RESUME BASICS KUC 316 | 11a.m. to 12 p.m.

Bill Fletcher, DirectorCareer Development Center

http://www.mtsu.edu/~career

CDC Resume Writing Guide: http://career.web.mtsu.edu/ResumeGuide.pdf

Career Countdown: Prepared or Scared?

Program Description:Do you know how to keep your resume out of the trash can and in the loop? Well Bill Fletcher does. Come hear the Director of the Career Development Center discuss what recruiters and software programs look for on resumes.

Purpose of the Resume

One (or two) page summary of your education, experiences, and skills for a potential employer.

Requires hours of work and several revisions to develop to its most effective form.

Should highlight your qualifications for a particular position or career field

Focuses attention on your qualifications and achievements and on the contributions you can make to the employer.

Is not the only tool in your job search, but is a primary one.

Do not get you jobs - but help get you interviews.

Is NOT a biographical summary of your life - only selected parts.

Resume Formats

Chronological -Data is organized in reverse time sequence; most recent education and work experience first moving to oldest. Action skill statements are listed for each position. This format is used most often

Functional - Data is organized according to groups of skills. Uses major skill headings and omits the dates, employers, and positions. This format is rarely used!!!

Combination or Hybrid - is a combination of chronological and functional formats. Data is organized according to groups of skills and a brief employment history is included with employers, positions and dates listed. This can be helpful for people who already have some experience and/or are making a career change.

Typical Sections Used(in a chronological resume)

• Identification• Objective• Education• Experience (Related, Additional, Intern,

Co-op, etc.)• Activities (Campus or Community)• Reference Statement

Optional Sections(in a chronological resume)

• Related Courses• Research/Senior Thesis• Honors and Awards• Skills or Qualifications Summary• Professional Affiliations• Special Skills or Training• Volunteer/Intern/Clinicals• Publications• Military

Chronological = chrono meaning time and logical meaning the order or way in which the information is presented.

Using the “FAT” Formula

When writing your resume, it should be:Focused - a focused resume delivers a strong and consistent message about an individual’s skills, strengths and potential. Accomplishment-oriented - communicates success and achievement, then ties those in with that individual’s current career objective. Tidy - is distinguished by a well-organized and easy-to-read presentation that delivers essential information in a quick 20-second overview.

~Louise Kursmark, CPRW

To Object or Not?

Resume writers often get mixed messages over whether to have an objective or not.

What are some Pros and Cons?

Cons:• Wastes space• Vague, Fluffy• Doesn’t add anything• Poorly written• General “Give me a job”

Pros:• Can direct reader’s attention• Tie following info together• Focus• Better relate transferable skills

How To Write a GOOD Objective?

An Objective can focus on any three areas or a combination: Skills Field Position

NEVER use a resume to apply for a position when the Objective doesn’t match! (see previous Cons section)

Can/should a job searcher have more than one resume? Depends!

[Degree or skill area] candidate with experience in [job strength], [job strength], and [job strength], seeks career in [industry/job environment].

Objective Examples• Opportunity to fully utilize industrial engineering and process engineering while working for a midsize

manufacturing firm. • A position in the actuarial field where analytical and quantitative skills will be utilized • Education candidate with proven experience in the classroom and creating lesson plans seeks position teaching

Biology and/or other life science at the secondary level. • Seek a position as a sales representative with a consumer products organization which will lead to sales

management • To enter the field of computer applications with emphasis in designing and developing computer programs • Seek a position as a design engineer with advancement to planning and project administration • A position in electrical engineering concentrating on the design and development of electronic systems

implementing integrated circuits and microprocessor control • Concrete Industry Management degreed candidate with experience working in a ready mixed operation as well ‐

as proficiency conducting materials testing and troubleshooting problems and excellent communication and computer skills seeks Quality Control Manager position with Concrete Supply of Topeka.

• Recording Industry candidate with Spanish minor and customer service experience seeks career in record promotions.

• Public Relations candidate with experience writing news releases and computer proficiencies in Quark and Adobe Photoshop seeks position in Graphic Design.

• Electronic Media degreed candidate with experience in television writing, editing and production seeks career in news industry.

Focused

Using the “FAT” Formula, how do you focus?

Well written Objective Decide which sections to use & how (relevant courses, senior

thesis, activities). Which courses do you list, how do they match rest of resume? Are activities listed or do they describe skills important to field?

Choose language - a resume written for a mgmt. position in HR may use different language than one for a purchasing mgr.

Types of Skills

Work Content Skills

Nouns—Data, People, Things; Specific Knowledge

Examples:• SPSS software• Writing Press Releases• Taking Blood Pressures• Conducting counseling

intake sessions• Utilizing sales

techniques

Self Management Skills (or Personality Attributes)

Adjectives & Adverbs;Describe yourself and your actions; Ask “how”

Examples:• Clearly• Helpful• Concisely• Energetically• Friendly

How do you referee soccer games? Fairly. Energetically.

Transferable Skills (or functional)

Verbs; Ask “What” or “Who” after; answer will be a noun or work content skill

Examples: • Coordinated…• Analyzed…• Developed…• Implemented…• Wrote…

Implemented what?

Accomplishment Oriented

• Well written Action Skill statements• Action verbs (developed, implemented, coordinated…)

• Present tense if currently doing it; past tense otherwise• Quantify as well as qualify• Write specifically, not generally• Use language similar to the field targeted• Bullets preferred

How to make your resume Accomplishment Oriented? Experience, employment, internship, and activities (if explained)

sections should be described in the following way:

Effective Use of Keywords

Don’t Forget the Nouns• Vast majority of keywords are nouns. • Action Skill statements begin with an action verb and should answer the question, “What?”• Nouns should be the skills and experience the employer is looking for in a candidate. • More specifically, keywords can be precise "hard" skills or work-content skills.

