Resumes Convincing employers you can do the job The resume is your primary marketing tool. Its purpose is to get you in the door. There are many right ways to write a resume. It’s not an exact science with a universal formula. Use your own judgement and imagination when deciding what should be included. Streamline your resume to show employers how you can meet their specific needs. Gather Information Make a list of your previous jobs. 1. Your title or position 2. Name of organization 3. Business address, phone number 4. Your responsibilities and skills used on the job – think achievements and accomplishments and quantify/qualify when appropriate Collect your paperwork. 1. College transcripts/Diploma 2. Certificates from special training 3. Endorsements 4. References, including names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses 5. Workshops you’ve attended, presentations you’ve made 6. List your professional published papers Identify Your Target Write your resume targeted toward a particular job or type of job. A specific job description will provide the framework. Create a resume that clearly focuses your skills towards the type of work you are seeking, keeping in mind that you may need to revise it when you see an actual job description. Essential Elements: Focused and Clear Employers have dozens of resumes to read. Words can conceal as well as reveal. Wordy resumes are red flags to employers. A clear, crisp resume will make it easy to see who you are and what skills you possess. Use the skill based keywords in the job description to describe your skills. Target the job and organization. Accurate Proofread, proofread, proofread! Errors in grammar, spelling, dates, phone numbers, addresses or content reflect poorly on you and can quickly eliminate you from the pool of applicants. Professional and Visually Appealing The first impression of your resume is important. Does it look professional? Is it on good quality paper? No coffee stains, smudges or wrinkles? Did you use a variety of styles to break up the information making it easy to read, without making it too busy? Bullets, bolding, italics, underlining? Is there adequate white space? Up-to-Date Contact Information If it’s unclear how to contact you or if the employer is unable to contact your references, your resume goes into the trash. End of statement. Use your own judgement and imagination when deciding what categories to include. 1 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 What to Include in Your Resume Use your own intelligence and imagination when deciding what categories to include. Your Name, Address (optional), Phone Number and E-Mail Address Professional Objective (not required if you are also sending a cover letter) Highlights of Qualifications (your skills/knowledge relevant to the position) Education and GPA (usually GPA’s 3.5 and above) Relevant Coursework (coursework related to the job you are seeking) Related Experience Additional Experience Honors and Awards Languages Publications and Research Military Professional Development (professional memberships, conferences, etc) Activities/Organizations (volunteer, service learning, team membership) Do Don’t Have someone read your resume and give you feedback. Give a copy of your resume to each of your references. Take copies of your resume to your interview. Change keywords/phrases to fit the job description. Emphasize your positive points—omit any negatives. Leave plenty of white space. Include personal information. (marital status, age, religious and political affiliations, pictures). Be wordy—keep it brief and to the point. Include anything that’s not true. (Shine the best light on yourself, but don’t lie). Refer to high school achievements if you’ve finished college unless very impressive or related to the job you are seeking Cram too much information on one page. Trends Consider using different fonts for headings. (See resume example, page 10.) The use of horizontal lines to separate the name from the address or to separate sections can make a resume more readable. (See resume example, page 11.) Dynamic phrases are the language of resumes, not sentences, and therefore do not require periods at the end. However, if you choose to use periods, be consistent. (See resume example, page 12.) Active/action verb tenses should begin each dynamic phrase used to describe your work experiences (See resume examples, pages 10, 11, 12 and action words, pages 7, 8). Nouns and keywords used to describe your work experience and skills are becoming more important as electronic eyeballs are often the first to scan a resume. Know the standard for your industry. For example, the rule of a one-page resume is no longer absolute. Many employers are indicating that they would rather have a complete picture of the applicant’s skills than try to read between the lines. Also, technology resumes will look different and focus on different information than teacher resumes. Know what the employer expects. Resume Types Resume examples included in this guide are not intended to be a template, but rather to demonstrate elements and ideas for targeting and focusing information. See a Career Services Counselor for assistance on choosing the right style for you and providing examples from current resources. 