How to write an effective resume The Step to Success

By

Rehanna Darping

Almaedah Santiago

Yashmin Alleah Aron

Johara Guiamel

Nawal Macmod

What is resume?A resume is a short, concise document that states

relevant information regarding your education, skills,

experiences, accomplishments, and job-related

interests.

It is a quick advertisement of who you are.

What is the Purpose of a Resume?

is to attract the attention of the employer and impress them so much that they want to have either a face-to-face or telephone interview with you so that they can learn more about your qualifications for the job.

is to provide a summary of your skills, abilities and accomplishments.

is a marketing piece that presents you in the best possible light.

• Before you write, take time to do a self-

assessment on paper. Outline your skills and

abilities as well as your work experience and

extracurricular activities. This will make it

easier to prepare a thorough resume.

Resume Essentials

What Information Should Be In A Resume?

Identify Yourself Education Continuing Education Work or Professional Experience Volunteer Experience Activities Computer Skills Professional Associations

Optional SectionsObjectiveSpecial Skills and AbilitiesReference Statement

Characteristics Of A Successful Resume

• Focuses on skills. Uses action words to define the responsibilities of your job-related experience.

• Easy to read and understand.

• Visually powerful and free of gimmicks.

• One page, or at most 2 pages long.

• Language is grammatically correct.

• Spelling has been checked.

• Formal Style

• Must always be 100% truth.

Summary of sections

• Name

• Address, telephone number, e-mail address

• Objective

• Education

• Experience

• Achievements and awards

• Skills

• Professional affiliations

• Publications or projectsOptional

Parts of a Resume

I. Identifying Information - This first section of your resume should tell who you are and help prospective employers reach you quickly.

Darren EspantoSteeb Hall, Box 356

70 West 11th AvenueColumbus, OH 43210

(614) 555-1212brutus.2@osu.edu

Darren Espanto

CAMPUS ADDRESS PERMANENT ADDRESSSteeb Hall, Box 356 1500 Cool Street70 West 11th Avenue Anytown, Ohio 43210Columbus, Ohio 43210 (555) 555-1212(614) 555-1212darrenespanto@yahoo.com

II. Job Objective -This section summarizes the type of work you want to do, and the career field in which you are interested.

1. An exciting position within any state government agency doing interesting things.

2. To obtain a sales management position with a highly visible, multi-billion dollar, international, food distribution company located in the northeastern part of the United States, preferably New England.

3. Entry-level human services position where I can be promoted to a supervisory position.

4. To obtain a social work assistant position within a state government agency.

Objective or Summary

An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you're hoping to do.

• Be specific about the job you want. For example: To obtain an entry-

level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and

organizational skills.

• Tailor your objective to each employer you target/every job you seek.

III. Education - For most graduates, the most important qualification they have to offer employers is their education. Therefore this section should be listed on your resume directly below your objective statement.

III. Education - Samples

EducationNew graduates without a lot of work experience should list their educational information first. Alumni can list it after the work experience section.

Your most recent educational information is listed first.

Include your degree (A.S., B.S., B.A., etc.), major, institution

attended, minor/concentration.

Add your grade point average (GPA) if it is higher than 3.0.

Mention academic honors.

IV. Experience - For each work experience, list your position title, the name of the organization your worked for, and the dates you worked. Then follow with a description of the work performed.

Winning Formula: action + object + outcomes

• The more that a past experiences is related to the work you are seeking the

more space you should allot to its description.

• When possible, note any achievements or key lessons learned from your

experiences.

• Highlight what you have done in a concise, powerful, action-oriented way.

• Since position titles usually do not do justice to the work performed, it is

advisable to highlight the functions for which you were responsible.

Work Experience

Briefly give the employer an overview of work that has taught you skills. Use action words to describe your job duties. Include your work experience in reverse chronological order—that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant job. Include:

• Title of position,

• Name of organization

• Location of work (town, state)

• Dates of employment

• Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements.

IV. Experience -SamplesSocial Service Work Experience

Franklin County Children Services Columbus, OH Social Service Assistant Summer 200X

o Assessed families’ needs establishing their eligibility for benefits and services such as food stamps, Medicaid, Welfare and transportation.

o Monitored and kept case records on clients from different ethnic backgrounds, reporting progress to supervisor and case manager.

o Visited clients’ homes providing emotional support and making sure their services were being received.

o Assisted children ages 5-8 in need of counseling or crisis intervention, making successful referrals.

V. Additional Skills -Summarize your academic skills,

along with any related work skills in a “Skills” section on your resume.

This will quickly show an employer a qualitative summary of the skills and

experience you have to offer.

COMPUTER SKILLSMicrosoft Word, Excel, & Access, HTML, Dream Weaver, & SPSS

Use the skills section

Software programs and proficiency (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, FrontPage, AutoCad …)

Programming languages (include Visual Basic, HTML, PHP, …)

Abilities (based on experience)

Languages and language ability

Achievements and awards

Dean’s list

Scholarships

Grants

Prizes

Nominations

Professional societies

Significant accomplishments

Committees and leadership roles

References are individuals who can attest to your

qualifications for a particular position, people who can

discuss your skills and attributes.

