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HOW TO WRITE A RESUME

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In addition to summing up what you can do, your resume can…

Show your preparedness and professionalism to the reader

Illustrate your writing skills

Be a record of your experiences to refer to later

Increase your ability to articulate your skills and knowledge

Help you become more confident when you see what you can do on paper

TYPES OF RESUMES

HOW MANY PAGES?

The length of the resume should depend on the amount of relevant experience you have and who is reading it. Also consider that employers hiring for entry level or competitive positions will receive hundreds of resumes and have limited time to sort through them. Many employers report their first look at an applicant’s resume lasts only 10-35 seconds.

Typically, a college student will have a ONE PAGE resume.

However, in some cases college students may have more than one page. You may need more than one page if…

You are a non-traditional college student with several years of relevant experience.

You are submitting a resume for a scholarship or leadership position on campus and they ask for a complete listing of experiences.

You’ve been asked to submit a CV (Curriculum Vitae), which is a complete listing of experiences, typically used in academia and research.

lists experiences chronologically starting with the most recent. Good for highlighting increasing skills and knowledge in a particular area.

organizes experiences in functional skill areas to help the reader focus on specific abilities rather than history of employment.

uses elements of both chronological and functional resumes to organize information. Most common type of resume used by college students.

ré·su·mé [rez-oo-mey] noun

1. a summing up; summary.

2. a brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as that prepared by an applicant for a job.

from www.dictionary.com

Chronological

Functional

Combination

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WHO IS THE READER? A very important part of preparing the resume includes researching the reader. Understanding who the reader is and what specific skills and knowledge they are seeking will help you create an effective targeted resume. The job announcement can offer insight into an employer’s needs as well as provide the vocabulary you may wish to incorporate into your resume. Also, learn as much as you can through an organization’s website, trade journals, magazines, newsletters, directories, talking to professors, and visiting your career services office.

HOW TO START… (1). Write an objective statement. Decide what position you will be applying to. Is it an internship, part-time job, mission trip? Where will this position be – in town or maybe out of state? What kind of company or organization will likely be hiring this position? (2.) Brainstorm and compile a list of experiences. Include as many experiences as possible. Gather old resumes and/or career essays that you may have written. If you have applications from past jobs or old job descriptions you may want to collect these things as well. Keep an eye out for experiences where you developed skills relevant to your objective.

ORGANIZING INFORMATION (CATEGORY HEADERS) Once you have gathered a complete listing of your experiences, memberships, activities, etc. - develop categories that highlight your unique, relevant experiences and skills. Below are a list of possible category headers that could be used in your resume, depending on your career field and experiences. Summary Career Profile Objective Areas of Effectiveness Qualifications Highlights Summary of Qualifications Professional Overview Areas of Expertise Education Certifications Licenses Flight Time Pilot Credentials Certificate/Ratings Specialized Training Additional Training Workshops Attended Seminars Significant Accomplishments Achievements Related Activities

Related Experience Employment History Volunteer Experience Community Service Community Involvement Campus Leadership Leadership Activities Experience Professional Experience Work Experience Leadership Experience Internships Teaching Experience Activities Communication Experience Sales Experience Laboratory Experience Job Shadowing Presentations Publications Works-in-Progress

International Travel Languages Honors and Awards Selected Awards Selected Honors Awards and Recognition Research Interests Professional Development Scientific Societies Professional Organizations Memberships Affiliations Organizations Office Skills Computer Skills Hardware/Software Key Skills Special Skills Technology Skills Additional Information

Writing a resume that may be scanned for keywords?

Use the job description to help you identify skills and knowledge needed for

the position. If possible use these specific terms in your resume. Consider adopting the vocabulary used in the job description

so the reader perceives you as having a similar background.

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RESUME WRITING AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Writing a resume is similar to writing a newspaper article. Newspaper articles are written in a specific way because they have to convey important information in a limited word count. So journalists start with a “lead” to grab the reader’s attention. The lead is usually only one sentence and summarizes the article. In a resume, the “lead” is your objective statement or profile at the top of the page, which lets the reader quickly see what your resume is about. Next, come the facts (who, what, where, why…) in order of importance. Writers want the good stuff at the top because an editor will start “cutting” at the bottom if there is not enough room on the page. Putting the most interesting and important information at the top also serves to keep the reader interested in reading. So as you continue to develop your resume put the “good stuff” at the top. Following are some typical components of a resume in the order they are most likely to be organized in a resume.

