Job Search Preparation Resumes

Curriculum Vitae Cover Letter Britta Roan

Career Services 2149 University Center

Career Services

•  We can help! – Resume Writing – Mock Interviewing – Online Job Posting – Fall and Spring Career Fairs – Career Fair Prep – Career exploration for deciding students – What can I do with my major?

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

•  Typically 2+ pages in length •  For candidates seeking positions in academic

positions, non-academic positions in science, higher education, research and health care

•  Headings should be arranged according to strengths to be highlighted

•  Designed to present a complete picture of the breadth and depth of academic experience a person has accumulated

Resume

•  1-2 pages •  Create bulleted points that begin with strong

action verbs •  Include experiences/employment that will be

most relevant to the position •  Consider transferable skills that connect with the

position •  Create an objective tailored for the position

Resume Vs. CV Curriculum Vitae

Education Research/Teaching Interests Thesis/Dissertation

Research Experience Teaching Experience Additional Experience Employment Consulting Internships

Grants and Other Awards Publications Conference Presentations Languages Computer/Technical Skills

References

Resume Summary/Objective Statement

Education Relevant Coursework Class Projects/Research Papers

Experience Employment Research Highlight skills such as leadership, communication, organizations skills

Select Grants and Awards Select Publications Select Presentations Languages Computer/Technical Skills

Resumes

•  A resume is a marketing tool – and an opportunity to sell an employer on your ability to do a specific job

•  The purpose of the resume is to obtain an interview

•  A resume should be an overview of your qualifications – a snapshot

Virtual Resumes & Social Media

•  Can utilize LinkedIn as a networking tool and to create a professional electronic presence

•  Portfolio systems •  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – be aware of

your electronic footprint. What do you want to present to employers?

•  Opportunity to share links to blogs, articles on research achievements, etc.

Resume Myths

•  Always be one page long •  Need to be written in complete sentences •  One resume can fit all jobs •  Should only document your job responsibilities and

work history •  Chronological is the best format •  Should detail every job equally •  Content is more important than presentation

•  The average recruiter will give your resume approximately 10-20 seconds upon initial review!

Some would say that is generous!

Chronological Resumes

•  Best for those who have: – Worked for relatively few organizations – Shown typical career progression – An interest in a position consistent with career

background – Used by 95% of recent college grads

Combination Resumes

•  Include a specialized work experience section, which highlights relevant work experience only.

•  Can include a Work History section (for survival jobs), which can be used to demonstrate: – A more extended period of employment – Transferable skills

Functional Resumes

•  Most appropriate for: – An individual that changes careers and/or jobs often – A person with gaps in their works history, or that is

re-entering the work force with little or no experience – An individual with a lot of experience in one area to

avoid being redundant – One who has considerable experience in one field,

but may be considering a career change

10 Steps to Creating a Great Resume

1. Select your target position or field - this will go in the objective

2. Determine the skills, knowledge, experience, and training required for job

3. Make a list of your 3-5 strongest skills or abilities that make you a great candidate for your target field

10 Steps to Creating a Great Resume

4. For each of these strengths think of several accomplishments that will illustrate or demonstrate your use of it (background, action steps, and results)

5. Display each accomplishment in a simple yet powerful action statement.

6. Select resume format

10 Steps to Creating a Great Resume

7. Begin each bullet with a strong action verb 8. List education and training relevant to your job

target 9. List jobs held in reverse chronological order, or

starting with the most recent 10. Consider the reader – what do they need to

know? *White space is important*

Creating an Objective

•  A strong objective can have three parts: – The desired title, function, or field – The skills that the job seeker brings to the position – The results the employer can expect to see Ex: To obtain a position in the field of criminal justice

utilizing my organizational and leadership skills to contribute to the success of the organization.

Education

•  List institutions attended in reverse chronological order. •  List GPA if 3.0 or better, can be in major or overall. •  Additional information such as relevant coursework or

class projects may be included if they are reflective of a specialization or particularly relevant to the position you are pursuing.

•  Do not add TOEFL Score unless requested.

Work Experience/Employment

•  List work history in reverse chronological order. •  Either the job title or employer name should be

highlighted/bold for visibility •  List city, state, and dates for each position •  Descriptive statements displaying skills, abilities, and

professional accomplishments should be listed for each employment listing.

•  Begin descriptive statements with an action verb.

Work Experience/Employment

•  DO NOT INCLUDE reasons for leaving, past salaries, complete address or phone number for employer, or past supervisor’s name.

•  Internships, even if unpaid, can also be listed in this section.

•  If you accomplished specific results (quotas, cost reductions) then list the figures

•  A Relevant Experience section can be created for related positions, including: Internships, practica, field experience, etc.

Work History

•  In this section account for: – Experience unrelated to your objective – Experience obtained early in your career,

such as a “college survival” job – Experience of short duration

Additional Sections

•  Information that is not appropriate for other sections of the resume, but is of relevance to your pursuits should be included under an additional heading. Potential headings include:

•  Honors and Awards •  Co-Curricular and/or Leadership Activities •  Computer Skills •  Relevant Coursework •  Professional Memberships •  Class Projects •  Community Service

Headings Not to Include

•  Photograph •  Immigration Status •  Age •  Marital Status •  Race/Ethnicity •  Religion

Resume Layout

•  Try to have one-inch margins on all sides. You want to create the visual impression that there is not too much reading to be done. Try to stay in the .75 – 1.0” range for margins

•  Font size should not be smaller than 10 point. Anything less will give the reader eyestrain. Your name can be the largest item on the resume

•  Printing needs to be laser quality •  Originality can work to your benefit

Resume Layout

•  Avoid underlining, shadows, and too much bolding •  Place name at the top and contact information

underneath •  Avoid vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, and boxes •  Use standard TrueType fonts such as Helvetica, Arial, Optima, Times, Universal

•  Use white or ivory resume paper •  Use enclosed circle for bullets

Things to Avoid •  Industry slang – avoid jargon that may not relate to the

career field •  Personal pronouns (I, my etc.) •  Etc. or “including but not limited to,”- the reader

understands that there are additional examples •  No abbreviations or slang terms •  Different fonts, limit your font usage to two •  Using duties or responsibilities to describe your work

experience

Your Resume and Cover Letter Should Be…

•  Concise •  Focused •  Easy to read and find information •  Able to be scanned •  Error-free

Final Points - Resume

•  Everyone needs a resume or CV •  If you don’t get calls back perhaps your resume

needs to be adjusted •  Get your resume reviewed by at least two

different people. Especially by someone you don’t know and have them explain to you what type of work you are seeking

Cover Letter

•  Be aware of formatting: •  Copy the header from your resume and paste at the

top of your cover letter, reference page, and thank you letter.

•  Include company information, including the complete address for the organization

•  In your greeting, if you do not have a name, use Director of Human Resources, Recruiting Manager, or Director of [Department Name]

Cover Letter

•  Introduction should include the position you are applying for and how you located the position.

•  Select 2-3 skills to highlight in the body of the letter. Each skill area should have a supporting statement detailing how you developed the skill

•  Closing paragraph should not be too forward •  Spelling and grammar are very important in the

cover letter

Questions?