Resumé Writing
Career Development Centre 2015 - 2016
Learning Objectives • Understand the importance and purpose of an effective
resumé • Understand how to create an effective resumé to
demonstrate my skills and experiences • Know how to target a resumé by reviewing a job
description • Become aware of the resumé resources and services
available through the Career Centre to assist in my career planning and job search
Your resumé is your marketing tool – and you are the feature
product!
Remember Your Audience
Your resumé is your advertisement
3 Parts of an Effective Resumé
Part I
Part II
Part III
Appearance
Appearance: - How does it look? - Do I want to read further? - Is it Professional?
Structure
Organization and Selection: - Can I find what I need quickly? - Is the necessary information included?
Content
Wording: Does the information sound RELEVANT and TARGETED?
Effective Resumé
Your Relevant
Skills
Experience
Education
Activities
Primary Goal of Your Resumé
To
demonstrate your FIT for
the job
Employer Requirements
Will the employer read your resume?
First Impression 5 Seconds
Second Look 15 seconds
Content Review 30+ seconds
1. Appearance
2. Organization
3. Content
For How long? 3 steps to
screening and making an impression
Don’t Let This Happen To You!
Target your resumé!
Use information obtained from the job posting and your research
to target the content of your resumé
www.wordle.net
Part I: Appearance
Key Appearance Components
Needs to be attractive, appealing,
and fit company/
industry style
Have a prominent
header with clear
contact information
Key Appearance Components
Key Appearance Components
Should be easy to read,
and have consistent
font, size/style
Key Appearance Components
Be sure that your sub-
section titles stand out
and are easy to locate
Key Appearance Components
Be sure it is modern and professional;
explore layouts to suit you & your target
industry
Key Appearance Components
Be error free!
Remember I’m Wilfrid, not Wilfred!
Part II: Organization
Part II – Organization
Choices of structure, order and layout impact the effectiveness
of your resumé.
Targeted Organization
Objective
Profile
Education
Relevant Experience
Additional Experience
Interests
Organize Sections to Target the Resumé
Reverse chronology Degree name in full, i.e., Bachelor of Arts, not BA Include name of school, city and province What about high school? What about listing courses or awards? What about the GPA?
Education
Weighing in on Experience Less
Detail More Detail
Focus on transferable skills and achievements, not specific tasks/duties
Organizing Experience
Organizing Experience
Personal Details?
• Date of birth • Marital/Family Status • Disability information • Country of Origin/Citizenship • Ethnic background • Languages spoken • Religion • Gender
Check out the Career Resource Centre for: • The Global Resumé and CV Guide, and • Best Resumés and CVs for International Jobs:
Your Passport to the Global Job Market
Interests – Are They Interesting?
• Enthusiastic about helping youth increase their fitness level; former soccer coach and lifeguard
• A useful collection of over 1,000 photographs of Canadian heritage sites and geographic landscapes
• Active member of neighborhood association; co-created Canada Day bike parade event for 30 children
• Competitive swimmer currently training for first triathlon
Write more than a word and explain the extent of your involvement
and interests so that they distinguish you from other candidates.
Additional Training & Professional Development
• Focus on relevant training and professional development i.e., Certified Human Resource Professional · Career Development Certificate
• Include seminars/lectures you attended which were not part of course work
• May include presentations or publications (if several, create a separate section) This section can be listed either in a separate section or in the
Education section.
Content What you say and how you say it impacts the message you are sending the potential employer There are 3 main areas that need targeting:
1. Use your Objective to focus the resumé 2. Use your Profile to provide a big picture or snap-shot
summary of your qualifications 3. Evaluate how you describe your Experiences (paid and
unpaid) to support your candidacy
The Objective Should you add an objective? • There is no agreement • Be sure it is not generic! • Consider using the following formula:
Identify yourself, indicate the role for which you are applying,
select relevant experience/skills/knowledge you can offer, and point out how you will
contribute to the goals of the position/organization.
