What is a Resume?

1. What is a Resume? A universal job hunting and marketing tool A snapshot of your qualifications relevant to a position or academic program A means of introduction or a reminder to prospective employers, graduate admissions staff or networking contacts The purpose of a resume is to get an interview!

2. Resume Preparation First Steps: • Develop a clear career goal and clarify the objective of your resume • Research jobs or graduate programs and learn what skills and knowledge are valued by employers or schools • Identify your qualifications, interests and skills relevant to a position or program of interest

3. Resume Preparation Research: • Research field, employer, and position: • http://careers.gmu.edu/student/jobhunt/research/index.cfm • Career Library Resources: • SUB 1 room 3400 • Hire Mason: • http://careers.gmu.edu/hiremason/ • Mason’s 24/7 electronic Jobs/Internships database • Information Interviews, Networking: • Mason Career Network • http://careers.gmu.edu/cn • User ID: student; Password: jack$$pot • Professional Associations: • Associations Unlimited

4. Resume Preparation Building List of Experiences: Prioritize information: • Past and current jobs or internships • Volunteer work and community service • Class projects – refer to syllabi • Activities and student organizations - show leadership positions • Languages and technical skills • Focus on most important responsibilities • What is relevant? • Tool - ONET http://online.onetcenter.org/find/

5. Resume Styles Most utilized formats Additional format option Chronological • Reverse chronological order • Familiar to employers • Effective for new graduates • Focus on job titles work history Combination or Related Experience • Two or more experience sections, Relevant and Additional • Showcases the experiences that are most relevant Functional • Highlights transferable skills in clusters • Effective for career changers and those with varied experiences • Focuses on groups of functional skills and related experience See Moving On Guide resume samples for each style!

6. Resume Content HEADING: • Name – Put in bold to make your name stand out • Full address – Current and/or permanent, if applicable • Phone number – Include number at which you can be reached during day/evening and a professional voice mail • Email – Include a professional username Example: Georgia Mason 111 University Drive ▪ Fairfax VA 22030 ▪ 703-993-1111 ▪ gmason@gmu.edu

7. Resume Content OBJECTIVE and/or HIGHLIGHTS: • Clear, concise, and tailored to position of interest • Focus on what you are seeking and what skills you will contribute, not what you expect to gain from the position • May include specific title of the position, type of organization/industry, special interest, and skills you offer Example: OBJECTIVE: An internship in a non-profit agency with special interest in working with issues of children and families in need.

8. Resume Content EDUCATON: • List in reverse chronological order • Include name of degree(s), major & minor, institution, location, city and state, month & year of graduation • Spell out degrees or use proper abbreviations (Bachelor of Science, or B.S.) • Should include GPA, if 3.0 or higher; relevant courses; honors/awards; study abroad; training/certification • High School is usually omitted from the resume after first or second year of college. Example: EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Biology, Minor in Spanish, Expected May 2011 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA GPA if 3.0or above Associate in Science in General Studies, August 2009 Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA GPA 3.5

9. Resume Content EXPERIENCES: • Include job title, name of organization, location (city and state) employment dates • Statements describing your accomplishments • Statements are concise, descriptive, and include numbers to show results if possible • Use action verbs to begin statements (see Moving On for a list of action verbs) Example: EXPERIENCE Assistant Manager, February 2009 – Present Sweetwater Tavern, Fairfax, VA • Assist with management of a local contemporary fine dining restaurant • Trained 8 new employees on company database system • Commended by supervisors for customer service skills

10. Resume Content ADDITIONAL CONTENT OPTIONS: SKILLS • Always include level of proficiency: • Technical skills for example Microsoft Office Suite, e.g., beginner, intermediate, advanced • Language proficiency level, e.g., conversational, bilingual, fluent • Skills relevant to position of interest PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP(S) • American Marketing Association (student member), Dates • Golden Key Honor Society, April 2010 – present ACTIVITIES • Role/title, organization, dates and major accomplishments • Student organizations, volunteer activities, and community service may all apply

11. Resume Formatting Tips • PAGE#: One page recommended, two pages max • FONT: Times New Roman, Garamond, or Arial – 11pt • MARGINS: 3/4” to 1” Margins • PROOFREAD: No spelling errors or typos • BOLDING: Use bold and capitalization to highlight DON’T OVERBOLD!!!!!!!!!! • FORMATTING: Be consistent!

12. Resume Do’s and Don’t’s Resume Do’s Resume Don’t’s • DO keep your resume to one page • DO use a basic font, like Times New Roman or Arial • DO use bold and capitalization for highlighting important information • DO be consistent with your formatting (if you bold one job title, bold them all!) • DO pay close attention to verb tenses • DON’T have any spelling or grammar errors • DON’T make your font size too big or too small. 11-12 pt is preferred • DON’T use the words “I” or “My” • DON’T include references on your resume • DON’T use italics or bold too many items