1. to Sell the Applicant; to Stimulate the Employer Into Wanting To

RESUMES

A resume is a formal written summary of a person's work experience and education. It tells them who you are, what you know, what you can do, what you have done, and what your job objectives are. A resume has three purposes:

1. To sell the applicant; to stimulate the employer into wanting to know more about the applicant.

2. To provide an outline for a job interview. 2 3 3. To remind the employer of the applicant after the job interview.

A winning resume grabs the readers' interest. It shows why they should hire you by focusing on your accomplishments. A resume is an essential job-searching tool used to market or sell yourself to an employer. It should be effortless to read. Each section and each statement should be visually distinct. Do not clutter your resume with extensive personal information. A resume is not an autobiography; it is a sales brochure about your education, skills, work experience and accomplishments. If a resume is too long, too wordy, too cluttered looking, or too disorganized, it gets "filed"--into the wastebasket. As a general rule, include only those things that relate to the job you are seeking-things that demonstrate your ability to do the work.

A resume could be the basis for the questions you are asked in an interview. It can help your prospective employer evaluate the interview, as an organized reminder of what you covered orally. A resume, then, is an important document that deserves careful planning and execution. Therefore, the key is to keep your resume well organized, concise, and easy-to-read. TIPS FOR WRITING RESUMES

 Write your resume yourself; it’s a sample of your work.

 Don’t include everything you’ve ever done, emphasize skills needed for the position you seek. Do not explain why you left jobs and do not repeat information. Always tailor your resume based on your research of the company and the job you seek.

 Keep it Short and Simple, keep sentences brief, and do not write in paragraphs. (Don’t include everything you’ve ever done. Focus only on the past ten to fifteen years.)

 Stress achievements. Be positive and enthusiastic.

 Be honest, do not exaggerate. (If you give false data and are found out, the consequences could be serious. At the very least, you will have seriously damaged your credibility with your employer.)

 Do not list personal references and do not mention salary or wages.

 Keep a one-inch margin on all four sides of the page and double space between sections.

 Avoid fancy type such as outline, shadow, script, or other difficult-to-read styles. (**Remember a resume should be effortless to read.**)

 Bold, Underline, or CAPITALIZE section headings to make them stand out. (Have two versions of your resume: one to read and one to scan. The scannable version should have no bolding, italics or other Formatting—just plain black text on white paper.)

 Proofread for spelling or grammar. (**Have someone else proofread your resume to ensure that it is flawless.**)

 Buy quality paper and use standard 8.5” by 11” paper. Choose white or ivory, avoid flashy paper. (**The content of the resume is what's going to get the interview, not expensive colored paper.**)

2 THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF A RESUME

HEADING

The heading tells the employers where they can reach you. At the top center of the page; type your full name, your complete address with zip code and your telephone number with area code.

JOB OBJECTIVE

If you do not choose an objective, the employers probably will not choose you for an interview. In one short sentence, tell the kind of work you are looking for. For example, "Seeking full-time position in…" If you have no experience, state that you are: "Seeking an entry-level position in…"

EDUCATION

Show that you are capable of learning. Include any apprentice training, military training, vocational school, or colleges. Start with your most recent school or program. However, don’t mention high school unless you just left it.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

List the skills that you possess, that are needed for the position that you are applying for. Some examples of skills would be knowledge in different computer software, operation of office equipment, speaking in front of large groups, etc. Don’t mention skills that you don’t want to use.

WORK EXPERIENCE

If you have never worked, skip this section and move on. (You can still create a resume without having any work experience.) If you do have some work experience-full-time, part-time, casual, civic, volunteer, or charitable-put it in your resume. Focus only on the past ten to fifteen years. Start with your most recent employer. Start with the company name, length of time you were employed (month and year is sufficient), if you are still employed put the date you started to "present", your job title, and the city and state location where you worked for this company. Next you will list your job duties in detail. This is where the "Powerhouse Buzzwords" will be used. Use the Buzzwords to turn your duties into accomplishments. (A list of Powerhouse Buzzwords is located in packet.)

