk-ins) Career Assessments Career Planning & Decision-Making Resumes, Cover Letters & Interviewing Skills Applying to Graduate School

What should you think about before beginning? Why are you using this resume? What do you hope to communicate? Try to think like the person who will be receiving your resume—be aware of your audience What are they looking for? What skills? What experience? How can you best communicate your skills and abilities to the employer?

Resumes and Cover Letters Focus on tailored content Targeted & Relevant Resume: Will shape entire document Job Objective/Skills Summary Overall structure/Language Cover Letter

Steps for Resume Writing Determine job target/Grad School What is needed for this target position? What the employers are looking for Specific (Job Posting)(Previous addmitted/classes) General (What everyone is looking for)

Specific—usually technical Of the requirements….what do you have? Example: Target job: Health Coach Relevant Skills: Provides education on wellness topics Encourages adoption of positive habits Coordinates the distribution of health education materials Works collaboratively with participants and other team members Your Relevant Skills: Education on wellness Working collaboratively

General—usually broad/transferable What general skills fit? Can you do the job? (qualified skills, knowledge & experience) Will you do the job? (motivation & interest) Do you fit with our organization? (personality & work style) What skills have you developed from your experiences with SURI that might be transferable?

Transferable Skills Leadership Teamwork Initiative Time Management Communication Skills Organization Attention to Detail

Resumes What the Employers are Looking For Can you do the job? (qualified skills, knowledge & experience) Time Management Organization Communication Will you do the job? (motivation & interest) Leadership Do you fit with our organization? (personality and work style) Teamwork Loyalty-investment

Resumes Targeted & Relevant Make a list of the specific and general Keep this list on your mind as you move forward

Identifying information Name (should be prominent) Present address + Alternate or permanent address (if you’re moving within the next 6 months) Phone number(s) E-mail address (use your OSU account or other professional looking address) 1 line ***Do not include age, marital status, religion, or other personal information. - spell out everything

Job Objective/Summary State 1) The type of position you are seeking or the actual job title and the employer-be specific if possible 2) Include how you will benefit the employer – not what you are seeking from the employer…2-3 things An exciting position within any clinical research company doing interesting things that will allow me to get a promotion quickly. To obtain a Clinical Research Associate position with Cardinal Health, utilizing my previous lab experience and strong organizational skills developed as the vice president of the Ohio State Student Research Society

Education Name and location of institution(s) attended in reverse chronological order Degree(s) awarded/ Majors and minors Anticipated or actual dates of graduation Optional GPA Related Coursework Study abroad experiences Awards and Honors/Thesis

Education - Samples The Ohio State University Columbus, OH Bachelor of Science in Biology May 2014 G.P.A. 3.5 EDUCATION The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio(August 2013) Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry Minor: Spanish Related Course Work: Health Care Management and HR, Health Promotion, Health Care Delivery

Experience Layout Name and location of employer, (internship, volunteer experience) dates of employment (involvement) and title Uniform layout * Clustered Experiences RULE OF RELEVANCE The more that a past experience is related to the work you are seeking the more space you should allot to its description. Any experience that is particularly relevant to the job for which you are applying should be closer to the top of the resume.

Explaining your experiences In draft form, write down everything you did -- answer the question: “If I did not show up, what would not have gotten done?” Think about all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities developed on the job. Accomplishments. Problem-Action-Result. Now think back to the job posting. NOTE: Use present tense for current job responsibilities and past tense for previous responsibilities

Specific—usually technical Of the requirements….what do you have? Example: Target job: Health Coach Relevant Skills: Provides education on wellness topics Encourages adoption of positive habits Coordinates the distribution of health education materials Works collaboratively with participants and other team members Your Relevant Skills: Education on wellness Working collaboratively

General—usually broad/transferable What the Employers are Looking For Can you do the job? (qualified skills, knowledge & experience) Time Management Organization Communication Will you do the job? (motivation & interest) Leadership Do you fit with our organization? (personality and work style) Teamwork Loyalty-investment

Skills and Tasks Think of several accomplishment statements for each specific and general skill Make it concise and filled with action verbs (specific to skills) Winning Formula = Action verb + subject + outcome Outcome: Connecting words (to, for, resulting in, improving) Be descriptive and quantify as much as possible -- the reader should be able to “see” you doing the job Use their words

