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ST320Concorde Career College
Objectives
Define the role of the resume
List and understand types of resumes
Examine resume formats Examine resume sections Review additional
documentation Provide miscellaneous tips View and discuss sample
resumes
What is a Resume? A marketing tool
The first tool for building a successful careerThe first impression given to a prospective employerA selling tool that allows an applicant to highlight
anticipated contributions to an employer Request for an interview
The purpose of the resume is to get the interviewIt must capture the reader’s interest and attentionIt must convince the employer that the candidate has
the ability to fill their position A summary of the big picture
Provides a snapshot of a candidates most important experiences and qualifications
Types of Resumes Paper/PDF Resume
A printed resume for use at job fairs, conferences, etc. Should be clean, concise, professional, and pleasing to the eye Use bullets, bolding, and indentation Used on job interviews, career breakfasts, etc.
Electronic Resume A plain text resume for on-line submission Typically must conform to employer specifications Use left-justified and space indented formatting If desired, use “+”, “*”, and “0” to represent bullets
Resume Formats - Chronological Highlights work experience in reverse
chronological order Be sure to not leave gaps in
time/employment The most widely used format for working
professionals
Resume Formats - Functional Highlight specific skills for which the
market has high demand Seldom used by new graduates Frequently used to change jobs or
careers
Resume Formats - Combinational Highlight specific work experience Highlight marketable skills Use reverse chronological order The best resume style for most college
students
What will set your resume apart? Tell Your Story
Can your resume be slanted to emphasize specific skills or experience? How can your emphasize your educational achievements? How can you maximize your clinical experience? Do you have related work experience? Should you emphasize related coursework? Have you worked on special projects that relate to the OR? Do you want to emphasize personal traits or characteristics?
Recommendation Emphasize related experience, education, traits, attributes, skills, or
certifications that tie to the OR or general healthcare field
Standard Resume Sections Header Objective Education Honors/Activities Work Experience Skills Certifications
The Header Section The first line should include the candidate’s name
Use a larger font than the body Use professional and conservative fonts Avoid shaded backgrounds or decorations Do not use titles such as Mr., Mrs., Ms., etc.
Include contact address Use only a permanent address Should be the current address Avoid PO Box since physical address is used to determine call
availability Include a professional email address
May use Concorde student email address○ Account remains active after graduation
Do not use personal addresses that are unprofessional○ i.e., [email protected],” etc.○ See more tips to avoid unprofessional contact info
Include phone number Change the message machine to be appropriate Deactivate wait music or other gimmicks
The Objective Section Considered optional but recommended for ST Statement must be clear, concise, and direct
Bad: “I want to get a job”Weak: “To attain an position in the operating room”Good: “To attain a surgical technologist position in a
team-oriented perioperative services environment focused on high-quality patient care”
Avoid being too specific“To attain a position at Baylor Healthcare working on
…”
The Education Section
Include Certification, Diploma, or Associate Degree in ST first
Include the year May list GPA Include related post-secondary
educational experiences
The Honors/Activities Section
Should only contain honors and awards related to college, healthcare/medical, or those that demonstrate leadership abilities i.e., Lamplighter, Dean’s List, Perfect Attendance, Academic
Honors May include related extracurricular activities
i.e., Related Volunteer Work Do not include unrelated activities Include leadership positions List membership in professional organizations
Association of Surgical Technologists (AST), Active Member Oregon State Assembly of AST, Active Member
Focus on Leadership AptitudesFocus on Leadership Aptitudes
The Work Experience Section Dedicated to most recent and relevant employment Format
Employer and location on the first line○ Do not include name of supervisor, complete address, or contact
information Position and time-span on the second line
○ Use only year, not month and year (avoids time gaps) Each position should have at least two bullets
Explain role and contributions Don’t emphasize duties but rather emphasize outcomes
○ “Increased efficiency of … by 20%”○ “Excelled in orthopedic specialty cases by…”
Descriptions should be consistent in wording Watch the tense
Current job uses present tense Former jobs use past tense
Employers wantproblem solvers
The Skills Section This section is designed to emphasize
technical skills May appear toward the top of the
resumeList areas of professional specialty
○ i.e., surgical cases or specialties performed during clinicals
Unique clinical experiencesKnowledge of special equipment
The Certification Section Include CST certification or anticipated testing
date with eligibility. Contact NBSTSA a couple weeks after
passing the board to receive a certification number.
Include number and expiration date. Include HIPAA, CPR, Bloodborne Pathogens,
and other certifications earned at Concorde List any other related healthcare certifications.
i.e., CRCST, CSPD, MA, CNA, CPT, etc.
Supporting Documentation – Cover Letter What is the purpose of the cover letter?