3 MILITARY SERVICE

If you never served in the Armed Forces, skip this section and move on. Under the heading Military Service, give your date of separation, your highest rank and rate, and your branch of service. Include your security clearance, special assignments, special talents, and decorations. List your technical training and on-the-job training under "Education". List your job duties under "Work Experience" and phrase them as accomplishments.

PERSONAL

You do not have to explain your age, sex, race, marital status, family size, handicaps to anyone. That is the law. You do not have to include this section in your resume, it is optional. However, you might want to tell about some of your special talents, skills, interests, accomplishments, or experiences. (This is mostly used on a functional resume.)

REFERENCES

Do not list any references on your resume. Instead, type the phrase, "References Available Upon Request" located at the very end of your resume, centered at the bottom. You should only list references on a job application. Before you do offer anyone's name as a reference, make sure you have that person's explicit permission to do so. However, if you put "References Available Upon Request" on your resume, put together on a separate page, a reference sheet.

A FEW TIPS ON SMOOTHING OUT THE ROUGH SPOTS

If you were fired from a job put the job in your resume. But do not say you were fired. If you were laid-off from a job put the job in your resume also. Being laid-off is nothing to be ashamed of. Do not list your school grades, class rank, or cumulative average unless they are something to be proud of. Put any training programs under "Education".

4 TYPES OF RESUMES

There are several ways to present your qualifications in a resume. The format chosen will determine how to organize information about these qualifications and how it will look on paper. Format means the way something is put together. Two of the most common types of resume formats are functional and chronological.

FUNCTIONAL RESUME

The functional resume focuses on skill groupings; good for first-time workers and career changes. This format is a resume of ability-focused topics. The functional format is oriented toward what the job seeker can do for the employer instead of narrating history. It uses unpaid and nonworking experience to your best advantage.

CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME

This is the best format for those who have considerable work experience or want to change careers. The chronological format is straightforward: It cites your employments from the most recent back, showing dates as well as employers and educational institutions (colleges, vocational-technical schools, and career-oriented programs and courses). You accent a steady work history with a clear pattern of upward or lateral mobility. This format is by far the most popular with employers and recruiters because it seems so, well, up-front.

ELECTRONIC RESUME

An electronic resume is a resume that can be scanned electronically and stored in a company's resume database. The days of sorting and filing resumes are going the way of the typewriter. Now, many businesses are relying on scanners to digitize resumes and save them in the company's database. Instead of an actual person sorting and filing resumes, now computers can sort and electronically file resumes according to pre-determined resume "keywords" that the computer software looks for. When it's time to look for a qualified candidate, the employer can simply go to that database, enter a few keywords and find the best matches for the position. There are two ways to make your resume "electronic." 1. Create your paper resume in an easy-to-digitize format (see Electronic Resume Tips) so it can be scanned and stored easily. 2. Create your own digital resume that can be e-mailed or sent via computer to the employer.

5 ELECTRONIC RESUME TIPS To make your electronic resume scanner-friendly, follow the tips below:

 Steer clear of boldface, bullets, italics, or underlining, as these types of formatting may be hard for a computer to decipher.

 Don’t let your point size go above 14 or below 10. (12 is preferred)

 Use a straight, forward font such as Times New Roman.

 Don’t use colored paper. Print your resume on white or beige paper for the greatest amount of contrast between lines and letters.

 Always put your name on the first line of your resume, this is what the computer will use to identify you.

 Emphasize the nouns (keywords) rather than verbs in your resume, as this will make it easier to select when employers are searching through their resume database.

 Use lots of white space between headings and other text so the computer can recognize separate topics.

 Always use 81/2 x 11-in paper.

 Keep your resume to one page of text.

 Do not fold or staple your resume. Send it, unstapled and unfolded, in a 9 x 12-inch envelope.

