MCFAM – Minnesota Center for Financial & Actuarial Mathematics

1. MCFAM – Minnesota Center for Financial & Actuarial Mathematics Resumes For Industry Presenter: Laurie A. Derechin Executive Director - MCFAM

2. WHAT IS A ? • A personal summary of your academic and professional experience and qualifications. • Includes your education, work experience, activities, honors, skills • Tailored to the position, employer or industry of interest • Marketing tool to gain an interview

3. GENERAL GUIDELINES • Length: One page for bachelor’s level; Two for Masters or Ph.D. • O.5” – 1.0” margins (recommend 0.5” on all 4 sides) • Font: 10-12 point font (Times New Roman, Ariel, Garamond) • Don’t use resume templates, tables, columns or other graphics • Single Spacing • 100% factual – don’t lie • Proofread!

4. GETTING STARTED • Write down all experiences – work, volunteer, leadership, internship, extra-curricular, projects, awards, etc. (MASTER RESUME) • Organize resume into categories • Define target audience (job, internship, graduate school, etc.) and write down related skills/qualifications. • For Examples: Career & Job Search Guide, Resume Binder in CCSE

5. Name and Contact Information Objective Education Professional Experience Research Experience Teaching Experience Activities Skills/Certifications Honors and Awards Volunteer Experience Leadership Experience Professional Memberships Projects Publications Presentations Patents COMMON RESUME SECTIONS

6. OBJECTIVES • What type of position are you seeking and in what field? • Be concise • What skills can you bring to the position? • Example: To obtain a summer internship in Risk Analysis, utilizing my _______________ (skills in the description that you possess).

7. EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Expected May 2012 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, College of Science and Engineering, Minneapolis, MN Emphasis – Actuarial Science GPA: 3.981 • High school information (1st and 2nd Year students only) • Study abroad • Honors/Awards (or separate heading if more than 2) Master of Science in Financial Mathematics Expected May 2011 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, College of Science and Engineering, Minneapolis, MN Emphasis: Finance GPA: 3.750 Relevant Coursework: Fundamental Structures of Algebra; Introduction to Numerical Analysis; Introduction to Analysis I, II; Combinatorics A (in progress)

8. EXPERIENCE • Title “Experience” headings based on industry of interest • Research Experience, Industry Experience, Actuary Experience • Include: company name and location, job title, dates, and duties, responsibilities (contributions) and accomplishments. • Make this section easy to read by using indents and bullets • Use action verbs to highlight your experience (do not use personal pronouns (i.e. I, My, We) • List your “Experiences” in reverse chronological order – most recent first 3M Co., Maplewood, Minnesota Tech Aide May 2009 – Sept. 2009 • Detailed description of your specific duties and responsibilities, as well as the skills used to accomplish these tasks (how you contributed)

9. PROJECTS • Include Project Title • Include Dates Involved • Provide a detailed description of the project, what your roles were and the technical skills used Financial Mathematics Winter Workshop Fall 2009 Detailed description of your project, what your roles were, and the skills used to accomplish these tasks

10. Use concrete words to describe your experience with strong action verbs. Use present tense to discuss current activities and past tense for previous. (or all in past—be consistent) Be as specific as possible in descriptions Use field terminology Vague: Worked as a Sales Associate. Specific: Interact sensitively and tactfully with hundreds of customers each day. Visualize and create imaginative window and in-store product displays for over 100 clients USE ACTIVE LANGUAGE

11. TRANSFERABLE SKILLS • COMMUNICATION • PROBLEM SOLVING • CREATIVITY • LEADERSHIP • SUPERVISORY/MANAGEMENT • RESEARCH/QUANTITATIVE • ORGANIZATION/PLANNING • TECHNICAL • TEAMWORK

12. SKILLS & ACTIVITIES • Skills section with technical/lab skills/field specific skills • Technical: C, C++, Java, Mathematica, MS Excel • Applied Mathematics: Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Risk Management/Analysis • Activities demonstrate your leadership ability, communication skills, and time management ability • Focus on structured activities rather than hobbies (extra-curricular activities, leadership, etc.) • Include your title if appropriate • Include dates of involvement • Active Member, Financial Mathematics Student Association 2009-Present • Member, Intramural Soccer, Softball and Ultimate Frisbee 2008-Present

13. What NOT to Include on a Resume Lies & Exaggerations: • Employers typically conduct background checks, so everything on your resume is fair game for discussion in an interview; Do not lie about or round your GPA. The U of M posts GPAs to three decimal places (Ex. 3.128) Personal Information: • Age, gender, political affiliation, race, marital status, sexual orientation, ID number, test scores, course grades, pictures Supervisor Contact Information • Contact information related to experiences may be included on a reference sheet, and only after asking permission Salary History/Requests • Disclosing this information may make salary negotiation more difficult and may rule you out of the candidate pool; More appropriate to discuss during an interview Hobbies/Interests • Keep everything on your resume professional– hobbies are personal information • However, if it is unique or related, it may come in handy. Ex. Mechanical engineering student listing auto repair Personal Pronouns • Example: I, I’m, My, Our, We, etc.; Begin statements with power verbs and do not write sentences “References Available Upon Request” • Use a separate page for references provided during an interview. Employers assume you have them

14. VISUAL APPEAL • Headings should stand out and be different from other text • Ex. Bold, ALL CAPS • The most important information should be toward the top • You don’t have to include everything • Balance of text and white space on page • Easy to read, professional, focused • Clean, consistent format and punctuation • Print resume on resume-based paper (stay conservative with color choice)

15. How To Read Job Postings Credit Analyst 6 – Quantitative Analyst US Bank Job Description • Design, develop, test and document mathematical models; Apply knowledge and understanding of quantitative methods, modeling methodologies, database and SAS statistics; Develop validate and track probability of default & loss severity models; Prepare reports re: the estimation process, accuracy of estimate default rates, loss severity rates & expected losses; Qualifications • Master's degree (Stats., Math, Econ, or related) and 2 yrs of experience • Must have 2 yrs. of work exp. w/ statistics & quantitative methods and 18 mos. work exp. w/ credit analysis, modeling, and database & SAS software.

16. Target Cover Letter to Key Requirements February 15, 2011 Dear Mr. ____/Hiring Manger, I was pleased to hear about the Quantitative Analyst position at US Bank which I saw on your website. After reviewing the requirements, I think I am a strong fit for the position. Your job description requires a Master Degree in Statistics, Math or Economics, 2 years of experience in financial modeling, database and SAS statistics analysis, probability of default and loss severity models as well as 18 months in credit analysis and SAS software. Here are some of the ways my background fits your needs: • I will be graduating with a Master in Financial Mathematics this spring • I have had 2 years of experience as an associate risk analyst at Wells Fargo Bank • My assignments focused on credit analysis & loss forecasts using large data sets & SAS software. I am extremely interested in this position and believe I am well suited for the job and look forward to hearing back from you about an interview so we can further explore how I could contribute to the success of your department Thanks for your time and consideration, Jon Smith

17. Bullet Point How You Match Requirements Try to always outline the key skills you have that match what they are looking for in bullet format because they will take 30 seconds to read your letter

18. Career Advancement Resources MCFAM 112 Vincent Hall For Career Development, Job/Internship Search Strategy, Interview Preparation Set Up Appointment with Laurie Derechin via email: lderechi@umn.edu

19. Career Advancement Resources Career Center for Science & Engineering 50 Lind Hall If you don’t already have a resume, Get resume/cover letter reviewed here before appt. with Laurie Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Quick Stop Counseling: Monday-Friday, 11:30-1:00 612-624-4090 www.ccse.umn.edu; ccse@umn.edu