LEARN & EVOLVE: How to prepare your Résumé

RESUME WRITING

Be willing to make adjustments to your resumeYour resume must continue to evolve

There is no one “correct” resume format

Your resume will be more than one page

New experiences and skills mean new resume options.

Learn to maximize available space and format options

What they are looking for?

Communication skills
Evidence of leadership skills
Motivation/initiative
Quantitative/analytical skills
Ability to work in Team or Group
Adaptability
Organizational skills

Why a Resume?

Get the attention of the reader Convey your skills, accomplishments, interests

To get an interview Resumes are used as the basis for interview questions

Documents skills of you…

Importance of Resume

• The best resume is the easiest to read.
• A shorter resume is the best option at this stage
• Resumes don’t get jobs, people do!
• No one is hired just because a resume is impressive, fancy, or convincing.
• Hence it is a POP

Points to Remember

• Be willing to adjust your resume format
• You need to revitalize it every 6 months
• It is a work in progress and never finished
• It must be computer friendly
• Content and quality are most important
• Always include relevant information

Resume - Hardware

ØUse high-quality resume paper.
ØAvoid using photocopies of your resume
ØResume paper should be a neutral color
ØAvoid using different fonts on one resume.
ØFind a font that you like that is legible. Ex. Times New Roman, Courier
ØDon’t fold your resume paper
ØWhen mailing, use a reinforced envelope

RESUME FORMAT

Resumes, in general, consist of six parts:

• Your name, address, telephone number, and email address
• Objective
• Education
• Experience
• Honors, Awards, Activities, and Affiliations
• References

Primary Categories

• Identification
• Career Objective
• Education
• Professional and/or Related Experience
• Professional Training
• Honors and awards
• Optional Categories

Optional Résumé Categories

• Activities
• Awards
• Civic Involvement
• Computer Skills
• Community service
• Hobbies
• Honors
• Interests
• Languages
• LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

Essential Elements of Your Resume

Does it have these elements?
- Is the resume appealing in appearance?
- Does it tell enough of the story?
Does it Communicate the Essential Facts?
- Professional Goals
- Total Work Experience
- Education, Special Training,
or Special Certifications

General Résumé Guidelines

Ensure your résumé is:
• Clear and concise.
• Consistent and honest.
• Positive and aggressive.
• Careful and neat.

Résumé Evaluation Checklist

Does the résumé look:
• professional?
• easy to read?
• balanced on the page?
• as polished as you look in person?

Career Objective

Focus on You
• Skills
• Education
• Goals
Focus on the Position
• Organization
• Job Title(s)
• Type of Organization
• Geographic Area

The Objective

Keep it short: Just 1-2 Sentences
Should tell the position you are seeking
ØIt is the passport to the proper channel
ØIt should express a single goal or immediate direction

Be specific about what type of position you are seeking
ØEx. Instead of applying for the position of “manager” apply for the position of “customer service manager”
ØIf you are looking for a job in more than one department of a company, create a different resume for each position

Keys to Effective Career Objectives
• State the level of the position you are seeking (internship, entry-level).

• State the type of position you are seeking.
– Use generic words (marketing, finance, sales).
– Job titles differ within various industries.

• Consider mentioning specific areas of interest within a particular field.
– (Investing, Corporate Finance, Commercial Lending)

Well Written Career Objectives

• To obtain a position involving analysis, design, and implementation of management information systems while using my experience as an intern.

• To obtain a financial analyst position; special interest in commercial banking.

• An entry-level position in Teaching Science leading to a career in Higher education.

• A technical management position with an opportunity for progression to general management; special interest in the pharmaceutical industry.

Poorly Written Career Objectives

• To obtain a challenging position in marketing, finance, or management.
– “Challenging” is fluff. Too broad in scope.

• A position which affords me the opportunity to apply the technical and managerial skills I have acquired through previous education and experience.
– No focus. This fits many positions.
– Doesn’t communicate type and level of position.

TYPES OF RESUMES

Functional Resumes

• Work Best If:
– You have a "mixed bag" work history: no clear thread uniting positions held
– You are a new graduate or entering the workforce
– Your job titles do not clearly reflect the skills you used
– You are making a career change
• Rearranges employment history into sections that highlight skills and accomplishment.
• Functional Resumes:
– Are "problem solving" formats
– “Make sense" of your work history

Chronological Resumes

• Most common resume format
• It is the most widely preferred by employers
• It is fact-based and can be easily skimmed
• Best for job seekers with solid experience and a logical job history
• It is organized by job titles
• Format lists prior positions beginning with the most current

Resume Format

• It is better to have a two-page resume with all of your skills and qualifications listed than to have a one-page resume with information missing because you tried to conserve space.
• Make certain that the meat of your resume is on the first half of the first page.
• Remember to keep your sentences powerful and interesting to read.
Resume Name
• The size and boldness of the type of your name should be larger than the largest font used in your text,
• Name font should be no larger than 20-point type.
• You may use all capital letters, a combination of upper and lower case, or a combination of capitals with small capitals (LIKE THIS).