INTERNET RESUME An internet resume is an electronic resume that can be loaded into public resumes databases for viewing by a variety of potential employers who have access to the database where your resume is located. Examples of such a database are MonsterBoard and HotJobs. Anyone, anywhere can upload his or her resume into the Monster.com site for viewing by an employer searching for an employee. The employer can search according to location or with keywords such as “public relations” or “mechanical engineering.” Most of these online resume databases will have their own resume formats that you simply have to plug information into. But it’s helpful to have your resume completed and Internet-friendly before using the site’s resume builder because in many instances you can cut and past information into the site’s different sections. Remember, that anyone can read your resume after it is posted on an online resume database. Once it is out of your hands, you can’t stop people from looking at it. Try to put your resume on sites that give you the option to change or update your resume as needed, so potential employers aren’t reading an erroneous resume.

6 INTERNET RESUME TIPS

 When putting your resume into the job bank, use asterisk instead of bullets, capital letters rather than bolded words, and a series of dashes for text separations.

 If an employer contacts you after reading your resume from an Internet resume database such as Monster.com, ask if they would like to be mailed a printed copy so you can include a cover letter.

 Be sure to list the job title or reference number as the subject in a cover letter-this is how the company identifies both you and the job.

 Use your phone number and e-mail address rather than your home address, as job bank resumes are public documents.

KEYWORDS FOR ELECTRONIC AND INTERNET RESUMES

Keywords are the nouns in your resume that computers use to "file" you in its database. Keywords should be nouns and phrases that emphasize your skills and job training, rather than the action verbs you use on a paper resume. These can be words such as "good communication skills," "product management," or "team leader." These words should emphasize things such as your skills set as it pertains to the job, any degrees you hold, your previous job titles, personal traits, etc. Employers search their resume database by doing a specific keyword search. If your resume has the correct keywords, then an employee should have no trouble locating your resume.

A good place to look for specific keywords is the newspaper's classified ads section. Search the ads for positions similar to the one you are applying for, and see which keywords occur frequently. Work these into your resume for maximum keyword usage. To maximize keyword exposure, use different variations of the same word within your resume. For example, use both "editing" and "editor" at different places on your resume. Also, if you mention "PR," then put "public relations" on your resume as well.

Keep the list of keywords down to a reasonable length, use the ones that describe you, and put the most important keywords first. Listing off too many keywords could confuse the computer and make you LESS marketable. Also, don't use keywords just for the sake of using them. Make sure you actually possess the traits you are putting on your resume-eventually, you'll have to prove your talents and it won't look good if you're lying to an employer.

7 FUNCTIONAL RESUME SAMPLE Tammy Hernandez 1234 Avenue A Big City, TX 77777 Home (111) 222-3333 [email protected]

OBJECTIVE Seeking a position as a bilingual office assistant.

EDUCATION Texas Community College – Texas City, TX Associate of Arts - Business Administration - June, 1998 Overall GPA 3.70

QUALIFICATIONS  Speak and write Spanish fluently  Outstanding technical, customer service and organizational skills

TECHNICAL SKILLS  Proficient in Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, and PowerPoint on Windows or Mac  Tested at typing speed of 60 words per minute

CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS  Earned tips averaging 20% because of friendly, courteous and prompt, quality service in a pressure-filled environment.  Selected to train new hires because of communication and leadership abilities  Recognized for ability to calm and assist irate customers  Had choice of assignments as most sought-after babysitter in the neighborhood

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS  Oversaw production of monthly newsletter, meeting every deadline  Coordinated activities for children, ensuring that they ate, played and studied according to their parents’ specifications  Managed finances for own business, from fee setting to tax paying

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Waiter Sam’s Diner - Big City, TX April 1997 – August 1998 Babysitter Self-employed – Big City, TX May 1993 – Present

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS Assistant Editor West Texas High School Gazette September 1997 – May 1998 Treasurer Spanish Club September 1997 – May 1998 Responsible, dependable and hard-working

8 CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME SAMPLE

Tammy Hernandez 1234 Avenue A Big City, TX 77777 Home (409) 111-2222 [email protected]

OBJECTIVE To obtain a technical position with an established company in which my present experience and education in information technology may be applied.

