Creating Your Resum

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Creating Your Resumé

• Myrna Rudder
• Allen Rioux

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What is a Resumé?

• Critical tool in your co-op, part-time or
  full-time job search
• A summary of your qualifications and experience
• A brief document that communicates enough
  information to an employer to elicit further
  interest

PURPOSE The main purpose of a resumé is to get
you an interview!
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Building Your Resumé

• The Art of Selling You!

A resumé is like a advertisement, it lets an
employer know about your best qualities.
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Resumé Tips

• Pay attention to detail
• Proofread
• Organize
• Clear and to the point
• Legibility
• One Page
• Include all work experience

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Basic Resumé Elements

• Career / Educational Objective
• Education
• Computer Skills
• Experience / Accomplishments
• Honors / Awards
• Collegiate Activities / Community Activities
• References

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Career / Educational Objective

• Should answer two questions
• What do you want?
• Why do you want it?
• Should be focused
• Short and Concise
• The 2 Second rule!

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Your Education

• The High School Dilemma!
• What is Needed?
• The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio.
• August 2007 - Present
• Bachelor of Science, _____ Engineering Technology
• Anticipated Graduation Date
• Extras
• The Great GPA Debate
• Should I list every class I ever took?
• Scholastic Honors, Awards Scholarships

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Work Experience

• What are Employers Looking For?
• General work experience
• Does this person have a good work ethic?
• Communication skills / Interpersonal skills
• Teamwork skills / Problem solving skills
• Professional experience
• The Power of Three
• The Use of Bullets
• Utilizing Action Words

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Some Examples of Action Words

• Accomplished
• Analyzed
• Achieved
• Coordinated
• Contributed
• Delegated
• Designed
• Devised

• Enhanced
• Established
• Formulated
• Generated
• Implemented
• Supervised
• Trained
• Researched

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Job Description Example

• For more than one job entry
• Order with most recent at top
• Repeat format with blank line between positions

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Professional Job Description

• For more than one job entry
• Order with most recent at top
• Repeat format with blank line between positions

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Collegiate Activities Example

• Order with most recent activities at top
• Include dates where appropriate
• List positions and responsibilities

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Resumé Extras

• Personal Strengths / Special Skills
• Superior Time Management Skills
• Excellent listening skills and the ability to
  interact with others
• Well developed written and oral communication
  skills
• Community Activities
• What not to include

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References

• Available upon request
• Whom should I ask to be my references?
• Employers and Professors
• Co-Workers and Family Friends
• How many references should I have?
• Separate piece of paper
• Name, Address and Telephone Number/Email
• Company and Title of Individual
• Make sure to contact those you have chosen

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References

• Use a format similar to that shown at right for
  each of your references
• Make certain that email addresses are accurate
• All references must have agreed to serve

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Paper and Layout

• Paper weight
• Use matching paper for resumés and cover letters
  (rag bond, textured, etc.)
• Color
• Use white, off-white, tan, beige, or light gray
  to achieve a professional, businesslike
  appearance
• Spacing
• Center your resumé on the page leaving adequate
  white space. Make sure top and bottom margins
  are equal.

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A Convincing Resumé

• The four Cs
• Complete
• Concise
• Consistent
• Correct

Proofread carefully and proofread again! A simple
error can cause your resumé to be recycled!
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Resume Dos

• DO think of your resumé as an ad for your
  qualifications, not an autobiography.
• DO begin each bullet point with a verb.
• DO include paid and unpaid experience to
  demonstrate the range of what youve done.
• DO show the reader why youre a good match for a
  particular job.
• DO make several resumés, with each one targeting
  a particular field or company.
• DO look at other resumés to see how they are
  written.

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Resume Dos (2)

• DO use reverse chronology (the most recent
  position is your first entry) to organize your
  education and experience.
• DO format your resumé clearly.
• DO proofread many times.
• DO ask others to look at your resumé.
• DO come to the Co-op Office for a critique.
• DO remember that most employers will only look at
  your resumé for 15-30 seconds.

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Resume Donts

• DONT make your reader dig for information.
• DONT tell everything youve ever done.
• DONT use complete sentences
• DONT include personal information, such as age,
  race, marital or health status.
• DONT make your resumé too dense, busy or cute.
• DONT use a font smaller than 10 point.
• DONT use fancy fonts that are hard to read.