“Righting” Your Résumé

www.msubillings.edu/careers

Résumé writing is Essay Writing!

Résumé Objective = Essay Thesis Résumé Evidence = Education + Work

Experience + Volunteer Experience + Special Skills (software, languages, supervision, etc.)

Résumé References = Essay Conclusion

Résumé Formats

Chronological: most recent experience first

Functional: organize around job functions

Use O*NET OnLinehttp://online.onetcenter.org

Chronological Functional

Fits a “traditional” history of work and education

Focus is on dates Most common format

Shifts focus to skills and abilities, not “where you were, when”

Minimizes dates and gaps in your history

Organize “your” Data

Addresses: (permanent & temp), phone + email

Educational history: degrees, dates, gpa’s

College & community activities + awards

Work exp, most recent first

Personal: ONLY IF related to job

Reference information

Objective Statement

Serves as “thesis statement”Focuses résumé contentForces you to be selective & succinct Enables employer to match you with

your targeted jobIs “action” oriented

Sample Objective Statements

To secure an internship in a full-service mortgage banking company.

Seeking employment in the management trainee program of a private printing company.

To obtain a full-time auditing position with a “Big 4” accounting firm.

Action-packed from A to Z!

Use verbs to show initiative: acted, balanced, communicated, designed, eliminated, formulated, generated, helped, improved, judged, kept, led, mediated, negotiated, operated, prepared, questioned, reduced, sold, taught, updated, viewed, wrote, x-rayed, yielded, zeroed in on!

Personal Data is Discriminatory!Focus on job qualifications

NOT age, height, weight, physical appearance

NOT social security number, home ownership info, or creditworthiness

NOT social groups, clubs, organizations

NOT parental or marital status or childcare for your children

NOT medical history

Choose References with Care!

Provide references with copy of your résumé.

Verify they will say excellent things about your performance!

“Ghost write” the recommendation.

Electronic Résumé Format

Use fonts such as: Comic Sans, Times, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana.

Avoid decorative font!Use normal type size, 11 to 14 points.Max is 65 characters per line.

Avoid graphics or Avoid graphics or shadingshading. Avoid bold, italics and underliningDo not use bullets or lines. LEFT JUSTIFY TEXT.Check it out! Email to yourself/a friend before sending to employers.

Avoid Résumé Mistakes!Identified by 2012 survey of 2,500 recruiters

Spelling errors, typos, poor grammar Dates not included or inaccurate Contact info missing, inaccurate, or

unprofessional: beerguzzler@hotmail.com Poor formatting, unnecessary headers &

footers, boxes, etc. Failure to describe accomplishments & how

they were achieved

Letter of Application

Personalized and customized to each vacancy

Highlights skills & abilities with point-by-point response to vacancy announcement

Error-free High quality print White or off-white

stationery: letter, résumé & envelope

Same font as résumé Signature in blue or

black ink

Your Résumé is Right!

Use spelling & grammar checker; find “objective eyes” to edit.

Quantify: add numbers to explain how much, how many, how vast your experience is.

Print on high quality printer. Aesthetics are key: font, symmetry, format =

“The Look.”

Montana State University BillingsUniversity Campus: LIB 100 657.2168

City College: Jacket Student Central 247.3006

www.msubillings.edu/careers

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