EDUCATION Lamar State College – Port Arthur, TX Associate of Applied Science – Computer Information Systems – May, 2000 Certification as an MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer) – March, 2000

TECHNICAL SKILLS  Net Essentials  NT 4 Workstation  NT 4 Server  NT 4 Server – Enterprise  TCP/IP

WORK HISTORY

Lamar State College – Port Arthur, TX February 1999 – Present Lab Assistant

Responsibilities included ghosting hard drives, maintaining approximately 250 removable hard drives and 35 workstations. Help configure and maintain several Microsoft Servers, perform inventory control and trouble shoot hardware and software problems as needed.

STRENGTHS

 Team Player/Leader  Supervision Experience  Problem Solving/Decision Making Abilities  Diverse Computer Skills  High Work Ethic  Attendance  Honesty

References Available Upon Request

9 COMMON RESUME MISTAKES CHECKLIST

 Is the resume too wordy? Have I edited statements down to a few words, powerful words, short words?

 Is the layout attractive and open?

 Is my Job Objective specific? Short enough?

 Have I checked the spelling of the entire resume?

 Have I given too much information (such as company address, phone number, supervisor's name, titles, ZIP codes, and so on?)

 Does the layout I am using flow? Or does it jerk and dart from one part of the page to another?

 Does the information sound like I am bragging about myself, rather than presenting hard facts and undoctored information?

 Have I correctly removed all proper names that show a political religious or philosophical preference?

 Have I kept the length down to 2 pages or less?

 Have I converted highly technical language into easy-to-read words, based on the person who will be reading and reviewing this resume?

10 "POWERHOUSE BUZZWORDS"

LEADERSHIP/ CHANGE/ EVALUATION DECISION SUPERVISION REORGANIZATION assess choose Administer adapt analyze decide conduct adjust conceive determine control change conceptualize enlist coordinate improve compare resolve delegate propose define select demonstrate reconcile estimate order direct revamp examine guide revise forecast COMMUNICATION instruct inspect consult lead CHANGE/ALTER interpret contact manage cut observe explain monitor eliminate pinpoint interview oversee expand recommend investigate program increase review lecture schedule reduce project negotiate supervise remodel solve teach train survey train CHANGE/ update ASSISTANCE INFLUENCE WRITTEN advise convince DEMONSTRATION COMMUNI- assist encourage demonstrate CATION carry out innovate exhibit edit consult with motivate illustrate record guide negotiate perform research help promote present report notify persuade prove summarize observe stimulate show perform support FUNCTIONAL support ACHIEVEMENT ACTION attain assemble CREATIVITY/ PUT TOGETHER achieve clean ORIGINALITY assemble complete keep conceive build deal (with) file create compile effect open design coordinate master operate develop engage produce pack establish implement participate (in) produce expand maintain provide program generate organize run implement plan EFFICIENCY receive initiate prepare accelerate ship introduce research expedite sell invent select apply process launch structure maintain type open gather reinforce organize originate produce set up

11 TEST FOR READABILITY

 Upper- and lower-case letters, not all-capital letters.

 Adequate leading, or spacing, between lines or items or job descriptions or sections.

 Wide margins (1 inch on each side, and at the top and bottom).

 No hyphenated words and no split phrases.

 Indentations consistent and used where necessary for clarity.

 Proper names of more than one word kept on the same line.

 Phrases not sentences.

 Phrases that begin with action verbs.

 Short phrases or sentences throughout the entire resume.

 Few or no abbreviations and very careful use of them.

12 RESUME WORKSHEET

PERSONAL Name______INFORMATION Address______Telephone______

OBJECTIVE ______

EDUCATION School______Dates______

QUALIFICATIONS ______

EXPERIENCE Employer______Title______Detailed work experience______

Employer______Title______Detailed work experience______

AFFILIATIONS OR ______MEMBERSHIPS ______

References Available Upon Request