Job-Winning Resumes

University Career Center110 Burge Union785-864-3624KUCareerHawk.com

Agenda

Purpose of a Resume General Guidelines Resume Components UCC Resume Resources

Purpose of a Resume

Q. So, what’s the point of a resume and cover letter?

A. To get you an interview!

But also to…o Demonstrate how your education and experience fits the requirements of

the positiono Communicate your value to the employero Convey your enthusiasm for the position and organization

General Formatting Guidelines Stick to standard fonts that are easy to read,

such as: Times New Roman, Arial, Arial Narrow, Tahoma, Verdana, and Bookman Old Style. Use 10, 11, or 12pt Font.

Utilize your margins well – 1” margins Use bolding and/or italicizing consistently, but sparingly to

highlight headings/position titles. Avoid abbreviations (Use Street vs. St.) Use bullets to highlight job descriptions and skills Begin descriptions with an “active verb” instead of using

complete sentences Be consistent in the format, layout, and spacing throughout

your resume Put key information on the left and near the top of the page

when possible (ie, Job titles and degree names) Keep it to 1 page if possible

Inverted Pyramid YOUR NAMEContact Information

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS__________________________

EDUCATION______________________________________________

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE_________________________________

SKILLS___________________________________________________

ACTIVITIES ______________________________________________

HONORS & AWARDS______________________________________

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE_______________________________

Most important information at the top

Least important information at the bottom

Parts of a Resume: Contact Info This first section of your resume should tell who you are

and help prospective employers reach you quickly. Make sure you keep this information up-to-date!

Ivana B. AstarOliver Hall, Box 3561815 Naismith DriveLawrence, KS 66045

(785) 555-1212hotchick@ku.edu

IMA J. HAWKimajhawk@ku.edu

CURRENT ADDRESS (555) 555-1234PERMANENT ADDRESS123 Jayhawk Road 1500 Cool StreetLawrence, Kansas 66045 Anytown, Kansas 66xxxUntil June 1, 2011

Make sure the email address you use sounds

professional

Parts of a Resume: Objective

This section summarizes the type of position you are seeking quickly and succinctly

You may not want to include an objective if you think it might limit your options or if you are including a cover letter.

If applying to a particular job, make it specific to that position. This is not the place to write a paragraph on your life goals—keep it concise and specific to the job.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a summer Marketing Intern position with Hallmark Cards.

Parts of a Resume: Summary of Qualifications

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Three years of experience in a customer service environment working with a diverse range of individuals.

Proven communication skills as demonstrated through club leadership, working in both a customer service and sales-focused environment, and serving as a mentor to an underrepresented youth.

Knowledge of persuasive communication strategies developed through coursework in marketing, communications, and management.

Summarizes how your experience, academic background, and personal abilities relate to the specific needs of the position.

This will quickly show an employer a qualitative summary of the skills and experience you have to offer.

Typically a bulleted list of 3-6 summary statements.

Parts of a Resume: Education

EducationBachelor of Arts in Communication Studies Expected: May 2011

Minor in BusinessThe University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas

GPA: 3.5 Financed 75% of college education through part-time employment

For most graduates, one of the most important qualifications they have to offer employers is their education.

Therefore this section should be listed on your resume directly below your objective statement or near the top of your resume.

Keyword is RELEVANT coursework Limit it to 6-12 classes (this isn’t a transcript!)

Parts of a Resume: Relevant Coursework

Relevant Coursework Effective Business

Communication Survey of Marketing Communication and Gender Persuasive Speaking Survey of Management

Behavioral Research Methods in Communications

Problem-Solving in Teams and Groups

Interpersonal Communication in Organizations

Parts of a Resume: Study Abroad Study Abroad is most commonly placed in

the Education or Related Experience section of your resume or in its own section.

Market your transferable skills from study abroad, which could include: adaptability, self-reliance, cross-cultural communication, flexibility, and others.Study Abroad

Study Abroad with Cultural Experiences Abroad January -April 2009

Universidad Veritas - San Jose, Costa Rica Traveled extensively throughout Costa Rica for four

months and developed first-hand knowledge and understanding of the Latin American culture.

Enhanced both written and oral Spanish language communication skills.

Parts of a Resume: Experience Experience can be….