To emphasize attributes, accomplishments, and skills to the employer
Letter acts as a verbal introduction to the employer Send it to a person, not a place
Avoid “To Whom It May Concern,” Worst case “Dear Recruiter: or “Dear Surgical Services
Manager:” First sentence should tell why you are writing
“I am writing in regard to your posting listed on …” “During my clinical internship, Dr. Johnson suggested that
I …” “As you may recall, I spoke with you briefly at …” If unsolicited, indicate why you are interested in the
company May need to include a job ID or requisition number
Supporting Documentation – Cover Letter Highlight skills
Use two to three paragraphs to give an in-depth description of selling points
Each paragraph should stand alone (could be moved to different location in text)
Close with a promise of actionIf possible, indicating that you will be contacting
them in the near future to set up a mutually acceptable meeting time or to further discuss your qualifications
Example: “during my Winter Break, between December 28 and January 12, I will be in Minneapolis. I will contact your office when I arrive to arrange a possible meeting time.”
Supporting Documentation – References Prepare a separate reference sheet
Use same paper as the resume itself Use same formatting and heading as resume Bring reference sheet (and resume) to any interviews or job fairs Do not mail reference sheet with resume and cover letter
Reference sheet is a stand-alone document Should include Header from the resume Try to arrange contact information in pleasing fashion
Use professional references only Pick individuals that think highly of you Pick individuals that are familiar with your work Make sure you have their permission!
○ Do not include instructors unless they have given consent Always ask your references before using their names
Scannable Resumes Most large employers will scan the resume into a
central database Tips to assist the scanning process
Avoid italics, underlining, or graphics Use bold only for headers Use “scanner-friendly” fonts (Serif or Sans Serif fonts)
○ i.e., Times New Roman, Courier, Helvetica, Arial○ Font sizes of between 9 and 12
Use black ink on white background Tips to assist the retrieval process
Most lookup is keyword-based Samples: Surgical, operating room, orthopedic, peripheral
vascular, CST, Da Vinci, CPR, OR, perioperative, etc.
Tips on Delivery Resume Delivery Posting Online
Common mistake – improper formatting○ Convert to text only○ Use PDF if allowed○ Proofread carefully after conversion
If a salary is requested, leave the field empty If they force salary, be honest but realistic Average salaries include those with many year’s experience, new
STs will be on the low end of the pay scale Emailing the Resume
Attach resume as a PDF document (or Word document)○ 75 – 80% of companies use Windows and Word
Also include text version in the email message ○ Attachments can get dropped or filtered
Test before deploy○ Send to at least three friends, ask them to print it and send it back to you
Miscellaneous Tips
Use action words in descriptions
Miscellaneous Tips Act like a professional
Avoid cutesy or inappropriate graphics, images, formats, …
One page onlyYou are a fresh graduate, don’t assume that the one-
page rule doesn’t apply to you! Stick to the truth
Don’t sprinkle buzzwords in that you really don’t understand
It speaks volumes about your character when you can’t explain your own resume
Focus on achievements and resultsLaundry lists of duties are not impressive
Miscellaneous Tips Use easy-to-read language
Winston Churchill - “Use short, old words.” Get the words and punctuation correct
Errors and “broken English” are the kiss of death Watch for typos and grammatical errors
Follow the instructions If the company asks for specific information, then give it to them
Follow up If you said you would call, then call
Maintain a consistent writing style Avoid “To apply …” then “Applying …”
Avoid the use of “I” or “my” Use third person voice
Miscellaneous TipsWhat NOT to do… USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
Much harder to read Avoidwhitespace
Use white space (not borders) to break sections apart Include a picture of yourself
You’re not THAT good looking! Use several fonts to catch their attention
Creates a “ransom note” effect Print your resume on brightly colored paper Illogical Order Use
Resume is a story – put most interesting parts at the beginning
Miscellaneous TipsWhat NOT to do… Focus on you and your needs
Employers have better things to do than hear about you They want to know “what can you do for me”
Use templates to construct your resume Gives a cookie-cutter look Lacks flexibility
Use superlatives to emphasis your work Great performance as … Stick to the facts and figures – not an evaluation of
yourself Use long flowing sentences
Short and to the point Sentence fragments are fine if they are understandable –
BUT NOT IN THE COVER LETTER!!!!!
Don’t Make These Famous Mistakes “Education: Curses in liberal arts, curses in
computer science, curses in accounting”
“Personal: Married, 1992 Chevrolet”
“Proven ability to track down and correct erors.”
“Disposed of $2.5 billion in assets”
“Accomplishments: Oversight of entire department”
Cover Letter: “Thank you for your consideration. I hope to hear from you shorty!”
Good Examples