The ResumeThe Resume

Jeff Steele, LDO, ABOC, CPOTJeff Steele, LDO, ABOC, CPOT

Spokane Community CollegeSpokane Community College

ObjectiveObjective

Understand the importance of Understand the importance of the resume in the job search the resume in the job search processprocess

Know the basic resume Know the basic resume structures, as they apply to structures, as they apply to vision carevision care

Apply this knowledge to create Apply this knowledge to create the perfect resume!the perfect resume!

The Product is YOU!The Product is YOU!

In essence, you are the product and In essence, you are the product and the resume is your 30 second the resume is your 30 second commercial to gain the interest and commercial to gain the interest and attention of a prospective employer!attention of a prospective employer!

An informative, concise, and focused An informative, concise, and focused resume is your ticket to a job resume is your ticket to a job interviewinterview

Remember- your resume is your first Remember- your resume is your first impression!impression!

Mistakes to Avoid!Mistakes to Avoid!

Avoid these common mistakes:Avoid these common mistakes: Don’t to try to “fill” your resume with Don’t to try to “fill” your resume with

information irrelevant to the positioninformation irrelevant to the position Your resume should not read like a Your resume should not read like a

book- use bullet points or short book- use bullet points or short statements, not long sentencesstatements, not long sentences

Never include any information that is Never include any information that is non factual! (For example, don’t say non factual! (For example, don’t say you know how to refract, when you you know how to refract, when you only know how to operate an only know how to operate an autorefractor!)autorefractor!)

DetailDetail

Pay attention to detail. Carefully scrutinize Pay attention to detail. Carefully scrutinize your resume for proper spelling, grammar, your resume for proper spelling, grammar, and tone. Also, make sure you have and tone. Also, make sure you have followed the employers instructions, if followed the employers instructions, if relevant. Use spell check and have friends relevant. Use spell check and have friends or family members proof reador family members proof read

Even if you have excellent credentials, Even if you have excellent credentials, resumes with poor spelling or grammatical resumes with poor spelling or grammatical errors tell a prospective employer that you errors tell a prospective employer that you have little attention for detail and are prone have little attention for detail and are prone to perform sloppy or incomplete work!to perform sloppy or incomplete work!

Typos & Grammatical ErrorsTypos & Grammatical Errors

In the interest of time, employers look for reasons to eliminate job In the interest of time, employers look for reasons to eliminate job seekers from the candidate pool. According to the results of a seekers from the candidate pool. According to the results of a survey by Accountemps, careless students often oblige. In fact, survey by Accountemps, careless students often oblige. In fact, slightly more than one-third of executives surveyed recently cited slightly more than one-third of executives surveyed recently cited typos or grammatical errors as the most common mistake on typos or grammatical errors as the most common mistake on resumes.resumes.

The national poll includes responses from 150 senior executivesThe national poll includes responses from 150 senior executives—including those from human resources, finance, and marketing —including those from human resources, finance, and marketing departments—with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. departments—with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. Executives were asked, "In your opinion, which of the following is Executives were asked, "In your opinion, which of the following is the single most common mistake job seekers make on their the single most common mistake job seekers make on their resumes?" Their responses:resumes?" Their responses:

Typos or grammatical errors—34 percent Typos or grammatical errors—34 percent Including too much information—22 percent Including too much information—22 percent Not listing achievements in former roles—17 percent Not listing achievements in former roles—17 percent Poor layout and/or design—17 percent Poor layout and/or design—17 percent Including too little information—7 percent Including too little information—7 percent Other/don't know—3 percent Other/don't know—3 percent

DO!DO!

DO use a simple, easy to read font. Don’t get too DO use a simple, easy to read font. Don’t get too fancy with fonts, graphics or colors. It’s great to fancy with fonts, graphics or colors. It’s great to show your individualism, but not at the expense of show your individualism, but not at the expense of the content!the content!

DO include all of your contact information, including DO include all of your contact information, including your address, phone number, cell number, fax and your address, phone number, cell number, fax and email address. This is best done right at the top of email address. This is best done right at the top of the pagethe page

DO focus on what you can bring to the employer, DO focus on what you can bring to the employer, not what you want from the job. Market yourself!not what you want from the job. Market yourself!