Work-related (internships, summer jobs, part-time jobs) Unpaid Positions Academic Classes or Projects Study Abroad / International Travel / Internships Abroad Leadership Roles

Experience may be organized into multiple sections: Relevant Experience Sales Experience Teaching Experience Research Experience Relevant Academic Experience Leadership Experience International Experience Volunteer Experience Additional/Other Experience

Try using headings that reflect your job targets.And then, put the rest of your experiences in

“Additional Experience”

Parts of a Resume: Experience This section contains the “meat” of the résumé Tips for writing descriptions of your experience:

o Use action verbs to begin your descriptionso Describe not just what you did, but how well you did it o Quantify when it strengthens your descriptiono Use bullet points

Winning formula for writing descriptions = Verb + What you did + Outcomes

Relevant ExperienceSales Intern

January 2010 - May 2010University Daily Kansan, The University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS Promoted school newspaper to area businesses, which

resulted in an increase in ad sales by 10% within one semester.

Researched and identified potential client base. Created a five-minute sales presentation and made sales

calls throughout the area.

A Closer Look at Action Statements Passive: “Responsible for

publicity.”

Active: “Interacted successfully with public affairs representatives and local media.”

Active with results: “Interacted successfully with public affairs representatives and local media, increasing community awareness of agency by 25%.”

Weak

Better

BEST!

Parts of a Resume: Professional Organizations/Memberships Demonstrates that you are active in your profession and

do things above and beyond what’s expected (school and work)

Other possible headings for this section include:o Campus Activitieso Community Activities and Volunteer Worko Student Organizations/Clubso Leadership Experience

Campus and Community InvolvementPublic Relations Student Society of America – KU Chapter January 2010 - PresentSigma Chi – The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS August 2009 - Present

Actively recruited more than 10 new members to increase membership base

Coordinated annual charity event raising more than $5,000 for cancer research

Big Brothers/Big Sisters Volunteer – Lawrence, KS August 2009 - Present

Parts of a Resume: Honors & Awards This section typically includes:

o Scholarshipso Honor Roll (College only)o Dean’s Listo Competitive Awards

Don’t include $$ amounts for scholarships. Can be listed as a separate section or may be

included within your Education section if only a few items.

Honors and Awards ABC Academic Excellence Scholarship, 2009-10 KU Visual Art Education Scholarship, 2008-09

Additional Ideas

Community / Volunteer Experience Relevant Academic Projects Honors & Awards Campus and Community Activities Professional Memberships Relevant Skills

These are just a few

samples. Create

headings that will

emphasize your

particular set of skills to your job target.

IMA J. HAWK2 2 2 J a y h a w k B o u l e v a r d ▪ L a w r e n c e , K a n s a s 6 6 0 x x ▪ ( 7 8 5 ) 5 5 5 – 5 5 5 5 ▪ imajhawk@ku.edu

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS____________________________________________________________________________________

• Three years of experience in a customer service environment working with a diverse range of individuals.• Proven communication skills as demonstrated through club leadership, working in both a customer service

and sales-focused environment.• Knowledge of persuasive communication strategies developed through coursework in marketing,

communications, and management.

EDUCATION_______________________________________________________________________________________________________Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies Expected May 2011Minor in BusinessThe University of Kansas Lawrence, KS

• GPA: 3.53/4.0Study Abroad with Cultural Experiences Abroad January -April 2009Universidad Veritas San Jose, Costa Rica

• Traveled throughout Costa Rica for four months and developed first-hand knowledge and understanding of the Latin American culture.

• Enhanced both written and oral Spanish language communication skills.

RELEVANT COURSEWORK__________________________________________________________________________________________ Effective Business Communication Persuasive Speaking Behavioral Research MethodsSurvey of Marketing Problem-Solving in Teams and Groups in Communications

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE___________________________________________________________________________________________Sales Intern, University Daily Kansan – The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KansasJanuary 2009 - Present

• Promoted school newspaper to area businesses• Created a five-minute sales presentation and made sales calls throughout the area• Increased advertising by 10% within one semester

Customer Service Associate, Wal-Mart – Lawrence, Kansas August 2007- May 2008

• Provided outstanding customer service in a national retail chain store• Recognized for service with Associate of the Month award• Focused on increasing sales through advanced knowledge of product information

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE_________________________________________________________________________________________Public Relations Student Society of America – KU Chapter, Lawrence, KansasJanuary 2009 – PresentSigma Chi – The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas August 2006 – Present

• Served as Treasurer in 2006. Kept accurate records of fraternity expenses and represented group at the state level at two conferences

• Actively recruited more than 10 new members to increase membership base• Coordinated annual charity event raising more than $5,000 for cancer research

What NOT to put in a resume… High school information

(especially after your sophomore year)

Personal information (birthdate, marital status, photograph)

Personal interests/hobbies (unless they relate to the position or could be a conversation starter)

Personal goal statement (unless requested)

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