Résumés
Sell Yourself in Writing
Joliet Junior College Career Services
What is a Résumé ?
A personal summary of your professional
history and qualifications
It includes information about your
career goals, education, work experience,
activities, honors, and any special skills.
First Steps:

Know what you want
–
–
–

Research positions
Know qualifications, required skills and education requirements
Key words and industry jargon
Know what you have to offer
–
–
–
–
–
Work experience
Volunteer experience
Academic Achievements
Clubs/Organizations
Activities
–
–
–
–
–
Certifications
Computer skills
Awards
Scholarships
Languages
A Résumé Includes…
Heading
 Job Objective or Professional Summary
 Education
 Experience
 Relevant Courses (optional)
 Summary of Qualifications (optional)
 Honors and Activities (optional)

A Résumé Includes…
Heading
• Your full name (Bold)
• Complete address
• Contact number (professional voicemail message)
• E-mail address (professional e-mail address)
Example:
John Doe
1215 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431
(815) 280-2762
jdoe@jjc.edu
A Résumé Includes…
Objective
Clearly lets the employer know what type of
job you are looking for
AVOID VAGUE STATEMENTS
AVOID STATEMENTS THAT FOCUS ON YOU
Objective (cont.)
AVOID VAGUE STATEMENTS
To obtain a challenging position that utilizes my education
and skills
AVOID STATEMENTS THAT FOCUS ON YOU
A position where I can advance professionally
Objective (cont.)
BE SPECIFIC, CLEAR AND CONCISE
Seeking a position as a mechanical maintenance
technician requiring strong electrical/electronics, physics
and mathematical skills
To obtain an orthotics and prosthetics technician position
at Children's Memorial Hospital
EPA certified professional seeking an entry-level HVAC
technician position
A Résumé Includes…
Education
• Names and locations of schools or programs
• Dates of attendance
• Degrees, certificates or licenses awarded
• Major
• G.P.A. (if 3.0 or above)*
Education
Example
EDUCATION:
Joliet Junior College, Joliet IL
Electrical/Electronic Automated Systems Technology Program
Associates in Applied Science, Expected May 2010
GPA: 3.2/4.0
A Résumé Includes…
Relevant Courses
(optional)
• List recent courses relevant to your objective
• Do not list every course taken
• Only include this section for 3 or more relevant
courses
Relevant Courses
Example
RELEVANT COURSES:
Basic Wiring & Circuit Design
Finite Mathematics
Automated Systems
Process Control & Instrumentation
Motors & Drives
Industrial Controls I & II
Industrial Circuits Basic PLC
Summary of Qualifications (optional)
Gain attention of the reader
 State your skills, values and interests
 Excellent place for keywords and
requirements from a job description

Summary of Qualifications
EEAS
Summary of Qualifications:
Technical





Knowledge of electrical and electronic circuits including electrical quantities, circuits and
drawings.
Able to calculate and measure voltage, current, resistance and power circuit design.
Expertise in the operation of A.C. and D.C. rotating equipment, solid-state devices and
controls.
Experience in using transformers, motors, magnetic control devices, relays, time circuits
and control input devices.
Able to install controls for pressure, temperature, flow, and level circuits.
Computer


Training in Microsoft Office: Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word
Familiar with AutoCAD 2002
Summary of Qualifications
Orthotics & Prosthetics
Summary of Qualifications:







Ability to converse with Allied Health Practitioners concerning patient care
Capable of locating and identifying anatomic landmark for the purpose of measuring and
fitting
Knowledge of anatomical language
Experience with basic tool handling
Familiarity with components and materials used in the manufacturing Orthotics &
Prosthetics
Experience with patient handling
Skilled in measuring and fitting basic Orthotics and Prosthetics
Summary of Qualifications
HVAC
Summary of Qualifications:






EPA 608 certification and knowledge of proper chemical handling
Ability to fabricate ductwork
Knowledge of control systems and automation of commercial & residential systems
Experienced in calculating heat loss and heat gain
Skilled in performing basic maintenance and troubleshooting
Familiar with blueprint reading and constructions
Summary of Qualifications
Industrial Maintenance
Summary of Qualifications:





Capable of performing precision shaft alignments on motors and pumps
Ability to pre-fabricate piping systems
Skilled in troubleshooting pneumatic circuits to include 2, 3 and 4-way valves, force
control systems and flow control systems
Experience installing mechanical seals on pumps
Able to read precision measuring instruments
A Résumé Includes…
Experience
May include internships, full-time, parttime, seasonal or volunteer work
•
•
•
•
•
Name of employer
City, state
Dates of employment (month and year)
Job titles
Duties and major accomplishments
List most recent experience first
Experience
Example
EXPERIENCE:
Wendy’s, Joliet, IL
May 2008 to Present
Cook
 Prepare menu items according to customer specifications
 Clean food preparation areas, cooking surfaces and utensils
 Maintain health, sanitation and safety standards in work environment
 Stock food and beverage stations
Bullet Points
About Bullets

Describe more than just your duties

Include what IMPACT or CONTRBUTION your
actions had

Turn duties into skills

Quantify whenever possible
–
Add numbers (money, number of times you did something,
how much of something you accomplished)
Bullet Points
Examples
TURN THIS:
INTO THIS:
Kept inventory
Kept daily inventory of over 1000
medical supplies
Called prospective customers
Built client base from 0 to 80 by
effectively using cold calling
techniques
Coordinated volunteers
Coordinated over 50 volunteers
and tabulated donations
during fundraisers
Bullet Points
More Examples
TURN THIS:



