Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
TARGET YOUR RESUME FOR SUCCESS
Betty Davis-Smith
• What is a Resume?
• What Should Be on the Resume?
• General Resume Writing Tips
• Resume Templates
• Popular Job Hunting Websites
Agenda
“Resume Realities”Some things to keep in mind!
The 10-30 second rule: employers will determine within the first 10-30 seconds whether or not to keep your resume.
Employers don’t want to read “fluff”, they want to read facts.
Grammatical errors: they will be noticed! There are many other applicants that are
competing for the job you’re interested in..
How to Build a Great Resume
What is a Resume?
It Is:
Brief and to the point
Specific to the objective
Based on facts
Based on Your accomplishments
A document that can be changed and revised
Simple and easy to read
It is Not:
A long winded biography
General and vague
Based on opinions
Based solely on your past duties
A document that is set in stone
A document that has clip art or pictures in it
• Contact Information
• Summary or Objective
• Areas of Expertise
• Work Experience
• Skills
• Education, Certifications or Licenses
Employers focus most on the Work Experience
Pieces of a Resume?
Resume Tips - Experienced Candidate
• Give a summary not an objective• Lead with experience not education• List your accomplishments not just
responsibilities• List activities that relate to your self
improvement efforts• Length of your resume is determined by your
accomplishments (2 page max)• Tailor each resume to include accomplishments
What are Keywords?
• It is common for employers to scan resumes electronically to locate "keywords" that are specific to the job in question.
• Be prepared to revise your resume to the specific job of interest.
• Keywords are words taken from the employer’s job ad or position description, including job titles, qualifications, knowledge, and skills.
Your email Address
Bad email addresses:• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]
Good email addresses• [email protected]• [email protected]• [email protected]
Summary of Qualificationsor
Objective
• A Statement of Objective - specifying the industrial sector, profession, or occupation, and the level of responsibility. It is appropriate when you’re just starting out or not established in your profession.
Objective should describe your desired job/field and demonstrate the value you bring.
• Summary of Qualifications – If you have been working a while and looking for a new job in the same field. It can be called Professional Summary or Career Highlights.
This puts your most impressive and relevant qualifications up front.
Example of Objectives
• Bad ObjectiveA challenging creative opportunity where I can apply my skills in a dynamic organization with plenty of room for advancement.
• Good ObjectiveTo apply knowledge acquired through a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Communications and two summer internships at a public relations agency to an entry level position on the Marketing or PR team of a major financial institution
Example of Qualifications Summary
• Bad Summary:A loan and credit underwriter, experienced at analizing loan applications and working with commerical and retail loan transactions.• Good Summary:Accomplished loan and credit underwriter with 9 years of experience in commercial and retail banking and a proven record of profitable lending transactions. Adept at combining in-depth knowledge of industry practices and legal requirements with analytical expertise, strategic negotiation, and skilful relationship building to secure new and repeat business. Earned top underwriter in the Northeast Region for past 4 years.
Different Resume Styles
There are three styles of resumes
• Chronological – list work experience by dates from most recent to oldest
• Functional – focus on skills rather than work experience
• Combination resume – combines elements of chronological and functional
Different Resume Styles
Different Resume Styles
Different Resume Styles
FUNNY
TRUTH
Resume FormatGeneral Guidelines
• Font size of 10 or 12 • Perfectly typed with about a 1 inch margin • Use only one font. You may vary size for emphasis, if
necessary. • Do not use different font styles. If you need to call
attention to something, you can bold it, but use this sparingly.
• Avoid all-capital letters and italics as they are difficult to read.
• Use caution with acronyms and industry specific terminology
Free Resume Websites
• www.howtowritearesume.net
• www.resumetemplates.com
• www.pongoresume.com
• www.livecareer.com/
• http://www.bestsampleresume.com/
The Best Job Search Websites
• www.monster.com
• www.Oodle.com
• www.simplyhired.com
• www.snagajob.com
• www.TheLadders.com
• www.trovix.com
• www.careerbuilder.com
• www.ExecSearch.com
• www.usajobs.gov
• www.americajob.com
• www.linkedin.com
The Best Job Search Websites
Salary Comparison and Cost of Living
Salary Calculators• www.salary.com• www.payscale.com • http://www.homefair.com/real-estate/
salary-calculator.asp
Cost of Living Calculator• www.bestplaces.net/col
