Resume building workshop

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Resume building workshop

• The Information SchoolOffice of Student and
  Academic Services

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What should your resume do for you?

• Your resume can help you market your value to
  potential employers outside academia.
• The purpose of a resume is not to get you a job,
  but to get you an interview.
• Tailoring your resume for each position helps you
  market yourself more efficiently and effectively.
• Generic resumes can slow down your job search
  they arent as impressive.

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How employers review resumes

• Employers first look at resumes with the goal of
  getting rid of the poor applicants. This is
  why it is so important to proofread!
• After they narrow it down, then they will look
  for a good fit for the job.
• You want to grab their attention in 10 seconds
  which can be the average amount of time they
  spend looking at your resume.
• Have someone proofread your resume for 10 seconds
  and let you know what their first impression is.

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Tip Proofread

• Proofread your own resume and have someone else
  review it for you.
• Dont just check for misspelled words, also see
  if your resume gets your message across. Ask
  your proofreader
• Do you understand what I do based on looking at
  my resume?
• What does my resume tell you about me?
• Should I not include the fact that I like eating
  chocolate and have a pet raccoon? J

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Formatting of resumes

• Page length
• 1 or 2 pages is ideal for a resume.
• If using a 2nd page, include your name and a page
  number on the top.
• Margins
• 1 inch, though could be smaller depending on how
  much space you need.
• Font
• No smaller than 11 point, depending on the font.
  
• Stick with classic fonts (Arial, Times New Roman,
  Calibri, etc.)

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Formatting of resumespage 2

• Left side
• Important information should go on the left side,
  i.e., job titles and employer names.
• Dates typically go on the right side.
• Bolding, underlining, spacing, capitalization,
  etc.
• The key is to be consistent.
• Minimal use of abbreviations
• Abbreviations tend to be industry/company
  specific.
• Spell out your degree title.

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Formatting of resumespage 3

• Put your most relevant information near the top
  of your resume
• What is relevant is different to each individual
  and to each job for which you tailor your resume.
• Relevant information may include your degree(s),
  skills, work experience, etc.
• Use short, bulleted lists or small paragraphs
• The first word of your sentence should be a
  strong skill word.
• No long paragraphs!

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Tip Skill words

• Use vivid action verbs (skill words) to help you
  get your message across.
• Example skills words Coordinated, delegated,
  developed, budgeted, planned, discovered,
  engineered, examined, gathered, etc.
• Some companies use resume-scanning programs where
  they match skill words from a job description to
  your resume. To combat this, use skill words
  that align with the description.

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Categories within your resume

• Think of categories within your resume as a road
  map for someone reviewing it.
• Include vivid category headings, and feel free to
  be more descriptive
• NOTE you do not need ALL of these categories.

• Contact information
• Objective
• Summary of qualifications
• Education
• Honors awards
• Experience
• Publications presentations

• Professional training
• Leadership / Community / Volunteer
• Professional affiliations
• Special skills
• Technology skills
• Additional information
• References (not needed)

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Tip Technology skills section

• All Information School students should have a
  Computer or Technology skills section in
  their resume.
• Include word processing, computer programs that
  you are familiar with, database experience, web
  page design, etc.

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Styles of Resumes

• Reverse Chronological
• Preferred by employers
• Organized job by job, in reverse order (start
  with the most recent experience)
• Can divide your "Experience" section
• Based on relevancy (Related, Other, etc.)
• Based on area (academic vs. public libraries,
  for-profit vs. non-profit, etc.)
• Functional / Skills
• Not preferred by employers
• Good for career changers
• Organized skill by skill
• Bullets show proof of skills

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Resume paper

• Plain, heavyweight, white paper is preferred.
• 28 lb. paper is brighter and thicker (normal,
  cheap paper is 20 lb.)
• You do not have to use watermarked resume paper.
• Stay away from pink scented paper (it may work in
  the movies, but it does not give you something
  extra.) J

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Submitting your resume

• Employers sometimes scan resumes electronically,
  so you may have to have a plain text resume
  prepared for submission
• Avoid columns, tabs, bullets, italics,
  underlining.
• Use capital letters, spacing, bolding for
  emphasis.
• Use skill words found in job description.
• Online job boards
• Sometimes you must submit one generic resume,
  which you cant tailor to a job but can tailor to
  a company.

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Submitting your resume email

• Emailing resumes
• If you have a choice, PDF instead of a Word
  document is best.
• In the email body include a short introductory
  paragraph and cut and paste of your resume.
• Attach a cover letter and your resume.
• Send it to yourself first to see how it will look
  when you email it.

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Curriculum Vitae (vs Resume)

• Purpose
• Show your value match to employers in academia.
• Use when applying to graduate school or to an
  academic institution.
• While your resume is a marketing piece, the CV is
  an autobiography AND a marketing piece.
• Length
• Typically 2 or more pages.
• Categories
• Usually does not include objective.
• Format
• Some variation of Reverse Chronological format.

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UW Career Center

• The UW Career Center offers year-round services
  for students and alumni
• Located in Mary Gates Hall (MGH) 134, off the
  first floor Commons.
• Receive résumé advice or other quick tips either
  via a walk-in appointment, scheduled appointment,
  or email.
• Events occur on a quarterly and annual basis
  Career Week, career fairs, and résumé and
  portfolio workshops.
• http//depts.washington.edu/careers/