Resume Writing

Career Development Center

Museum Building Room 440 8-5 Monday-Friday208-282-2380 www.isu.edu/departments/career/career.htm Career Counseling available Idaho Falls

What is a Resume? First piece of “advertising” employers see about you Condensed summary of education and experience Showcases skills learned in educational and work settings

that are of value to employer Sends messages regarding written communication skills,

attention to detail, critical thinking, professionalism HOW you describe skills and experiences often as important

as the skills and experiences themselves No “right” way to write a resume

Types of Resumes (REVERSE) CHRONOLOGICAL

Most commonly used method Be sure to arrange resume placing most related experience first

FUNCTIONAL OR SKILLS Emphasizes related skills Actual positions held less important

SCANNABLE Newer form of resume writing Often used by larger companies to screen resumes “No frills”, use of keywords, different formats apply

Sections of a Resume

Contact Information Objective Education Related and non-related Experience Activities/Honors/Memberships, etc

Contact Information

Include name, address, phone, e-mail If you have campus and permanent address, be

sure to include both and indicate dates at each address

Can include Web address if applicable Be sure to have professional answering machine

message and make other household members aware of your job search

Objective One to two lines, sometimes optional Clarifies and connects skills on resume to targeted career

path Appropriate to leave objective off if resume and/or cover

letter clearly reflects specific occupation Components of Objective:

type of position being applied for preferred work environment skills you’d like to utilize in position Example: “A position as a financial analyst with an

international company using French speaking abilities”

Education

Main information to include: All degrees in reverse chronological order including

name and location of institution, graduation date Major, Minor, Emphasis, GPA if above 2.5

Additional information Related coursework if supplemental to experience Applicable skills including computer, technical, or

foreign languages (may also be separate section) Academic honors, scholarships, or awards

A Note on Job Search Ethics

RULE #1: DON’T LIE Inaccurate or misleading information on resumes,

cover letters, or in interviews is dishonest and often grounds for employment termination

Background/employment/transcript check can occur after hiring

O.K. to have gaps in employment, low GPA, or poor employment record: have resume reflect strengths and be prepared to discuss weaknesses in interview

Experience “Experience”: Any opportunity to develop skills related to

professional world of work; can be paid, internship, or volunteer experience

May want to divide into separate sections indicating experience related and not related to professional goal

No subject words (I, me, we, etc); start sentences with action verbs

“Frontload”: employer may only look at top 2/3 of resume and first 2 bullets, place most important information where most likely to be read.

Utilize jargon of field, state outcome/results of role Include position title, organization, location, date

Activities,Memberships,etc

List activity in school or community organizations NOTE: if held leadership role in activity, might be

considered “related experience” Memberships in professional organizations Academic honors, special certifications, interests

that apply to professional goal or might make you more interesting to employers

Include dates of membership, positions held

The Cover Letter

Explains in detail why you are applying for position Opportunity to further develop and explain work-

related qualifications Don’t describe experiences in cover letter that aren’t

on resume Resume is key to interview, cover letter is key to

resume Should be written in standard business letter format

Parts of a Cover Letter 3 basic parts to cover letter:

Introductory paragraph explaining how you heard of position, why you are applying

Body paragraph or two highlights experiences you feel especially qualify you for position and explains interest in that employer: refer to job description to target skills desired by employer

Right and Wrong reasons to desire employment with particular employer

Closing paragraph: state confidence of applicable skills, thank employer for time, state interest in follow-up, leave contact information (phone, e-mail)

References 3-5 references preferred Good references: professors, past employers

and supervisors Poor references: family members, any

individuals who know you in non-academic or non-professional roles

Ask permission from references, give them copy of resume

Include name of reference, position held, organization, work phone number and address

Education majors: Credential file

Resume Mechanics High rag-content (linen) resume paper

readily available fromTotal Copy Center, Kinko’s white, light grey or blue, off-white (conservative) can bring printer copy or disk to have resumes copied in

desired quantities resume, cover letter, references all same paper

11-12 point fonts, Ariel or Times Roman best, using laser printer

Avoid underlines, italics, or folding resume if scanned Consistent margins and format, balance of white and

dark space Most resumes 1 page only

General Resume “Do’s” Limit description of experiences to 4-6 sentences,

in bullet or paragraph format Have 2-3 people proofread for typos and spelling

errors Have resume critiqued by Career Development

Center staff before multiple copies made Allow sufficient time in job search for revision of

resume as needed Be patient and open minded: most people

inexperienced in writing resumes will need to revise a few times

General Resume “Don’ts” Include personal information including age, marital

status, number of children, religious affiliation, etc. or include a photo

Print resume using dot-matrix or ink-jet printer, or use non-black ink

Attempt to personalize your resume using fancy fonts, logos, etc

Use short, non-descriptive statements or repeat sentences verbatim throughout resume

Include references on resume Wait until last minute to have resume critiqued

How the CDC can help

Can make appointment with Career Counselor for resume review or help “getting started”

Extensive paper and internet resources available “Job Choices”: free publication covering all

aspects of job search Walk-in Hours for resume, cover letter critiques

and other quick questions: 11-1 Monday-Friday, 5-7 Tuesday

Career Connections resume template