Targeted Objective To obtain a sales position with a reputable organization Resourceful and collaborative psychology graduate seeking to secure the District Sales Team Lead position in order to leverage strong relationship-building and analytical skills to foster new clientele in the Waterloo region
Generic
Targeted
The Profile Is a big picture statement • Keep bullets at a
highlight level • Entice your reader to
view the rest of your resumé
If you have 15 seconds to tell your employer about yourself, what do you want them to know? Consider the qualifications of the job as ‘The Question’ and your Profile section as ‘The Answer’
Profile Components 4 - 6 point form summary statements: • Experience Summary – Relevant, targeted information about your
background that is connected to the position • Knowledge – Highlight your applicable knowledge especially
when you lack relevant experience • Relevant Skills - Select skills that indicate your understanding of
job requirements and how you will/have used the skill • Key Achievements – You may highlight the benefit of a relevant
achievement • Personal Qualities or Attributes – Focus on qualities suitable to
the target industry • Key Certification or a Bonus Highlight - Identify other
information that adds to your candidacy
Profile Samples
• Be sure to ‘back up’ your claim to a skill and discuss it dynamically:
Notice how Alexa’s Profile changes based on the distinct targets: Customer Service vs. Data Entry Clerk
The Profile
Profile: Experience Statements
• Strong customer service experience • Progressive customer service experience gained
within a consumer packaged goods company • More than 2 years of experience delivering high
quality customer experiences within an internationally recognized technology retailer
Generic
Targeted
Targeted
Profile: Knowledge Statements
• Strong economic background
• Solid ability to comprehend complex and detailed
information, including demographics and economic information for the purpose of developing recommendations and policies
• Strong familiarity with online marketing strategies
including social media tools, Google analytics and Hootsuite
Generic
Targeted
Targeted
Profile: Skills Statements
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Proven ability to establish co-operative,
professional relationships with customers, staff and administration through effective communication and interpersonal competence
Distinguish yourself with unique statements!
Targeted
Generic
Sample Bonus Certification or Bonus Highlight (1 line) • Interest in and passion for social media
• Anticipate summer 2015 completion of Google Analytics Training Part 1
• Strong knowledge of social media trends through education, personal research, marketing related volunteering and student club membership
Generic
Targeted
Targeted
• Re-focus descriptions to target each job to which you are applying
• Draw greater attention
to the relevant aspects of your experiences
• If minimal relevance,
stress transferable skills
• Be sure to use result-
oriented statements
Experience Section - Targeting
Targeting Job Descriptions Job Goal:
Camp Counsellor
Previous job as a Camp
Counsellor
Camp Counsellor Summer 2011 ,2012
Kid’s Summer Camp Experience, Kitchener, ON • Supervised children ages 8 – 16 at a summer camp • Developed and lead activities including arts and crafts,
nature exploration, swimming, water safety and canoeing • Ensured inclusive summer experience for children with
disabilities (seasonal)
Include details if they are relevant to
the target job
Targeting Job Descriptions Past job not
directly relevant?
Job Goal: Junior
Marketer
Camp Counsellor Summer 2011-2012
Kid’s Summer Camp Experience, Kitchener, ON • Co-ordinated and organized activities which involved preparing
materials, creating schedules and managing multiple participants
• Liaised with the public to ensure exchange of information including negotiating special requests and answering concerns
• Collaborated with colleagues to plan and assign tasks and provided training and orientation to new employees
Stress transferable skills when the job is less relevant to your target
Notice how the description of Zehr’s changes based on the distinct targets. Data Entry Clerk vs Customer Service
Targeting Job Descriptions
Accomplishment Statements • Differentiate yourself by HOW you describe your
experiences • Discuss points dynamically, in relation to the position to
which you are applying • Ask yourself when you have:
– Initiated something – Achieved a goal – Exceeded expectations – Solved a problem
−Demonstrated Leadership −Been selected for added responsibility/promotion −Received praise/award
Writing Accomplishment Statements
Action Verb
Result (Impact, Purpose)
Task (& Tools)
(Relevant)
e.g., Designed client database using MS Access resulting in 50% increased retrieval rate
Accomplishment Statements BEFORE • Responsible for training new staff • Performed customer service and cashier duties as required • Stocked supplies and cleaned cash area AFTER • Selected by management to train 5 new staff members to
encourage consistent customer service • Interacted professionally to successfully build customer
relationships, resulting in repeat business • Maintained an organized, efficient area to ensure brand
standards were met
A Word About References • Prepare on a separate page • Only submit upon request • Should have seen you within a related professional
environment
Key members of your job search team! Keep them informed of your progress.
Professors Dean Supervisors Colleagues
Directors Other Staff
Final Checklist Concise Easy to read Organized Error free Attractive Professional Position-relevant Formatted (PDF) Appropriately named! Targeted
ALWAYS send a targeted cover
letter with your resumé!
Resources • Resumé and Employment Letters Guidebook
wlu.ca/career • Resumé Video • Resumé & Cover Letter critiques: in-person, telephone,
email or Skype • Resumé & Cover Letter proofreading service after a
critique appointment • For quick questions, visit our drop-in (Monday to
Thursdays, 1 – 3 p.m.)
Connect with us!
519.884.0710 x 4495 [email protected] wlu.ca/career facebook.com/lauriercareercentre linkedin.com (Laurier Career Centre Group)
@WLUCareerCentre