2. Raghu Nair: Resume Workshop 2
The Resume and Its Purpose
• Is a summary of the • A resume is the first
aspects of your education meeting between you and
and experience – paid and the employer and so
unpaid -- that qualify you remember that “First
for future jobs or impressions are lasting
internships ones.”
• It includes information • Draw attention to your
about your career goals, knowledge, skills and
education, experience, abilities
activities, honors,
personal qualities and • The resume’s main
special skills. purpose is to get you an
• Resume is NOT a CV, interview!
which is used in academic
and research-oriented job
searches.
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Resume principles Part 1
• Tailor the resume to the
• Can your resume pass the
10-second test? specific needs of the
• No ugly resume – format employer.
must be pleasing to the • Do not include irrelevant
eye information.
• Do not lie or use words
• If applying to very different
that the interviewer has to
look up in a dictionary kinds of jobs, make
• Focus on strengths and several resumes, with
accomplishments each one targeting a
particular field.
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Resume principles Part 2
• Do not use personal pronouns (I, Me, Our etc.)
• Don’t use complete sentences
• Writing style: Always write in the active, not passive, voice.
• Use reverse chronology (the most recent position is your first entry) to
organize each section (education, experience).
• Double check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ask a
trusted friend, mentor or career adviser to review
• Do not use abbreviations/acronyms.
• Sending your resume as a PDF ensures that the formatting remains
the same on any computer.
• Print your resume on a good printer and use heavy neutral-colored
paper.
• When mailing, send it flat, unfolded, with no staples, in large
envelope.
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Designing Tips
• For someone in the early stage • Be consistent with tabs, dates
of a career, the resume should and other formatting features
be 1 to 2 pages max. • Decide on an overall design
• Use one font throughout. Use a scheme – bullets or
clean, conservative, easy-to- paragraphs?
read font. Some suggestions • Aim for neatness and readability
include Tahoma, Arial, (Times • Print on high-quality white or
New Roman or Arial). ivory paper
• Acceptable type sizes are 10,
11 and 12 pt
• Use BOLD to emphasize only
the most important features of
your resume
6. Raghu Nair: Resume Workshop 6
Resume Formats
Functional
Chronological
• Your skills and
• Your most recent experience is
accomplishments are
listed first, followed by each
emphasized from each of the
previous job.
positions you have held.
• Usually easier to write and
• A well-written résumé presents
highlights similar jobs you have
your strengths.
held.
• Disadvantage: A skills resume
• Disadvantage: A chronological
can hide details that can be
résumé may display gaps in
used to determine minimum
employment, etc.
qualifications.
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Personal Information
• Name should stand out.
• Can vary the placement of name, address, phone
number, email address.
• Include your URL address for Linked-in.
• Professional-sounding voice message, Ringback
• Professional email address
Anita Dev
818 University Street Apartment
Giri Nagar, Cochin
Anita.dev@gmail.com
Cell: (xxx) xxx xxxx
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Objective
• A targeted statement that clearly • Avoid overgeneralized statements:
states the type of job you are A position allowing me to utilize my
seeking. Good objectives are very knowledge and expertise in different
specific. areas.
• Short and sweet is preferred. Can • Avoid statements that focus only on
be phrase or sentence. Example: what a company can do for you: A
“Seeking position as a credit analyst position where I gain experience in
in a large commercial bank.” human resources.
• “To obtain internship in Consumer
products marketing with a focus on • Relate your existing skills directly to
technology” the job you are seeking.
Demonstrate what you can do for
• Objectives are optional. the company rather than what they
can do for you.
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Summary Qualifications or Profile
• A summary of relevant skills, knowledge and
accomplishments
• Tailor this section to the job to which you’re
applying.
• List 2 or 3 core strengths or accomplishments
• This section can help an employer focus on the
highlights of what you offer as a professional:
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Education
• This is an important section for recent college graduates
or students seeking internships or summer jobs.
