WRITING A WINNING RESUME

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WRITING AWINNING RESUME

• Employment Assistance
• Floris United Methodist Church

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• An average job announcement attracts 100 or more
  interested applicants.
• Research shows that only one interview is granted
  for every 200 resumes received by the average
  employer.
• Most resumes are quickly scanned, you have 20 to
  30 seconds to make an impact.

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• HOW CAN YOU GET THEIR ATTENTION?

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• A Resume is a tool with
• one specific purpose
• To win an interview

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Marketing document
• Personal marketing statement
• Stand out as a superior candidate
• Stimulates interest in you and makes the reader
  want to learn more about you

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Other reasons for a resume
• Provide basic facts and to get past screening
  minimum qualifications
• Provide contact information
• Provides a sample of your writing skills

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Objective
• Summary
• Accomplishments
• Employment History
• Education
• Technical/Special Skills
• Professional Affiliations

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Objective
• Include the title or function followed by the
  skills or experience you bring
• Reference the specific position you are seeking

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Summary
• Brief, powerful display of your credentials
• Should contain several concise statements that
  focus attention on the most important qualities,
  achievements and abilities you have to offer

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Accomplishments
• Shows prospective employers your abilities
• Include results, outcomes or impact of your past
  responsibilities
• Situation, action, result

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Employment History
• Lists the jobs you have held
• Include title, name of employer, location, dates
  of employment

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Education/Training
• List highest degree first
• Include area of study, name of school/college and
  location of school/college
• Follow with certificates and advanced training

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Main parts of a resume
• Professional Affiliations
• Current, relevant and impressive examples only
• Leadership roles if appropriate

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Resume Formats
• Chronological
• Functional
• Combination

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Resume Formats
• Chronological
• Most common, traditional style
• Arranged by date
• Good if you have a continuous employment history
  and when your most recent experience applies to
  the job you are interested in

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Resume Formats
• Functional
• Arranged by skills and functional areas of
  expertise
• Good when you are changing careers or to
  highlight skills used earlier in your career

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Resume Formats
• Combination
• Summary with a description of functional skills
  and select accomplishments or highlights followed
  by a chronological work history

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• NO ERRORS!
• Typographical, spelling, grammar, syntax,
  punctuation and no errors of fact

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• MUST include all the basic, expected information
  
• Name
• Address
• Contact information phone and e-mail
• Job History
• Degrees

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• Visually appealing
• Use larger than average margins
• Use underlining and bullets sparingly
• Use FULL CAPITALIZATION for headings and company
  names only
• Write out numbers one to ten, write 11 and up in
  numerical form unless beginning sentence

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• Length
• General rule maximum length of two pages,
  resume is a sales tool, not an autobiography
• Additional page(s) may be warranted for
  publications and presentations, usually for the
  academic and scientific field

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• Style
• First or third person, be consistent
• Action verbs
• Technical terms only if required to explain work
• Use abbreviations sparingly
• Use accurate verb tenses, past if already done,
  present if still underway

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• Paper/Printing
• Good quality white, gray or ivory bond paper, no
  catchy colors
• Letter quality printer or high quality copier
• Absolutely clean paper no smudges
• Font Standard conservative font, 11 or 12 point

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Get it Right
• BE HONEST
• Never include a picture
• Do not include salary history or salary
  requirement
• Do not include reference list, references
  available upon request may be included
• Do not list any personal information, race,
  marital status, sex, age, country of origin,
  religious denomination or political affiliation

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Electronic/Scannable Resumes
• No italics, underlining, shading or unusual
  enhancements, use bold for emphasis
• One font style throughout document, 11 to 14
  point
• No fancy font styles, preferably a sans serif
  style
• No lines, graphics or boxes
• No bullets

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Electronic/Scannable Resumes (continued)
• No parentheses or brackets
• Even spacing throughout document
• Do not condense spacing between letters
• Left justify only, no center or right
  justification
• Do not fold or staple
• Submit an original printed on white, 8 ½ x 11
  inch paper

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Electronic/Scannable Resumes (continued)
• Avoid tabs, use spacebar instead
• Use nouns and noun phrases rather than verbs if
  possible
• Do not use two column format
• KEYWORDS

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Cover Letters
• A cover letter serves several functions
• Explains why you are sending a resume
• Tells how you learned about the position
• Convinces the reader to look at your resume
• Brings attention to your qualifications
• Presents personal characteristics
• Provides specific information requested
• Indicates what you will do to follow up

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Cover Letters (continued)
• Address the letter to a specific title or name
• Keep the letter to less than one page, 3 to 4
  short paragraphs
• Keep it simple and to the point
• Respond to the employers requirements
• Be sincere and honest
• Drop names in the first paragraph

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Cover Letters (continued)
• Entice the reader to find out more about you in
  your resume
• Let them know what you want
• End with an action statement
• Include all your contact information

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Thank You Letters
• Write and send a thank you note to each
  interviewer expressing appreciation for their
  time and your continued interest in the position
• Send the letters by e-mail or regular mail with
  24 to 48 hours of the interview/contact

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Thank You Letters (continued)
• Personalize the letters to each person
• Use the information gathered during the interview
  to build rapport
• Thank people for their courtesy and time
• Use it as a further marketing opportunity

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WRITING A WINNING RESUME

• Your resume may be your first contact with a
  prospective employer. The impression they form
  about you will start with this first contact,
  make it count.
• The resume is an important part of your personal
  marketing plan get over your modesty and really
  sell yourself!

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• Last, but certainly not least, we pray that you
  will be successful in your job search. Believe
  that God is with you each step of the way and
  pray for his guidance throughout the process.
• do not be anxious about anything, but in
  everything by prayer and supplication with
  thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.
• Philippians 46