RESUME WRITING SEMINAR

FOSHAY TECH ACADEMY

October, 2011

What is a Resume?

A resume is a short, concise document that states relevant information regarding your education, skills, experiences, and interests.

Why Write a Resume?

To get an interview for a job or internship

College Admissions Networking opportunities

PreparationSelf Assessment What skills can you bring to

the job for which you are applying?

Are you motivated?  Willing to learn?  A team player?

Do you have any work, volunteer, or internship experience?

Have you participated in any organized groups, clubs, or sports?

Have you taken any classes to prepare for this job

Research What is the culture of the

industry? Do you agree with the

company's mission statement and philosophy?

What are the responsibilities of the department?

What will your day to day activities include?

What is the Purpose of a Resume?

To convince prospective employers that you deserve an interview based on your qualifications.

To create a professional image of yourself and to establish your credibility.

To provide a sample of your written communication skills.

Resume FormatYour Resume Must Look Professional

Write in an organized and well thought out manner. Your resume should have specific sections so the

reader can find your qualifications and experience easily.

Use conservative fonts.  (Times New Roman, Arial, or Geneva)

Do Not Use: Graphics or Colors Use professional color paper. (White, Off white,

Beige, Light gray) Print your resume with high quality paper. (Cotton

bond, 24lb. minimum)

RESUME FORMATYOUR RESUME MUST BE EASY TO READ Write in phrases not sentences. One line per thought. Use 11-14pt. font size. Employers will look at your resume for about 30 seconds. 

Provide them  with all your experience and qualifications in very short and concise statements.

Use "Bold" and "Italics" sparingly. Only use bold and italics to emphasize the most important

qualifications,  job titles, and experiences. Keep your resume to 1 page. Resumes are short, concise, and to the point. Employers do

not have time to read lengthy resumes.

RESUME FORMATYOUR RESUME MUST DOCUMENT YOUR SKILLS AND

EXPERIENCES Stress accomplishments Document your experience and training.  Use similar

language to the job posting for which you are applying. Tell the employer you have what they want! Write your resume to fit the position.  Be the "Perfect

Match". Use key words to ensure that your resume gets to the right

department or person. Generate a list of accomplishments to make your experience

unique. Give specific examples of goals and tasks you have

accomplished. Quantify your experience.  Use actual dollar amounts,

numbers, grades, etc. in your experience descriptions.

RESUME CONTENT Resumes are comprised of different

sections.  These sections help the employer find your qualifications quickly.  Below are a few major sections you may want to consider when creating your resume.  There is no right or wrong way to write a resume; you can create any section that will best market your skills, experiences, and attributes!

RESUME CONTENT

1) HEADING

Name, Address, Phone Number, and E-mail address

The heading is located at the top of your resume.  It includes all of your contact information.

You may use a slightly larger font compared to the rest of your resume.  Doing this will make your contact information stand out.

RESUME CONTENT

2) OBJECTIVE A short, concise, one line statement expressing

the position you want. The objective is an optional section, it allows

the employer to know exactly what position you are seeking.

The objective can be as specific as just the job title.

RESUME CONTENT

3) EDUCATION School/College: Manual Arts High School Graduation/expected graduation date: 

Currently in my Junior year “expected graduation June 2005”

GPA (optional):  3.0 (include GPA if above 4.0) Related Coursework: Accounting, Finance,

Management (For our purposes this is where we include Academy of Finance information)

RESUME CONTENT

4) EXPERIENCE Job Title  Employer, City, State: Dates of

Employment List specific accomplishments and

responsibilities in a bullet point format.  Use strong verbs (action words) at the beginning of each statement.

RESUME CONTENT

5) SKILLS List any skills that are unique and relevant to

the position. Computer applications and technology based

equipment Foreign Languages

Types of Resumes Chronological Targeted Functional Combination Technical

Chronological Resume A high school student seeking an internship

should really follow the guidelines of the chronological resume.

The chronological format is the most popular. Emphasis on experience and employment. Experience = employment, community service,

relevant course work, special projects, student groups, and extra curricular activities.

The experience section is listed in reverse chronological order.  (Present to past)