Resume Workshop

A presentation For
the BCA Department

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What is a resume?
•A resume is a personal summary of
your professional history and
qualifications.
•It includes information about your
career goals, education, work
experience, activities, honors, and any
special skills you might have.
 What is a CV?
• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) resembles a resume in many
ways, but is more specifically focused on academic
achievements.
• A CV summarizes educational and academic history,
and may include details about teaching experience,
publications (books, articles, research papers,
unpublished manuscripts, or book chapters), and
academic honors and awards.
• Use a CV rather than a resume for teaching or
research opportunities, applying for fellowships or for
further academic training
 A Resume

• is the first meeting between you and

the employer.
• tells a great deal about you.
• gets you the interview.
• is your calling card, so
• remember that “First impressions are
lasting ones.”
What an employer looks for?
• What are they looking for?
• Quantifiable results.
• Present your results effectively.
• Be a S.T.A.R!
• – Situation
• – Task
• – Action
• – Results
 What should I put on my resume?
• Follow the three tenets of resume writing:
– Every resume has a purpose
– Everything on your resume supports
that purpose
– The items that best support your
purpose come first.
 Be sure to include some “attitude” in your
resume –

• Team Player
• Involved with -
• Contributed to –
• Served on –
• Volunteered to –
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Resume Categories – Identification

• Name – Biggest thing on the resume
• Full Address – May need current & permanent
• Phone number with area code
• Email – (Make it professional!) One that
sounds professional!
• Website – If you have a personal one to share
 Resume Principles
• Convince employer that you are worth
an interview
• Keep as brief as possible without
sacrificing essential qualities and
qualifications
 General Guidelines
• Length: It is best to limit an entry-level
resume to one/two typed page.
• Be as concise as possible in stating
information in each section of your resume.
• Font: Avoid fonts smaller than 10 point and
larger than 12 point.
• Paper: Use 8 1/2” x 11” 20 lb paper. Print
your resume with a laser or high quality ink-
jet printer.
 Objective Statement
• One to three sentence summary of your area
of expertise and career interest.
• Write as complete sentences or as descriptive
phrases with minimal punctuation.
• Relate your existing skills directly to the job
you are seeking. Demonstrate what you can
do for the company rather than what they can
do for you.
 Objective - Be specific
• To obtain a responsible position as a chemical
laboratory technician with a progressive
company that encourages the professional
development of its employees.
 Objective Statement
Avoid over generalized Make the statement as
statements: specific as possible:
A position allowing me A position which
to utilize my knowledge allows me to apply
and expertise in different
areas. my background in
engineering and high
Avoid statements that
focus only on what a performance
company can do for you: computing to
A position where I gain biological problems.
experience in working on
biological problems.
 Presentation Overview
• Prep Steps
• What to Include
• Types of Resumes
• Resume Categories
• Writing the Details
• Putting It All Together

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 Prep Step 1:
Know what you have to offer
• Think functional skills & personal qualities
SAMPLE FUNCTIONAL SKILLS
Advising people Handling complaints Planning agendas
Analyzing data Interpreting languages Programming computers
Auditing financial records Interviewing people Promoting events
Budgeting expenses Investigating problems Recruiting people
Compiling statistics Listening to others Reviewing programs
Coordinating events Managing projects Running meetings
Corresponding with others Mediating between people Selling products & services
Creating new ideas Motivating others Speaking in public
Delegating responsibility Negotiating contracts Supervising others
Designing data systems Organizing people & tasks Teaching classes
Editing publications Persuading others Writing for publication

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 Prep Step 1:
Know what you have to offer
• Think functional skills & personal qualities
SAMPLE PERSONAL QUALITIES
Assertive Expressive Persistent
Attention to detail Firm Perform well under stress
Authentic Flexible Poised
Candid Generous Resourceful
Committed to growth Hard working Respectful
Cooperative Honest Sense of Humor
Curious Loyal Sincere
Dynamic Open-minded Spontaneous
Empathic Optimistic Tolerant
Enthusiastic Patient Versatile

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 Prep Step 1:
Know what you have to offer
• Think functional skills & personal qualities
• Build your list of…
– work experience  activities
– academics  clubs
– volunteer work  languages
– classes  technical skills
– course projects  and so on…
Try it now! List at least five activities / experiences.

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 Basic Principles
• No ugly resume – format.
• must be pleasing to the eye.
• Do not lie, exaggerate or use words that the
interviewer has to look up in a dictionary.
• Focus on strengths and accomplishments.
 Education
• This is an important section for recent college
graduates or students seeking internships or
summer jobs.
• Beginning with the highest level of
educational achievement, include information
such as university attended, degrees earned,
major, minors, grade point average, date of
program completion, and so forth.
 Employment Experience
• Include positions you have held which are
related, in some way, to the job you are
seeking. These might be both paid and
volunteer positions.
• Be creative with this section of your resume
by describing and emphasizing your
experiences in the most relevant way possible.
 Action Phrases

