ACSED 2012 Resume Writing

Overview Resume Goals Form and Function Job Descriptions Your Accomplishments Resume Maintenance Relate to the State

Resume Goals Your goal: Get an interview. Employer goal: Find out what you’ve done and how well you did it.

Form One page in length Easy-to-read font White paper (no wild colors) Highest print quality setting (ink jet is fine) No graphics or fancy design elements

Form (continued) Provide contact information (professional address required) Your work history Your education

Function Your resume is a representation of your professional history, highlighting your experiences and significant accomplishments.

Job Descriptions Dates you were employed (Month and Year) Position and organization title Job responsibilities and duties Accomplishment bullets

Your Accomplishments Three bullets per job description Significant work that differentiates you Give specifics and numbers where possible Don’t confuse duties with accomplishments

Your Accomplishments (Continued) Look for accomplishments in your work: Annual review and calendar Work documents

Accomplishment Examples DON’T: “Answered phone calls.” DO: “Routed incoming phone calls for an organization of 500 staff using a multi-line phone system.” DON’T: “Put files in order.” DO: “Reorganized over 1,500 case files for completeness and compliance with department records retention policy.”

Resume Maintenance Keep it up-to-date when you don’t need it Spend an hour per quarter Review most recent updates carefully

Relate to the State Standard State Application (STD 678) Some jobs require resumes Interviews focus on what you’ve done, too