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Resume Writing Workshop: Guidelines, Tips, and Examples

Learn the general guidelines, preliminary research, and various styles of resume writing in this comprehensive workshop. Discover how to make your resume stand out and showcase your value to potential employers.

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Resume Writing Workshop: Guidelines, Tips, and Examples

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  1. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR &WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTRE - EMPLOYMENTSERVICESASSESSMENT Resume Writing Workshop

  2. RE - EMPLOYMENTSERVICESASSESSMENTTopic Outline • General Guidelines • Preliminary Research • Heading • Objective Statement • Education • Employment Experience • Chronological Style • Functional Style • Combination Style • References

  3. What is a resume? • A resume is a summary of your experience, ability, and accomplishments. • A resume is not a list of everything you’ve done in previous positions. • A resume must show yourVALUEto the new employer.

  4. General Guidelines • Length: It is best to limit an entry-level resume to one typed page. Be as concise as possible in stating information in each section of your resume. • Font: Avoid fonts smaller than 10 point and larger than 12 point. • Paper: Use 8 1/2” x 11” paper. Print your resume with a laser or high quality ink-jet printer. • Use borders and bullets, but be careful not to overdo it!

  5. Find Out… General job information Desired qualifications and skills Key values and words Company Mission Statement, etc Where to look… Online Company Research Trade journals, magazines, and newsletters Directories Professors Company literature Preliminary Research

  6. Identifying Information • Put your name, permanent address, phone numbers, and email address prominently at the top of your resume. • Avoid using a nickname to identify yourself. • Consider including your URL address or fax number if you have one.

  7. Objective Statement • I recommend being as clear and concise as possible: “To secure the position of Financial Advisor with A.G. Edwards” • This tells an employer you want to work for them in that position. It doesn’t show the employer that you’re searching around, but rather that you’re focused and clear about your goals.

  8. Summary of Qualifications Statement • Consider what are the 4-5 key accomplishments, skills, abilities that highlight your VALUE! • Start with general statements of your overall skills. • Add soft skills for variety.

  9. Summary of Qualifications Section Example: Summary of Qualifications • 2 years professional experience providing excellent customer service. • Proven ability to coordinate and complete multiple projects within deadlines. • Skilled at developing and retaining partnerships with clients and customers. • Driven, dedicated, and effective team player.

  10. Education • This is an important section for recent college graduates or students seeking internships or summer jobs. • Beginning with the highest level of educational achievement, include information such as University attended, degrees earned/expected, major, minors, grade point average, date of program completion, and so forth.

  11. Education AA in Accounting Expected 2007 Smoky Mountain College, Resume City, TN GPA: 3.7/4.0 Major GPA: 3.6/4.0 Summary of Coursework: • GPA is not required. General guideline: include if it is 3.5+. • Always state the grade point scale your school is using.

  12. List relevant courses that: – Help you stand out from the crowd – Have provided you with specific skills or knowledge Consider including this information in the education section of the resume. Only include courses taken in addition to your major or minor. Refer to the course by name rather than by number. Examples: Spanish (4 semesters) Computer Science Business Writing Business Law Ethics Relevant Courses

  13. Employment Experience • Include positions you have held which are related, in some way, to the job you are seeking. These might be both paid and volunteer positions. • Be creative with this section of your resume by describing and emphasizing your experiences in the most relevant way possible. • Think of what you ACCOMPLISHED at your other jobs, not just what you did!

  14. Hospitality InternMay 1999-August 1999 Holiday Inn, Laguna Hills, CA Oversaw the planning, production, preparation and prompt delivery of food Assisted in training and retaining new and experienced employees Created a positive and healthy atmosphere in the restaurant Include information such as company name and location, job title, dates, and duties performed. Make this section easy to read by using spacing and bullets. Use action phrases to highlight the duties you have performed. Professional Experience

  15. Hospitality Intern (May 1999-August 1999) Holiday Inn, Laguna Hills, CA Oversaw the planning, production, preparation and prompt delivery of food Assisted in training and retaining new and experienced employees Created a positive and healthy atmosphere in the restaurant Action phrases will help you avoid being too brief and from understating your qualifications. Think about your qualifications as a professional would. Action Phrases

  16. Hospitality Intern 1999 Holiday Inn, Laguna Hills, CA Oversawthe planning, production, preparation and prompt delivery of food Assistedin training and retaining new and experienced employees Createda positive and healthy atmosphere in the restaurant Make your descriptions easy to read through parallel structure. Set up a pattern and stick with it. In the example, all the verbs are parallel: “oversaw,” “assisted,” and “created” are all past tense verbs. Be Consistent with Tenses…

  17. Activities and Honors • Include relevantactivities and honors that you could discuss with your prospective employer or that have given you valuable experience or skills.

  18. Specialized / Technical Skills • Include skills that make you unique, such as computer skills, foreign language skills, or military service. • Be specific in describing your special skills; name computer programs you know, how long you studied a foreign language, or your dates of military service. • You may want to create a section with Technical Qualifications.

  19. Organize your resume to highlight your unique skills, strengths, and accomplishments! Use whatever combination of organizational styles you think best highlight your individual qualifications: Consider the position, employer, and industry. The most common resume styles are: Chronological Functional Combination Imaginative/Creative Organizing Your Resume

  20. Present your education and work experience in chronological order, beginning with your most recent experiences. This style is best for people whose job experiences closely parallel the positions for which they are applying or for those who have not had periods of unemployment time between jobs. See Handout for Example. Chronological Resume Style

  21. Organize experience by type of function performed. Under each, give specific examples. Highlight experiences that directly relate to the job you are seeking. Ignore experiences that do not relate to the job for which you are applying. Place things in order of importance rather than chronological order. Functional Resume Style

  22. Functional Resume Style KEY QUALIFICATIONS: Technical Skills • Skilled in Photoshop, Quark Xpress, Corel Draw, PageMaker, HTML, and Dreamweaver • Proficient with PC and Mac hardware and operating systems Customer Service Skills • 3+ years of professional experience providing efficient and effective customer service • Managed difficult customer complaints with professionalism and quality resolution • Organized customer requests and prioritized deadlines to meet the needs of each individual

  23. Emphasize what you can do rather than where you have worked. Try to match your skills to the position for which you are applying. This style is ideal for people who have gained valuable skills from a variety of unrelated experiences: Students Career Change Functional Resume Style

  24. Combination Style Resume • As the name suggests, a blending of Functional and Chronological styles. • Allows flexibility to pull out some Key Skill Sets, while keeping a detailed list of Employment History. • See Handout for Sample • Find Skill Sets by: Reviewing Job Announcements, Researching on the ONET, etc.

  25. References • In general, do not include the names and addresses of your references on your resume. • It is enough to state that references are: “References Available Upon Request” • Choose professional references rather than character references (if possible). Employers and professors who know you and your work are the best references.

  26. Dr. Mary Smith Business Department Faculty Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CA 92692 (949) 555-1212 Include: Name, Title, Addresses, and Phone Numbers of your references. Always ask permission before you include any information on your reference sheet. Consider giving your references a copy of your resume so they will be prepared to talk to employers. Use the same Heading as your Resume! Reference Page

  27. Resume Workshop Congratulations! You have completed the Resume Workshop.

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