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• 1. Self Assessment
• 2. Research
• 3. Decision-Making
• 4. Networks & Contacts
  • 4.1 Work Search
    • 4.1.1 Traditional Methods of Finding Openings
    • 4.1.2 Internet Sites Listing Job Advertisements
    • 4.1.3 Creative Methods for Finding Work
    • 4.1.4 Researching Employers
    • 4.1.5 Networking, Developing Leads and Making Contacts
    • 4.1.6 Networking Contacts
    • 4.1.7 Networking Diagrams
    • 4.1.8 Create a Job Seeker's Calling Card
  • 4.2 Resumes
    • 4.2.1 Preparing to Write Your Resume
    • 4.2.2 Major Sections of a Resume
    • 4.2.3 Types of Resumes
    • 4.2.4 Functional Resume
    • 4.2.5 Additional Resume Tips
    • 4.2.6 Action Verbs that Describe Skills
    • 4.2.7 Preparing an Electronic Version of Your Resume
    • 4.2.8 Resume Templates
    • 4.2.9 Resources on Resume Writing
  • 4.3 Letters
    • 4.3.1 Cover and Broadcast Letters
    • 4.3.2 Comparison of Cover and Broadcast Letters
    • 4.3.3 A Process to Develop Letters
    • 4.3.4 Creating Thank You Letters
    • 4.3.5 Sample Letter Format
    • 4.3.6 Resources on Letter Writing
  • 4.4 Interviews
    • 4.4.1 The Core of the Interview Process
    • 4.4.2 Selling Your Benefits
    • 4.4.3 Understanding Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication
    • 4.4.4 Approaches to Interviewing
    • 4.4.5 The Employer's Evaluation
    • 4.4.6 Tips for Effective Interviewing
    • 4.4.7 Your Rights in the Interview
    • 4.4.8 Resources on Interviewing
• 5. Work
• 6. Life/Work Planning

Step 4.2: Resumes

In this section you will learn: The benefits of writing a resume The three main styles of resumes How to create your own resume How to submit electronic resumes

The Benefits of a Resume

The resume has become an essential part of the work search process. A resume is:

• A systematic assessment of your skills in terms of a specific work objective

• A marketing device used to gain an interview

The purpose of the resume is to get an interview. It is like an advertisement: it should attract attention, create interest, describe accomplishments and invite a person to contact you. The average amount of time an employer takes to initially scan a resume is 30 seconds. It is very important that the resume be brief, one page if possible and two pages the limit. The resume tells a potential employer what you can do and have done, who you are, and what you know. It also states what kind of work you seek. The key is that the resume must provide enough information for the employer to evaluate your qualifications and interest the employer enough to invite you for an interview.

The resume is a more concise presentation of credential than a curriculum vita (CV), which is prepared for a teaching/research position in a university or for inclusion in an application package for graduate school. If you need help writing a CV, contact Career Services.

Life is a mirror and gives back to us the reflection of our own self. ~ Joseph Batten

The Steps to Writing Your Resume

1. Make detailed self-assessment notes and keep them together in a file.

2. Obtain detailed job description information for the type(s) of work you want to do.

3. Prepare a draft of a Chronological, Modified Chronological, or Functional resume.

4. Organize major sections in order of importance, with Job Objective or Career Goal first and Summary of Qualifications or Skills Summary second.

5. Have someone else proofread a draft of your resume.

Do's and Don'ts (for resumes) -

 

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s	Resume SOS [page 1]  [page2](est. 5-10 min) Look at a problem resume to learn what mistakes to avoid!

 

To continue with Step 4.2.1, click here.