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Facts and Information About the Resume. By: Dan Bocchino Megan Bergeron. Why should I have a resume?. To establish yourself as a professional with high standards To demonstrate your writing skills Provide something to give to potential employers To place in employer files
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Facts and Information About the Resume. By: Dan Bocchino Megan Bergeron
Why should I have a resume? • To establish yourself as a professional with high standards • To demonstrate your writing skills • Provide something to give to potential employers • To place in employer files • To clarify your goals, qualifications, and strengths.
The Basics • A typical job offer will attract between 100-1000 resumes. • Most resumes will receive nothing more then a quick glance. • The goal of an effective resume is to win an interview.
Only one interview is granted for every 200 resumes received… • First impression is crucial. • Make sure your resume is free of all errors. • Consider your resume as an advertisement for yourself. • Be proud of what you have accomplished
How long should a resume be? • Shorter is usually better… • Typically 1-2 pages. • However a resume that is too short is just as bad as one that is too long. • Do not bore the reader with unnecessary details. • Do not turn your resume into your life history.
Getting Started… • It is best to create a rough draft • Include everything you wish to cover in the final draft • Do not concern yourself with length • Then edit and revise your resume • Leave formatting for last
The Final Draft • Be sure it is 100% free of errors • Use size a standard, sized 10-12 font • Print on a laser printer • Use resume paper • Do not distribute photocopies of your resume, only originals.
Be sure to… • Be positive when describing your background • Use margins and titles • Use bold-facing, underlining, or italics to emphasize key areas • Use phrases, not complete sentences
Avoid… • Referring to high school, unless you are an undergraduate seeking an internship. • Stating reasons for leaving previous jobs • Including personal data, such as race, age, sex, religion, etc. • Repeating yourself • Including salary information, unless requested in the job advertisement. • Using resume templates for your final copy.
Reverse Chronological • Lists experiences in a strict time sequence • The most recent is listed first • This works best for people who are working their way up the career ladder. • Not recommended for someone with gaps in employment. • Example
Functional • Lists experiences by skill areas. • Under each of these areas, list the specific skills gained. • Effective for those who: • have held several of the same positions. • wish to focus on skills to change to another position • are returning to the workforce after a prolonged absence. • Example
Combination • Mix of the reverse chronological, and the functional • Lists experiences by skill and dates of employment • Recommended to most students • Example
Targeted • Aims directly at a particular job. • Emphasizes what you can do for a particular employer. • Looks foreword rather than backwards. • Direct sales pitch to employers.
Which style should I use? Resume calculator on http://www.careervictory.com
Posting a Resume OnlineThe Basics… • Similar to a “for sale” ad viewable to the general public. • Allows thousands of employers to view your qualifications. • Two common methods • E-mail • E-forms • Be sure to keep your resume current once it is posted.
References http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/career/resumes.html http://www.careervictory.com http://www.computerbits.com/archive/1997/0600/jobs9706.html http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resume_02.html http://careers.villanova.edu/Students/Sturesumeguidelines.htm