2 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Reverse Chronological The traditional, default format for resumes is the reverse chronological resume. This type of resume is organized by your relevant employment/experiences in reverse chronological order (current/most recent first), with job titles/names of employers/locations of employers/dates of employment/ accomplishments. The reverse chronological resume is preferred by the widest variety of employers, as well as by recruiters and many of the Internet job posting sites. Recruiters and hiring managers tend to like this resume format because it is easy to read and clearly demonstrates your job history and career advancement/growth (See examples pages 10 and 12). Functional The functional resume format is often preferred by job seekers with a limited job history, an inconsistent job history, or a job history in a different career field. Job seekers who take a functional approach organize their resumes by skills and functions sections. In a purely functional resume, company names, employment dates, and position titles are intentionally omitted or deemphasized. As an example, the functional resume can work for homemakers returning to the workforce. The purely functional resume has very limited uses, but can be an excellent marketing tool if well done. Combination Because the purely functional format has become the subject of employer backlash in recent years, some jobseekers have learned to structure their resumes in a mostly functional format, but to also include a bare-bones work history in reverse chronological order, creating a combination format. The work experience section needs to include only job title, name and location of employer, and dates of employment. You don't need to list what you did in each job because that information already is listed in your functional sections. The combination resume highlights outstanding skills and achievements that might otherwise be buried within the work experience section, while simultaneously presenting, yet de-emphasizing, the chronology of jobs. The focus is on clusters of transferable skills and the experiences that are most relevant to the position for which you are applying. If you are open to more than one type of job, you can reconfigure the functional skill clusters to emphasize the skills most relevant to the specific job/job description. Combination resumes suit a variety of job-seeker needs, such as having a diverse job history that doesn't add up to a clear-cut career path and situations where the job-seeker has work experience that is related, but not an exact link to the desired position. Job seekers who have large employment gaps or many short employment stints prefer this format because it downplays employment history. This type of resume also works well for older workers, career changers, and job seekers with academic deficiencies or limited experience. (See example page 11.) 3 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 What to Include in Your Resume First and Last Name Street Address (optional) City, State, Zip Code Telephone Number E-Mail Address Professional Objective: This is a statement of your specific job objective, but is not required. The trend is not to include this if a cover letter accompanies the resume because the first paragraph would state your objective. Highlights of Qualification State four or five juicy facts describing your skills (relevant to the position) Brevity and focus are critical These statements will be backed up in the body of your resume Change these highlights to fit the specific job for which you’re applying Education List your education in reverse chronological order (most recent degree first) Don’t include high school information You may want to include your GPA if it’s good (generally 3.5 and above) Relevant Coursework If you don’t have a lot of related experience, this is an excellent opportunity to show the employer you’ve been exposed to skills needed for the job through courses you have completed. Make it easy to read by using columns as in the example below. Exceptionality & Classroom Management Testing & Measurement Abnormal Psychology Ethics & Policy Related Experience Related experiences are those that let you document the fact that you have relevant, related and transferable skills and experiences that are applicable to the job for which you are applying. These related experiences can be jobs (full or part-time), internships, volunteer activities, research projects, class projects, etc. List each experience in reverse chronological order. (List your most recent experience first, then work back) Include the name of the organization, location, dates and a concise bulleted list of your responsibilities and pertinent skills. Remember, use active verb tenses to begin the dynamic phases and think accomplishments, achievements and quantify when possible. Additional Experience These are experiences that may not be directly related to the job for which you are applying, but you may want to include i.e., long term, part-time job held while in college to illustrate work experience, employability, dependability, etc. These can include bulleted descriptions or not, depending on what you want to market about them and how relevant they are to the types of jobs for which you’re applying. 4 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 First and Last Name Honors/ Awards Include scholarships, awards and distinguished honors. Computer Skills Computer skills are important for almost any type of job. List any specialized software and operating systems you are familiar with that may be of value in the job for which you are applying. Depending on the importance of these skills in the job, this may be under a separate heading placed near the beginning of the resume, such as in technical resumes, or it may be in the Highlights of Qualification section or in bulleted descriptions under work experience listings. Languages Specify the languages you speak, write or read. Depending on how relevant languages are to the job, you can create a separate category or list it in the Highlights of Qualification or Education section. Multicultural skills are valuable in many work environments. Military Military service may be listed in the Education or Experience category as appropriate. Professional Development Include things like professional organizations, conferences attended, professional presentations, trainings, research projects, relevant workshops, etc. Activities/Organizations List the full name of the organization to which you belong. If it’s an honorary organization, call attention to it. Phi Kappa Phi (National Honorary). If you were an officer or served on committees, mention it. If your involvement gave you valuable experiences and skill building opportunities, especially related to the job you are applying for, you may want to make the experience a category in your Related Experience section. Involvement in clubs, organizations and leadership roles is an indicator of your motivation, sense of civic pride and willingness to take responsibility. Include information/experiences that don’t fit into other categories, but is relevant to the job. 5 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Resumes on the Internet Visit Career Service’s web site for more information on these types of resumes: www.umt.edu/career/resumes When submitting your resume by E-mail or filling out a form provided on an Internet site, your resume needs to be as cleverly crafted as your hard copy resume. If you know your destination has the same computer system and word processing software as yours, send it via E-mail as an attached file. (If you just paste it into an E-mail document, you may lose the attractive format you’ve worked so hard to create.) Noun keywords are essential. The employer’s computer may be programmed to pick up specific skill keywords relative to an opening. Noun Keywords Examples Educator Purchasing Manager Microbiologist Special Education Asset Procurement DNA blot Smartboard JIT B’phage Lysate Differentiated instruction Assay testing Scannable Resumes Also called applicant tracking systems, your resume is scanned by a computer. The computer is looking for relevant skill keywords (nouns) found in the job description. Fancy fonts and self-descriptive verbs don’t count. Don’t Do Use your middle initial in the heading. Avoid parentheses and the dash in your phone number. Stick to skill-related keywords. Use standard fonts and sizes 12 or 14. No Abbreviate the state or address. Use any other name on your resume. Fancy Fonts Bullets Condense spacing between letters. Use pictures or graphics. Bolding Underlining Italics 6 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Action Words (to be used in the bulleted descriptions of your experiences) Accomplishments Achieved Completed Expanded Exceeded Improved Pioneered Reduced (losses) Resolved (issues) Restored Spearheaded Succeeded Surpassed Transformed Won Communication /Persuasion Addressed Advertised Arbitrated Arranged Articulated Authored Clarified Collaborated Communicated Composed Condensed Conferred Consulted Contacted Conveyed Convinced Corresponded Debated Defined Described Developed Directed Discussed Dissuaded Documented Drafted Edited Educated Elicited Enlisted Established Explained Expressed Formulated Furnished Incorporated Influenced Interacted Interpreted Interviewed Involved Joined Judged Lectured Listened Marketed Mediated Moderated Negotiated Observed Outlined Participated Persuaded Presented Promoted Proposed Publicized Reconciled Recruited Referred Reinforced Reported Resolved Responded Solicited Specified Spoke Suggested Summarized Synthesized Translated Wrote Drew Entertained Established Fashioned Formulated Founded Illustrated Initiated Instituted Integrated Introduced Invented Modeled Modified Originated Performed Photographed Planned Revised Revitalized Shaped Solved Financial/Data Administered Adjusted Allocated Analyzed Appraised Assessed Audited