Preparing for Employment
Writing Resumes
What is a Resume?
• A resume is a brief summary of your experiences, educational
background, and skills that highlight your unique qualifications
for a job.
• A resume describes what you have done, what you can do,
who you are, and what you know.
• A resume also states the kind of work you seek.
Purpose of a Resume
• The purpose of a resume is to get an interview and ultimately
a job.
• A resume should grab the attention of potential employers so
that they will want to meet you and discuss how you might fit
within the organization.
• The resume should have enough information to show the
employer that you have the qualifications for the job.
Major Sections of a Resume
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Personal Profile (or contact information)
Career or Job Objective
Summary of Qualifications or Skills
Education (relevant assignments or courses)
Work Experience
Volunteer Experience
Awards and Certificates
Activities, hobbies, and Interests
Skills & Abilities (computer skills, languages, licensure, etc.)
Types of Resumes
• There are three basic types of resumes
• Chronological
• Functional
• Combination
Chronological Resume
• This is the most common kind of resume.
• Information is presented based on a timeline.
• The work experience section is organized by presenting
information in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• Please see sample Chronological Resume workbook 4b-5
Functional Resume
• Functional resumes group work experience and skills by skill
area or job function rather than specific employment history.
• They differ from a chronological resume by the way they
present work experience.
• This type of format is useful for individuals who have little or
no related work experience, but do have relevant
qualifications
• Please see sample functional resume workbook 4b-6
Modified Chronological Resume (Combination Resume)
• A modified chronological resume highlights skills and experiences and
merges the chronological and functional styles by grouping
knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• The work experience section is renamed and headings describing the
types of experiences are listed in reverse chronological order and
categorized by similarity in types of experiences.
• Please see sample Modified Chronological Resume workbook 4b-7
Description of Major Sections:
Personal Profile
• Your personal profile typically lists all of your contact
information and appears on the top of your resume. This
information should include:
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Name (this text is typically larger than other text)
Address
Email
Phone
Website (if applicable)
Career or Job Objective
• In one short sentence, you want to tell the employer exactly what
kind of job you are looking for. The job title should be listed in the
statement if you are applying for an advertised position.
• Example: “Seeking full-time position as a (travel agent).”
• If you have little or no experience, you may write something like,
“Seeking a full-time, entry-level position as a (travel agent).
Work Experience
• Most people list work experiences in chronological order.
• It provides prospective employers with a quick view of your
employment patterns and career progression.
• Start and end dates, as well as employer information and job titles are
included
• In some cases, it makes sense to have two sections labeled “Relevant
Work Experience” and “Other Work Experience”
Skills and Abilities
• List any special skills or abilities you possess that may make you more
marketable for the job.
• Many employers are interested in computer proficiency and
knowledge of specific software (e.g., proficient in using Excel to
create spreadsheets and graphs).
• Other skills and abilities might include things like, speaking more
than one language, having special skills in lab settings, etc.
• If specific training or licensure was received, list the license,
beginning date, expiration date, and region's where you are licensed
to practice (e.g. CPR certification).
Volunteer Experiences
• If you wish to highlight two or more volunteer experiences, create a
separate heading.
• List the organizations for which you volunteered and add details
about your contributions.
• Include volunteer experience before work experience if it is more
relevant.
• If volunteer activities are not directly related to the job, consider
listing them in the Activities and Interest section.
Education
• List all educational experiences with your highest level attained,
beginning with most recent.
• Include high school or GED information if you are still a student.
• Once you have some education or significant employment after
high school, it is not necessary to include high school on your
resume.
• Usually written in this order: Diploma, Name of School, City, Date
received
• Example: Milford High School diploma, Milford, NH, 2013
Education Continued
• If relevant, list one to three substantive projects or
assignments you have completed if they are related to the job
you are seeking.
Examples: Built a car in auto mechanics would be relevant
to job as mechanic
Lead role in three musicals would be relevant to
music education
Awards, Scholarships & Certificates
• State the name of award, the name of granting institution/body,
and the date.
• List important awards in reverse chronological order.
• Explain the significance of the award if necessary and have no
more than six entries.
• This information could also be placed in the Education Section
Activities, Hobbies & Interests
• Begin by listing organized activities; state your role (“Member”, name
of organization, location, and dates).
• Organize entries in reverse chronological order.
• If you have many interests, consider including only those that are
most relevant to the job (e.g., fitness-related interests for a job in
health field).
• Ex. President, Best Buddies, Waubonsie Valley High School, 2012-2013.
Style and Appearance
• Your resume should be well-organized and easy to read.
• All information should be up-to-date, accurate, and brief.
• Typically, resumes are no longer than 1-2 pages.
• Make sure ALL words are spelled correctly and that correct
punctuation and grammar is used throughout.
• Ask someone to proofread your resume.
• Print resume on high quality paper.
References
• Many times prospective employers want to hear about your specific
qualifications and work habits from previous employers or others
you are familiar with.
• It is important to make sure you have a list of references on hand.
• Ask individuals who are familiar with your work if you can list them
as a reference. If they agree, list their name and contact
information so that the prospective employer can reach them.
Now it’s time to create your own resume
• Open Microsoft Word
• Refer to handouts 4b-5, 4b-6 & 4b-7 and the coordinating
examples of each for ideas
• Once complete, save your resume.
Name the file with “your name.resume”
Example: IvanCady.resume
• Please leave the computer on. The teacher will be around to
also save your file to a memory stick