Career Services
Resume Writing Guide
A resume is a marketing tool. You use it to sell yourself to a potential employer. It shows your achievements, attributes, strengths and cumulation of expertise. It never contains negative information or weaknesses. The primary purpose of the resume is to obtain an interview.
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Writing Resumes and Cover Letters
| Do Include: | Do Not Include: |
- Name, address & telephone number
- Education:
degree, name of institution, city, and state, major(s),minor(s), date of graduation.
- Experience:
job
titles, company name, city, state, responsibilities achievements,
employment duties. May include volunteer experiences, field
experiences, co-ops, internships, and summer employment.
- Activities:
professional, educational, or civic organizational involvement and leadership responsibilities.
- Computer Experience
|
- Reference List:
This should be on separate sheet. Note on resume "References available upon request."
- Salary expectations:
This will be discussed in a later interview or in a job offer setting.
- Nonrelevant personal information:
age, sex, marital status, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, social security number, or health status.
- Photograph
- Lies, exaggerations,or misrepresentations
|
|
Optional Categories: |
Appearance |
- Job Objective
- Travel
- Honors & Awards
- Relevant Course
- Work Publications
- Patents Accreditation & License
- Languages
- Military Experience
- Professional Training
|
-
Attractive and easy to read: Use capital letters, bullets, underlining, highlighting, appropriate margins, andspacing
-
Consistency in graphics
-
Use block form: Having plenty of white space
-
Concise: One page recommended for the new or recent college graduate
-
Free of spelling, grammatical, and typograpical errors.
-
Computer produced using quality printer
-
Print on neutral color paper: Off-white or Ivory.
|
Key Words
The
words that you use to describe your experience, accomplishments and
other categories should convey skills that you have developed and what
you have to offer an employer. To do this you need to use strong
power verbs and self-descriptive words. This will help to get the
potential employer's attention but beware of sounding boastful or
arrogant when using these words. In addition to using power verbs make
certain that you use concise phrases, instead of complete sentences,
and quantify as often as possible.
Power Verbs
|
Management Skills
administered analyzed
assigned
attained
chaired
consolidated
contracted
coordinated
delegated
developed
directed
evaluated
executed
improved
increased
organized
oversaw
planned
prioritized
produced
recommended
reviewed
scheduled
strengthened
supervised |
Communication Skills
addressed
arbitrated
arranged
authored
collaborated
convinced
corresponded
developed
directed
drafted
edited
enlisted
formulated
influenced
interpreted
lectured
mediated
moderated
negotiated
persuaded
promoted
publicized
reconciled
recruited
spoke
translated
wrote |
Research Skills
clarified
collected
critiqued
diagnosed
evaluated
examined
extracted
identified
inspected
interpreted
interviewed
investigated
organized
reviewed
summarized
surveyed
systematized |
|
Technical Skills
assembled
built
calculated
computed
designed
devised engineered
fabricated
maintained
operated
overhauled
programmed
remodeled
repaired
solved
upgraded |
Teaching Skills
adapted
advised
clarified
coached
communicated
coordinated
demystified
developed
enabled
encouraged
evaluated
explained
facilitated
guided
informed
instructed
persuaded
set goals
stimulated
trained |
Financial Skills
administered
allocated
analyzed
appraised
audited
balanced
budgeted
calculated
computed
developed
forecasted
managed
marketed
planned
projected
researched |
|
Creative Skills
acted
conceptualized
created
customized
designed
developed
directed
established
fashioned
founded
illustrated
initiated
integrated
introduced
invented
originated
performed
planned
revitalized |
Helping Skills
assessed
assisted
clarified
coached
counseled
demonstrated
diagnosed
educated
expedited
facilitated
familiarized
guided
motivated
referred
rehabilitated
represented |
Clerical/ Detail Skills
approved
arranged
catalogued
classified
collected
compiled
dispatched
executed
generated
implemented
inspected
monitored
operated
organized
prepared
processed
purchased
recorded
retrieved
screened
specified
systematized
tabulated
validated |
Cover letter format
| Do: | Don't |
- Send a cover letter with every resume
- Address letter to specific person and title
- Type each letter individually
- Have only 1 page, containing 3-4 paragraphs
- Sign your name
|
- Address to just title or department
- Be pushy or assuming
- Mass-produce
|
Elements of a Cover Letter
(What You Should Include)
Your Street Address
City, State, Zip Code
Current Date
Ms. Betty Williams
Assistant Director
Jefferson Industries, Inc.
2434 Broadway St.
Charleston, VA 24611
Dear Ms. Williams:
The opening paragraph should state why you are writing and why you are interested in the organization. If you are writing a letter of application, you should name the position for which you are applying and tell the employer how you became aware of it. A letter of inquiry should provide evidence of your career-mindedness; it helps to refer to specific job functions, if not titles. If you were referred
to the employer by someone such as a career counselor,a former
employer, or an aunt, this is also the best place to mention that person's name and to point out that he or she suggested you write.
The middle paragraph is where you draw attention to your resume and highlight specific skills relevant to the potential employer. Present your motives for seeking employment with this organization and cite achievements and qualifications related to the position desired. If you have qualifications that are not noted on your resume, this is your opportunity to discuss them.
The closing paragraph states what you will do next (such as calling to arrange an interview at the employer's convenience)or what you would like the recipient of the letter to do next. An assertive statement
explaining what you plan to do and what you hope the employer will do
is harder to ignore than a vague request for consideration.
Sincerely,
(Signature Here)
Your Name Typed
Enclosure (This indicates that your resume or additional materials are enclosed.)