Balanced Budgeted Calculated Computed Conserved Corrected Determined Developed Estimated Forecasted Managed Marketed Measured Planned Prepared Programmed Projected Reconciled Reduced Researched Retrieved Creative Adapted Began Combined Composed Conceptualized Condensed Created Customized Designed Developed Directed Displayed 7 Helping Adapted Advocated Aided Answered Arranged Assessed Assisted Cared for Clarified Coached Collaborated Contributed Cooperated Counseled Demonstrated Diagnosed Educated Encouraged Ensured Expedited Facilitated Familiarized Furthered Guided Helped Insured Intervened Motivated Prevented Provided Referred Rehabilitated Represented Resolved Simplified Supplied Supported Volunteered Management/ Leadership Administered Advised Analyzed Appointed Approved Assigned Attained Authorized Chaired Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Considered Consolidated Contracted Controlled Converted Coordinated Counseled Decided Delegated Determined Developed Directed Disseminated Eliminated Emphasized Enforced Enhanced Ensured Established Examined Executed Explained Generated Governed Guided Handled Headed Hired Hosted Improved Incorporated Increased Influenced Initiated Inspected Inspired Instituted Instructed Integrated Launched Led Managed Merged Motivated Organized Originated Overhauled Oversaw Planned Presided Prioritized Produced Recommended Reorganized Replaced Restored Reviewed Scheduled Secured Selected Streamlined Strengthened Supervised Terminated Updated Validated Verified Research Analyzed Clarified Collected Compared Conducted Critiqued Detected Determined Diagnosed Evaluated Examined Experimented Explored Extracted Formulated Gathered Identified Inspected Interpreted Interviewed Invented Investigated Located Measured Organized Researched Reviewed Searched Solved Summarized Surveyed Systemized Tested Organization/ Detail Approved Arranged Catalogued Categorized Charted Classified Coded Collected Compiled Corrected Corresponded Distributed Executed Filed Generated Implemented Incorporated Inspected Logged Maintained Monitored Obtained Operated Ordered Organized Prepared Processed Provided Purchased Recorded Registered Reserved Responded Reviewed Routed Scheduled Screened Set up Submitted Supplied Standardized Systemized Teaching Adapted Advised Clarified Coached Communicated Conducted Coordinated Critiqued Developed Enabled Encouraged Evaluated Explained 8 Facilitated Focused Guided Individualized Informed Instilled Instructed Motivated Persuaded Set goals Simulated Stimulated Taught Tested Trained Transmitted Tutored Technical Adapted Applied Assembled Built Calculated Computed Conserved Constructed Converted Debugged Designed Determined Developed Engineered Fabricated Fortified Installed Maintained Operated Overhauled Printed Programmed Rectified Regulated Remodeled Repaired Replaced Restored Solved Specialized Standardized Studied Upgraded Utilized Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Transferable Skills Skills you have acquired during any activity in your life -- jobs, classes, projects, volunteering, parenting, hobbies, sports, virtually anything -- that are transferable and applicable to your job search. Key Transferable Skills Meet Deadlines Ability to delegate Ability to plan Results oriented Customer service oriented Supervise others Increase sales or efficiency Accept responsibility Instruct others Desire to learn and improve Good time management Solve problems Manage money/budgets Manage people Meet the public Organize people Organize/manage projects Team player Written communications Work independently Computer skills Other Transferable Skills Dealing with Things Use my hands Assemble or make things Safety conscious Build, observe, inspect things Construct or repair Follow instructions Operate tools and machinery Drive or operate vehicles Repair things Good with my hands Use complex equipment Operate computers Dealing with Data Analyze data or facts Investigate Audit records Keep financial records Locate answers and information Balance money Calculate/compute Manage money Classify Data Compare, inspect, or record facts Count, observe, compile Research Detail oriented Take inventory Working with People Patient Care for Persuasive Confront others Pleasant Counsel people Sensitive Demonstrate something Supportive Diplomatic Supervise Speak in public Help others Tactful Insightful Compassionate Teach Interview others Anticipate needs High energy Open minded Kind Follow directions Listen Serving Trust Working with others Negotiate Understand Adaptable Using Words/Ideas Innovate Communicate verbally Logical Remember information Accurate Research Create new ideas Design Speak in public Edit Write clearly Prefer details Understanding the big picture Leadership Coordinate social functions Motivate others Negotiate agreements Decisive Plan Delegate Run meetings Direct others Explain things to others Self-motivated Get results Share leadership Think of others Direct projects Team builder Solve problems Mediate problems Take risks Empowering others Creative/Artistic Artistic Music