RESUME
WRITING TIPS
Your resume may get copied several times. The paper should be a pale color that copies without making the
printed matter illegible. Avoid using
shades of blue, gray, and green, which do not copy well. White or buff are best.
Do not use more than one font in a resume. Rather, boldface, italics, and underlining can be used to
emphasize important parts of the resume and will catch the recruiter's eye.
Never exaggerate your capabilities or accomplishments. Do not give false information or inaccurate
job titles; these will not impress a recruiter because references will be
checked and inaccuracies will be identified.
This does not mean, however, that you should avoid presenting your
qualifications in the most impressive light.
The slightest misrepresentation can cost you an interview, even a job.
Avoid using the first person ("I").
Use correct grammar and spelling in your resume. Proofread your resume several times and have
a friend read it over again to check for typographical and grammatical errors.
The resume layout should be "clean""with ample white
space and should not exceed 2 pages.
Initially, the recruiter scans your resume for only 30 SECONDS. Important facts need to strike the recruiter
immediately, up front in the resume.
Your resume would normally be accompanied by a personalized cover
letter.
When you have completed your resume, ask yourself if it provides:
-A sense of purpose
-An emphasis on achievements
-Accuracy
-Clarity and simplicity
-An attractive package (design, layout)
-Salesmanship (measurable facts that appeal)
-A sense of the person behind the resume
-Credibility
Characteristics of a Poor Resume:
1. Poor organization ‑
difficult to read
2. Sloppiness ‑ conveys
disorganization
3. Narrative ‑ takes too
much time to read
4. Job function vs.
accomplishments ‑ fails to sell capabilities
5. Insufficient information ‑
difficult to evaluate
6. Bragging ‑ insults
employers intelligence
Characteristics of a Good Resume:
1. Neat ‑ well organized
2. Easy and quick to read
3. Key information is highly
visible
4. Proper length ‑ should
be no more than 2 pages
5. Includes complete but brief
job descriptions
6. Comprehensive ‑
depicts key accomplishments
ACTION VERBS FOR RESUMES
When writing your resume, one of the things to remember is that an
employer will spend only 30 seconds scanning your resume before deciding
whether or not to take a second look.
Your goal in writing your resume is to make it easy to follow and to use
key words in describing yourself that catch the reader's attention. There are two steps to accomplish this
goal. The first is to vary the typeface
in your document. Using uppercase,
underlines, boldface, and italics can call attention to important information
about you. The second step is to use action
verbs; using action verbs to describe your accomplishments and outcomes will
energize your resume. To make your
resume active, do not use full sentences; instead, begin each phrase with an
action verb. Here is a list of verbs to
consider when writing your resume.
|
accelerated administered analyzed approved built composed conceived conducted consolidated controlled coordinated created designed developed directed engineered evaluated |
expanded founded generated guided implemented improved increased invented led maintained managed maximized modified monitored motivated optimized organized |
originated planned produced proved provided researched revamped revised saved scheduled solved streamlined structured supervised trained |
THE
BASIC COMPONENTS OF A CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
HEADING
- Name, address, and telephone number are centered at the top of the
page. It is preferable to give two
phone numbers in case you are not available at one (e.g., business and home).
OBJECTIVE
‑ Describe the organizational level, functional area, specialty,
industry, and geographic preference (if any) that you are seeking. If you are writing a general resume, you may
want the objective to be somewhat general.
The main purpose of the objective is to give the employer a sense of
what kind of employment you are seeking, and a sense of your professional
direction. The employer is going to
make a judgment, based on your objective, whether or not there is an
appropriate position for you in the company.
Therefore, when possible, tailor the objective to fit the position for
which you are applying as well as the specific organization.
Please note that the use of an objective on the resume is
controversial. While some employers may
not accept resumes without an objective, other employers view the objective as
unnecessary. When writing the objective
be sure that you are giving the employer a sense of your knowledge and skills
and how they can be applied to a given position or industry.
EDUCATION
‑ Present this information in reverse chronological order. Include degrees awarded, major, school, and
date of graduation. If you have been
out of school for five or more years, your education may no longer be the most
significant or "sellable" factor about yourself. Consider placing your education information
after your work history if you have greater accomplishments than your
education, or if you do not want to emphasize your age.
WORK EXPERIENCE
‑ Begin with your most recent position, dates of employment, job
title, name of organization, address, and a description of duties. Use action verbs such as:
"developed," "implemented," "solved," "produced"
(see list of action verbs). Summarize
your work in terms of your accomplishments, your contributions, the outcomes‑in
short, how you made a difference.
Quantify your accomplishments.
If you handled a budget, give dollar amounts. If you supervised other staff, tell how many. You should also note increases in
production, or reduction in costs or time.
Be brief and to the point.
Again, complete sentences are not necessary in the resume. If you are a student or have little work
experience, focus on research accomplishments.
SPECIAL SKILLS
‑ Include any other skills that you have acquired and which may
not have been covered under work experience such as: languages, computer
knowledge, and the ability to handle any special kinds of instruments or
equipment. Also include such information
as proven interpersonal skills, written and oral communication skills, creative
abilities, organization and planning skills, leadership abilities, ability to
work independently and as a part of a team, presentation skills, and problem
solving or decision‑making skills.
REFERENCES
‑ It is not necessary to list references. State that references are available upon
request. Approach references beforehand
and ask if they are willing to speak on your behalf. Keep those individuals well‑informed so that they will be
prepared when an employer calls for references. Give a copy of your resume to your references. Most companies pick references from previous
employers or, in the case of new graduates, their professors. It is advisable to select your references
from a mix among business and academic colleagues.
EXAMPLE 1: The following is an
example of a chronological resume of a recent graduate. Note the use of phrases and action verbs.
SUSAN
LOCKWOOD
615
Wentworth, Apt. C
Lachine,
QC
H4D
2L2
Home:
(803) 556‑4332
OBJECTIVE
Entry‑level bench position in environmental chemistry with company
that allows opportunity for professional growth and development.
EDUCATION
BS, Biochemistry College of Nova Scotia, May 1996
EXPERIENCE
LABORATORY ASSISTANT, 9/94 to Present
Stono technology Labs
Maintained
laboratory equipment.
Verified
inventory of laboratory chemicals.
Recorded
and field tested fresh water samples.
ASSISTANT MANAGER, 2/88 to 8/90
Pizza Hut, Walterboro, SC
Trained and
managed new employees.
Handled
cash register of $800 daily.
Served
an average of 50 customers per 6‑hour shift.
SKILLS
Atomic
absorption (flame and graphite furnace)
Gas
chromatography
High
performance liquid chromatography
Lotus
1‑2‑3
Word
7/0
Mathcad
REFERENCES
Available upon request
EXAMPLE 2: The style is a bit different from the previous example, but
both are good.
John
Dalton
3124
Old Towne Road
Charleston,
Sc 29407
Home
(806) 556‑4252 Work (803) 556‑2902
OBJECTIVE
Seeking a position where analytical skills in waste water management can
be effectively utilized to improve the company's environmental operations.
EDUCATION
B.S., Chemistry, College of Charleston, May 1991
EXPERIENCE
Dec. 1995 St. Andrews Public
Service District, Trenton, Ontario
to Present
ASSISTANT CHEMIST
Monitored
quality of water source, sewage, and drinking water to ensure compliance
to state and federal regulations.
Developed new testing procedures
under EPA regulations that made the
analysis
process more time and cost effective.
Operated Flame AA for alpha and beta
particle activities.
May 1991 Wando Laboratories,
Mt. Pleasant, SC
to Dec. 1995
CHEMIST
II
Analyzed
inorganic contaminated hazardous waste materials.
Coordinated
analysis of contract analyses.
Created
quality control charts of contamination results.
Jan. 1988 Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
College of Charleston
to May 1991
LABORATORY
ASSISTANT
Maintained
lab and chemical supplies.
SKILLS Software:
Lotus 1‑2‑3, WordPerfect 6.1, Mathcad
Instrumentation: IR, AA, GC‑FID/ICD, W/VIS, Digital
Calorimeter
Auto Analyzer,
Oxygen Bomb Calorimeter, Radiation Counter
REFERENCES
Available upon request.