Resume Writing Seminar

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Resume Writing Seminar

• Presented to
• The Delta Rho Chapter of
• Pi Sigma Epsilon
• Presented by
• Dr. Theresa B. Flaherty
• Associate Professor of Marketing
• James Madison University
• flahertb_at_jmu.edu

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Why Write a Resume?

• To introduce you to employers
• To prepare you to interview
• To assist you in networking
• To meet employer expectations
• To demonstrate contributions you will make to the
  employer
• To back up and reinforce your job objective by
• Stressing your qualifications for the job
• Highlighting your accomplishments and results
  achieved from your successes

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What is a Resume?

• Primary marketing tool of your job search
• Brief representation of self
• Reflection of your personality and individuality
• First opportunity to make an impression on
  employers
• Designed for the sole purpose of getting you an
  interview

4
Personal ExperienceReview

• Evaluate all experiences paid, non-paid,
  volunteer, co-curricular, sports
• Assess skills, abilities, weaknesses/ strengths,
  interests/hobbies, and values
• Identify what you enjoyed doing and did well
• Distinguish between related and non-related
  experience

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Resume Styles

• Reverse Chronological
• Most recent experience first
• Position-Oriented
• Emphasizes positions held and relevant duties and
  skills involved with each position
• Functional
• Emphasizes skills learned through related
  activities, rather than where or how long you
  worked
• Combination

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Heading

• Name
• Current and permanent addresses (including zip
  codes)
• You may include dates
• Phone (including area code)
• Fax (including area code)
• Email address
• School (expires 2 months after degree is
  conferred)
• Personal (e.g., hotmail, yahoo, aol, etc.)
• Your web site address

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Career Objective

• Must educate the employer
• Provides focus for entire resume
• Organizes your information
• Targets your resume
• Highlight your skills to match the particular
  requirements of the organization
• If you are struggling with the objective
  statement, try a fill-in-the-blank to start
• A position using knowledge of and
  skills experience in and .
  Special interest .
• Do not use I (first person)
• Poorly conceived or weak objectives can hurt
  employment prospects more than anything else on
  your resume. Employers look for fit.

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Three Styles of Objectives

• Position
• Example To obtain a position as a commercial
  artist.
• Field
• Example Seeking an entry-level position in the
  field of pharmaceutical chemistry.
• Skill
• Example Desire a position utilizing my writing,
  public speaking, and organizational skills.

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Education

• Start with highest degree level (BBA Bachelor
  of Business Administration)
• Major, Minor
• GPA / 4.0 scale if above 3.0
• Can include major GPA
• Specializations, concentrations, certificates,
  licenses, and professional designations
• Scholarships, or if earned part or all of your
  college expenses while in school, develop a
  funding statement (e.g., financed 70 of
  education myself).
• Relevant coursework highlights
• Use name of course, not course number
• Include major only

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Work Experience

• Includes paid, non-paid, and/or volunteer
• Put dates of employment in month/year format
  (avoid talking in terms of semesters)
• Always include job title, place of employment,
  location (city, state)
• Highlight duties and responsibilities in terms of
  skills use action verbs/energetic phrases
• If job responsibilities are understood, talk
  about what you learned about you or your work
  (e.g., waiter/waitress)

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Extracurricular Activities

• List activities which demonstrate leadership
  ability, initiative, good communication skills
  and perseverance
• List position(s) held
• Include dates
• Explain things which are not obvious
• Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), the only national
  professional fraternity in marketing, personal
  selling, and sales management.
• If extracurricular activities are more relevant
  than work experience, consider listing as
  related experience
• Use specifics - quantities, duration, and
  advancements

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Additional Components

• Honors and Awards
• Military Experience
• Publications and Presentations
• Computer Skills

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Format

• Keep it to one or two pages
• If two pages, use a full two pages
• Double space between sections, single space
  within sections. Dont be afraid to use white
  space liberally.
• Use a high quality printer
• Bold, Underline, Italicize, or CAPITALIZE section
  headings for emphasis
• Choose 24 lb white, or ivory bond paper. Get
  envelopes to match.
• Once you have written your resume and cover
  letter, you should have as many people as
  possible review it. Your resume must be 100
  error free!

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Things to Avoid

• Dull, passive words and long, hard-to-read
  sentences
• Fancy type styles
• Poor grammar and spelling errors
• FLUFF - do not exaggerate anywhere
• Unimportant details and/or irrelevant information
• Inconsistencies or abbreviations
• James Madison University (JMU)
• Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE)
• Salary or wage information

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Can your resume be readin 10-20 seconds?

• Keep it
• Positive and Enthusiastic
• Clean
• Simple
• Concise
• Brief
• Creative

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References

• You may write References Available Upon Request
  at bottom of resume
• 2-4 different people - Use past or current
  supervisors, professors, or advisors
• GET PERMISSION
• Give them a copy of your resume
• Give them advance notice if you know someone will
  be calling them.
• On separate sheet include your contact
  information in the center. List the name, title,
  complete address, phone number, fax number, and
  e-mail address for each reference
• Always send your references a thank-you note with
  an updated copy of your resume

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Cover Letters

• Length 3-4 short paragraphs on 1 page
• Size 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper
• Use same color and weight paper as resume
• Use top of resume as letterhead for cover letter
• Check spelling carefully
• The cover letter should be targeted to the
  specific organization or job sought.

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Resources

• Career Search Information http//cob.jmu.edu/cla
  rkeix/careers/jobs/careers.htm
• Job Web (Resumes and Interviews)
  http//www.jobweb.com/Resumes_Interviews/default.h
  tm
• Resume Checklist http//www.odu.edu/ao/cmc/pdffi
  les/resume20checklist.pdf
• Riley Guide to Resumes and Cover Letters
  http//www.rileyguide.com/letters.html
• Cover Letter Quiz http//www.usatoday.com/img/con
  tent/flash/gcoverletter/frame.htm
• JMU Academic Advising Career Dev.
  http//www.jmu.edu/aacd/