THE RESUME HEADER At the top of the resume include (1) your name, (2) street address, (3) city, state, and zip code, (4) phone number, and (5) email address.

Occasionally, it may be necessary to include two street addresses – for instance, if you are moving or applying to a position during a time when you are between residences (ex. right before summer break). If you do need to include more than one address, make sure to label them clearly.

Here are a few more tips…

Your legal name is not required for the resume. Use the name you go by so as not to confuse the reader. When it comes time to complete paperwork such as contracts or IRS documents, you can use your legal name.

Try to use only one phone number to make it easier for the reader to keep track of.

Make sure your voice mail is appropriate and professional.

If others will be answering the phone during a job search make sure they know how to answer the phone professionally and are reliable about relaying messages.

Use a professional email address. Your student email address is recommended.

Remove the hyperlink from your email. The hyperlink makes your email address blue and includes a line that is difficult to read for some. Right click and “remove” or “edit” the hyperlink.

Frank Eaton 219 Student Union

Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078

(405) 744-5000

pete@okstate.edux

Frank Eaton

School Address:

219 Student Union

Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078

(405) 744-5000

pete@okstate.edux

Home Address:

750 N. Main Street

Perkins, Oklahoma 74059

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THE LEAD (OBJECTIVE / SUMMARY) As mentioned earlier the lead is usually a summary at the top of the page that quickly lets the reader know what your resume is about. This should be clear and specific. Most often this section includes an immediate career goal and sometimes a summary of qualifications that are illustrated later in the resume through skill descriptions and listings. This is a list of category headers you might see in this section of the resume:

Summary Career Profile Objective Areas of Effectiveness

Qualifications Highlights Summary of Qualifications Professional Overview Areas of Expertise

Here are a few examples: JOB TARGET: Assistant Wellness Coordinator Objective: To obtain a clinical practice internship in a small, rural community school. Summary: Reliable, self-motivated student seeking an internship with a major airline. Knowledge of airport systems and security issues. Organized, detail-oriented, and able to solve problems effectively. SEEKING: Entry level position in the Aerospace Logistics industry OFFERING: Strong communication skills and knowledge of logistics Objective: To secure a position as a Recreational Therapist in the Oklahoma City metro area. Objective: To effectively demonstrate interpersonal communication skills in a professional environment with opportunity for growth and advancement. Objective: To acquire the position of a wellness educator and utilize knowledge in nutrition to help people in adopting healthy habits. Objective: To contribute strong communication and organizational skills in a leisure management role. Profile: Dynamic college senior who utilizes creativity, leadership, and teamwork to design and execute health education programs. Effective communicator with ability to create marketing material. Professional Profile Accomplished student with a proven ability to develop and implement physical education lessons. Experienced working with students requiring lesson modification. Ability to assess students’ learning and communicate with parents. Capable of managing K-12 students in a variety of learning environments. Professional Profile Respected leader, able to build highly motivated teams and maintain strong working relationships seeking a position in pharmaceutical sales. Knowledgeable of medical issues and terminology. Keeps up-to-date with changes in the industry through continuing professional development and conference attendance. Areas of Expertise Airport Layout Design Marketing and Public Education Programing International Travel Issues Customer Service Experience

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EDUCATION In this section of the resume list your post-secondary degree(s) awarded (or are in the process of obtaining). Include (1) the name of the degree, (2) option, emphasis, or minor, (3) the institution granting the degree, (4) the location (city, state), and (5) date received (or anticipated). Do not include high school (secondary school) information. It might look like this…

This section may also include study abroad experiences, an associate degree, academic honors (Dean’s Honor Roll) or distinctions (Magna Cum Laude). Your education might also be combined with other academic pursuits such as specialized training, workshops, conferences, or certifications. It may even be appropriate to include a listing of specific courses related to your objective. In the example above note that the GPA was included (see last line). Listing your GPA is not required and in fact is recommended only if is a 3.0 or above. Many employers who have to sort through numerous resumes will use GPA’s as one way to narrow the applicant pool. For instance, they may choose to only look at applicants who have a certain GPA or higher. Therefore, if your GPA is less than average (2.9 or below) it is recommended that you don’t write about it.

