How to Write Resumes That Get Noticed SIX STEPS to AN
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How to Write Resumes that Get Noticed A resume is a succinct outline of your education, experience, activities, accomplishments and skills as they pertain to your employment goals. Employers may spend only 30 seconds scanning a resume to determine whether your background matches their requirements. So, you need to think of your resume as a marketing tool that demonstrates that your product (you) meets the needs of your potential customer (the employer). Effective resumes get noticed because they: • Emphasize relevant accomplishments and potential contributions • Focus on the skills necessary in a particular field or the requirements of a specific position • Are concise, well-organized and easy to read SIX STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE RESUME Self-Evaluation • Resume writing is different from other styles of writing. If you have never written a resume, start Do not use first-person pronouns (I, me, my) or articles 1 with simple brainstorming to identify some (a, an, the). of the skills and abilities you have to offer a • Do not include your age, gender, religion, political potential employer. affiliation, ethnicity, marital status, social security • Think about your experiences (past and present) number, references or salary expectations/history. including education, coursework, jobs, internships, activities, honors, publications, language skills, study Create Multiple Versions (optional) abroad experiences and community service projects. You may need to have multiple versions • Create a rough outline that covers the past three to 4 of your resume for different industries or five years. types of positions you are interested in. Using industry research as your guide, you can develop Industry Research tailored resumes that emphasize relevant skills pertaining Next, research your field of interest using the to any number of fields. You will also need to create a 2 resources and links available on our website formatted and non-formatted version for various modes to become more familiar with the skills and of distribution (see the information below). abilities employers are seeking in candidates. Edit, Proofread and Critique • Review several job descriptions, on various job-posting This is the most critical step of all and will sites, to help uncover specific needs and keywords in the involve enlisting the assistance of others. industry. In general, all employers will be interested in 5 communication and leadership skills. • Make sure that you have organized your resume so that the most relevant information appears • Keywords are nouns and phrases, industry buzzwords closer to the top of the page. or acronyms used within a particular field. These are often found in the job description or the list of employer • Read each section over carefully and be sure that requirements. If your resume includes some industry you have effectively conveyed the skills, abilities or keywords, it is more likely to be selected. However, only accomplishments you are trying to emphasize. list terms you are familiar with and can answer questions • Proofread for spelling, capitalization or punctuation about during an interview. errors. • Compare your qualifications to the requirements of • Have your resume critiqued by a career adviser and, if employers and decide what to highlight on your resume. possible, others within the field. Write Your First Draft Save in Multiple Formats Follow the general guidelines on the next You will need formatted and non-formatted 3 page and the tips here to create each section 6 versions of your resume for various modes of of your resume. There are also sample distribution. resumes included later in this section that offer a variety • Convert your Word document into a PDF to retain the of formats and styles. original formatting when sending as an attachment. Save • Be concise! Express your qualifications and as yourname.pdf. accomplishments using as few words as possible. • Use Notepad to convert your Word document to a For students and recent graduates with limited work text-only/non-formatted version suitable for copying experience, a one-page resume is recommended. If you and pasting into online applications and into the body have extensive experience, or are applying for graduate/ of an email message (some companies do not accept professional school or academic fellowships, you may attachments). Save as yourname.txt. create a two-page resume or CV. 1 Showcase Your Brand: Writing Accomplishment Statements The point of the resume is to showcase your brand. Your brand is used to demonstrate who you are and what matters most to you. By showcasing your accomplishments on a resume, you can help the prospective employer assess your ability to do the job. Use “Accomplishment Statements” to describe your achievements in the experience section. Quantify your work whenever possible. Avoid generic and vague statements. EXAMPLE Generic, vague statement: Local Philanthropy Society Event Coordinator • Planned charity events Strong, descriptive, quantified statement: Local Philanthropy Society Event Coordinator • Coordinated three fundraising events for local shelters which raised over $8,000 (20% over goal) and greatly improved community awareness Action verb + Protect + Result = Accomplishment Coordinated three fundraising which raised over Coordinated three fundraising events events for local shelters $8,000 (20% over goal) for local shelters which raised over ad greatly improved $8,000 (20% over goal) ad greatly community awareness improved community awareness Try It Yourself! Write an example of an accomplishment statement that showcases the above: Action verb: + Project: + Result: = Accomplishment: 2 Action Verbs Using action verbs will ensure that your experience and qualifications stand out. Make sure to use a variety of strong verbs to showcase your skills. Management debated gathered Helping ordered & Leadership defined identified advised organized administered described inspected advocated prepared appointed discussed interpreted aided processed approved drafted investigated answered purchased assigned edited located assisted recorded attained elicited measured cared for registered authorized enlisted researched coached reserved chaired expressed searched collaborated reviewed consolidated influenced summarized contributed routed contracted informed surveyed cooperated scheduled controlled instructed tested counseled submitted coordinated interacted demonstrated standardized decided interviewed Technical educated systematized delegated involved adapted enabled updated directed joined assembled encouraged validated eliminated judged built ensured verified emphasized lectured constructed expedited enforced listened converted explained Creative enhanced mediated debugged facilitated acted executed moderated engineered familiarize began handled motivated fabricated furthered combined headed negotiated fortified guided conceptualized hired observed installed helped created hosted outlined maintained individualized customized increased participated operated insured designed instituted persuaded programmed intervened developed led presented rectified motivated displayed managed promoted regulated provided drew merged proposed remodeled referred entertained overhauled publicized repaired rehabilitated established oversaw recruited replaced simplified fashioned planned reinforced solved supplied founded prioritized reported specialized supported illustrated produced responded studied taught initiated recommended solicited upgraded trained integrated streamlined specified utilized tutored introduced strengthened spoke volunteered invented supervised suggested Financial/Data modeled terminated synthesized adjusted Organization/ modified translated allocated Detail originated Communication wrote analyzed arranged performed addressed appraised cataloged photographed advertised Research assessed categorized revised arbitrated analyzed audited charted revitalized articulated compared balanced classified shaped authored conducted calculated coded clarified critiqued computed collected Accomplishments communicated detected conserved compiled achieved composed determined corrected distributed completed condensed diagnosed estimated filed expanded conferred evaluated forecasted generated exceeded consulted examined managed implemented improved contacted experimented marketed incorporated pioneered conveyed explored projected logged reduced convinced extracted reconciled monitored resolved corresponded formulated retrieved obtained restored transformed 3 Foundations of a Resume Follow these tips to design a compelling resume Play with format, style and details to match your interest, the job Working on your YOUR NAME and the industry. independent research? [email protected] (no hyperlink/line), 609-258-8387 Your Princeton address here, Princeton, NJ 08544 List topics/titles here! Your home address here, Any Town, FL 01000 EDUCATION Princeton University, Princeton, NJ A.B. in major, certificate (if you have one) Expected June 20__ GPA 3.xx (include GPA if > 3.00, do NOT round up) Honors/Awards: Dean’s List, Golden Key, Honor Roll Relevant coursework (if applicable - no more than 5 upper level classes ) Abroad University, City, Country Spring Semester, 20__ Studied (courses/subjects included) EXPERIENCE Name of Organization,City, State Title Start date - Present • Describe any accomplishments that you achieved at your job Don’t be “passive.” • Explain what you did, how you did it, why you did it, and what the results were Focus on YOUR actions