appreciation Dance/body movement Perform/Act Draw/sketch/render Present artistic ideas Play instruments Expressive Articulate 9 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Reverse Chronological Resume Example Sean A. Morrison (406) 721-5700 | sean.morrison@umontana.edu | Missoula, MT 59801 Highlights of Qualifications Three years progressive human services experience Demonstrated ability in hiring, training, supervising and evaluating staff Well versed with in-patient treatment plans and protocol Effectively work with diverse people, both individually and in groups Fluent Spanish speaking and writing skills Education Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (GPA: 3.61) University of Montana Minor: Human and Family Relationships MANDT Training Certification May 2013 Missoula, MT January 2013 Relevant Experience Program Assistant June 2015-present Poverello Center Missoula, MT Provide diverse services to homeless program residents including assessing and recommending appropriate community referrals. Monitor thirty-bed facility and enforce rules while ensuring residents safety. Manage client services human resource operations. Translate from Spanish to English for transient populations. Independent Care Provider May 2014-Feb 2015 Missoula Developmental Services Corporation Missoula, MT Provided supervision to young adult with cognitive delay and seizure disorder as part of direct care team. Assisted with daily living functions and implemented behavioral program/token system. Collected data and completed paperwork for incident reports, program records, and medication administration. Intervention Specialist Jan 2013-Sept 2014 Mountain Peaks, Inc. Missoula, MT Served as a member of the Individual Treatment Plan (ITP) team. Assisted clients age 15-17 in accomplishing substance abuse treatment plan objectives. Provided support services to youth upon release from detention facilities. Administered collection and documentation of substance detecting analysis tests. Additional Experience Mentor, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Missoula, MT Volunteer, Crisis Intervention Hotline, YWCA, Missoula, MT Camp Counselor, Kids with Cancer Camp, Gig Harbor, WA Nov 2013-present 2012-present Summers 2013, 2014 Activities/Organizations Missoula Downtown Association, Missoula, MT Psychology Club, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 10 Aug 2013-present May 2012-May 2015 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Combination Resume Example Hannah Cortland (406) 542-1752 Missoula, MT hanc@umontana.edu SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS • • • • Demonstrated ability to complete accounting tasks utilizing QuickBooks and Peachtree software Strong record of accomplishment in implementing initiatives that improve financial practices Progressive responsibility in the areas of office organization and operations Experience with accounts payable/receivable/financial reports RELATED EXPERIENCE Bookkeeping • Computed and prepared monthly billings for over 50 employment agency clients, achieving a record of exceptional accuracy. • Maintained records of daily income and prepared agency's bank deposits. • Calculated payroll deductions: state/federal taxes, disability and social security. • Developed monthly financial report for Managers and Board of Directors. Office Coordination/Scheduling • Created an efficient filing system, transforming haphazard records into readily retrievable system. • Coordinated wide range of logistics for office functions. • Supervised repairs of office equipment -performed minor repairs and maintenance. • Researched sources/selected new office equipment -ordered supplies. • Responded by mail to employer requests for insurance related information; created online form responding to inquiries from potential job applicants. Data Entry • Accurately entered personnel data for over 500 applicants using customized computer program; updated and maintained each applicant's records. • Utilized Microsoft Office Suite to create database/spread sheet programs and trained staff to use programs. • Designed and produced promotional brochure for employment agency: compiled and edited text and laid out graphics using Publisher. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Receptionist/ Bookkeeper, A Temporary Solution, Missoula, MT Housekeeper, Self-employed, Missoula, MT Bookkeeping Trainee, Rivendell Residential Treatment, Bozeman, MT Accounts Payable/ Cashier, The Good Food Store, Missoula, MT 11 2013-present 2011-2013 2009-2011 2008-2009 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 Reverse Chronological Resume Example Hoshana Khamali Missoula, Montana (406) 245-9962 hosh@umontana.edu EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Business Administration—Marketing Expected: May 20xx University of Montana – Missoula, GPA 3.4/4.0 • Award-winning senior project (Best Marketing Plan) involved the design of a marketing research program for a student entrepreneur's proposed business RELEVANT COURSEWORK • Marketing Research I & II • Consumer Behavior • • Advertising