CERTIFICATIONS Certifications, ratings, and/or licenses add to your credentials. If they are related to your objective place them at the top of the resume – either below or combined with the EDUCATION section. Include (1) the name of the certification, (2) the certifying organization (if appropriate), and (3) dates. Only list certifications or licenses that have not expired. Most readers will assume if you list a credential that it is still valid.

RELEVANT COURSEWORK Listing specific coursework that you have completed can be important to the reader if you want to communicate what specific knowledge you have acquired. This is especially helpful to an employer seeking an intern and is attempting to identify what they know so far. You can also show the reader that you have

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Administration and Operations Anticipated May 2017 Option: Professional Pilot Oklahoma State University – Stillwater, Oklahoma GPA: 3.78

It is not unusual for the name of your degree to change while you are still in school. On the resume you want to be as honest as possible. It is recommended that you list the degree you believe you will most likely obtain. If you later find yourself in an interview and your major has changed, make sure you point out the change to the interviewer. Provide them with an updated version of your resume. Be prepared to explain why you changed your major.

What if I don’t know what my

degree will be or I change majors?

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knowledge outside your major area by listing courses that are unrelated to your degree. For instance, if you were applying for a camp counselor position and you had an elective course in outdoor education you could list it to alert the reader of relevant knowledge. Do not include course prefixes and numbers. Dates are not necessary.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE As a college student it is likely that you will have a wide variety of experiences in which you develop skills and/or knowledge that is relevant to your immediate career objective. These experiences could include paid work, volunteering, internships, observations/job shadowing, and others. Keep in mind that employers are more interested in the skills and knowledge you develop (what you can do for them) than whether or not you were paid. This is good news if you haven’t had a job yet. Write about significant community service, projects completed in class, or extracurricular activities. Depending on your experiences and the skills acquired this section of the resume might have a category header like one of these… Significant Accomplishments Achievements Related Activities Related Experience Employment History Volunteer Experience Community Service

Community Involvement Campus Leadership Leadership Activities Experience Professional Experience Work Experience Leadership Experience

Internships Teaching Experience Activities Communication Experience Sales Experience Laboratory Experience Job Shadowing

Each individual experience should contain (1) the name of the position or a couple of words describing what you did, (2) the name of the organization, (3) the location (city, state), (4) the dates, and (5) the skills and/or knowledge you developed. It might look like this…

List experiences in reverse chronological order (most current first) so the reader sees your more advanced skills first. Bulleted skill statements beginning with action verbs illustrate the skills you have aquired. These statements should be brief and concise. Avoid using phrases like “duties include” or “responsibilities are”. An action verb list (like the one on pages 8 & 9) can be helpful. Read through the list of verbs and ask yourself if you have done a particular action in a specific experience. Have you “supervised” before? When was the last time you “communicated” with someone? You may even want to check the box for every action you have done. Once you have identified what you can do, then you can explain that to a reader. Take the action verb “create” for example. You have a part time job in a restaurant. What did you create while working there? Maybe you created a new menu, training manual or timesheet form.

Camp Counselor Summer 2012 Camp Willard – Stillwater, Oklahoma

Planned and organized activities for children ages 8 to 12 Supervised and monitored the safety of campers during free time Administered first aid and taught a survival skills workshop

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You have the start of a sentence that might look like this...

Created training manual. Add more depth to your description by adding additional adverbs/adjectives. Quantify or qualify your skill. How many? How much? How often? What type? What was the outcome? Where you part of a team? What else? Your sentence might look like this...

Created new training manual for wait staff and a list of customer service resources. On a resume it would look like this... Lead Server, Eskimo Joe’s - Stillwater, Oklahoma (August 2013 - Present)

Greeted guests, answered questions, and suggested menu options. Created new training manual for wait staff and a list of customer service resources. Assisted manager with daily paperwork and helped prepare weekly work schedules.

What about stuff I did in High School? I heard that you were not supposed to

include high school information on the resume.

