Resume Writing & Interviewing. Resume Writing Some Basics -Its Your Resume! -You can do basically anything that you think is appropriate for the company.

Resume Writing&

Interviewing

Resume Writing

Some Basics

- It’s Your Resume!- You can do basically anything that you think is

appropriate for the company and the position you’re applying for

- Have Several Resume Formats- Makes things easier when you’re applying for a

wide-spectrum of jobs

- Research The Company- Know the company and tailor your resume

accordingly

Resume Design

- Why is the design so important?- Employers typically take, at most, a 25-35 second

glance at the one-page representation of yourself before deciding to keep it or discard it

- Thus you need to design your resume so you make it past this initial screening

Section Information

1.Name, Address, and Phone Number

And Examples

• Always listed first

• Gives employers information to contact you

• All resumes should include this information, UNLESS POSTING ON THE WEB

• Current email address should also be used

Matthew [email protected]

604 South StreetWest Lafayette, IN 47906

(765) 555-1234

Kimberly Hurst1234 W. 75th StreetChicago, IL 60614

[email protected]

Section Information2. Objective Statement / summary of

qualifications

• Usually labeled “Professional Objective, “Employment Objective,” “Career Goals,” etc.

• This section gives the employer a brief glimpse of how your qualifications will benefit the company

• Not “me-me” but show them what you can do for them

Example of “me-me” : A position where I can gain experience in designing fashion and marketing the product

Revision : A position which allows me to use my background in fashion design to create effective marketing campaigns

Section Information

3. Education

And Examples

• Very important, especially for recent graduates because it highlights relevant schooling and academic training

• Includes: schools attended, locations, dates, degrees, and GPA

• Provides evidence of your qualifications

Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, INBachelor of Art: PsychologyGraduation: May 2006GPA: 3.2

Simple and BriefIllinois Institute of Art - ChicagoChicago, IL

Bachelor of Arts: May 2006Major: Advertising Minor: Fashion DesignGPA: Major 3.8(4.0) Overall 3.5 (4.0)

More Detailed

Section Information

4. Experience

And Examples

• Only list positions you have held which are in some way related to the position you are seeking

• Break job descriptions into short lists of action phrases that itemizes the significance of your position

Head Chef’s AssistantThe Signature Room, N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL(312) 555-5555

• Responsible for evening prep work• Participated in the weekly audit of supplies and subsequent placement of orders• Served as lead chef during rush periods or times of head chef absense

Section Information

5. Skills

And Examples

• This section describes the skills that you have mastered that would be useful for the position you are seeking

• These skills do not have to necessarily be the result of a previous employment

Coordinating• planned and organized several campaigns for new exhibits• supervised events and managed unexpected issues

Fluent in Spanish and French

Proficient in Microsoft Office and Photoshop

Section Information

6. Activities and Honors

And Examples

• This section gives you the chance to note special activities you participated in or special accomplishments that you would like your interviewer to know about

Dean’s List 2000-2004Annual Portfolio Showcase Winner 2003Fashion Club President 2004

Section Information

7. Reference List

And Examples

• A reference sheet is a list of professional acquaintances who are willing to talk with prospective employers about you and your demonstrated abilities

• Can include them as a separate sheet along with your resume (not necessary though because most companies include a required field for references on their official application)

• Can also include statements such as “References: available upon request”

Section Information

8. Portfolio

And Examples

• This is a selection of professional quality work that you can give your prospective employer as tangible examples of your abilities

• Treat this similar to including a reference list (i.e. can include it or mention that it is available upon request)

More InformationThe Quadrant Test

• Readers typically read left to right and top to bottom when information is balanced

• Being able to anticipate the reader’s response to a resume in this way will allow you to manipulate information

• Each one of the quadrants should have an equal amount of text and white space

• When the page is balanced, readers will read the first quadrant first – so quadrant 1 is where you should put your most important information

Section InformationSerif and Sans-Serif Fonts

Serifs: these are the short stems on the ends of the strokes of a letter.

EXAMPLES: Times New Roman, Palatino, and Courier

Sans-Serif: these are fonts without stems (sans=without)

EXAMPLES: Arial, Geneva, and Helvetica

• American audiences are used to reading serif fonts because they tend to keep the eye moving across the page

• Sans-serifs on the other hand tend to make the eye stopKEY POINT: Serifs for descriptions and Sans-Serifs for headings

Section InformationThe 20-Second Test

Want to know if your resume is a success?• Give your resume to a friend and time them for 20

seconds

• If after 20 seconds they noticed what you want employers to learn about you, then more than likely you have created a successful resume

Examples John Baker, M.A.

2711 N. Kenmore Apt. #4 (Floor 3) Chicago, IL 60614

515-707-1441, [email protected] EDUCATION Xavier University (APA Accredited): Cincinnati, OH Graduation May 2007 Master of Arts: Psychology GPA: 3.93 Arizona State University: Tempe, AZ Graduation May 2004 Bachelor of Arts: Psychology GPA: 3.76 Magna Cum Laude EXPERIENCE Northkey Community Care-Test Administrator Covington, Kentucky: 2006-2007

Administered psychometric assessments, wrote reports based on the results, made provisional diagnoses, determined strengths and weaknesses, and made suggestions for treatment

Obtained training in the handling and protection of sensitive and confidential information Took part in weekly case presentations of patients Learned rapport building and test interpretation skills

Cincinnati State University-Substitute Lecturer Cincinnati, Ohio: 2006-2007

Primary guest and substitute lecturer for several introduction to psychology courses VHA National Center for Organization Development (NCOD)-Data Analyst Cincinnati, Ohio: 2006

Collected, prepared, and analyzed data from numerous VA hospitals nationwide Conducted consultative assessments regarding individual employee’s job performance and

managerial skills as rated by their subordinates, peers, and superiors Generated comprehensive reports utilizing advanced statistical software and attractive visual

representations Xavier University-Teaching Assistant Cincinnati, Ohio: 2005-2006

Provided general guidance to undergraduate students enrolled in intro. to psychology classes Other assistant duties consisted of writing tests, scoring tests, and providing feedback upon request

BH Management Services-Assistant Manager/Marketing Director Des Moines, Iowa: 2001-2005

Developed marketing and tenant recruitment strategies for newly acquired properties In charge of maintaining, updating, and reviewing tenant data/information when needed

Victims Services-Volunteer Des Moines, Iowa: 2005

Trained in counseling methods and procedures for dealing with victims of traumatic events SKILLS Fluent in American Sign Language: Proficient in Microsoft Office and PageMaker, Adobe Photoshop, and SPSS: Extensive Research Experience: Superb communication and organizational skills

• More of a standard, business-oriented format

Examples• More creative

• Personalized towards the prospective employer (i.e. gears taken from website)

• For a position where design and format are taken into account – thus they are manipulated in the resume