Skills - Resumes - Process

TO GET STARTED, SIMPLY:

Find a quiet place to sit and think:

Have writing tools to make notes

Compile facts about yourself:

Start with education and consider major, minor, certificates,honors, professional affiliations, etc.

List the jobs you have had:

Include only the last three positions or the total of ten years past employment

List supervisors, job descriptions, duties, work dates:

Consider what you liked/disliked about the position, reflect on previously developed skills and how they might transfer, list any contributions made to organization's structure or policy, note any procedural changes you implemented while employed

List your recreational activities:

Include community activities and any offices you have held, list hobbies and what they entail for possible discussion in future cover letters

Think of all that you do in your life, from past employment, to school activities, to community involvement. The more information you can compile, the clearer the picture you will be able to provide to a prospective employer, both on your resume and during an interview.

Remember that it is much easier to remove extraneous information from a resume than to attempt to inflate pedestrian information - a page-filling tactic that is greatly discouraged!

NOW, PUT IT ON PAPER

After you have reviewed the various styles, read through the guide tips, and finished the evaluation of your personal history, you are ready to put all of this information on paper!

Because your ultimate goal is to secure an interview, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of sending out the best paper representation of yourself that you can. The following list will provide you with the MUSTS of resume construction:

>  Type neatly and consider page placement of material, allowing for eye-pleasing white space

>  Limit length to one page unless you have had extensive experience and can guarantee that information will fill two pages

>  Be brief and to the point, incorporating phrases rather than complete sentences, through the use of key words pertinent to position

>  Experiment with bullets instead of indentations on paper resumes

>  Experiment with indentations and symbols other than bullets on potentially scanned resumes

>  Use a consistent style of font in no more than three sizes, ranging from 9 to 14 point

>  Omit fancy graphics, underlines, italics and concentrate on spacing and placement using bold for paper and ALL CAPS for scanned copies

>  Use 16-20#, 25-rag white, cream, or gray stock: heavy enough to feel good, light enough for scanning

>  Laser-print or take to print shop specifying black ink

>  Direct a single copy to the correct person: When applying for more than one job within same company, tailor an individual application letter for each resume sent

>  Mail unfolded in 9x12 envelope using two stamps of current value or have package weighed at USPS