DO be professional. If you include a cell phone or DO be professional. If you include a cell phone or home phone with an answering machine, make home phone with an answering machine, make sure it is professional sounding. If your email sure it is professional sounding. If your email address is address is smellybreath@aol.comsmellybreath@aol.com... Well, you get ... Well, you get the idea!the idea!

Step 1: OrganizationStep 1: Organization

The first step is to make sure your The first step is to make sure your information is well organized. Place information is well organized. Place information in order of importance and information in order of importance and relevance to the job you are applying forrelevance to the job you are applying for

There are many ways to construct a good There are many ways to construct a good resume, but all good resumes deliver the resume, but all good resumes deliver the necessary information in a concise, necessary information in a concise, professional, and logical mannerprofessional, and logical manner

Remember, most resumes are initially Remember, most resumes are initially given only a few seconds of attention. given only a few seconds of attention. Make yours memorable!Make yours memorable!

ConstructionConstruction

All of the following should be All of the following should be included (if applicable):included (if applicable):

Contact informationContact information Education Education Work History/ExperienceWork History/Experience Skills/Certifications/Awards/AchievementsSkills/Certifications/Awards/Achievements

When constructing your resume, put When constructing your resume, put the above in the order most suitable the above in the order most suitable to your strengths to your strengths

The Ultimate VCT ResumeThe Ultimate VCT Resume

From this point on, I am From this point on, I am focusing my attention on the focusing my attention on the resume type that is most resume type that is most suitable to the majority of VCT suitable to the majority of VCT graduates!graduates!

Contact InformationContact Information

This is typically given at the top of the This is typically given at the top of the resume.resume.

Include name, address, telephone, and Include name, address, telephone, and emailemail

Avoid nicknames Avoid nicknames Use a permanent address and phone Use a permanent address and phone

number (if you are on the move, use your number (if you are on the move, use your parents!)parents!)

Recommendation: Put your name in bold Recommendation: Put your name in bold font or larger font than the contact font or larger font than the contact information to make it stand out!information to make it stand out!

The ObjectiveThe Objective

An objective statement is only advisable if you know An objective statement is only advisable if you know specifically what you want to do and would accept specifically what you want to do and would accept nothing else. USE WITH CAUTION!nothing else. USE WITH CAUTION!

For example, if you state that your objective is to “…For example, if you state that your objective is to “…work in a fast paced optometric environment with work in a fast paced optometric environment with the opportunity for advancement” and you apply at the opportunity for advancement” and you apply at a clinic that only has a need for an ophthalmic a clinic that only has a need for an ophthalmic technician, your resume may end up in the round technician, your resume may end up in the round file!file!

Recommendation: DON’T use an objective. It’s Recommendation: DON’T use an objective. It’s better to keep options open than to possibly better to keep options open than to possibly eliminate yourself for a position! Also, if your are eliminate yourself for a position! Also, if your are dropping off your resume at an optometric clinic, it’s dropping off your resume at an optometric clinic, it’s kind of a given that you are seeking employment as kind of a given that you are seeking employment as an optometric technician. Objectives are really an optometric technician. Objectives are really geared more toward organizations that hire for a geared more toward organizations that hire for a wide variety of jobs.wide variety of jobs.

EducationEducation

For VCT students, this is the For VCT students, this is the most importantmost important part part of the resume and should be first after your contact of the resume and should be first after your contact information! This is what separates you from the information! This is what separates you from the pack. (Remember, we are only one of a few vision pack. (Remember, we are only one of a few vision programs in the entire nation!)programs in the entire nation!)

Include name of the institution and year graduated. Include name of the institution and year graduated. If you have not yet graduated, use the word If you have not yet graduated, use the word “candidate”, then remove after graduation! “candidate”, then remove after graduation!

Indicate whether you have received a degree or Indicate whether you have received a degree or certificatecertificate

If you will graduate with a 3.0 or better (or received If you will graduate with a 3.0 or better (or received academic honors), indicate that too!academic honors), indicate that too!

Work ExperienceWork Experience

For most of you, this one is tricky, as you For most of you, this one is tricky, as you haven’t had any. Putting your part time haven’t had any. Putting your part time McDonalds job probably isn’t very relevant, McDonalds job probably isn’t very relevant, although there is technically nothing wrong although there is technically nothing wrong with doing so.with doing so.