Create a separate page to use for listing your references.

You should select 3 to 5 people to serve as your

references and list them in the order you want them to be

contacted.

Presentation:Create an effective layout

• Try to interest your reader visually

• A clean, professional format with a little style

• Extra white space makes it easy to read – set margins

Limit font to two choices

For text: a serif font like Times

For headings: Arial or Helvetica are good choices to add visual interest

Don’t choose non-standard fonts like

or

Font size should be 11 or 12 point

Write concisely and vigorously

• A focused, targeted resume is best:

Avoid the temptation to go more than one page

Delete obvious information in order to highlight your unique qualities

• Find specific, dynamic verbs:

Use present (or past) imperatives

Include each verb only once

Consult online lists of “resume action words”

Final thoughts …

Choose the correct tense and use it consistently

Do not ask for a particular salary

Be accurate and honest

Print it out! Do not attempt to proofread on screen

Letter of Application “LOA”(Cover Letter Information)

WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?• A cover letter is a letter sent alongside your resume

to introduce yourself, explain why you are sending in your resume, and provide more information about yourself.

COVER LETTERS

• The purpose of a cover letter is to tell a prospective employer what you can do and why you feel you are qualified.

• It is an opportunity to demonstrate your writing skills and it opens a window to your personality.

• A good-well planned cover letter is just as important as an impressive resume, and together they form an important resource in your job campaign.

LETTER OF APPLICATION “LOA”(COVER LETTER INFORMATION)

• 3-4 paragraphs in length (MAX) stating your interest in the position and just a bit of an overview of why you are qualified for the position.

• Average view is 4.2 seconds for a committee to look at a cover letter – be brief (but efficient)

• Use “power words” in your letter – same as your resume

WHAT’S THE POINT OF A COVER LETTER?

• Introduce yourself• Cover letters should carry a message about you

• Get you noticed• Project the desired image of you or your business

• Convey special information• Highlight accomplishments• Get employers, award judges and scholarship committees to read your resume

LETTER OF APPLICATION “LOA”(COVER LETTER INFORMATION)

• Dear…“Mr., Dr., Mrs., Ms., Professor, Committee Chair, Human Resources Rep, etc… (what and to whom you address?) – DO YOUR RESEARCH on the organization – don’t settle for anything less than a name!

KEYS TO EFFECTIVE COVER LETTERS• Tell the employers what you can do for the

company, instead of what the company can do for you.

• Find out about the employer’s needs, then emphasize what you can do to meet their needs.

• Consider how your work experience, education, and/or personal qualities would be helpful to the employer.

STYLISH COVER LETTERS

• Block Style

• All lines start on the left side of the margin• No indentations

• Modified Block Style

• Uses indentations• Each paragraph is indented, as well as the

beginning information and the close

YOU SHOULD INCLUDE…• Your address and the date the letter was

written• The name and address of the person to

whom the letter is being sent• A salutation (Dear ____:)• The body of the letter• A complimentary close and signature• A title of respect, such as Dr., Mr., or Ms. • A return address and zip code• Can also include reference initials,

enclosure notifications (such as your resume), copy and postscript

WRITING STYLE- COVER LETTER

• It’s addressed to a specific individual.

• It’s grabs the reader’s attention in the first paragraph.

• It sounds confident without being arrogant.

• It’s no longer than one page.

• It answers the question: “Why should we hire you?”

• It’s action oriented. • It uses the first person (“I”)

sparingly.

THE BODY OF THE LETTER

• First paragraph – reason for writing

• Second paragraph – point out qualifications

• Third paragraph – call attention to resume, reiterate interest

Your street addressYour city, state, zip code

Month, Day, Year

Mr./Ms./Dr. NameTitleName of company/organizationCompany addressCity, State, Zip code

Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. Last Name:

Paragraph 1: Answers “Why am I writing?” · Identify the position and the company· Indicate how you learned about the position· Request the employer’s consideration· Introduce basic information about yourself

Paragraph 2: Answers “Who am I, and why should you hire me?”· Contain a brief summary of your personal data and work experience.· Relate your skills, experiences, and qualities that would benefit you in this position

Paragraph 3: Answers “What is my next step?”· Refer the reader to your enclosed resume· Reiterate your interest in the position· Specify how you will follow up

Sincerely,Your signature

Your nameTelephone numberEmail address

COVER LETTER FORMATYour Street AddressCity, State, Zip Code

Date

Name of PersonJob TitleCompany/OrganizationStreet AddressCity, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr./Dr./Ms../Mrs. XXXXXXXXX:Dear Hiring Representative:

7007 Chestnut StreetColumbus, OH 43210 February 4, 200X Dr. Rose Smith Villa Rosa56 Northeast AvenueDublin, OH 43444 Dear Dr. Smith: