LP4 – Resume Writing

2017

CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

day 4

Leslee Aisbett-rees

Table of ContentsResumes................................................................................................................................................3

Creating the Effective Resume...........................................................................................................3

What is a Resume..............................................................................................................................3

How long do employers typically look at a resume?.........................................................................3

What should be included in a resume?.............................................................................................3

How do I set up a resume?................................................................................................................4

Resume Tips and Suggestions............................................................................................................5

Action Words to Use..........................................................................................................................6

Creating your OWN Resume..............................................................................................................6

The Value of Networking.......................................................................................................................7

The hidden job market......................................................................................................................7

The Three Ps......................................................................................................................................8

Networking Activity 1........................................................................................................................9

You Expect me to do WHAT? TALK to People?..............................................................................9

Networking Activity 2......................................................................................................................10

It's a Small World.........................................................................................................................10

Privacy and confidentiality..................................................................................................................11

Verbal and Nonverbal communication................................................................................................12

Activity.............................................................................................................................................12

Listening..........................................................................................................................................13

Personal Appearance...........................................................................................................................14

Interview Tips......................................................................................................................................15

Do your homework..........................................................................................................................15

Prepare a comprehensive teacher interview portfolio....................................................................15

Prepare good answers to teacher interview questions...................................................................15

Prepare for behavioural interview questions..................................................................................15

Be ready for general job interview questions..................................................................................15

Have a list of questions ready to ask the interviewer......................................................................16

Choose the right interview clothes..................................................................................................16

Check your social media..................................................................................................................16

Communicate effectively in your interview.....................................................................................16

Follow up after the interview..........................................................................................................17

Interview techniques...................................................................................................................18

Mock interviews..................................................................................................................................19

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Appendix 1...........................................................................................................................................21

Resumes

Creating the Effective Resume

What is a Resume? A resume is a one page summary of your skills, education, and experience. The resume acts much like an advertisement for a company trying to sell something. The resume is your advertisement. Just as a sneaker company spends countless hours (and millions of dollars) designing their latest advertising campaign, you too must spend a good deal of time creating, proofreading, editing, and perfecting your resume. A resume is one of the most important pieces of writing you will ever create. A solid resume is the key that will open the door to good jobs. Don’t cheat yourself...work hard on it. How long do employers typically look at a resume? A. Less than 30 seconds B. 3 Minutes C. 1 Minute

If you answered “A”, you are correct. Employers often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position. They do not have time to pour over every word on each one. This increases the importance of the smallest details. What should be included in a resume? Not all resumes are the same, but there are some common elements that they all should include. The necessary elements are:

Heading - Your heading should include the essential personal information. Your formal name (not

nickname) should appear at the top and it should stand out above all else on the paper. You want them to remember who you are in less than 30 seconds. Also include your address (both permanent and temporary) and phone number. If you use email, include your email address.

Objective - (Also called “Career Objective”) Employers often say this is the most important part of a

resume. It is generally a one sentence explanation of the type of job you are seeking. Your objective should be fairly specific. If you are applying for different types of jobs, change your objective to match each type of job. If you are uncertain about the specific positions available, note your areas of interest.

Education - As students, this should be your next section of information. If you are in college, you

only need to include college because it is assumed that you have graduated from high school. For the same reason, high school students should not include information from junior high/middle school. You should specify the dates of attendance or graduation (or expected graduation). As a college student, include your major and the degree you expect to receive. Some people include education-related honors in this section. If your education is particularly relevant to a job, you may

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want to include a section titled “Relevant Courses.” In this category, you can list classes that might contribute to your employability.

Experience - (Also called “Work Experience” or “Employment Experience”) In this section, you

should include previous employers, their locations, your dates of employment, and your job title. You may have to create a job title if you did not have one. You should include at least two one-line descriptions of what your job duties and responsibilities were. You can not assume that the job title explains what you did to all readers. Use action verbs to start each of these descriptions. Do not use “I” in descriptions.

Activities - Employers like to see people who have been involved in school or community activities.

In this section, list special activities you participated in (prom committee) and organizations you joined (drama club, baseball team, etc.). Include the years in which you participated. Be aware, however, that some employers may eventually view this information as irrelevant. As high school students, this should not be a concern.