By the time you graduate from college your resume will most likely not include high school activities and experiences. However, as you transition into college most of your experiences are from high school and can

be included in your resume. Typically, by your sophomore/junior year your high school information will no longer fit on the resume.

When listing experiences from high school make sure that you clearly label them. For example if you have

several leadership experiences from high school you might include them in a category called

HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

College experiences might be listed in a category called

CAMPUS LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

If you combine the experiences, make sure each listing clearly states where you provided leadership.

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Action Verbs Categorized by Skill Areas Management Skills Administered Analyzed Assigned Attained Chaired Consolidated Contracted Coordinated

Delegated Developed Directed Enhanced Established Evaluated Executed Increased

Improved Initiated Instituted Managed Motivated Organized Oversaw Planned

Prioritized Produced Recommended Reorganized Reviewed Scheduled Strengthened Supervised

Communication Skills

Addressed Advertised Authored Called Circulated Coached Collaborated Communicated Composed Conferred Contacted Convinced

Corresponded Directed Discussed Drafted Edited Elicited Emphasized Explained Formulated Influenced Informed Instructed

Interpreted Lectured Mediated Moderated Negotiated Oriented Persuaded Presented Promoted Publicized Recommended Reconciled

Recruited Redirected Referred Related Represented Resolved Showed Spoke Translated Transmitted Tutored Wrote

Research Skills

Analyzed Clarified Collected Compared Conducted Critiqued Diagnosed Evaluated Examined Gathered

Extracted Identified Interpreted Interviewed Investigated Located Organized Researched Reviewed Solved

Summarized Surveyed Systematized Tested Adapted Applied Assembled Built Calculated Computed

Designed Developed Devised Engineered Fabricated Installed Maintained Operated Overhauled Programmed

Remodeled Repaired

Replaced Solved

Standardized Studied

Upgraded Utilized

Teaching Skills

Adapted Advised Coached Communicated Coordinated

Developed Enabled Encouraged Evaluated Explained

Facilitated Focused Guided Individualized Informed

Instructed Persuaded Stimulated Trained Tutored

Financial Skills

Administered Allocated Analyzed Appraised Audited

Balanced Budgeted Calculated Computed Developed

Estimated Forecasted Managed Marketed Planned

Projected Reconciled Reduced Researched

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Creative Skills

Acted Adapted Authored Composed Conceptualized Created Conceived Customized Designed

Developed Directed Established Estimated Fashioned Forecasted Formulated Founded Illustrated

Initiated Instituted Integrated Introduced Invented Investigated Modified Originated Performed

Planned Proposed Researched Revised Revitalized Set Up Shaped Solved Studied

Helping Skills

Advocated Aided Assessed Assisted Clarified Coached

Counseled Demonstrated Diagnosed Educated Encouraged Expedited

Facilitated Familiarized Guided Intervened Motivated Referred

Rehabilitated Represented Resolved Supported Volunteered

Clerical or Detail Skills

Approved Arranged Catalogued Charted Classified Coded Collected Compiled Dispatched

Distributed Executed Generated Implemented Inspected Maintained Monitored Operated Organized

Prepared Processed Purchased Recorded Retrieved Reviewed Routed Scheduled Screened

Set up Standardized Systematized Tabulated Updated Validated Verified

Leadership Skills

Administered Allocated Appointed Approved Assigned Authorized Awarded Conducted Controlled

Delegated Designated Directed Disapproved Discharged Encouraged Enforced Evaluated Executed

Governed Hired Led Managed Oversaw Presided Recommended Regulated Required

Selected Settled Signed Specified Sponsored Stipulated Supervised

Organizational Skills

Arranged Analyzed Assembled Budgeted

Calculated Coordinated Organized Planned

Prepared Purchased Recorded Reorganized

Reported Scheduled

Interpersonal Skills

Accommodated Adjusted Advised Agreed Arrange Assisted Consulted

Contributed Cooperated Counseled Facilitated Guided Influenced Mediated

Moderates Modified Motivated Negotiated Personalized Persuaded Provided

Reconciled Related Requested Respected Served Sold Taught

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LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE Leadership skills are developed in a variety of experiences. Holding an executive position or other title in a student club or organization provides the opportunity to develop these skills. You might also develop leadership skills by serving as a group leader during a class project. Remember to use action verbs when describing what you did.

