Writing an Effective Resume EG Writing Program Polytechnic University Brooklyn, New York Summer 2006

A resume is not just a summary of your career and educational history 1. Why are you doing this and for whom 2. Resume formats 3. Organization 4. The pieces of the puzzle 5. Presentation

The most common reason to prepare a resume is to get a job Or, more specifically  an interview But sometimes, resumes are used to establish your credentials They often accompany proposals and grant applications and serve to establish the suitability of the applicants for the proposed job or financing opportunity Why are you doing this and for whom

Just telling someone all that you have done won’t guarantee they’ll agree to give you a chance It is important to sell yourself a little 1. Let the reader know what they’ll get if they hire you 2. Be specific 3. Present yourself in the best light 4. Convince the prospective employer that you have what it takes to succeed Why are you doing this and for whom

Consider the potential employers point of view Imagine you’re the one getting all those resumes in the mail or via an electronic job posting service like monster.com or hotjobs.com Your job is to sift through a very large pile of extremely similar documents and choose a much smaller number, usually less that 10 percent, to call in for an interview How will you decide? Why are you doing this and for whom

Your job is to convey to the reader that you are the one they are seeking Why are you doing this and for whom Good resume writing begins with gathering all the necessary information Start by collecting all the things you’ve ever done in one place After you’ve gotten everything down, focus on gathering all the names, dates, and other specifics related to your experience. Make sure these are accurate.

A resume is not just a summary of your career and educational history 1. Why are you doing this and for whom 2. Resume formats 3. Organization 4. The pieces of the puzzle 5. Presentation

There are three (really two) basic formats used to organize your resume Resume Formats In a chronological resume All the experience you have accrued is listed, job by job in reverse chronological order A functional resume highlights your skills and accomplishments A combined resume includes elements of both these formats and can take advantage of the strengths of each type while avoiding their negatives

A resume is not just a summary of your career and educational history 1. Why are you doing this and for whom 2. Resume formats 3. Organization 4. The pieces of the puzzle 5. Presentation

Begin with an objective Organization But not like this: Objective: To obtain a position that will allow me to advance my potential while seeking new and exciting challenges. Like this: Objective: An entry-level position in mechanical engineering where strong leadership ability and good communication skills are needed. Objective: Vice-president of aerospace engineering in an agency where extensive knowledge of thermodynamics and heat transfer are needed.

The next section summarizes your qualifications and abilities for the position or grant for which you are applying Organization The summary is often the only section that gets read in its entirety, so make it lively and readable Summary: Electrical engineer with over fifteen years of experience in the aerospace industry. Adept at forming productive project teams. Excellent management and communication skills. Recipient of the IEEE Medal of Honor, Energetic self-starter with excellent analytical skills seeks dynamic position overseas.

A resume is not just a summary of your career and educational history 1. Why are you doing this and for whom 2. Resume formats 3. Organization 4. The pieces of the puzzle 5. Presentation

When your educational experience is more extensive than your work experience, place it first The pieces of the puzzle Prepare this section in reverse chronological order 1. Include only schools attended beyond high school 2. If you have not completed your degree include it anyway and put the expected completion date in parentheses Polytechnic University, B.S. Electrical Engineering (Anticipated graduation date, June 2008) 3. List your major and minor(s). 4. You may also list specialized coursework 5. Include your GPA only if it is over If you have received advanced training, list that too.

The experience section is in reverse chronological order; place your most recent experience The pieces of the puzzle List 1. The dates of employment (2003-present) 2. The name of the company and its location (Con Edison, Brooklyn, New York) 3. Your duties 4. Include military service, internships, and volunteer positions Calling this section Experience allows you to include jobs for which you were not paid

You may include other sections in your resume if they are appropriate or typical for your profession The pieces of the puzzle These sections can be useful if you have important information that doesn’t fit neatly elsewhere. Awards and Commendations Professional Affiliations Civic and Community Leadership Publications Personal Information References

A resume is not just a summary of your career and educational history 1. Why are you doing this and for whom 2. Resume formats 3. Organization 4. The pieces of the puzzle 5. Presentation

Now that everything is organized into sections, you have to decide on the layout that will be most effective Presentation A resume must be visually interesting This translates to a clean professional style that it easy to read and includes lots of white space

First, include all your relevant contact information Presentation Name (bold, not underlined) Address Telephone number address

Next choose a font Presentation For run of text: a conservative serif font like Times New Roman To add visual interest, you may want to choose a conservative san serif font for your headings Arial or Helvetica are both good choices Limit the number of fonts you use to two The font size should be 11 or 12 point. Don’t choose non-standard fonts like Comic Sans or Lucida Handwriting Set large margins all the way around to ensure enough white space Justify left

Write concisely and get to the point Presentation Many experts recommend one page resume Make sure you’ve included all the basic information and that it is accurate Do not attempt to proofread your resume on a computer screen Choose the correct tense and use it consistently Don’t ask for a particular salary on your resume Do be accurate and honest A focused, targeted resume will yield the best results