Summary of Skills - Some people use this section to include special skills or talents that are not

included elsewhere on the resume, but would be relevant to the employer. Some possibilities are:

• Type 60 words per minute • Fluent in French

References – Although it is common practice to put “References Available Upon Request” at the bottom of a resume, most career advisors say it is unnecessary. However, there is nothing wrong with taking a nicely printed list of personal references with you to an interview. You should have 2 - 3 people who have observed your work habits (employers, teachers, coaches, etc.) and 2 - 3 people who can speak about your character. Make sure you have asked their permission to include them as references. Only ask people who will speak well of you. Create a separate list of references including their names, addresses, employers, job titles, and phone numbers. It is best to list work numbers since some people don’t appreciate calls at home. You know an employer is interested when they request a list of references.

How do I set up a resume? Your resume should be divided into distinct sections. The italicized words above are typical section headings. Do not label the heading section. Headings should stand out as boldfaced, larger text. Employers tend to have certain headings that interest them most. Make it easy for them to find them. Here are some suggested headers:

Major Headers (to be used in almost all resumes): Objective, Education, Employment History/Work

Experience, School Activities.

Minor Headers (to be used if appropriate): Computer Experience, Associations, Certifications, Community Activities, Highlights of Qualifications, Honors/Awards, Interests and Hobbies, Projects, Relevant Courses, Summary of Qualifications, Volunteer Experience.

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Should items be arranged in any particular order? Yes! You want your resume to be coherently organized. There are two distinct types of resumes. Most young people utilize a Chronological Format. The chronological style is exactly what it sounds like: It follows your work history backward from your current job, listing employers, dates, and job responsibilities. This is the format that you would most likely use if you are new to the workforce and have limited experience. Frequent job changes and work instability show up dramatically with this format. For someone who has held many jobs, the Functional Format is more useful. A functional resume is created without employment dates or company names. This format concentrates on skills and responsibilities and is more likely to be used after you have developed your career skills and have accomplishments to your credit. Should I place Education above Experience or vice versa? Most high school and college students include the Education section directly after the objective. However, if you have experience that relates directly to the job you are applying for, you should place the Experience section above Education.

How important is the format? The importance of the format lies in its consistency. There is no one best resume format. Remember to stick to one format. It shows off your organizational abilities.

Should I use complete sentences when describing jobs? Not usually. Use action phrases instead. Leave out unnecessary words. Try to match your skills and experience with the employer's needs

Do the looks of a resume matter? Absolutely! When sending a resume to an employer or college, don’t skimp. Use white or off-white professional weight paper and black ink. Avoid using colored paper or fancy graphics in your resume unless the job you are applying for is in a career area that might stress this type of formatting (art, graphic design, advertising, etc.) Always print resumes using a quality laser printer.

Resume Tips and Suggestions

1. Final hiring decisions are rarely based solely upon the resume. The resume is your advertisement (just like the Nike swoosh or McDonald’s arches) that will get you an interview. The resume should be a concise, factual, and positive listing of your education, employment history, and accomplishments.

2. Make sure your resume is PERFECT! It only takes one error in spelling, punctuation, or grammar to cause an employer to stop reading. Ask people to proofread your resume. Go over it with a fine tooth comb.

3. Limit your resume to one page. Only people with a great deal of related experience should have resumes longer than one page.

4. One inch margins around the page and blank lines between sections will make all the information easier to read. Use a 10-point font size minimum and avoid overuse of italics, bold, and underlining.

5. Since you probably have little work experience, you will want to emphasize your accomplishments in and out of the classroom. Volunteer activities, hobbies, sports, honor roll, and student organizations

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are things that help define who you are and should be highlighted. List only recent honours and awards unless they are specifically relevant to the position for which you are applying.

6. Present your job objective in a manner that relates both to the company and the job description. 7. Sell yourself! Create a good first impression by highlighting skills and abilities appropriate to the

position. If you don’t sell yourself, your resume will stay in the pile with all of the others. Separate yourself!

8. Tell the truth and nothing but the truth! Employers will pick up on “little” white lies when they interview you.

9. 9 Choose your words carefully. In a resume, you need to sound positive and confident, neither too aggressive nor overly modest. Do not use “I.” Each description of your responsibilities should begin with a verb. The following words and phrases are intended as suggestions for thinking about your experience and abilities:

Action Words to Useaccomplish; achieve; analyse; adapt; balance; collaborate; coordinate; communicate; compile; conduct; contribute; complete; create; delegate direct; establish; expand; improve; implement; invent; increase; initiate; instruct; lead; organize; participate; perform; present; propose; reorganize; research; set up; supervise; support; train; travel; work (effectively, with others)

For more action verbs, refer to the list of Appendix1

Creating your OWN ResumeUsing Word create your own resume

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The Value of NetworkingThe hidden job marketNetworking “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” This common When it comes to finding a job,

you’ve got to network! Cornell University’s Career Centre research has found that 80% of available jobs are

not advertised. These jobs are often referred to as the “hidden job market.”

