Resume Workshop

1. Resume Workshop Alpha Chi Chapter

2. Introduction Hello Dear Brothers, This workshop is designed for anyone who needs to learn how to write a polished and refined resume. After all, your resume is your one shot maybe the only shot for the interview which will lead to a job or internship. Therefore, it is extremely important for you to have the resume up to your employer’s standard. After reading the PowerPoint, you should be able to write a resume that will help you stand out and shine among the competitors. Please notice this workshop is designed for your own reading pleasure. Please read it at your own pace and work on the resume. Please drop off your resume at our AKPsi Resume Drop Box conference and our older brothers will contact you with feedback on your resume. Good Luck

3. Formatting • Length: One page • Consistency: Same font, style, and format through out the resume • Font recommended: Times New Roman • Font size: Min 10 pt. and Max 12 pt., usually 10 – 11 pt. depends on resume • Margin for the left and right side: Min 0.5 in, Max 1.0 in, recommended 0.75 in • Margin for the top and bottom: Same as the margin for sides, can be flexible, make sure the content stay in the middle of the page • Italicize: Help content to be distinguished, use it sparely, recommended for positions held • Bold: Accent what is important and things you want people to see such as a high GPA, company names, and section titles etc. NOT dates and random descriptions on your resume • Underline: Use it carefully, draws more attention than bolding, use it for section divider for certain resume layouts • Submission: Always put it in PDF format or print on 100% cotton paper

4. What is a resume really? • Door opener for your interview • One page pitch book of why you for the position • A highlight of your responsibilities and accomplishment • The most valuable example of your communication and business writing skills to the employer

5. Strategic Approach Now we have learned what the resume does, let’s think how should we write it so that it will accomplish our goal of making a compelling statement of why you. • Before starting to write the resume, think who am I? What have I done so far? What qualities and skills do I have that are useful for the career and position that I’m applying for? • List out your essential skills and qualities such as hard working, analytical, team player, leadership, attention to details, and organizational skills, etc. • Pick 3 – 4 of these skills and qualities to be the theme of your resume. All the activities and descriptions should reflect those skills and qualities. • Emphasize what you want the recruiters to see like high GPA, tough classes, good experience, and the themes of your resume. • Pick one thing that would distinguish you on the resume, thus the recruiter can remember you by “the guy who started his own business” or “the sales guy”.

6. Should Knows Before Writing • You only get 30 seconds max to have your resume looked by recruiters. What does this mean? • Easy to read • Pleasing to the eye • Tell the recruiter exact what he/she is looking for by using key words • “Tell all the Truth but tell it slant” – Emily Dickinson • Yes, you can tell the truth slant, but DO NOT LIE or make stuff up! • Know your resume extremely well because you are the one who have to talk about it in interview without looking at it. • Resume suppose to be BORING, meaning nothing flashy. • Start out each line of description with a “power verb”, an active verb that shows what you have done. Google “resume power verbs” • Everything on the resume should be in the simplest form and most concise language. Make it sounds sophisticated when you had the most mundane job. • Please try to avoid using ( ). • Quantify your results.

7. What to put? A Guideline • Contact Info: Name, phone number, and address • Education: • School: College/University attended or additional education such as special programs • Degrees: Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts • GPA: Cumulative (recommended), Major, Business School, whichever is higher • Relevant Courses: Only those that are related to the position, not all GBS you took • Standardized Test Scores: Some required, generally don’t put on resume unless it’s outstandingly high. No SAT score unless above 1500 or equivalent • Related/Work Experiences: • Company name: Bold, use Full name including .Inc, LLC, LLP etc. • Position: Use formal name such as Wealth Management Intern or Summer Analyst • Dates: Be consistent with format, Aug. 09 vs. August 09 vs. 31/08/09 vs. Fall 09 • Descriptions: Do not write the definition of your position! • Responsibilities: What did you do? • Accomplishments: What were the results? • Quantification: Use #Numbers # to reflect the accomplishments • Content: Try limiting to 3 – 4 bullets, use formal English

8. What to Put? A Guideline • Leadership Experience: Something that distinguishes you, shows who you are. • Positions: Only needs the highest position, no need to list every single position • Organizations: Choose the ones that reflects the theme of your resume • Contribution: What did you do there? What difference did you make? Don’t put anything on resume if you did not contribute. • Extracurricular Activities: Often mixed with the leadership experience. • If you are involved in sports, put it on there! Employers like disciplined people who can handle the work load physically. • Skills: useful for employer – computer, language • Interests: Differentiate yourself • Honors: List what differentiates you from others, usually combined in Education.

9. Resume: NOT to Have • Spelling and grammar errors • Poor formatting • Long sentences • Confusion – remember whoever is reading your resume did not go through the same experience as you. So write the resume as if no one knows anything about what you did. • Pictures • Religion, sex and any other private personal info (SSN# etc.) • Anything that would reflect negatively • Watch out for “ - ” vs. “ – ”, use “ – ”.

10. Resume: Testing • Now you have a basic idea of what constructs a good resume. Let’s now look at some sample resumes.

11. Bad Resumes

12. Too big of margins • Important information such as the names of the institutions should be on the left hand side because when people look down the resume, people tend look down the left margin first. It helps the name of institutions to stand out. • Locations are not aligned with the right end of the bars. • The layout for the information looks confusing. • Should emphasize the institution which is Phinaz Media Group, not the individual divisions. So uncap them. • No need to underline the website. It already stands out on its own. • Not consistent use of verb tense. • No need to list the summer jobs if you don’t put any description for them. Remember, everything on your resume should reflect your qualities. • Should separate interests and activities. • The activities should have more descriptions for them. • Always use formal names and terms. Spell out Microsoft. • No need for the period after HTML because no where else on the resume has a period.

13. Good School • Too many relevant courses may not be so relevant. Also arrange the course in order of most relevant to least or lowest level. • No need for high school material. • Try t o position the most impressive and important material to the middle of the resume. It’s easier to catch people’s attention. • Use consistent “-” vs. “–”. • Should further explain the duties in some of the activities because people will not understand what you did if you only put a title on there. • Very tacky formatting

14. Should use: “ GPA: 3.3/4.0” • No need to say “undergraduate or sophomore”. It’s implied. • Should put the graduation date instead of “currently”. • Incorrect formatting for the descriptions. • Wrong capitalization. • Tacky date format. Missing period after Jan. • Inconsistent use of periods. • Inconsistent use of verb tense. • Vague descriptions such as “big picture thinking … sets”. • Repetitive descriptions. • No need to describe the institution, such as “Emory is currently ranked…”. • “Developed skill sets …” vague. • Inconsistent formatting with the position. • Make sure the resume is clean and clear, no non-necessary items such as this line here. • Too much useless information on Skills and Interests section.

15. Good Resumes