In the following examples, the underlined nouns are the keywords that relate to the action indicated by the verbs:

• Conducted cross-functional management for initial and follow-up contact. • Coordinated marketing campaigns and special events. • Managed customer database, product updates, and upgrades. • Functioned in project-management role. • Oversaw procurement, allocation, distribution control, stock levels, and cost

compilation/analysis.

Employers are inundated with resumes from job seekers. They have to rely on technology to help them store and then locate resumes. They use software that stores resumes in databases that use key word searches to locate potential candidates. Most Fortune 1000 companies use this technology.

Source: Quint Careers.com - Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers: http://www.quintcareers.com/resres.html

Keyword Examples

• Job-specific skills• Profession specific skills• Industry-specific skills• Technological terms• Technical expertise

(hardware ,software )• Awards • Job titles• Certifications• Names of products/services

• Industry buzzwords/jargon• Types of degrees• Names of colleges• Company names• Terms that tend to impress

(Fortune 500) • Even area codes, for narrowing

down searches geographically• Names of professional

organizations

Source: Quint Careers.com - Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers: http://www.quintcareers.com/resres.html

Action Skill Statements

Consider the following vague example. Pretty impressive, eh?

BURGER-IN-A-BAG Nashville, TNCrew Chief January 2007 - February 2008• Worked fast food.• Waited on customers.

What are the work-content skills? What are the transferable skills? What are the self-management skills?

Extreme Example

BURGER-IN-A-BAG Nashville, TNCrew Chief January 2003 - February 2004• Worked in fast-paced environment.• Cross-trained in various areas from preparations to customer service.• Demonstrated flexibility by accepting changing work assignments at a

moments notice.• Worked in a team oriented environment with a focus on customer

satisfaction.• Utilized interpersonal and problem solving skills in handling customer

complaints.• Supervised front line staff of approximately 4-7 employees.• Trained new staff in various functional areas.

Why Extra-Curricular Activities?

Consider this from an employer:

• “We're looking for individuals who have developed their skills not only in the classroom or on the job but also in the community - on a club or team, by themselves or as part of an organization.

• Candidates are evaluated in equal measure by their academic history, work experience and extra-curricular activities.

• Much like the work experience section of your resume, list your extra-curricular activities from most to least recent, so that readers can quickly establish what you have done and how long you have done it.”

Involvement/Campus Activities

• Site Leader, Alternative Spring Break, Led a group of 12 students on a 10 day service trip to rural Appalachia. March 2006.

• President, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), MTSU. Founded campus chapter, organized meetings, and recruited new members. Member since fall 2006.

• Customs Leader, Freshman Orientation, Selected through a competitive application and interview process to be one of 20 student leaders. Led a group of 10-12 incoming MTSU freshmen in orientation activities. Facilitated discussions about transitioning from high school to college. August 2007.

• MTSU Students for Science, Taught science at local elementary schools in Murfreesboro using creative science experiments. 2007-2008.

Tidy

• Are the sections well organized?• Does it make sense? Logical?• Does the formatting facilitate or complicate reading

of the resume?• Is grammar & spelling perfect?• Does it pass the 30 second test?• Are you making the reader “work” to get the

necessary, specific information from the resume?

Tips

• Put yourself in the employer’s shoes, what would you look for in a resume?

• Brainstorm and write, then edit later.• Have others review your resume.• Rely on your research of your chosen

field to guide you in your writing.

Use of the Resume

• Distribute at a career fair?• Give to an individual when networking?• Upload into a recruiting system?• Apply through corporate web site?• Post on an “open” web site?

Common Mistakes by MTSU Students

• No name, email or phone number• Pictures and/or graphics; color and/or gray or half tones• MS Word Templates• Personal information (age, birthday, gender, etc.)• Vague, nondiscript• Poor organization of content; focus on the irrelevant• Blank lines that create second blank page when uploaded into system• Personal pronouns; written as a letter• Wrong tense for action skill statement or no action skill statements at all• Fluff objectives• Multiple pages and/or not balanced on the page; inefficient word-wrapping• Focus on dates not content• If legitimately more than one page, no name and page number on second page• Unnecessary information (type 70 wpm)• Listing, but not explaining; not using field/industry language• Putting references on the resume• Use of non-supported fonts and symbols

Results of resumes uploaded into LJS on 3/13/09: 18 resumes total 4 okay 1 good 13 need significant

improvement

Does Your Resume Pass the Wordle Test?

Wordle Exercise – a fun way to look at your resume• The importance of strategic resume writing: Is your professional identity clearly

evident in your resume? Is it clear that you are a teacher, PR specialist, journalist, counselor, etc.?

• Go to www.wordle.net/ . • Click on the “create your own”• Copy and paste your resume into the Wordle window and then click "Go". • The word cloud indicates the essence of their resume, the bolder and larger words

should reflect your professional identity. If you can't tell who you are professionally from the word cloud, the you need to re-work the resume using more relevant industry language or more competently highlight relevant experience.

• This will help you to visually see what skills and experiences an employer will see in your resume at a quick glance.

Wordle Example – CIS Major

Eye Halve a Spelling ChequerEye halve a spelling chequerIt came with my pea seaIt plainly marques four my revueMiss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a wordAnd weight four it two sayWeather eye am wrong oar writeIt shows me strait a weigh. As soon as a mist ache is maidIt nose bee fore two longAnd eye can put the error riteIts rarely ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw itI am shore your pleased two noIts letter perfect in it's weighMy chequer tolled me sew.

Resources:

• MTSU Resume Writing Guide: www.mtsu.edu/~careers | Resources | Resume/Letter Writing

• Quint Careers.com - Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers: http://www.quintcareers.com/resres.html