• Reverse Chronological. Beginning with most recent
degree or current study first,
• Include degrees, expected date of completion, relevant
coursework, and honors and awards
• For degrees, only include the date granted
• List Specialization, optional courses and certificates
• Spell out college name:
• Eg:School of Management Studies, University of Cochin, Kochi
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Education-Related Headings
• Senior or Special Project/Thesis topics/ Papers
presented/ Professional Development
• Special certifications
• Special Trainings
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Experience 1
• Experience
• Think in terms of experience, not employment or work history.
• Be sure to include internships and unpaid positions if they are
relevant.
• Be concise in your descriptions of what you did.
• Do not use “Responsibilities included” or “Duties were.” Use
active verbs to describe your duties and responsibilities
• Identify results of your work efforts in terms of contributions, impact
and skills
• List examples that demonstrate your skills
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Experience -2
• List work history in reverse chronological order.
• List job title first. Include employer’s name and city.
• Use 3 -5 bullets to detail job duties.
• Each descriptive phrase should begin with an action verb.
• List accomplishments, not activities
• List examples that demonstrate your skills
• Numbers help to quantify your successes on your
resume.
• For example: “Managed a division budget of over $750,000”
• -or -
• “Wrote a proposal that resulted in a $150,000 grant for the organization”.
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Experience 3
• Prioritize the order in which you describe job
duties, with the most impressive-sounding ones
listed first.
• Consider dividing your work experience into
“Related Experience” and “Other Experience.”
• Remember to list internships if they are related
to your field. It doesn’t matter if you were paid or
not – good experience is good experience!
• Volunteer experience can be listed if it is
meaningful and appropriate.
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Describing Experience Part 1
• Use accomplishment statements whenever possible to describe
experience and add impact. Any activity is an accomplishment if you:
• Improved operations by making things easier or better.
• Resolved a problem/situation with little or no increase in time, energy,
dollars, people, etc.
• Effectively acted as a liaison between departments which helped to make
things run more efficiently.
• Produced reports/data that enabled management to make more informed
decisions. Start with an action verb to add interest
• Example: Promoted to team lead as a result of consistently demonstrating
excellent organizational skills and completing projects on or before
deadlines.
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Describing Experience Part 2
When not using an accomplishment statement, describe how well
you performed job tasks
• Start bullet point with an adverb, for example:
• Accurately filed documents to ensure staff had easy and quick access to all
critical information.
• Tactfully and courteously handled difficult customers at busy, high-volume
retail outlet.
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Describing work experience Part 3
Using Power Words:
Before Resume:
Maintained records for accounts receivable and payable
After Resume:
Managed over 1,000 accounts receivable and payable accounts
working directly with the Chief Financial Officer
Before Resume:
I gave work assignments to staff of entry level accounting clerks
After Resume:
Directed workflow, supervised and trained accounting staff performing posting
to general ledger, accounts receivable and payable accounts
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Describing work experience Part 4
ACTION VERBS
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Special Skills
• Skills could be featured in the Summary section, or in a
separate section
• Can be a mix of specific professional, technical and
personal skills:
• Language skills: “English, French, Spanish” List fluency.
• Computer skills: Windows/Mac/ MS Word, PowerPoint,
Excel
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Memberships/Honors/Awards
• Include memberships in campus and community
organizations. Make special note if you held an office.
• Certifications
• Professional Memberships/Leadership
• Academic Projects
• Community Activities/Leadership
• Publications/Presentations
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References
• Never list your references on the resume. Employers may ask for
your reference list. The list should include: reference name, job title,
place of employment, phone number and email address.
• You should have at least 3 people agree to be your reference.
• Choose professional references rather than character references.
Employers and professors who know you and your work are the best
references.
• Prepare your references. Give them a copy of your resume and keep
them updated on your job hunt.
