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Résumé WritingRésumé Writing

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•Be truthful - State your abilities accurately.

•Target your audience - Highlight skills and activities relevant to the job.

•Keep it brief - Limit your resume to one or two pages, and use fewer words for scannability.

•Write and rewrite - Plan to write several versions of your resume before it feels right.

•Be professional - Print your resume on high-grade paper using a quality printer.

•Be accurate - Proofread your resume (and have a friend do the same) for any errors.

•Follow up -  Call or send a letter to the employer to restate your interest in the position.

Before you start, Before you start, remember…remember…

Here are some basic types of résumés:

•ChronologicalChronological

•FunctionalFunctional

•CombinationCombination

Types of Types of RésumésRésumés

Chronological RésumésRésumés

Chronological resumes present information in a timeline approach.

The most recent work or educational experience is listed first, followed by the next most recent.

This is the most common type of resume. It illustrates how you have made progress towards your career objective through your employment history.

This type of resume is best if you have demonstrated experience within your desired career field. It highlights the positions you have held and the companies for which you have worked.

Chronological RésumésChronological Résumés

Emphasizes work history — where you worked and when.

Easy for employers to scan.

Often used by job seekers with steady work experience in their desired career field.

ELIZABETH DUSHANE

5555 Lakewood Road Warren, OH 44481

(330) 555-5555

OBJECTIVE: Mechanical Engineer ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE: Industrial Engineer 1998-2007 Tool Incorporated, Warren, OH

Designed a plant layout for the shipping department Developed a multi-step shipping process improvement plan

Design Engineer 1995-1998 Mechanical Systems, Columbus, OH

Developed a complete safety package for a robot loader Designed hydraulic double stack lift Redesigned dairy open style conveyor Trained 10 engineers on AutoCAD Rev. 12 Evaluated and purchased machine components

HVAC Engineer Assistant 1990-1995 Engineering Consultants, Columbus, OH

Prepared building and equipment bid specifications Evaluated HVAC equipment options Incorporated EPA and OSHA regulations into safety procedures Created working drawings on AutoCAD Rev. 1

MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE: Supervisor 1987-1990 College Police Department, Cincinnati, OH

Supervised more than 50 student security personnel Maintained security accounts and budgets Interviewed, hired, field trained and conducted performance appraisals Prepared 25-page monthly report

Manager 1986-1988 Building Management Co., Cincinnati, OH

Maintained and performed building improvements EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science Degree: Mechanical Engineering 1986-1990 Minor: Engineering Management University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH Course Work: Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, HVAC, Machine Design, Fluid Power, IBM Compatible AutoCAD 12, FORTRAN, Lotus and Quattro Pro

Chronological RésumésChronological Résumés

Pros and ConsPros and Cons

Pros:

Many employers and recruiters expect and prefer this format

Employers can easily scan chronological resumes

Provides a straightforward history of your work experiences

Cons:

Can demonstrate a lack of work experience

Will show any gaps in employment history

Employers can guess your age if you include older experiences

Functional RésumésFunctional RésumésWith a functional resume, you can showcase the work experience that is most important to your career objective. It highlights more relevant skills instead of position titles.

Functional resumes are useful for: • Those with very diverse experiences that don't add up to a clear-cut career path.

• College students with minimal experience and/or experience unrelated to their chosen career field.

• Career-changers who wish to enter a field very different from what all their previous experience points to.

• Those with gaps in their work history, such as homemakers who took time to raise and family and now wish to return to the workplace.

• Job-seekers whose predominate or most relevant experience has been unpaid, such as volunteer work or college activities (coursework, class projects, extracurricular organizations, and sports).

Pros:

•Provides a flexible approach

•De-emphasizes lack of experience in a field

•Minimizes possible age discrimination  

Cons:

•Employers may expect the chronological format

Functional RésumésFunctional Résumés

Pros and ConsPros and Cons

Combination RésumésCombination Résumés

Combination resumes merge the chronological and functional styles. They present the knowledge, skills and abilities gained from work in a reverse-chronological order.

This resume type highlights your skills and experiences. The combination type of resume is best if you:

- Wish to include volunteer or internship experience

- Have a varied employment history

- Are changing careers

Pros:

•Provides employers with the expected chronological format

•Highlights your skills

Cons:

•Can be repetitious if similar functions or skills are utilized in different positions

•May be longer than the chronological and functional formats

Combination RésumésCombination Résumés

Pros and ConsPros and Cons

Style RemindersStyle Reminders

•Complete sentences are not necessary. Market yourself with action verbs, careful use of white space, and emphasis on indentation.

•One-inch margins and a balance of content in the body make your resume more readable. Be consistent in all resume design, text, and punctuation decisions. Be professional!

Style RemindersStyle Reminders

Key points to remember:

•Use a readable font rather than one that is decorative.

•Maintain font sizes between 10 and 14.

•White is still considered the best choice of paper color.

•Avoid unnecessary graphics and shading.

•Use laser printing on high quality paper.

•Make sure photocopies of your resume are clean and

sharp.

•Never handwrite your resume!

Items of Controversy - Avoid listing political affiliation, controversial employers or activities, or religious beliefs. Follow this rule unless you are applying for a political, activist, or religious job.

Personal Information - Listing your age, height, weight, race, ethnicity, or marital status is not necessary. It may provide open invitations for discrimination.

Personal References - Remove personal references from your resume. It is assumed you have references.

Salary Requirements - Do not mention your salary desires or wage history.

Errors - Check your resume several times for accuracy, consistency, correct use of grammar, and spelling. Stick with a single verb tense. Have someone proofread your resume.

Résumé Don’ts

Other ResourcesOther Resources

The information in this presentation can be found athttp://www.careeronestop.org/ResumesInterviews

For more help on writing a resume, visit these other great sites!

http://www.jobstar.org/tools/resume/samples

http://www.quintcareers.com/resume

http://www.careerlab.com

http://www.thebeehive.org