Resume and Coverletter Writing Tips
Contents of a Resume
Essential Parts of a Resume
Steps to Writing a Resume
Resume Do's and Don'ts
Resume Styles
The Purpose of a Cover Letter
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Contents of a Resume
Every resume must identify and describe the writer.
It must include:
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Your name, address, and telephone number
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A description of your educational history
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A description of your work history
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Work-related honors or citations
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Publications you may have been featured in
It may also include: -
A summary of qualifications
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Your job objective or career goal
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Memberships in any professional organizations
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Foreign languages you may know
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Military service, if any
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Security clearance, if any
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Willingness to travel or relocate
- A photograph of yourself
- Names and addresses of references
It should NOT include the following information:
- Reasons for leaving past jobs
- Past salaries or present salary requirements
- Personal data- age, height,weight, marital status, number of children
- Health status
- Name of spouse or children
Essential Parts of a Resume
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Experience
- Largest Part -
Education
- Don't list a degree you haven't yet earned (listing a future date is correct)
- For technical jobs, list key classes -
Skills
- not hobbies - working knowledge of languages, instruments, and software.
For additional reference: Resume Powerpoint
Steps to Writing a Resume
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Step 1: Focus
Write the name of the job at the top of a piece of paper. This can become your objective. Customize a resume for each job you apply for, using personalized objectives that match the actual job title. -
Step 2: Education
Recent college graduates with little relevant experience will place their education section at the top of the resume. As more experience is gained, the education section most always ends up near the bottom of the resume. -
Step 3: Job Description
Find a written description of the job you wish to obtain and for jobs you have held. Use your current job description and ones from The Dictionary of Occupational Titles http://www.occupationalinfo.org/ or the Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/oco/.
Highlight the sentences that describe anything you have done in past or present jobs. These job descriptions are important sources of keywords that you can use in your resume. -
Step 4: Keywords
Many companies use a keyword search of a resume database to sift through documentation received by job-seekers. It is important to use relevant keywords as you craft your resume. -
Step 5: Your Jobs
Start with your present job and list the titles of all the jobs you have held, including the name of the company, city, state, and the years you worked there. You can list years only (20XX - present) or months and years (May 20XX - present), but be consistent. -
Step 6: Duties
List your duties under each job's heading. Use phrases from the job descriptions you have gathered in Step Three. Don't worry about writing everything in proper sentences at this point. -
Step 7: Accomplishments
From the jobs listed, write down anything you did in those positions that was above and beyond the call of duty. List any licenses, certifications, affiliations, and even interests ID they pertain to the job you're applying for. -
Step 8: Delete
With the outline from Steps 1 to 7, think about which items are relevant to your target job and delete unnecessary material. -
Step 9: Sentence/Phrases
Make phrases of the duties listed under each job. Write in the third person which makes your sentences more powerful - use "Planned, organized, and directed..." -
Step 10: Rearrange
Look at what you ahve written so far and rearrange so that you have the most imporant description of tasks done listed first under each job heading.
Once you have a working resume on paper, make sure that every word is spelled correctly and that your grammar is perfect. When you're convinced it's perfect, ask someone else to proof it!!
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Resume Do's and Don'ts
Do's
- Present information in an organized manner.
- Create a smoothly flowing document.
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Use power verbs and keywords as appropriate
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Keep verb endings the same (use correct tense).
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Use an impersonal style of writing.
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Be clear and concise
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Show everything in a positive light
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Quantify your experiences and accomplishments
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Tailor your resume to your field of work and to the particular job you are seeking
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Consider topics such as teamwork, leadership, communication, organzational skills. How can they be incorporated into your resume?
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Format your resume to look neat and clean
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Be sure it is balanced (left to right and top to bottom)
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Keep your resume up-to-date
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Do not date it
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Proofread it yourself and have it proofread by others
Don'ts
- Exaggerate or falsify information
- Use high school information
- Misstate educational qualifications (GPA, graduation date)
- State salary requirements
- Offer negative information
- List reasons for changing past employers
- Give personal information that is unrelated to job performance (height, weight, health status, gender, marital status, age, date of birth)
- use personal pronouns
- Use any type smaller than 10 point font
- Expound on philosophy of values (if needed for a job a statement of personal philosophy will be asked for and will be a separate document).
- Use abbreviations (Unless commonly used in the profession. Ex.: SDA, GC, NAD, DOS, LINUX, IBM, PC)
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Resume Style
Although every resume should contain a brief, concise summary of your work history and educational background, the style and approach differs in the arrangement of this data. Despite minor variations, there are basically three different resume styles or approaches.
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Chronological (Historical)
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Functional
The Chronological (Historical) Resume -- (Sample)
- This is the most widely accepted resume format. It is the most familiar, and it is
the easiest to write.
- Employment is listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent
(which generally receives the most emphasis). It is not necessary, however, to list
your highschool experience, unless it is extremely relevant! Employment dates are
usually listed first, followed by the job title and name of the organization. You are
normally expected to give both month and year of employment. Major categories
usually include education, work history, special skills, and affiliations/awards.
Good for: Individuals entering the job market for the first time or for individuals
who are changing jobs within a given career field.
The Functional Resume -- (Sample)
- The functional resume is organized to highlight the qualifications of the applicant,
with little emphasis on specific dates. Some major categories are technical abilities,
work history, and education. The technical abilities category allows you to
demonstrate your capabilities through your various experiences.
Good for: the individual who is changing careers or for a person who is reentering
the workforce after a period of absence. It is especially effective for the
person with a lengthy work history.
The Purpose of a Cover Letter
The cover letter serves as the introduction to your resume, and is used to apply for a known job opening. It is used to tell a potential employer what you want.
Consists of three parts:
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Why you are writing
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Your qualifications and interest in the job
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Action to be taken
Your Cover Letter:
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Introduces you, and your resume, to a potential employer.
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Highlights key areas of your resume
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Tells the employer who you are and what your qualifications are.
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Gives an indication of how well you would fit into the position and organization
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Connects your qualifications to waht the company you're applying to does.
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Demonstrates your writing and thinking skills
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Is originally worded, not copied. It must be your own words and style.
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Is signed in pen.
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Matches your resume in formatting, font, and design
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Is printed on high quality paper.
For Additional Reference: Explanation of Cover Letter by Paragraph
Sample Cover Letter