Experience Example Work Experience Java Cup, Columbus, Ohio Customer Service Representive, June 2011-Present Direct store closing operations, including the auditing of cash registers and completion of security checklist Demonstrate leadership through training and monitoring new employees to establish an efficient and productive work environment Collaborate as a member of a team to provide high quality customer service in a fast paced environment Explain menu items and responded efficiently to customer requests Exhibit time management and organizational skills while balancing school and work commitments

Additional Skills Computer hardware and software with which you are familiar Foreign languages Work-related training, conferences or workshops attended Academic skills that are related to the job (research, leadership, etc.) Additional Skills Foreign Language skills, Fluency in Spanish Computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Front page Research skills, collect and analyze data utilizing SPSS for various Departmental child development research projects

Optional Sections Relevant Coursework Honors/Awards Community Service/Volunteer Experience Leadership Experience Professional Memberships/Organizations Publications/Presentations Licenses/Certifications

References List on a separate page Copy your identifying information at the top of your reference page Use the same format for each reference Balance of academic and professional Consider supervisors from volunteer experiences and internships No family members

Characteristics of a successful resume Consistent (verb tense, format, etc.) Factual Visual appeal One page (in most cases) Write your own resume – avoid templates Zero typographical errors The ultimate purpose of a resume is to get you an interview

Cover letters: general guidelines Tells a prospective employer what you can do for them and why you are qualified to meet their needs Connector-Not a rehashing of the resume It is an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills and it opens a window to your personality Tailor to EACH position Address to specific person when possible One page - keep at 3 to 4 paragraphs

Elements of a cover letter Your return address and today’s date Employer’s contact information Greeting Introductory paragraph Main paragraph Closing paragraph Signature

Cover letter format Your Street Address City, State Zip Code Date Name of Person Job Title Company/Organization Street Address Dear Mr./Dr./Ms../Mrs. XXXXXXXXX (an actual name vs. “To Whom It May Concern”): FIRST PARAGRAPH: SECOND PARAGRAPH: CLOSING PARAGRAPH: Sincerely , Your Name Cover letter format

Introductory paragraph Tell why you are writing (e.g., name the specific position or type of work for which you are applying) Mention the resource used in finding out about the opening or company/organization *optional Include when you’re graduating from The Ohio State University and with what degree (+ highlight of job history) A highlight of how you match the posting: I believe that my leadership skills combined with my experience in structural design and analysis as well as electrical design make me an ideal candidate for the ME position.

Introductory paragraph It is with great interest that I am applying for the position of Mechanical Engineer at Nissan. I learned about this opportunity from Kristen Hall, an Engineer in your office who highly encouraged me to apply. I am currently a Mechanical Engineering Major at Ohio State and expect to graduate in Spring of 2013. I believe that my leadership skills combined with my experience in structural design and analysis as well as electrical design make me an ideal candidate for the Mechanical Engineer position.  

Middle paragraph What you did, What you learned and how it Matches Include certain skills you want to highlight that are mentioned in the job posting Where and how you developed those skills (academic background/training, work experience, personality traits) Achievements that relate to the field in which you are applying. How you would make a good fit in the company based on its mission, goals, and current projects

Main Paragraph My Bachelor‘s degree in Mechanical Engineering from OSU has taught me the importance of collaboration and teamwork in completing tasks efficiently and on deadline. While at OSU, I was a member of the Women in Engineering Society. These experiences advanced my leadership and communication skills through volunteer programs with the greater Columbus community. In addition, I gained considerable experience in structural design and analysis as well as electrical design through my engineering internship at Honda. What appeals to me most about Nissan is your commitment to research and development and your aspiration to be on the forefront of new technology.

Closing Paragraph Your resume is included You’d like to further discuss the job opportunity How you can be reached (phone number and e-mail) to answer any questions Thank them for his/her time and consideration ***If the employer is far away and you plan to visit the area soon, consider writing that you will be in the geographic vicinity on a certain day and will call to see if an interview can arranged at this person’s convenience on that day

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