Everyone has a network, even if you don’t realize it, and when it comes to job searching, this network may

be just as important as your skills and experience. A personal network is that group of people with whom

you interact every day – family, friends, parents of friends, friends of friends, neighbours, teachers, bosses,

and co-workers. With these people, information and experiences are exchanged for both social and potential

professional reasons.

Networking occurs every time you participate in a school or social event, volunteer in the community, visit

with members of your religious group, talk with neighbours, strike up a conversation with someone at the

store, or connect with friends online. When networking for career development, this means talking with

friends, family members, and acquaintances about your goals, your interests, and your dreams. Most people

learn about job openings through friends, relatives, or others who are part of their personal network, and

because each person in your network has a network of his or her own, your potential contacts can grow

exponentially. This is important because more often than not, hiring managers would rather talk to a

potential candidate who has been recommended by someone they know or already employ.

Even if a position is not currently available, networking can lead to informational interviews that can help

you not only learn about possible career paths, but also be great exposure for you to be thought of as a

potential candidate when a job opens up. An informational interview is not the same as a job interview by

any means, but it is probably the most effective form of networking there is. In fact, according to

Quintessential Careers, one out of every 12 informational interviews results in a job offer. This is a

remarkable number considering the fact that research indicates that only one in every 200 resumes (some

studies put the number even higher) results in a job offer.

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The Three PsADAPTED FROM: Make Things Happen: The Key to Networking for Teens (Used with Permission)

PREPARE: Do what you need to do to get ready. For example:

To prepare for a telephone call, write a script and practice it. Know why you are calling (have notes). Prepare

yourself on how to leave a message if the person doesn’t pick up or isn’t available.

To prepare for a face-to-face meeting, do a lot of the same as you would for a phone call. If you’re meeting

with someone to get information about the work they do or a particular company, visit the company’s

website (if they have one) to learn more about it ahead of time.

PRACTICE: Practice what you want to say over and over and over. The more you hear yourself say what you

want to say, the easier it will be – and the more confident you will feel. Ever think about smiling when you’re

on the telephone? Believe it or not, people can hear that

confidence in your voice. People can determine friendliness from the tone of your voice. Along same lines,

fear can be heard over the phone, too. Concentrate on speaking clearly, be calm, and breathe!

Prepare for one-to-one meetings by practicing with a friend, parent, or someone you know and trust. Ask

them to role play with you – they could pretend to be the person you are going to meet with and you could

practice asking the questions you have prepared.

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER: Part of feeling confident at a networking meeting is feeling good about yourself.

If you feel good about your appearance, you tend to give your confidence a big boost! Good grooming isn’t

just for dogs. Don’t forget about those day-to-day essentials like showering, brushing your teeth, combing

your hair, and using deodorant (this sounds silly, but many adults need to be reminded of this, too!) Don’t

wear too much perfume or cologne as sometimes people are allergic – and wearing too much will make

them remember you because of your smell, not for your skills or your ideas.

Dress the way you think the other person will be dressing. If you were networking with your uncle at a family

BBQ, shorts and flip-flops might be just fine. But if you’re meeting with someone in a

professional setting, try to find out what the dress code is and see if you can come close to

dressing the same (or even one step above).

Don’t forget other important things like a pen and a pad of paper. Your contact might say

something that you’ll want to write it down. It’s always a good idea to take a resume

with you, even if you’re not meeting with someone for a job. It’s a good way to leave someone

with a reminder of your skills, talents, and experiences. After all, who knows what might happen?

Also, ask the person to suggest additional people you could contact to learn more.

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Networking Activity 1

You Expect me to do WHAT? TALK to People?

