THINGS TO REMEMBER–RESUME Choose either the chronological or functional resume. Keep it to one page—but make sure you fill the entire page.* Don’t write Resume on your resume—everyone will know what it is. You may/may not have an objective—detailed makes more sense. If it’s general, you probably want to leave it off.* You should have a Summary of Qualifications. (Profile; Professional Profile; Career Summary) Use present-tense verbs for current jobs. Use past-tense verbs for previous jobs.* Use action verbs and quantify when possible. Arrange jobs and education in reverse chronological order. Use bolding and bullets for effect. White space around headings will create an open look. Omit personal data. Don’t include high school information unless it’s significant.* Often references are on a separate page. Do not include the statement References furnished upon request—it’s not necessary. Make sure that everything is spelled correctly. Check for grammar. Did you use parallel phrasing? How does your resume look? Is it visually appealing? Watch your spacing. ARRANGING THE PARTS Main heading—Include your name, address, phone number (contact information). Career objective (optional) Career Summary or Summary of Qualifications Education/Experience—Which or these categories is more noteworthy? Education—name, location of school, dates, major fields of study, degrees received. May want to calculate your major GPA only—but note what you’re doing. Experience—include those jobs that you think will help you get the job. Show employer’s name, city, state, dates of employment, job title, significant duties, etc. Capabilities and Skills Awards, Honors, and Activities—If you have three or more awards or honors, highlight them under a separate heading—otherwise, put them with activities. THINGS TO REMEMBER—COVER LETTER (LETTER OF APPLICATION) Your cover letter has three purposes: introduces the resume, highlights your strengths in terms of reader benefits, helps you to get you the interview. Include three or four paragraphs: Paragraph #1–The opening introduces the message and identifies the position. Paragraph #2 and #3–The body sells the candidate. Paragraph #4–The closing requests an interview and motivates action. Opening Refer to an employee in the company. Refer to your information source (newspaper ad). Refer to the job title–describe how your qualifications fit. Body Stress reader benefits. Choose your strongest qualifications–show how they fit the job. You may discuss relevant personal traits (team player, quick study). Closing Refer the reader to your resume. Request an interview. Don’t ask for the job. Make it easy for the reader (tell exactly how to get in touch with you). OTHER TIPS FOR YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER Avoid starting sentences with I Reduce the number of times you say I Make activities and outcomes the subjects of your sentences—not yourself. For example, instead of I enjoyed helping customers, say Helping customers was a real pleasure. VERY IMPORTANT–Use a good grade of paper and a high-performance printer. Use light colored paper—white, beige, off-white, etc. Proofread, proofread, proofread! If you email your resume, then email your cover document. You may include the cover doc as a PDF or as an intext document. How to Create a Scannable Resume https://www.cpp.edu/career/documents/scannable-resume.pdf How to Create a Plain Text Resume https://www.dummies.com/careers/find-a-job/resumes/how-to-create-a-plain-text-ascii-resume/ For Your Resume: Think about all the places you have worked, dates and duties What degree you’re working on (Bachelor of Business Administration, etc.) Your GPA (usually list 3.0 or better) Other colleges where you received a degree (maybe A.A. Degree from Motlow) What degree and GPA Extracurricular activities, clubs and organizations (especially leadership roles) Any honors, rewards, scholarships, etc. __________________________________________________ you can make all informatibcqon up as instructed above