How to Find Keywords

• Find 5 to 10 ads for the same position at various companies.
• Highlight common words and phrases that could be the keywords used in the employer’s search criteria.
• Include words that are common to the job field of the position that you want
• Identify keywords from job ads and put them into your resume
– Test your resume by comparing it to ads you want to target.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS

What To Say and How To Say It
Some Examples of Action Verbs
• Accomplished
• Analyzed
• Achieved
• Coordinated
• Contributed
• Delegated
• Designed
• Devised
• Enhanced
• Established
• Formulated
• Generated
• Implemented
• Supervised
• Trained
• Researched

Action & Achievement Verbs

• Administered
• Advised
• Balanced
• Compiled
• Consolidated
• Created
• Demonstrated
• Designed
• Established
• Implemented
• Initiated
• Increased
• Negotiated
• Organized
• Planned
• Revised
• Supervised
• Trained

Resume Fonts

• Use popular fonts that are not overly decorative so that the machines can read them
– Garamond, Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma,
• The font size should be between 9-12 points for the text

Identification

• Name
• Mailing & Permanent Addresses
• Phone Number
• E-Mail Address

Formal Education

• Studies undertaken in an academically accredited program such as a high school, college or university.
• Always list academic studies in strict chronological descending order
--Ex. Doctoral, Graduate,
Undergraduate, High School
• Indicate dates of attendance and degrees and/or certificates awarded.
• Include your major field(s) of study and/or MARKS if useful
– Mention your MARKS. ONLY if it represents a record of excellence
• Indicate your anticipated date of graduation
• Describe programs of study only if the scope or length is not obvious in the name
• Highlight any special studies such as advanced courses or honors programs

Honors & Awards

• Emphasize academic achievements with reasonable restraint
– Don’t blow your own horn too much!
• Be prepared to validate your claims
– Don’t get caught stretching the truth or telling a lie!
• The more recent the achievements or participation, the more valid

Membership & Activities

• Listing extracurricular activities and memberships is a subtle technique for profiling some of your personal attributes
– It is also often a takeoff point for a skilled recruiter when digging into your interests
• Leadership and participation are the key elements communicated here
• Limit the list of activities to the ones that were central to the development of your interests and career goals
• Don’t forget your memberships to the professional societies in your disciplines
– If you’re not a member, become a member!

References

• References don’t belong on a resume page
• They should be provided separately
• If you state that they will be available upon request, you must be able to provide them
• Never use a person’s name as a reference without his or her permission
• Provide a list of 3-5 persons who are not friends, neighbors, or family members
– Be sure to include a former employer in you list
– You want your references to give a picture of you inside and outside the workplace

COVER, THANK YOU, AND FOLLOW UP LETTERS
COVER LETTERS

Cover letters are used with EVERY resume.
Tailors the application to a specific job and shows your interest in the position.
Address the cover letter to the person who
hiring for the position(s) that interests you
It may take a little time to discover the appropriate person’s name, but it may make the difference in your success

Content of a Cover Letter
• Content (first paragraph)
• State which job you’re applying for
• How you learned about the job
• Any personal contacts within the company
• General qualifications

• Body (1-3 paragraphs)
• Expand qualifications (pick specifics from resume)
• Explain how your background qualifies you
• Closing (last paragraph)
• Request interview (or some other response)
• State where and when you can be reached
• Thank reader for time and consideration

FOLLOW-UP LETTERS
ØIt is appropriate if you haven’t received a verbal or written response three to four weeks after sending your resume.
ØIt is used to inquire about the status of your application and remind the employer of your resume.
ØIt can also separate you from other applicants and show your initiative.

Contents of a Follow-up Letter
• Refer to your resume and the date your mailed it
• State the position for which you are applying
• Mention one or two relevant qualifications
• Describe your interest(s)
• Indicate that you will call to discuss your resume or schedule an interview
• Explain that you are sending another resume and offer to provide additional information.
• Request a response or an interview

THANK YOU LETTERS

Send a thank you letter immediately after every job interview.
It improves your chances of being hired and sets you apart from other applicants.

Contents of a Thank You Letter
• Content (first paragraph)
• Thank the interviewer for his/her time and consideration
• Refer to the position you applied for and the interview date.

• Body (middle paragraph)
• Confirm you interest
• Restate why you are qualified for the position
• Mention something that impressed you about company
• Offer to provide additional information.
• Closing (last paragraph)
• Ask for a follow-up interview
• Give availability date, or mention something that will warrant response

Resume Do’s

– Ensure that your resume has been spell checked and proofread
– Think carefully about what you want to convey to the reader
– Know the answer to: “What’s your story?”
– Include information/work experiences that show that you are results oriented

Resume Don’ts

– STATE SALARY REQUIREMENTS
– OFFER ANY NEGATIVE INFORMATION
– Attempt to write an effective resume in thirty minutes
– List your jobs/tasks without thinking about the results and accomplishments
– Include personal information such as marital status, age, religious or political affiliation
– Do not include names of your references
– Put off writing your resume until the last minute!

COMMON MISTAKES
• TOO LONG
• DISORGANIZED
• POORLY TYPED/PRINTED
• OVERWRITTEN
• TOO SPARSE
• NOT RESULTS ORIENTED
• IRRELEVANCIES
• MISSPELLINGS, TYPOS
• DOESN’T MATCH OBJECTIVE

THE LAST WORD
• BE BRIEF, CLEAR, CONCISE
• CONSISTENT
• POSITIVE
• HONEST
• CAREFUL
• NEAT

Dear friends you can mail me your resumes so that ill check on it and correct if any mistakes are found......

All the best......