1. RESUME WRITING Presenting Yourself on Paper

2. Workshop Agenda Purpose and Impact of a Resume General Guidelines
Various Formats
Scannable Resumes
& Electronic Submissions
Key Components
Optional Categories
Resume Check List
Cover Letters
Follow Up

3. Purpose and Impact Marketing Tool
Designed to create a favorable first impression
May get you an interview, won’t get you the job!
Personal Account of Your:
Education and Training
Experience
Skills and Abilities

4. Purpose and Impact
Provides an accurate, concise, and original presentation of who you are
Resource for employer at interview
Remember: Employers spend minutes at most reviewing a Resume. Make each word count!

5. General Guidelines Length Layout
Generally one page (especially recent grads)
Two pages with extensive related experience
Layout
Direct reader’s eye using headings and layout
Choose standard font in point size
Use appropriate color & high quality 8 1/2 x 11 paper, one-sided only!

6. General Guidelines Layout continued
Leave ‘white space’ for uncluttered look
One inch margins on all sides is standard
Be consistent with:
indentations
capitalizations
font
spacing

7. General Guidelines Content Proofread! Don’t rely on Spell-check
grammar
spelling
typographical errors
punctuation
Stress accomplishments and results
Tailor contents to each position (e.g. rewrite Objective/revise Skills section)
Omit information which could be used in a discriminatory way (e.g., religious affiliations, age, etc.)

8. Resume Formats CHRONOLOGICAL FORMAT
Easy to read, most commonly used
Presents education and work experience in reverse chronological order
Very effective if majority of education and work experience is related to objective

9. Resume Formats FUNCTIONAL FORMAT
Focuses on skills and abilities, not dates of employment
Lists skills you’ve demonstrated which are required for a particular job
Allows you to emphasize skills gained through volunteer work and extra curricular activities
Often used by career changers, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars

10. Resume Formats COMBINATION FORMAT
Uses elements of Chronological and Functional
Emphasizes skills and abilities
Provides job/experience descriptions
Effective when job objective has multiple components (e.g. research and management, marketing and administrative)

11. Resume Formats TECHNICAL FORMAT
Used as a term to describe a resume prepared for technical positions (e.g. computer science or engineering)
Can use any format; emphasizes technical skills such as specific computer languages, laboratory skills, etc.
List GPA if 2.5 or above

12. Resume Formats CURRICULUM VITAE
Used by individuals seeking teaching and/or research positions in a post-secondary institution or high-level research industry
Often two or three pages for master’s or doctoral degree candidates
Specific “CV” workshops are offered through the Internship & Career Center

13. Scannable Resumes
Uses nouns indicating specific job functions, skills, responsibilities (see detailed job description to select key words to use)
Use “key words” associated with position you are seeking. Include terminology of the business or industry
Do not fold, bend or staple resume. Mail in a large, flat envelope

14. Scannable Resumes
Forget “fancy fonts”, flashy graphics  and colored paper
point size, standard font
white, off-white, 8 1/2 x 11 paper
avoid shading, graphics, bolding, italicizing, and underlining

15. Scannable Resumes
Avoid:
Bullets
Lines
Columns
Brackets

16. E-mail and Electronic Submission
Maintain professional tone
Use professional sounding address (not
Be specific in subject header
Follow employer directions carefully!
Avoid use of characters and symbols
Use left-justified format

17. E-mail and Electronic Submission
Do not underline, bold, or italicize text
Use “standard” font, such as Arial or Times New Roman
Use hard return to insert line, not word wrap
Sign your with your full name
Proofread and use spell-check before sending
Do a ‘trial send’ to yourself or a friend to see how your resume looks after sending

18. Resume Key Components TITLE BLOCK/HEADING Your name
Address, including zip code
Daytime telephone number(s) - don’t forget area codes
address - ONLY IF YOU CHECK DAILY!
Cell phone or pager number(s)

19. Resume Key Components OBJECTIVE
Gives resume focus, credibility and direction
Be concise and logical - develop different resumes for different types of jobs
Avoid cliches such as “like working with people”
Emphasize short term aspirations
Considered by some to be optional

20. Resume Key Components EDUCATION
List highest degree first, followed by other degrees received
Degree level
Major(s), minor(s) and emphasis if applicable
If your major/degree is relevant, list that first; if not, emphasize UC Davis, then list major
University of California, Davis

21. Resume Key Components EDUCATION continued Date to be conferred
GPA if 3.0 or higher (in engineering, list if 2.5 or higher)
Other colleges/universities attended, including Education Abroad
DO NOT include High School degree!

22. Resume Key Components EDUCATION continued
Lower division students seeking an internship should consider
listing class standing first
followed by major(s), minor(s) and emphasis if applicable
then listing Bachelor’s degree expected in month and year
then listing University of California, Davis

23. Resume Key Components EXPERIENCE
Summarize significant full and part time positions
Include relevant volunteer work or internships
Highlight responsibilities, skills developed, and accomplishments
List job title, employer, city, state, and dates of employment, followed by description

24. Resume Key Components EXPERIENCE continued
Present information in reverse chronological order OR
Create special sections (e.g. Related Experience, Research Experience, Marketing Experience)
Use action verbs and sentence phrases, NOT complete sentences

25. Resume Key Components EXPERIENCE continued
May include significant academic assignments and relevant extra-curricular activities
List accomplishments and contributions you have made
Quantify accomplishments, if possible

26. Optional Categories SKILLS
List skills you can perform with little or no direction
Computer - list hardware, software, and operating systems
Laboratory - list techniques, procedures and/or equipment
Language - indicate fluency level, specify if you can read/write/speak the language

27. Optional Categories SKILLS continued
Research - list research skills with which you are familiar
General skills, including communication (written and verbal), problem-solving, managerial, etc.
Presentations
Others specific to the job
Skills are often underestimated by students!

28. Optional Categories Publications Qualifications or Skills Statement
List articles published and those accepted for publication
Include in Experience section
Qualifications or Skills Statement
If major is not obviously related to job objective, this provides an opportunity to tie everything together

29. Optional Categories Licenses, Certifications, Credentials, Training
Related items only (CPR, First Aid, Hazardous Materials Training, Professional Engr., etc.)
Extra-Curricular Activities/Professional Affiliations
List memberships and offices held
Military Service
Include in experience section

30. Optional Categories Honors/Awards/Hobbies/Interests References
Avoid listing those which may be controversial
References
Usually state “References Provided Upon Request” as last line of resume
Provide separate sheet with three - four reference names and contact information
No relatives, friends, other students
Ask permission before listing someone!

31. Resume Review Check List
Does your resume look appealing?
Is it clearly labeled, using appropriate headings?
Does it highlight your skills and abilities?
Have you had it critiqued by others?
Have you triple checked for accuracy?

32. The Cover Letter Should be customized for each position
Establishes personal contact
Should be addressed to a specific person, using name, and title
In salutation, never use first name!
Use “Dear Recruiter” if no name is available
Use same paper, font and format as resume
Keep letter to one page in length

33. The Cover Letter Use standard business format
Emphasize how your skills, education, experience can benefit the employer
Close by indicating your interest in the position and follow-up plans
Don’t forget to sign the letter!

34. The Cover Letter Paragraph one Paragraph two Paragraph three
What position are you applying for and how did you find out about the position?
Paragraph two
Why do you want to work for this particular employer, and why should employer hire you?
Paragraph three
What’s your next step going to be? Indicate how you will follow through or express desire for an interview.

35. Follow Up
Resume, Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letter examples can be found online at:
Visit the ICC to have your resume and cover letter critiqued by trained staff