SCENARIO:

Pradeep had a friend (Bob) who had a friend (Ray) who started his own company when he was 20 years old. Pradeep is a young entrepreneur who also wants to start his own business one day and wanted to talk to Ray to learn all he could (what to do and what not to do). Pradeep was reluctant to reach out to Ray because he thought Ray was too busy or would think his questions were stupid. Plus, he was worried that Ray might tell Bob that his questions were dumb – and Pradeep didn’t want his friend to laugh at him. Eventually, Pradeep decided that the benefits of networking outweighed the potential harm. After all, he knew Ray had built a very successful business from scratch – and Pradeep figured he really had nothing to lose. Pradeep also figured that if he really wanted to start his own company, he would have to learn how to network in the traditional sense, e.g. with people (and overcome his fear of talking to people he didn’t know well). He thought, “Better to do it now (and learn) than to try it later and possibly ruin opportunities for my business.” So Pradeep called Ray, who agreed to a meeting. Before the meeting, Pradeep did some basic research to get a better idea of what it takes to start a new business (he looked up average start-up costs, how to secure a loan, etc.). He also wanted to know about marketing, web design, and product development, so he researched Ray’s company to get a better idea of Ray’s business strategy. He had his notes written down to be sure to stick to specific issues. Ray was receptive – especially because Pradeep was prepared and didn’t waste his time. In fact, Ray was flattered that Pradeep contacted him. Part of overcoming his networking fear was just getting the courage to call Ray. The other part of overcoming his fear was doing his homework and being prepared.

Part 1: What did Pradeep do?

Prepare Practice Pull yourself Together

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Networking Activity 2

It's a Small World

The Bullseye (first degree contacts) – those closest to you

The second circle (second degree contacts) - The people in this circle are those you “kindasorta” know – but you might only feel comfortable interacting with them occasionally.

The outermost circle is your third degree contacts. These are people who you WANT to meet orknow. These are people who could potentially help you with your career dreams.

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Privacy and confidentiality

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Verbal and Nonverbal communicationActivity

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Listening

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Personal Appearance

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Interview TipsDo your homeworkUse the library, the internet, friends and teaching colleagues to find out as much relevant information about the school district before your interview as you can. Gather printed materials at the school district office. Speak to a teacher. Use social media.

Focus on details like the school demographics, student achievement, its philosophy, extracurricular activities, special programs, school initiatives, staff etc. The more research you have done the better equipped you will be to answer and ask the right questions.

The more you know about the school district, its students, and its curriculum, the better prepared you will be to prove that your skills and abilities match their needs.

Prepare a comprehensive teacher interview portfolioView this guide on putting together your teacher portfolio. Don’t wait for an interviewer to ask to see your portfolio, rather be ready to pull out examples of your work whenever something in your portfolio relates to what is being asked. Interviewers will be impressed by your planning and preparation.

Prepare good answers to teacher interview questionsThis will set you apart as prepared and professional. Use this guide to answering teacher interview questions to help you. Practice your answers, conduct a mock interview with friends and family.

Prepare for behavioural interview questionsYou will be asked a number of behaviouralbased interview questions in your teacher job interview. These behavioural questions explore the core teaching competencies required for successful job performance. Have your stories ready.

Be ready for general job interview questionsPrepare for the frequently asked interview questions you are likely to be asked in your teaching interview. View this complete list of sample job interview questions to help you with your preparation.

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Have a list of questions ready to ask the interviewerPrepare a list of thoughtful and relevant questions to ask in the teaching interview.

This indicates that you have given the job opportunity some considerable thought before your interview.View a list of good questions at teaching interview questions to ask

Choose the right interview clothesYou want to look professional and make a good first impression. For a teacher position more conservative and formal is the safest bet. See the advice given in job interview dress code to help you select the appropriate attire for a teaching job interview.

Check your social mediaParticularly important teacher interview tips include checking that your public online image is appropriate and one that you would be happy for a prospective employer to see. Click on tips on job interviews to find out how to ensure your email address, voice mail and social networking profile will not derail your chances of getting the teaching job.

Communicate effectively in your interviewDuring the teaching interview smile, speak positively, and use your body language to express your enthusiasm for the position. Enthusiasm is key to successful teaching. View these expert tips on interview body language to send the right message.

See page 17 for establishing a good rapport with your interviewer.

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Follow up after the interviewAlways send a thank you letter within 24 hours of your teacher interview. Use the sample teacher interview thank you letter to help you write a convincing follow up letter.

Follow the teacher interview tips and be sure that you come across as the best candidate for the teaching position.

Typical Teaching Interview Questions

Expect the interview questions that explore your motivation and strengths as a teacher.

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Interview techniques

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Mock interviewsTeacher Aide Interview Questionnaire

Personal

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. Are you a self-starter? How have you demonstrated that?