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The Cover Letter Part I
• A cover letter or email usually • Don’t merely repeat what is on
accompanies a resume and is the resume.
an additional opportunity to sell • The cover letter must be
yourself. tailored to the employer and the
• Don't send form letters. job opening for which you are
• When possible, address applying.
correspondence to a specific • Realize that the employer may
individual and spell his or her view this letter as a writing
name and title correctly. sample, so your grammar,
• Concentrate on the probable spelling, punctuation and style
interests of the person who will must be perfect!
read the letter; show why you a
good match for the available
position and organization
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The Cover Letter Part 2
• 1st paragraph: Indicate the job title in question, and you might add
how you found out about the job opening.
• 2nd paragraph: Write about how you would be able to fit the job in
question and bring special value to the workplace. Show your
knowledge of the employer, and be enthusiastic about your career
field and the job for which you are applying. Sell yourself!
• 3rd paragraph: Sum yourself up, thank the reader, and let them know
you will contact them directly if you don’t hear anything within a
prescribed time period.
• Use the same higher-quality paper you are using for your resume,
and remember to submit it with your resume with no folds or staples.
25. Raghu Nair: Resume Workshop 25
Sample Cover Letter For Internship
• Pamela Jung
451 Highland Ave. #45 | Sometown, TX 75000 | (555) 555-5555
pamela@somedomain.com
•
Dec. 5, 2011
Mr. James Crowley
Finance Manager
Acme Inc.
555 W. Applegarth Blvd.
Anytown, TX 75000
Dear Mr. Crowley:
Two of your former interns, Brian Hodges and Martha Smith, suggested I contact you regarding finance internship opportunities. They are familiar with my background and
felt I would be an excellent match for your summer internship program.
Currently a junior majoring in finance at UNT, I have demonstrated strong academic performance in all finance courses, maintaining a 3.5 GPA in my major. The courses I
have completed have given me a solid foundation in the tools, processes and methodologies involved in the successful analysis and management of portfolio-investment
strategies. I have a proven ability to learn challenging concepts quickly and have developed competencies in diverse areas, including:
• Industry research/information sourcing
• Comparative analysis
• Quantitative analysis
• Pro forma analysis
• Cash-flow analysis
• Financial modeling and asset valuation
• Portfolio and asset management
• Insurance plans and mutual funds
• Retirement and estate planning
• Tax planning and investment strategies
In addition to my analytical strengths, I bring to the table advanced computer skills (with cross-platform exerptise in Windows and Mac); expertise in the MS Office suite of
products; and familiarity with programming languages including SQL, HTML and VB.
Since starting college, I have worked part-time (summers/holidays/evenings) as a clerk at Wal-Mart. In this position, I have earned a reputation for consistently exceeding
company and customer expectations. Wal-Mart's store manager has asked me to return this summer, but I yearn to gain corporate finance experience. I am impressed by
Acme's innovation and success, and I would very much like to be part of such a winning company.
The enclosed resume provides more details of my skills and achievement track record. If you agree that I would make a valuable addition to your team, please feel free to
call me at (555) 555-5555 or email me at pamela@somedomain.com. I know you are busy, so thank you for your time, and I look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
Pamela Jung
Enclosure: Resume
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Scannable Resumes and Keywords
• Large companies may scan your resume, looking for what they call
“keywords.”
• You can identify keywords for your profession by reviewing job
postings for your target jobs and noting qualifications, technical
expertise, industry jargon and personality traits that are being sought
after.
• Here is an example of a keyword-laden summary statement for a
Sales Representative: Achievement-oriented sales professional
with five years of success in personal and commercial insurance.
Skilled in developing marketing strategies and providing excellent
customer service….bilingual – Spanish…team player…special
projects…increased sales.
• Keywords can be written in text or can be part of a list.
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Things to Know about E-mailable Resumes
• Every job candidate needs a separate plain text document version of his/her
resume ready to email to those employers requiring them.