I & II Advanced Seminar in Marketing (graduate level course) COMPUTER SKILLS Database, Spreadsheet, Publishing, Graphics, Word Processing, Web Page Design (Front Page) RELATED EXPERIENCE International Marketing Assistant May-July 20xx Procter and Gamble Cincinnati, OH • Designed and implement a targeted market survey evaluating 3 products with over 2,000 respondents. • Coordinated all work scheduling for a six-person research team. • Created marketing materials that were eventually selected for use. Research Assistant September 20xx-April 20xx UM Marketing Department Missoula, MT • Compiled, analyzed and reported on data as part of a major research project run by UM for the National Association of Consumer Products Manufacturers. • Used and rewrote portions of the VALS computerized market research program. ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE Sales Associate October 20xx-March 20xx Clement’s Department Store Missoula, MT • Sold men's wear, ladies' shoes and house wares. • Assisted department manager with several advertising campaigns. • Developed "Ask the Manager" customer feedback system that helped reduce customer. complaints by 15% over a 3-month period. ACTIVITIES • President-UM Marketing Association, 20xx-20xx • Increased membership 35% and added 3 new activities, including a scholarship drive • Member, United States Marketing Association • Recipient of UM Foundation Scholarship, all 4 years of college • Dean's List, 5 of 8 semesters 12 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 References How Start to develop your list of references by first identifying appropriate potential references; you should consider current or former supervisors, professors, or volunteer coordinators with whom you have worked. Do not use roommates, friends, or family members as references unless you have also worked with them in a professional relationship. Next, call your list of potential references, explain that you are in a job search, and ask if they would be willing to act as a reference for you. You might say something like…"Dr. Thomas, I will be graduating in May and will be applying for full-time positions. I realize how important references can be and was wondering if you would have any reservations about being one of my references?” Be prepared to provide a brief (less than two minutes) idea about what you have been doing recently and the types of positions you are seeking. With past supervisors, you may want to state why you left that job, since they are likely to be asked by the potential employer. You should offer to send them a copy of your resume so they are more familiar with your skills and experience. A less than enthusiastic reference at a critical juncture could spell disaster. Select your references very carefully. Note: It is appropriate to ask if they are willing to give you a good reference (better to know now rather than later!). Make sure they know you will be listing them as a reference. Be sure to thank them now in addition to once you succeed in your job search! How Many Typically, you will be asked to provide three to five references. It is a good idea to have a "backup" or two, in case one or more of your references is out of town when called. When responding to a job advertisement, if asked for three references, provide three references (show them you can read and follow directions). What You will want to include your reference's name, current title, agency or organization with which they are affiliated (if any), address, phone number(s), and e-mail address (if appropriate). In some cases, you may also want to note your relationship to the individual (e.g. former supervisor at UM Library). Be certain everything is correct!!! Where As a general rule, do not include references on your resume. Names and contact information for references take up a lot of space that is better used to document your skills and experiences relative to the job you are seeking. Make a separate reference page. For the heading on your reference page, use the same heading (your name, phone number, email address etc.) and paper type as used for your resume to give a consistent, professional look to your documents. When Provide your reference list to a potential employer when requested. Appearance A common process is to use the same contact information heading on your references sheet as was used for your resume. 13 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16 References Page Example Sean A. Morrison (406) 721-5700 | sean.morrison@umontana.edu | Missoula, MT 59801 PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES Jim Smith, Director The Poverello Center 1110 W. Broadway St. Missoula, MT 59802 (406) 728-1809 jsmith@poverello.org Barbara Jones, Director Missoula Developmental Services Corporation 1005 Marshall Street Missoula, MT 59801 (406) 728-5484 barbara.jones@mdsc.net Dr. John Baker, Associate Professor Department of Psychology University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 (406) 243-6666 jbaker@umontana.edu 14 Lommasson Center 154 www.umt.edu/career (406) 243-2022 Revised 2/16