2. WRITING A WINNING RESUME The Career Services CenterThe Career Services Center Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw State University

3. WHY DO A RESUME?: o Summary of education, skills and experience o Tool for getting an interview o Employers want to see what you bring to the table o Your advertisement! Your marketing piece!

4. HOW TO BEGIN? o Identify VIPs - Values, Skills, Abilities o ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ o Determine skills relevant to the jobs for which you’re applying o ______________________________________________ __________________________________________ o Decide on a Career Objective (optional for Education Majors) o Write a draft with formatting o Rewrite ---------- Rewrite ----------- Rewrite

5. DEVELOP THE CAREER OBJECTIVE o Why do we need one? o Show the direction we are heading and how it connects to the opportunity we are applying o How do we write one? o Include Type of position, employer, focus and connect it to you o Example: o To obtain a teaching position within a private school system focusing on English education to build on my year of curriculum development experience and 100 hours of tutoring students in writing.

6. THE RESUME CONTENT o EDUCATION o honors, courses and projects o RELEVANT EXPERIENCE o TOSS & Student Teaching o Activities such associations, tutoring, and leadership involvement o Work - paid, unpaid, and volunteer experiences with transferable skills o Results in statistics, numbers & examples of accomplishments o Language skills o Certifications & Incorporate Buzz Words

7. WHERE ARE THE BUZZWORDS?  Teacher Language Arts – Grades 9-12: Link!Link!  Develop and prioritize short and long-term instructional objectives based on district Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum.  Evaluate, select, and modify resources and activities.  Organize content for presentation of the lesson.  Utilize scientifically researched effective instructional strategies and methods of providing information for students to acquire the learning.

8. RESUME DO’S o Complete contact information o No more than one page for entry-level opportunities and career fairs o Most important information first o Use industry buzz words

9. RESUME DO’S o Must look organized and neat o Focus on relevant data only o Emphasize skills and capabilities o Error free-check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation o Use Action words and statements

10. ACTION VS TASK  Task:  “Responsible for classroom management”  Action:  “Taught 5 th grade class of 25 students, 50% free and reduced lunch, 22% ESOL and utilized unit- structured lessons to stimulate learning” Source: http://www2.education.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.Bilash/best%20of%20bilash/classroommanagement.html

11. RESUME DONT’S o Write before doing self-assessment o Become too personal or “chatty” o Refer to yourself as “I” o Include references o Use abbreviations o Use colored paper o Print it on front and back on a single sheet o Staple o Include a photo

12. ?’S TO ASK YOURSELF  How is this information relevant?  What does it highlight in connection to what I want the employer to know?  Did I paint a clear picture of my skills and abilities?

13. THE COVER LETTER o Personal communication between employer and employee o Highlights information on the resume o Acts as a sales pitch o Identifies mutual acquaintances and company employees, if any o Expresses knowledge of the company o Must have perfect grammar and spelling o Uses the same bond paper as your resume