Having a resume is not only the traditional norm of providing employers with your employment and/or educational history, but also a great way to showcase what skills or attributes you are willing to bring to the workplace.
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Writing A Résumé
- Have you taken a lot of time off work or learned skills off the job?
- Are you unsure of how to explain that time or experience on a resume?
- Do you feel uncertain about how to "sell" your talents and knowledge?
Putting together a résumé will help you organize information so an employer can quickly look at your history. There is no one way to put together a résumé but the guidelines below will help you include key information and highlight your strengths and experiences.
Drafting Your Résumé
The first step in creating a résumé is to plan what you want to include. Think about what job experiences you have, skills you have developed and how these things will help you at your new job.
Make a list of all paid and unpaid jobs you have had. Include in your list: when you had the job, who your employer was, what your title was and what you accomplished.
Write down the education you have had after high school, including college classes and degrees, training courses, licenses, certificates and any other learning experiences you might have.
Write down any skills or special knowledge you may have, including languages spoken, experience with computers, ability to use special tools or machinery, etc.
Consider unique knowledge or skills you gained while raising children, caring for family members, volunteering or during other personal experiences.
Create a professional e-mail address where potential employers can contact you. It should contain some combination of your name and initials, but do not use nicknames or silly words or phrases. Get your own free e-mail account at www.hotmail.com, www.yahoo.com or at mail.google.com.
Résumé Formats
There are different ways of organizing your information in differnt types of résumés. Different résumé formats can highlight strengths, such as numerous work experiences, or downplay weaknesses, such as being out of the workforce. Choose between the "reverse chronological" and the "functional" résumé styles. Each style has benefits and disadvantages. Use the one that best fits your life and work experiences.
Functional
- Useful for people with breaks in employment history and skills. A functional résumé shows experience not evident in a "reverse chronological" resume.
- Focuses attention on accomplishments and minimizes emphasis on jobs.
- Lists skills and special knowledge without reference to employment.
- Lets you explain openly why you want a certain job or why you think your skills and experience would benefit a certain organization.
- Useful for people with a steady employment history.
- Lists experiences from most to least recent.
- Shows responsibilities and accomplishments at each job.
- Displays educational and professional accomplishments.
- Lists your future employment goals.
- Does not show off skills, experience, and knowledge gained off the job.
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Résumé Tips
- Fit your résumé onto one page. Prospective employers will only glance over it at first.
- Make all your important information clear and concise. Say what you mean in a few well-chosen, specific words. When describing your work, list your accomplishments, not your duties.
- Describe your accomplishments and skills using powerful, action words. Try words like "direct," "analyze," "manage," "examine," and "develop."
- Tell the truth. Making false claims on your résumé can only hurt you.
- Use one professional looking, easy to read type style for your whole résumé. Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman type styles are all good choices.
- Do not repeat the same words. Think of other words that have similar meanings. Check out the free online dictionary at www.dictionary.com and thesaurus at www.thesaurus.com.
- Keep it simple. Many résumés are submitted through the Internet and companies will scan the text into their system. Too many bold, italicized or underlined words may not scan as you want.
- Check your résumé before sending it to employers. Pay attention to the details and make sure information is correct. Follow the checklist below to avoid mistakes.
- Proofread! Check over your résumé many times looking for spelling and grammar errors. Make sure you have used the same formatting throughout.
- Have a close friend or relative look it over for you. He or she might find mistakes you missed.
- Tailor your résumé for each organization or each job type. You can emphasize experiences and skills relevant to each organization or position. Tailoring your résumé will show you understand their organization.
- Print your finished résumé on high quality paper if you are mailing it to the prospective employer. Select an 8-½" x 11" paper that is a bit heavier than standard paper; weights between 20 pound and 50 pound are most often used. White, beige and gray are common choices since neutral colors communicate a professional tone. This paper can be bought at a bookstore or an office supply store. You can also photocopy your résumé onto nicer paper at a copy store and usually you can buy matching envelopes.
Sample of a Functional Résumé
Sample of a Reverse Chronological Résumé
Instructions On How These Samples Were Built