Resume Writing Short Version

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Resume Writing Workshop


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Resume Writing Workshop Updated: 23 Oct. 02 - Slide # 2

The Purpose of a Resume is

GET THE INTERVIEW! Marketing yourself

What makes you unique

Answer the question Why should the employerwant to talk to you?

Customize, Customize, Customize

Only give enough information that 100% qualifies

you for the job and NO MORE, NO LESS.


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What is a Resume?

It is one part of a set of documents youneed when searching for any job:

Cover letter Resume

Reference list

Thank you note These are your personal ADVERTISING

kit


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Resume Rules of Thumb

Keep it to no more than two pages

Tailor it as much as possible to the job

description Use language that is in the job description

KISS the physical layout (Keep It Simple Silly)

REMEMBER:The resume represents you in yourabsence!


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Key Content Components

Your Contact Information Who you are and how you can be reached

Your Job or Professional Objective What kind of work you are looking for

Your Accomplishment Statements Successes you have achieved

Problem, Solution, Results (PSRs)

Your Skills or Qualification Summary What makes you the ideal candidate


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Resume Types: Chronological

Advantages Reasons to use

Emphasizes continuity andcareer growth

When your career directionis clear

Highlights the name ofemployers

When your job target is inline with your work history

Easy to follow When the name of your lastemployer adds strongprestige

Source: The Perfect Resume, Tom Jackson, 1990


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Resume Types: Functional


Flexibility in emphasis When you change or redirectyour career

Eliminates repetition of jobassignments

When you start your first jobsearch

Tends to de-emphasizeexperience When you reenter the jobmarket and want toemphasize your abilities



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Resume Types: Targeted


Lets you present animpressive case for one

selected job

When you are exceptionallyclear about job targets and

what they require

Demonstrates strongunderstanding in a targetedarea of expertise

Certified, licensed, orbonded job requirements



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Writing Guidelines

Top-Left Rule Use active v. passive language Use present tense to describe what you are

looking for now Use past tense to describe what you have done

before Incomplete sentences are acceptable

Take job description and using white letterspaste job description is small font below firstpage of resume so can only be read by scanner.


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Physical Appearance

Make it easy to to look at and easy to readWHITE SPACE

Use at least 10 point type (12 is the best) tiny type is hard to read!

Use a simple typeface (a.k.a. font)

A sans serif font such as this is clean

A serif font such as this is easier to read Dont mix fonts on a page


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Overview

Does the resume Paint a Clear Picture?

Does the resume Tell your Story?

Does the resume let the employer make aquick assessment to go further with aninterview?

Is it a good advertisement?


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Impact of the Internet

Makes it easy to distribute your resumevery quickly to lots of companies

Quickly becoming a preferred means ofreceiving resumes by employers

Presents opportunities for abuse

Consider setting up a Hotmail or Yahoo emailaddress to protect yourself from spam


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Ways to Submit Electronically

As an attachment via email

Attachments are falling out of favor due toviruses, worms, etc.

Only use if job description says to do so

Embedded in email

You will need a text-only file for this

Submitted on-line through a web site

You will need a text-only file for this


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Emailing a Resume

Save Document as text only with line

breaks (60 characters per line)

Open the document, edit again and save.

Highlight all and copy onto clipboard.

Go to internet service screen and paste thecopied resume into the e-mail preceded by acover letter.

Keep the margins at 6 1/2 to prevent wrap-around

Send it to yourself so you can preview it.


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Plain-Text Resume

Ugly but necessary

Companies are wary of computer viruses inattachments

HR clerks, not hiring managers, are tasked withprinting out emails

Simple format

60 characters per line (with a CR at the end) Use ALL CAPS for headers

Add line spaces to separate blocks of text


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The Electronic Scannable

Resume Software reads your resume for keywords

Most popular system is Resumix

(now owned by Hotjobs.com) Will score and rank resumes by number of hits

Sample list of companies using it:

AMD, Amdahl, Apple, Bank of America,Cadence, Intel, GE, National Semiconductor,Sun Microsystems, AT&T


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The Evil Scan Software


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Cover Letters

First Paragraph - OpeningTells why you are writing in a way that arouses interest.Displays your knowledge of the readers company or group.

Second Paragraph - Accomplishments

Briefly describes your qualifications and identifies the relevantjob title.

Third Paragraph - Answers the question: Why should I hireyou?

Fourth Paragraph - Takes the initiativeRequests action, asks for an interview, suggests a time to meet.

Close - Always thank the employer for time and consideration.


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Your References

Ask permission to use your references name.

Send your references a copy of your resume.

Ask you references what they think your strengths and

weaknesses are.

Call your references once you have provided theirnames to a company. Coach your references on whatskills to highlight when called.

Ask them to tell you when they are called for a reference.


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Incidentals

Cover letters

Keep them brief and aligned with what iswritten in your resume

Reference lists Dont send them with your resume, but have

them with you at the interview

Thank you note A nice (and rare) personal touch

Resume Writing Short Version

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