Resumes

Tory Nair, Career AdvisorCareer Development Center, B-119

(773) 442-4685

Resumes

Parts of a ResumeName and contact informationObjective (optional)Qualifications summary/professional profile (optional)Education and relevant courseworkWork experienceInternship experienceVolunteer experienceExtracurricular activities/honors/awardsComputer skillsLanguage skillsAdditional sections for related information

The Length DebateHow long should a resume be?

1 page2 pagesDoesn’t matterIt depends

Answer: It depends!

FormattingMargins: ¾ to 1” marginsConsistency:

Dates on right sideHow list work experiencesFonts/formatting

Font:10-12 point font“Professional” font – Arial, Times New

Roman, Calibri, othersName & headings should be bolded, larger

font size to stand out

FormattingAdditional Formatting:

Use special formatting (bold/italics/underlines) sparingly

Colors – black font is best in most situationsNo pictures or graphics!

Important tips:List bullets in order of importanceDo not need to include references on resume Make sure it looks ok when converted to a

PDF file or being sent via e-mailAvoid templates!

Chronological vs. Functional Resumes

What is a chronological resume?Lists work, internship, and volunteer

experience in reverse chronological order (most recent to oldest)

What is a functional resume?Highlights skills and qualifications vs.

experiencesOrder of relevancy vs. chronological

Chronological vs. FunctionalChronological Resumes

(Use this style if you want to…)

Functional Resumes(Use this style if you want

to…)• Stay in the same career field

• Enter the job market

• Emphasize past growth and career development

• Return to the job market

• Show an established career progression

• Change careers

• Identify related skills within industry

• De-emphasize frequent job changes

• Highlight skills directly related to the job

• Highlight transferable skills from unrelated industries

NOTE: Can also use the “combination” format – there’s no one right way!

Contact InformationWhat’s wrong with this header?

“Snooki” Polozzi100 S. jerzeeee st

Jersey Shores, Nj 07480Cell: 123-4567

[email protected]

Do not need to write “cell,” just include one number

No nicknames! Check your

grammar!

Use a professional e-mail address

Watch for typos!

Contact InformationHow it should appear:

Nicole Polozzi100 S. Jersey St.

Jersey Shores, NJ 07480(555) 123-4567

[email protected] reminders:

Use a “professional” e-mail address, check it often

Make sure your voicemail message is appropriateYes, include your mailing address!

Education SectionShould include:

Current institution and location – write it out!Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, ILNOT Northeastern University (Boston), NEIU, NorthEastern…

Graduation dateDegree obtaining, including major(s) and/or minor(s)

Master of Arts in CounselingNOT “MA” or “Masters” or “Masters of Arts”

GPA (if a 3.0 or above)Can include GPA in different ways (e.g., major GPA vs.

cumulative/overall GPA)Previous institutions (for Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of

Science)Can include: relevant coursework here

Education Section - ExamplesEDUCATIONNortheastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL

May 2014Master of Arts in Counseling

North Park University, Chicago, ILMay 2011

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

Education Section - Examples EDUCATIONNortheastern Illinois University, Chicago,

ILMaster of Arts in Counseling

May 2014

Bachelor of Arts in PsychologyMay 2011

Work Experience Include:

Name of employerLocation (city, state)Dates of employmentPosition title

Use bullet points for easy reading Action verbs should start each bullet point Content should be specific and in order of importance (as related

to position description) Include skills, achievements/accomplishments vs. job duties or

responsibilities Watch tenses!

Present tense for current jobsPast tense for previous jobs

Be consistent in formatting! Can have a separate section for “relevant” work experience

Work ExperienceHow far back should you go?

If you have more years of experience, include up to last 10 years

If you have less years of experience, include all relevant and/or recent experiences

Can include relevant skills sectionDoes not have to be exactly related, but try to

pull out transferable/related skillsShould appear in reverse chronological order

(chronological resumes)Read job descriptions for clues!

Additional Experiences to IncludeInternships

Can list among rest of work experience, but stands out if it has its own section/heading

Format and write similarly to work experienceCan list on resume as soon as you start!

Volunteer/Community Service WorkLeadership/Student Organizations

Any experience is “good” experience, paid or not!

Phrases to Avoid in your Resume“Team player”“Responsible for…”“Hard-working”“Strong communication skills”“Proven track record for success”Demonstrate your skills by using specific

details: Show, don’t tell!

Additional Sections for Resumes

Computer skillsWrite out Microsoft Office products (e.g., Word, PowerPoint,

Excel, Access, Outlook, Publisher)Include any specific knowledge of social media, software,

hardware, coding, programming, and so onForeign language ability

Be careful with use of “fluent” or other words to describe extent of knowledge/use in conversation

Activities (extracurricular activities, campus involvement)Honors/AwardsAny additional experiences you feel are relevant, uniqueDO NOT include hobbies, interests!DO NOT include “references available upon request”

On a Separate Page…3-4 professional references

NameContact information

Phone, e-mail addressRelationship to you and/or position title

DO NOT include personal (family, friends) references unless asked to do so!

Make sure your references have agreed to do this for you!

Hints, Tips, & TricksTailor your resume to the positionPlace sections in order of relevance and

importanceSave your resume with your name in the file

name (e.g., “Tory Nair Resume.doc”)Can also add the position title (e.g., “Tory Nair

Career Advisor Resume.doc”) or company (e.g., “Tory Nair ALA Resume.doc”)

Save one file for every position, along with a master

On new versions of Word, you can “save as” a PDF. Many employers prefer this.

LinkedIn – Your Online “Resume”http://www.linkedin.comCan list this on your resume, but not

necessaryImport your resume for your profileOne of the first things that comes up when

someone searches for you onlineUse it to connect to others and to research

companies, peopleLinkedIn workshops

Come in for a resume critique!Drop-in hours Mondays and Wednesdays 1-

3pm (Building B, Room 119)Appointments Monday-Friday

Monday-Wednesday hours: 8:30am-7pmThursday-Friday hours: 8:30am-4:30pm

Career Development Center – AdditionalIn addition to resume and cover letter critiques,

we also assist with:Preparing for interviewsWriting thank-you lettersApplying to graduate schoolDeciding what to do after graduationApplying for internships and full-time positionsNegotiating salary and navigating job offersAdditional questions regarding your career search!

We host many events, coordinate on-campus interviews and job fairs, and post jobs, internships online (CCN)!

Questions?Career Development Center

B-119773.442.4680

http://www.neiu.edu/careerservicesTory Nair – [email protected]