Resume Project Weight: 25% (or 5% for consultation on rough draft (week 8 or 9) and 20% final) Due: Week 10, Thursday Nov. 12 at 6 pm.` Submission: via BlackBoard. Include the resume as well as the sample job #, or job description NOTE: Remember that your resume is a living document. You will continue to upgrade and develop this as you gain new skills and knowledge, and as your career progresses. Over time you will likely create a variety of resumes according to the jobs you apply for, since ideally it should be tailored for each application. For now you will create one based on one of the jobs provided, or on one you choose yourself. TIP: Start off by writing out everything you can think of that you can do. Big General topics. Then come up with several concrete examples for each of those topics. Then use the big topics to create a summary, and the details to create your skills headings or to add to your job experiences. A. Determine the style that suits you best 1. Chronological or Functional (skills based) 2. If you do not have any engineering work experience, please consider the functional style as you will have more success in the job market 3. Review the weekly learning materials for templates. 4. Note that the functional template is not digital, but you can easily follow the outline and copy it. B. Formatting should be simple and make it easy to read. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Use bold, colour and/or larger font sizes for headings. Do not use more than 2 fonts maximum. Do not over-format because the algorithmic bots will not be able to read it. Do not include any images, graphs, tables or other imagery for the same reason. Use bullets and other forms of lists Be careful about alignment. Each line should align with others at the same level C. Use of Language should be clear and straightforward 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Use point form only (not full sentences, no periods) Start each point with an active verb or adjective Use proper English spelling, grammar and syntax Make sure your points are in parallel structure- same verb tense throughout Do not repeat the same words or combination of words Do Not use phrases such as “Responsible for…” or “Knowledge of…” ask for help if you need a better way to say it. Please follow all instructions on the next page. If you have any questions about the assignment, please email me or write about it in the discussion blog. For the recommended order of headings see the final page. A. For either style of resume, start with: 1. Choose the Job Opening: a. Review the “Engineering Job Samples” in your week 5 learning materials folder b. Choose the job you want to “apply” for. c. If you [refer to find another suitable job online in your field, you may use that instead 2. Pick out skills and verbs on the job description (see #1-Array for a highlighted example) a. Print out or save the job sample/opportunity, and highlight or underline the words you need to ensure show up on your resume b. Use the words you find to jar your memory for examples you can state on your resume 3. Header: Create your header including: a. Your name (in big letters) b. Contact information c. Do NOT include any personal information, nor a photo d. Format it nicely 4. Profile: Create a profile/summary statement a. Summarize what you bring to the table in a punchy 1-2 line statement b. Please, no “objectives”, they are not cool any more c. Put this right below your header 5. Highlight of Skills: Create a summary section that lists your strengths (hard followed by soft skills) a. Review your program details to jar your memory (in weekly materials) b. Use the lists of verbs and adjectives to jar your memory d. Use your True Colors results to remember your transferable strengths e. Ask someone who knows you well to tell you what you are best at f. Review online resumes in your field of interest for inspiration. Do NOT copy, just get ideas g. Use Action Verbs to begin each and every statement 6. Education: Create a list of your educational achievements in reverse chronological order a. Start with your present studies at George Brown College (BTW it’s a Diploma, not degree) b. Go backwards until your high school graduation. c. Under any of your schools you could list relevant core courses and/or special projects d. Location: Depending on your background and experiences. Best at the end, after experience, before hobbies B. NOW ADD For Functional Style Resumes: if you do not have engineering experience, or are changing fields 7. Skill Headings: a. Review the job description and the words you highlighted/underlined b. Decide the most important 3-4 types of skills required on this job (e.g. CAD? Problem solving? Customer service? Machining? Etc) c. Come up with a heading for each type of skill area, similar to the above examples d. Describe concrete experiences you have had or knowledge you have gained that prove you have succeeded in these areas before. e. Create several statements in point form, starting with action verbs 1. Describe at least 3 concrete examples for each skill heading/area 2. Be as specific as possible 3. Create at least one achievement statement per skill heading- i.e. verb+activity+result (see Tip Sheet) 8. Work Experience: Create a list of all the jobs you have had in reverse chronological order. a. Create a descriptive job title for each job. b. State the city and province, or city and country (if overseas) c. Specify the dates that you worked there (month, year – month, year) d. Start with your present or most recent job, and go backwards in time e. Do not provide any descriptive details, this is just to back up the info you have provided in #7 f. If you have not ever worked before: 1. Consider listing volunteerism and school projects 2. If you truly cannot put anything in this section, leave it out entirely, but make sure you show proof of skills in your skills section, including school project accomplishments OR For Chronological Style Resumes: if you have at least 3 years of recent engineering or related work experience, either from Canada or abroad 7. Work Experience: Create a list of all the jobs you have had in reverse chronological order. a. Same as above, but in this style you DO include all details of your responsibilities and achievements at these jobs b. Describe at least 4-7 experiences and skills used for each job, including words and phrases from the job description c. Create at least 2 achievement statements per job- i.e. verb+activity+result (see Tip Sheet) d. Start each phrase with an active verb OR Combination If you have some related experience (and some that is not), consider creating two experience sections. This is especially useful if you have related experience in the past but have since taken on other jobs simply to remain financially stable. 7. RELATED EXPERIENCE (detailed, as in Chronological style) a. By calling it “related experience” (rather than work or employment), you can include unpaid work, short term contracts, or limited experience that relates to the field of interest b. You can put this above the Other Work Experience, even if it happened earlier, because it is in its own separate section. 8. OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE a simple list of all your other jobs (with locations and dates, of course) RECOMMENDED ORDER FOR EACH STYLE: FUNCTIONAL style CHRONOLOGICAL style Header Header Profile/Objective Profile/Objective Summary of Skills/Highlight Summary of Skills/Highlight Skill Headings (3-4 top skill areas of your choice) Experience/Employment History Several concrete examples under each heading Experience/Employment History if no work experience, then include projects under Education Note that even unpaid experience counts Do NOT include details about these- they should show up in the above section Provide details about each job, your responsibilities and achievements This could be separated into RELEVANT and OTHER experiences, see above re Combination Education Hobbies/Interests/Additional Skills (optional) Education Hobbies/Interests/Additional Skills (optional) Note that you can choose a different order, but be clear about your design intent and reasons for doing so. See the examples of resumes posted in weekly materials to see samples of good and poor resumes. Although all of your experiences are valuable, do not include details that are irrelevant to the job If you would like any help to create your resume over the next few weeks, please book an appointment with Calvin in the online career centre. If you would like to review your rough draft with me in week 8 or 9 please book an online appointment with me via the wiki (posted soon). If you choose this option your first draft and participation will be marked out of 5%, and your final resume will be marked out of 20%. PS: If you already HAVE a resume, that is Great- BUT! Make sure it is relevant to your job goal after college, and revise it using the strategies outlined in class and in your learning materials. Please include all related engineering experience even from other countries.