Hospitality Intern
(May 1999-August 1999) • Action phrases will help
Mountain Jacks, Lafayette, IN
* Oversaw the planning,
you avoid being too brief
production, preparation and and from understating
prompt delivery of food your qualifications.
* Assisted in training and
• Think about your
retaining new and
experienced employees qualifications as a
* Created a positive and healthy professional would.
atmosphere in the restaurant
Activities and Honors
• Include relevant activities
and honors that you
could discuss with your
prospective employer or
that have given you
valuable experience or
skills.
 Specialized Skills
• Include skills that make you
unique, such as computer
skills, foreign language skills,
or military service.
• Be specific in describing your
special skills; name computer
programs you know, how
long you studied a foreign
language, or your dates of
military service.
 References

• In general, do not include the names and

addresses of your own relations as references
on your resume.
• Choose professional references rather than
character references. Employers and
professors who know you and your work are
the best references.
 Reference Sheet
Dr. Mary Delinsky
Heavilon Hall, Room 226
• Include the names, addresses,
Purdue University and phone numbers of your
West Lafayette, IN 47907 references.
(765) 494-3723 • Always ask permission before
you include any information
Dr. Delinsky is my current on your reference sheet.
academic advisor in the
• Consider giving your
Creative Writing and
Science Fiction Program.
references a copy of your
resume so they will be
prepared to talk to employers.
 Organizing Your Resume
• Organize your resume The most common
to highlight your resume styles are:
unique skills and • reverse chronological
strengths. • functional
• Use whatever • skills
combination of
• imaginative
organizational styles
you think best highlight
your individual
qualifications.
 Reverse Chronological
Resume Style

• Present your • This style is best for

education and work people whose job
experience in experiences closely
chronological order, parallel the positions for
beginning with your which they are applying or
for those who have not
most recent
had periods of
experiences.
unemployment time
between jobs.
 The Functional Resume
• When would you use this type?
– When you don’t have a lot of experience in the
specific area of work for which you are applying
• What is the general outline of this type?
– Group your skills and qualities into 3 or 4
functional areas
– Strengthen your skills and qualities by listing
where you acquired them

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 Functional Resume Style
• Organize experience by type • Ignore experiences that do
of function performed. not relate to the job for
Under each, give specific which you are applying.
examples. • Place things in order of
• Highlight experiences that importance rather than
directly relate to the job you chronological order.
are seeking.
 The Hybrid Resume
• When would you use this type?
– Your most related experience is not your most
recent, OR
– You have related experience and want to add
special emphasis to your skills and qualities
• What is the general outline of this type?
– Resume is organized by skill categories
– Under each category, experiences are in
chronological order
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 Resume Categories - Other
• Qualifications Highlights • Relevant Courses
• Summary • Course Projects
• Honors & Awards
 Work Experience
 Management Experience  Computer Skills
 Research Experience  Professional Associations /
 Leadership Experience Memberships
 Other Experience  Languages
 Community Service

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 Skills Resume Style
• Emphasize what you can • This style is ideal for
do rather than where you people who have gained
have worked. valuable skills from a
• Try to match your skills to variety of unrelated
the position for which you experiences.
are applying.
 Imaginative Resume Style
• Acts like a mini-portfolio • This style is ideal for people
because it demonstrates a looking for a job that demands
combination of layout, creativity, such as graphic
graphics, text integration, and design or landscape
audience selection. architecture
• Make sure a company is open • It is appropriate to use color
to this type of resume before graphics on an imaginative
submitting it. resume, but the cost of
duplicating will be increased.
 Miscellaneous Information
• Take advantage of the on-campus Career
• Services department to seek advice on other
• information to add to your resume.
• Special skills or competencies.
• Leadership experience in volunteer
organizations.
• Participation in athletics
 Putting It All Together…
Things to Remember

• There is no perfect resume – only great works in

progress
• There is no “cookbook” – only traditions &
guidelines
• Keep your language concise, crisp & clear
• Provide concrete evidence (#, %, $)
• When in doubt, ask “does it support my
purpose?”
 Putting It All Together…
Things to Avoid

• Avoid stating salary requirements

• Avoid providing reasons for leaving past
employers
• Avoid limiting geographical considerations (unless
necessary)
• Avoid expounding on philosophy or values
• Avoid offering any negative information

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 Putting It All Together…
Formatting
• Attract & hold your reader’s attention
– Combinations of capital lettering, underlining,
bold face type, and indentations can jazz up your
paper (yet, watch for employers who scan
resumes)
– Well placed white space can help the reader’s
eye move across the paper
– Whatever format you choose, be sure to be
consistent

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 Putting It All Together…
Final Details
• Check for grammatical, spelling & typing errors
• Laser print on resume paper
• Third Party Review
• Once you complete your resume have it critiqued by
family, friends, co-workers, instructors…..
• The more people that review your resume, the more
likely that misspelled words and awkward phrases will
be identified and corrected.
• Beware of errors and DON’T rely on ‘spell check’.
• Seek out an English instructor to review your resume
for grammatical errors.
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 Remember

A resume does not get you a job…

A resume does get you an interview.

And, putting time and consideration

into your resume is one of the
best ways to prepare for your interviews!

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