| Resumes Note the plural: resumes. These days you cannot have just one all-purpose resume. An effective resume focuses on a specific job for which you are applying. For each job you need to tailor your resume by selecting details that match your particular skills and achievements with a specific job description. When you are applying for positions in different companies or for different jobs in the same company, you must alter your resume to fit. Because reviewers take only a short time to read or scan your resume, the information relevant for them must be easily and quickly accessible. Recruiters don't search for your strong points. You must spotlight them. Before going any further, stop right now and work UMUC Career Services "Resume Tutorial" to learn the different types of resumes and their parts. Regardless of the resume type or resume template you use, there is a set of resume characteristics that most recruiters will look for. Following these can get you past that crucial "first cut." Good luck! |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Action
Verbs for Your Resume One of the best ways to set your resume off is to make it one of the best written. When it comes to this special genre called resume writing, a defining characteristic is the use of specific, muscular verbs to begin each description of your skills and accomplishments. The use of these verbs also builds your persona as a strong, active employee:
Resume
Sections
Email
Address
Career Objective
Education As someone preparing to receive the bachelors degree, this is an important section for you. But don't limit this section to your bachelors work. For any degree or certification that you have, include:
Depending on the position you are apply for, you may want to list some upper-level courses you've taken that are particularly relevant, or you might list special courses that are different from those everyone in your major must take, especially capstone seminars, senior theses, or honors courses in which you completed special projects. If appropriate, indicate computer programming languages you know and computer applications you can use. Experience or Work ExperienceTime to toot your own horn. Don't be dishonest, but don't be shy. You have to be willing to sell yourself as an engaged, proactive worker who can handle responsibility and carries out tasks in a professional way. This is also the time to use the list of strong verbs:
Skills A skills section can be especially useful for job applicants whose list of career experience is limited. This section allows you to list legitimately acquired skills that were acquired in a variety of ways, e.g., volunteer activities, organizational offices held, part-time jobs that otherwise would not be included on a list of professional experiences:
Resume Styles The two basic approaches to constructing the sections of your resume are by date (Reverse Chronological Resume) or by skills (Functional or Skills Resume). Generally, the older and more experienced you are, the more that the Reverse Chronological style would best present you. And the reverse logic applies for those just graduating: you might be better served by the Functional or Skills style. Functional Resume This resume style emphasizes skills and abilities you've gained through jobs, life experiences, and organizational activities. It is most appropriate for the entry-level job seeker and the career changer. The Functional/Skills Resume allows you to pick and choose skills then relate each one to the job you are applying for. Arrange the skills from the most to the least relevant. This approach is particularly appropriate when the skills you've acquired are more impressive than the jobs you've had. See examples attached. Chronological Resume This resume highlights your current and past jobs and responsibilities. If you use this style make sure your current position is relevant to the one you are applying for. Beginning with your current or most recent job, list your employers and their addresses (city and state only). Each employer should be followed by the dates of employment and a bullet list of your duties, responsibilities, skills and accomplishments. Each item on the bullet list should begin with a strong, descriptive verb. See examples attached.
Federal (Government) Resume Resumes written for federal jobs often require a unique style. So unique, as a matter of fact, that several major companies focus solely on the hiring process for America's largest employer--the federal government. See thread below for a more complete guide to conducting a job search in this area. At Go Government, you will find a federal resume wizard as well as tons of resources that help you locate government careers that are right for you. The official government jobs web site is USAJobs. Perhaps the best page to begin with is USAJob's Resource Center, where you will find a link to the federal resume builder. Assignment After reviewing the materials in this workshop, you are invited to subimt a draft of your resume for review at the bottom of this workshop in response to the "Get Feedback" thread! :) |
||||||||||||||||||||