Resume Update

1
Resume Update

• What is a resume?
• A resume is a summary of your skills and
  experiences used as a marketing tool in the job
  search.
• Who should have one?
• Anyone who is eligible for employment.
• How long should my resume be?
• 12 pages. An employer gives about 10 seconds of
  his or her time to reading a resume. So be
  concise yet powerfulyou have only 10 seconds to
  catch his or her attention.
• Why should I have a resume?
• Employers want them.
• Resumes help to organize and detail your
  experiences efficiently so employers can easily
  reference them and learn something about you
  before actually meeting you.
• Having an updated resume helps you recall past
  experiences when you fill out job applications.

2
General Tips for Creating a Resume

• Keep it shortone or two pages max.
• Dont use sentences, just short phrases.
• Use action verbs to describe job
  responsibilities.
• Never abbreviate.
• Avoid jargon and technical words.
• Make sure to proofread.
• Use present verb tense for your current job
  (Example Tutor children) and past tense for past
  jobs (Example Tutored children).
• Market yourself (in other words, focus on your
  strengths and achievements).
• Emphasize experience in area related to the job,
  de-emphasize experiences that are irrelevant (not
  related to the job).
• Dont include pictures unless you are applying
  for something like acting or modeling.
• List education first if you are a recent
  graduate.
• Never include your GPA if it is less than 3.0 on
  a 4.0 scale.
• Writing References available upon request is
  unnecessary.

3
Other Resume Dos and Donts

• Dos
• Spell check
• Include accurate contact information
• Tailor your resume for each job
• Review resume before submitting it
• Present it to employer on clean wrinkle-free
  paper
• Save resume on a disk
• Update your resume with new information

• Donts
• Send resume in with errors
• Use fancy fonts
• Use bullets excessively
• Use phrases or words you dont understand
• Forget to include dates for employment (and be as
  accurate as possible)

4
How to Save Your Resume

• Save your resume on a disk so that you have it
  available at all times. To do this
• On the menu bar, go to File.
• Choose Save As. When a screen pops up, the top
  will have a Save In textbox with a dropdown arrow
  on the right side.
• Click on the arrow and scroll to 3½ floppy (A)
  and click on it.
• In the File name textbox, type in a name for your
  file (such as Resume)
• In the Save As Type textbox (under File Name
  textbox), click on the arrow and find Plain
  Text or Text Only and click on it.
• Click Save.
• A screen may pop up that says there may be
  features that are not compatiblewith text-only
  format. When this happens, click OK and changes
  can be made to re-format document. See the next
  slide for more information about changes.
• This format allows your resume to be formatted so
  that you can easily send it electronically,
  either via email or to post it on-line.

5
Cleaning Up a Text Only File

• To clean up a Text Only file, do the following
• Change bullets to asterisks or dashes, or dont
  use bullets.
• Make sure that the address, phone number(s) and
  email address(es) are placed on separate lines,
  one underneath the other not in different areas
  of the top section.
• Add stylistic elements to the header sections so
  that they stand out. A horizontal line (up to 60
  characters) may be created by using a series of
  dashes or asterisks.
• Put the most important information in the top
  third of the document most employers print only
  whats on the screen, so they may not read some
  of your resume.
• If a resume is longer than one page and contains
  contact information on the additional pages,
  remove this information.

6
Sample Resume

• Tonya Williams
• 4886 School Drive
• Chicago, Illinois 67896
• [phone]
• tonya1_at_email.com
• Objective
• To obtain a position as a sales associate in
  order to enhance my customer service skills.
• Education
• Gordan High School
• Chicago, Illinois
• Graduation June 2002
• Experience
• Hostess June 2001-September 2002
• Yummy Restaurant
• Chicago, Illinois
• Assisted customers
• Answered phones
• Oversaw cash register
• Babysitter March 1998- May 2001

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Resume for Work Experience

• Name
• Address
• City, State, ZIP Code
• Phone Number ( )
• E-mail Address
• Objective Briefly describe the intent of the
  resume. What type of position are you looking
  for?
• Education Name of School
• City, State
• Major if applicable
• Graduation Month and Year
• Experience Most recent job title Employment
  Dates
• Place of employment
• List all duties
• Other job title Employment Dates
• Place of employment
• City, State

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Resume for No Work Experience

• Name
• Address
• Phone ( )
  E-mail
• Objective
• Write objective
• Profile
• Brief point about self
• Brief point about self
• Brief point about self
• Career Overview
• List specific function of past job
• List specific function of past job
• List specific function of past job
• List specific function of past job
• Highlights of Experience
• State activities involved in
• State activities involved in
• Mention any achievements
• List any positions of leadership

9
Tips for References

• First, ask people if you can use their names as
  references.
• Use people you have known for more than one year.
• List people who will say good things about you.
• Do not use family members names as references.
• Give a phone number where the person can be
  reached during the day.
• List at least three people from the following
  sources
• Teacher
• Coach
• School counselor
• Job coach
• Older co-worker
• Church leader
• Community leader
• Supervisor from past job or volunteer experience
• Dont submit references until theyre requested.

10
What Is a Cover Letter?

• A cover letter is a brief, personalized letter
  that presents your resume.
• The goal of a cover letter is to let the employer
  know that you are interested in a specific
  position and to demonstrate your ability to
  perform the job.
• A cover letter should provide brief examples of
  your qualifications.

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What Goes into a Cover Letter?

• The standard length of a cover letter is three or
  four short paragraphs.
• Paragraph 1 States the position you are applying
  for and where you heard about the opening
• Paragraph 23 Highlights a few of your
  experiences that relate to the job that interests
  you
• Final paragraph Expresses your interest in the
  job and asks for a time to meet to talk more
  about what you could offer the company
• Your time is limited with an employer, so
  whatever you write, make sure it is professional
  but makes you stand out.

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Tips for Writing Cover Letters

• Always write with confidence and show a genuine
  interest in the job.
• Make sure that there are no grammatical or
  spelling errors.
• Using cover letter templates (cover letters that
  are prewritten to guide you through the writing
  process) is fine, but avoid sending a letter that
  reads as though you just filled in the blanks.
  Devise your own style so that you stand out from
  the crowd.
• Start powerfully employers spend less than 30
  seconds reading cover letters, so the first
  sentence or two should pack a punch.

13
Cover Letter Checklist

• Address a person, not a title.
• Show energy and enthusiasm for the job.
• Be brief and to the point.
• Include information relevant to the job you are
  seeking. (In other words, dont talk about some
  accomplishment that doesnt relate to the job
  just because you want to look good.)
• Avoid using the same phrases that the job
  description uses.
• Be direct. (Avoid sounding shy and timid
  employers want outgoing, confident workers.)
• Ask for an interview clearly and without apology
  or arrogance.
• Use action verbs.
• Vary your sentence structure and use short
  sentences (under 20 words).
• Use the correct spelling of the name of the
  company and the hiring person. (Check the
  spelling of this information more than once.)
• Sign the bottom of the letter.
• Proofread your letter before sending it. (It
  doesnt hurt to have a couple of peoplewho are
  good writers or editors proofread.)

14
Tips for WritingThank-You Notes

• Thank the employer for the interview.
• Express your interest in the position.
• Demonstrate the match between your skills and the
  job duties.
• Include your contact information.
• Make it brief (five to seven sentences max).
• Make sure that it fits on a small, blank
  thank-you note card.
• Mail it within 48 hours of your interview.
• Check it for correct spelling and grammar.