• Why not just email the traditional resume? Because the employer’s computer
may not be able to fully translate it – and it could look like a muddled mess
when opened.
• This resume is left-justified with no enhancements – no bold, bullets or
tabbing.
• This version of your resume will probably be longer than a page but that’s OK
– the reader just scrolls down.
• When emailing this resume, always remember to put something specific on
the subject line (such as, “Resume from Sue Scott for Museum Curator
Opening”) or it might not be opened.
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Key words from a Job Ad
Job Description
One of our clients, a large insurance company, has an opportunity for an HR Coordinator to support
projects in the company's headquarters.
- Support multiple commercial HR business partners through administrative and ad-hoc HR projects.
- Administrative responsibilities will include but not limited to Outlook calendar management, scheduling
conference calls, international travel itinerary, dealing with multiple time zones, and processing receipts
and car services.
- Manage strategic and demanding HR project involvement.
- Meeting coordination - planning roundtable meetings with very quick turn-around time.
Working hours: Standard Business Hours
All candidates must meet or exceed all of the following minimum qualifications:
- At least three years of experience in HR role in a corporate environment; global Banking, Finance, or
Insurance exposure preferred.
- Strong working knowledge of MS Office including Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Ability to multi-task effectively and be proactive with a sense of urgency in a very fast-paced dynamic
environment.
- Experienced in handling a wide range of administrative and project related support and will be able to
work independently with little or no guidance.
- Must be exceedingly well organized, flexible and enjoy the fast paced and demanding challenges of
supporting/shadowing HR Business Partners in a globally complex organization.
- Ability to interact with other HR Business Partners and high-level stakeholders under pressure is a must -
including very high level executives.
- Being resourceful and efficient, with a high level of professionalism and flexibility is also crucial to this
role. An ideal candidate will be comfortable with change and ambiguity.
- Expert level written and verbal communication skills, strong decision making ability and attention to
detail are equally important.
- Must be able to think quickly on the "go," and be nimble to changes.
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent training experience required.
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Using LinkedIn
• LinkedIn is the leading professional network on
the web, enabling you to connect with
classmates, faculty, and family professionally
• LinkedIn has reached a point where it's almost
unprofessional not to be on LinkedIn.
• Members comprise hundreds different industries,
and include thousands of hiring managers
recruiters.
• You can search the Jobs section of LinkedIn by
keyword, company name, job title and location or
use the Advanced Search option to search by
more specific criteria.
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How to Use LinkedIn to Find a
Job - Or Have a Job Find You
• Create a Profile. Create a detailed • Search Jobs. Use the job search
profile on LinkedIn, including section to find job listings.
employment (current and past), • Join Groups. LinkedIn groups can
education, industry, and websites. be used as a huge resource library.
• Consider a Photo. You can add a If you want to continuously learn
photo to your LinkedIn profile. from others, join the right groups.
• Keywords and Skills. Include all • Use Answers. LinkedIn Answers is
your resume keywords and skills in a category that gives people an
your profile, so your profile will be opportunity to give and receive
found. feedback. Respond to questions,
• Build Your Network. Connect with and ask a question if you need
other members and build your information or assistance. The
network. The more connections you Answers section of LinkedIn is a
have, the more opportunities you good way to increase your visibility.
have.
• Get Recommendations.
Recommendations from people you
have worked with carry a lot of
weight.
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Summary of the most important points
• Main purpose of the resume – to get • Use the cover letter to sell yourself
an interview and add value to your resume.
• Study the position description; Stay • Make sure to proofread your
focused on the target job resume/cover letters to eliminate
requirements all spelling, punctuation, and
• Tailor your resume to the particular grammatical errors
job you are applying for! • Use Social Media resources to
• Required resume elements – supplement your job search.
Personal Info, Summary • Remember – a good resume gets
Qualifications, Education, you the interview!
Experience • GOOD LUCK!
• Know how an e-mailable resume
differs from the traditional formats