Recommendation: Use your clinical Recommendation: Use your clinical experiences first, then follow that up with experiences first, then follow that up with any other work experiences you may have. any other work experiences you may have. THIS IS WHY YOUR CLINICAL THIS IS WHY YOUR CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IS SO IMPORTANT! Try to EXPERIENCE IS SO IMPORTANT! Try to ask for permission to use them as a ask for permission to use them as a reference upon completion of your rotation.reference upon completion of your rotation.

Other InformationOther Information

This category can be used for a variety of This category can be used for a variety of information, including:information, including:

Special skills acquiredSpecial skills acquired Participation in volunteer activities Participation in volunteer activities

(Diabetes day, career days, tours, etc.) and (Diabetes day, career days, tours, etc.) and clubs (Spectrum Club)clubs (Spectrum Club)

Leadership experiences (Spectrum Club Leadership experiences (Spectrum Club officers)officers)

Recommendation: Use this section to Recommendation: Use this section to emphasize the skills you have learned over emphasize the skills you have learned over the course of the year, including pretesting the course of the year, including pretesting skills, equipment knowledge, and optical skills, equipment knowledge, and optical skills (This information could also be skills (This information could also be included under education, if you prefer) included under education, if you prefer)

ReferencesReferences

Don’t waste valuable space with references Don’t waste valuable space with references (you should have a separate page for (you should have a separate page for references that you bring to the interview, references that you bring to the interview, unless instructed otherwise)unless instructed otherwise)

Make sure you ask permission before Make sure you ask permission before using someone as a reference and try to using someone as a reference and try to get as many in the field as you can. (Once get as many in the field as you can. (Once again, try to get permission to use the folks again, try to get permission to use the folks at your clinicals as a reference and at your clinicals as a reference and naturally you are welcome to use me!)naturally you are welcome to use me!)

Recommendation: Simply put “References Recommendation: Simply put “References available upon request” at the bottom of available upon request” at the bottom of the resume (and don’t forget to bring them the resume (and don’t forget to bring them with you to the interview!)with you to the interview!)

DesignDesign

Remember, this is highly subjective. Feel free to Remember, this is highly subjective. Feel free to disagree. These are my personal disagree. These are my personal recommendations based on years of experience recommendations based on years of experience on both sides of the equation.on both sides of the equation.

1.1. Use only 8.5 x 11 paper. Resume quality, of Use only 8.5 x 11 paper. Resume quality, of course!course!

2.2. Print only on one side and keep the entire Print only on one side and keep the entire resume to one side!resume to one side!

3.3. Keep font size between 10 and 14 and don’t get Keep font size between 10 and 14 and don’t get to fancy with font choice!to fancy with font choice!

4.4. Avoid folding the resume (use a large envelope if Avoid folding the resume (use a large envelope if it is going to be mailed)it is going to be mailed)

5.5. Avoid graphics, shading, text boxes, etc. Don’t Avoid graphics, shading, text boxes, etc. Don’t make it too busy or complicated!make it too busy or complicated!

Final StepFinal Step

PROOF READ… over and over PROOF READ… over and over and over again. Check for and over again. Check for content, accuracy, grammar, content, accuracy, grammar, and spelling. Have friends and and spelling. Have friends and family members proof read as family members proof read as well.well.

FYIFYI

Top 10 Qualities Employers Seek Top 10 Qualities Employers Seek Communication skills (verbal and written) Communication skills (verbal and written) Honesty/integrity Honesty/integrity Teamwork skills (works well with others) Teamwork skills (works well with others) Interpersonal skills (relates well to others) Interpersonal skills (relates well to others) Motivation/initiative Motivation/initiative Strong work ethic Strong work ethic Analytical skills Analytical skills Flexibility/adaptability Flexibility/adaptability Computer skills Computer skills Organizational skills Organizational skills

Keep these in mind as you develop your resume Keep these in mind as you develop your resume and at your interview!and at your interview!

AssignmentAssignment

Research the current status of the tse tse Research the current status of the tse tse fly, including evolutionary patterns and how fly, including evolutionary patterns and how they’ve been affected by global warmingthey’ve been affected by global warming

OROR Develop your own resume. As you Develop your own resume. As you

complete your rotations, you may be able complete your rotations, you may be able to add them to your work experience to add them to your work experience and/or references! Use the internet, library and/or references! Use the internet, library (the big building next to the lair) or me to (the big building next to the lair) or me to help you. I’m happy to work with everyone help you. I’m happy to work with everyone who wants the help on a one-on-one basis.who wants the help on a one-on-one basis.