3. What did you most like about your present/last job? . . . least like?

4. What is your greatest strength? Needed growth?

5. How have you demonstrated initiative in your jobs?

6. What experiences have you had with children, in any capacity? In some type of educational setting? With any learning difficulties?

7. What other job experiences have you had?

8. How have you demonstrated patience with people?

9. Can you be tough with a student, yet temper it with kindness? Examples?

Classroom Management/Discipline

1. How do you see yourself alongside another adult?

2. How do you see your role in the maintenance of classroom order?

3. How can you reinforce the teachers’ goals/methods with the students?

4. While working with small groups or individuals, what do you see as your primary role?

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Instruction/Evaluation

1. Based on your experience with children, how will you manage to accomplish the instructional goals that the teacher gives you?

2. How can you motivate students to learn or do something that you have asked them?

3. A child refuses to work in a cooperative manner. What do you do?

4. The teacher is instructing the students in a whole-class setting. There are one or two students that are not listening or are not paying attention to the teacher. What do you do?

5. You disagree with the methodology of the teacher. Your idea, you feel, would work with this particular student. What do you do?

Professional/Philosophical

1. What responsibility would you have in the overall school program/climate of the building?

2. Someone in the community asks you how things are going, and there has been an issue recently that you disagree with. How do you respond to the question?

Wrap-up

1. When could you start this job?

2. What should I know about you that hasn’t come up in our interview?

3. What questions do you have for me?

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Appendix 1List of Action Verbs for Resumes & Professional Profiles

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Management/Leadership Skills administered analyzed appointed approved assigned attained authorized chaired considered consolidated contracted controlled converted coordinated decided delegated developed directed eliminated emphasized enforced enhanced established executed generated handled headed hired hosted improved incorporated increased initiated inspected instituted ledmanaged merged motivated organized originated overhauled oversaw planned presided prioritized produced recommended reorganized replaced restored reviewedscheduled streamlined strengthened

supervised terminated

Communication/ People Skills addressed advertised arbitrated arranged articulated authored clarifiedcollaborated communicated composed condensed conferred consulted contacted conveyed convinced corresponded debated defined described developed directed discussed drafted edited elicited enlisted explained expressed formulated furnished incorporated influenced interacted interpreted interviewed involved joined judged lectured listened marketed mediated moderated negotiated observed outlined participated persuaded presented promoted

proposed publicized reconciled recruited referred reinforced reported resolved responded solicited specified spoke suggested summarized synthesizedtranslated wrote

Research Skills analyzedclarified collected compared conducted critiqued detected determined diagnosed evaluated examined experimented explored extracted formulated gathered identified inspected interpreted interviewed invented investigated located measured organized researched searched solved summarized surveyed systematized tested

Technical Skills adapted assembled built calculated

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computed conserved constructed converted debugged designed determined developed engineered fabricated fortified installed maintained operated overhauled printedprogrammedrectified regulated remodeled repaired replaced restored solved specialized standardized studied upgraded utilized

Teaching Skills adapted advised clarified coached communicated conducted coordinated critiqued developed enabled encouraged evaluated explainedfacilitated focused guided individualizedinformedinstilled instructed motivated persuaded set goals simulated stimulated

List of Action Verbs for Resumes & Professional Profiles

taught tested

developed directed

ensured expedited

organized prepared

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trained transmitted tutored

Financial/ Data Skills administered adjusted allocated analyzed appraised assessed audited balanced calculated computed conserved corrected determined developed estimatedforecasted managed marketed measured planned programmed projected reconciled reduced researched retrieved

creative skillsacted adapted began combined conceptualized condensed created customized designed

displayed drewentertained established fashioned formulated foundedillustrated initiated instituted integrated introduced invented modeled modified originated performed photographed planned revised revitalized shaped solved

Helping skills adapted advocated aided answered arranged assessed assisted cared for clarified coached collaborated contributed cooperated counseled demonstrated diagnosed educated encouraged

facilitated familiarize furthered guided helped insured intervened motivated provided referred rehabilitated presented resolved simplified supplied supported volunteered

Organization/ Detail Skills approved arranged cataloged categorized charted classified coded collected compiled corresponded distributed

executed filed generated implemented incorporated inspected logged maintained monitored obtained operated ordered

processed provided purchased recorded registered reserved responded reviewed routed scheduled screened set up submitted supplied standardized systematized updated validated verified

More verbs for Accomplishmentsachieved completed expanded exceeded improved pioneered reduced (losses) resolved (issues) restored spearheaded succeeded surpassed transformed won

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