Resume Writing Tips

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Resume Writing Tips

• Make your resume stand out!

My Resume!
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Career Center Partners generously support
Michigan Tech students!
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Career Center Partners

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WHAT IS A RESUME?

• Websters defines
• resume as
• A SUMMARY
• A SET OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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WHAT IS A RESUME?

• Your ticket to an interview
• A resource for filling out applications
• Evidence of what you have done
• A conversation starter
• Different for the college grad vs. someone with
  years of experience

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Submitting Resumes

• At Job Fairs
• The way the employer wants to receive it
• Job Posting Boards
• Company Websites
• Electronically (e-mail)
• U.S. Mail
• With Cover Letters

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Employers look for SKILLS and EXPERIENCES
Write your resume to show EVIDENCE of these!!

• Co-op / Internships
• Communication Skills
• Problem solving
• Computer/Technical Skills
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Motivation/Initiative
• Projects/Accomplishments
• Confidence

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How do I create a resume?

• Consider the following categories
• Objective (what you want to do)
• Education (schools, locations, degree, dates,
  GPA, relevant courses)
• Project Experiences (Enterprise, Senior Design,
  coursework, hobbies)
• Work Experiences (paid, unpaid, volunteer)
• Skills (Computer, Technical, Language)
• Accomplishments (dont be shy)

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• Make it easy for recruiter to find you
• Include name, permanent and/or school address,
  telephone number, e-mail address
• Avoid information that is about to expire
• E-mail address should be civil, business-like
• URL of personal webpage may be included, if only
  professional information and images

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OBJECTIVE

• For job fairs
• To obtain a full time position in the field of
  Electrical Engineering
• To obtain an internship or a co-op to further my
  experience and utilize my knowledge in the field
  of mechanical engineering.
• For specific position
• To obtain the structural engineer position at
  HireMe Inc.

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EDUCATION

• Michigan Technological University (MTU)
  Houghton, MI
• B.S. Electrical Engineering
  May 2006
• Minor Business
• GPA 3.1
• OR
• Departmental GPA 3.3 Overall GPA 2.8
• Relevant Courses
• Operations Management, Photonics, Global Finance,
  Power Systems, Distribution Engineering

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PROJECT EXPERIENCES

• MTU Winter Carnival 2004
  9/03-2/04
• Lambda Chi Alpha 2004 Snow Statue Chair
• Oversaw the design and construction of a 25 ft
  tall snow statue of the Eiffel Tower
• Performed stress tests and structural truss
  analysis for individual ice beams
• Created gantt charts and logistical timelines for
  building of the statue
• Managed multiple design teams of 4 to 5 people

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WORK EXPERIENCES

• Independent Contractor Lotsa, WI
  Electrician Assistant 1994-present
• Installed electric service
• Designed circuits from blueprints
• Wired outlets, lights, switches, hot water heater

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Listing Your Experience

• Topics To Include
• Jobs while you are in school
• Both volunteer and paid experiences
• Co-ops/internships
• Supervising or training people
• Family-owned businesses
• AVOID the obvious, go for IMPACT
• Remember to list most recent experience first

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COMPUTER SKILLS

• Operating systems Windows (98, XP) UNIX
• Programming Java, C, C, Fortran, Assembly
• Software Mathematica, CADKEY, DATACAD, Matlab,
  MathCAD, Verilog, UGNX, Microsoft Word, Excel,
  PowerPoint, Labview, Star Office

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Assisted father with electrical work for past 13
  years
• Hockey Team Assistant Captain Senior Year
• MTU Leadership Scholarship
• Independently restoring a 1976 CJ5 Jeep

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TEN RESUME DOS

• Make sure it looks professional
• Use standard sized, white/light tint paper
• Print on only one side
• Try to keep it to one page (undergrad)
• Format well and have white space
• Use bullets and powerful verbs
• Keep it positive
• Be honest, but dont undersell yourself
• Use the vocabulary (keywords) of your field
• Keep your contact information current

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TEN RESUME DONTS

• Exaggerate
• Have misspelled words or names
• Include photograph, marital status, sex, age
• Handwrite changes or additions
• Make it too crowded with no white space
• Send it without a cover letter
• Have unexplained abbreviations
• Use personal pronouns
• Use fonts smaller than 10 pt.
• Use a template-theyre tougher to alter

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OTHER RESOURCES

• career.mtu.edu
• quintcareers.com
• jobweb.com
• GOOGLE How to write a resume and
• cover letter

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Career Center 2007 Fall Events

• September 11.Resume Writing Tips
• September 12, 13, 17, 18 .MUB Resume Blitz
• September 19-21Resume Critiques
• September 18..Co-op Seminar
• September 19 .Interviewing Success
• September 24-28Mock Interviews Week
• September 26..Job search Strategies
• October 2..Career Day
• October 17Plant Trip/Benefits
• October 24Etiquette Dinner