MILITARY EXPERIENCE Military experience can be an important part of a resume. Relevant skills and abilities often include leadership, teamwork, and positive work ethic. Include in your description your (1) branch of service, (2) position (use civilian terms), (3) type of discharge (if appropriate) (4) year of separation or years served, and (5) a description of your skills, abilities and/or knowledge developed. Focus on your skill development rather than specific military exercises or combat.

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT A good way to demonstrate your commitment to a specific profession is by attending professional events and joining professional associations. Highlight this on your resume by listing memberships, events attended, conference participation, and papers or posters you have created.

SIMPLE LISTS – SKILLS, ACTIVITIES, HONORS, AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, ETC. A simple listing of skills quickly and efficiently shows the reader what you can do. Lists do not include bulleted skill statements; instead they typically include very basic facts like the example above (Professional Involvement). Common lists on a resume include languages, computer or technical skills, activities, community service, honors, awards, scholarships, and certifications. This information is listed with dates (when appropriate) in reverse chronological order.

Student Representative August 2013-Present OSU Student Conduct Review Board – Stillwater, Oklahoma

Received 46 hours of training on diversity issues, conflict resolution and college student development as an orientation guide

Developed and presented four programs explaining OSU Rules and Regulations to students living on campus

United States Army Baumholder, Germany Team Leader/Sergeant (October 2003 – April 2007)

• Organized schedules for 25 soldiers and led daily physical training exercises. • Received first aid and emergency preparedness training.

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) August 2013-Present Student Oklahoma Education Association (SOEA) August 2013-Present Kappa Kappa Iota August 2013-Present

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REFERENCES Sometimes at the bottom of a resume you might find a note telling the reader that references are available upon request. This sentence is not necessary but OK to include in the resume. The actual references’ contact information should be listed on a separate page, preferably a separate document (see example to the left). A reference page should have the same header (name and contact information), font style and size, and page margins as your resume. The reference page should include 3-4 professional references. A professional reference is someone who has knowledge of your skills and abilities related to your objective. They could be job supervisors, club advisors, professors, or academic advisors. They are different from personal references such as family, friends, neighbors, youth directors, coaches, or pastors who are familiar with your personality and character. Occasionally it is necessary to include one personal reference until you gain more experience and network with other professionals. Make sure to always ask your references for permission to use them and confirm contact information.

THINGS TO AVOID IN THE RESUME…

Abbreviations that may or may not be familiar to the reader

Early background information including childhood stories

Marital status

Mention of age, race, religion, sex or national

origin

Health or physical description including height and/or weight

Photographs

Charts or graphs

Salary requirements

Reasons for leaving a former position

Personal pronouns (writing in first person – I, my, me)

Dishonest or misleading statements

SPELLING MISTAKES! GRAMMAR ERRORS!

Frank Eaton 219 Student Union Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078 (405) 744-5000 pete@okstate.edux

REFERENCES Name

Position Company Street Address City, State ZIP Phone Email address (if appropriate) Name Position Company Street Address City, State ZIP Phone Email address (if appropriate) Name Position Company Street Address City, State ZIP Phone Email address (if appropriate)

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VISUAL APPEAL

A COUPLE OF FINAL THOUGHTS…

Save your resume in a format that can be easily altered. Always save a back-up copy on a disk or thumb drive. Use high quality resume paper – get FREE RESUME PAPER at Career Services in 360 Student Union. DON’T FORGET TO PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME!!!

Common fonts used on resumes include: Times New Roman, Ariel, Georgia, and Cambria. Use a font that is not distracting and can be read easily. Font sizes (excluding headers) are typically no smaller than 10 pt. or larger than 12 pt.

Page margins should be evenly distributed and between ½ inch to 1 inch in size.

Be consistent with formatting.

This includes:

Category headers

Alignment

Capitalization

Dates

Font style & size

Use of periods

Bullets

Don’t overuse bullets. They lose their effectiveness if you have too many.

Spell words out when you can. The more formal it looks, the more professional it will look.

Make sure there is evenly distributed white space between categories. White space helps balance the information and makes it easier for the reader to scan parts of the resume.