Cooked burgers
Cleaned floors
Stocked food
INTO THIS:








Helped kids clean up their mess
Helped feed the kids
Took kids outside on a regular basis

Keep inventory and purchase supplies
Make snacks and do dishes




Prepared menu items according to customer
specifications
Cleaned food preparation areas, cooking
surfaces and utensils
Stocked food and beverage stations
Assisted children and cleaned play areas
Prepared snacks and lunches
Helped coordinate recreational activities
Maintain inventory and purchase office
supplies when needed
Prepare snacks and maintain cleanliness
of the kitchen
A Résumé Includes…
Honors and Activities
(optional)
 Highlight relevant
activities you have
been involved with and honors you have
received
 Generally
placed after the education and
experience sections of the resume
Honors and Activities
Example
HONORS & ACTIVITIES:
Phi Theta Kappa (International Honors Society)
2007 – Present
JJC Volunteers Club
Vice-President 2007 – Present
Joliet Junior College Men’s Football Team
Starting Wide Receiver 2006-2007
Don’t forget to…
Sell Yourself






Emphasize the positive and sell your strengths
Highlight your accomplishments
Use Action Verbs
Use Key Words
Limit first person pronouns (I, me, my)
Avoid wordiness
– Use phrases not complete sentences
– Be Direct
Be Direct

I staged an extensive campaign to cut costs and
increase overall profits from fund-raisers by 10%
in the course of one year’s time
- OR -

Increased profits from fund-raisers by 10% in one
year
Composing A Resume
Design an Attractive Layout
• Microsoft Word
• 1”
margins on all sides
• Choose font and font size (Times 12)
• Avoid fancy
• Use
type or difficult to read styles
capital letters, boldface, bullets and
indenting to emphasize important
information
Composing A Resume
Design an Attractive Layout
• Make
• Try
sure verb tense is consistent
to limit to one page (2nd page header)
• Make
high-quality copies
• Resume paper
is best
• Check spelling, punctuation, grammar and
word usage (ask a friend)
Spell Chequer
Eye halve a spelling chequer, It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue, Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.
Eye strike a key and type a word, And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write, It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid, It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite, Its rare lea ever wrong.
Eye have run this poem threw it, I am shore your pleased two
no.
Its letter perfect awl the weigh, My chequer tolled me sew.
ROBERT JONES
123 Tenth Street
Joliet, Illinois 60431
(815) 123-4567
rjones@jjc.edu
Objective:
Seeking an entry-level position as a mechanical maintenance technician utilizing strong
electrical/electronics, physics and mathematical skills.
Education:
Joliet Junior College, Joliet, Illinois
Electrical/Electronic Automated Systems Technology Program
Associate in Applied Science Degree, Expected December 2009
GPA: 3.5/4.0
Relevant Coursework:
Basic Wiring & Circuit Design
Process Control & Instrumentation
Industrial Controls I & II
Finite Mathematics
Motors & Drives
Basic PLC
Automated Systems
Industrial Circuits
Microsoft Office
Skills and Qualifications:
Technical
 Knowledge of electrical and electronic circuits including electrical quantities, circuits
and drawings.
 Able to calculate and measure voltage, current, resistance and power circuit design.
 Expertise in the operation of A.C. and D.C. rotating equipment, solid-state devices and
controls.
 Experience using transformers, motors, magnetic control devices, relays, time circuits
and control input devices.
 Able to install controls for pressure, temperature, flow, and level circuits.
Computer
 Training in Microsoft Office: Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Word
 Familiar with AutoCAD 2002
Work Experience:
Dominick’s Food Stores, Shorewood, Illinois
December 2006 to Present
Produce Clerk
 Maintains stock in the produce department.
 Assess and maintain inventory of products.
 Provides customer service and maintains cleanliness of departments.
ROBERT JONES
123 Tenth Street
Joliet, Illinois 60431
(815) 123-4567
rjones@jjc.edu
References:
Terry Johnson, Instructor, Technical Department
Joliet Junior College
1215 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431
(815) 729-9020
tjohnson@jjc.edu
Sarah Milsap, Manufacturing Planner
BP Naperville
150 W Warrenville Road
Naperville, IL 60563
(630) 678-0943
smilsap@bp.com
Philip Marcum, Produce Manager
Dominick’s Finer Foods
950 Brook Forest Avenue
Shorewood, IL 60404
(815) 577-2714
marcump@dominicks.com
Powerful Action Words









Accomplished
Achieved
Attained
Completed
Created
Delivered
Demonstrated
Enhanced
Explained









Improved
Increased
Managed
Obtained
Performed
Produced
Secured
Succeeded
Surpassed
*
Keywords Example
Electrician:
Electric motor/switch assembler and repairer, electronic equipment
installer/repairer, electrical power-line installer/repairer, electrician's helper,
electrician assistant, commercial electrician, maintenance electrician, certified
electrician, journeyman electrician, electric meter installer/repairer, electrical
engineer, avionics technician, electrical technician, schematic diagram
interpretation, blueprint reading and interpretation, control circuit
troubleshooting, 120V, 480/277V, VFDs, individual sensors, level probes,
thermocouples, RTD, 3-phase AC motors, drive systems, electrical testing
equipment, logic schematics, mechanical aptitude, welding equipment, air
compressors, HVAC systems, vacuum pumps, programmable logic controller
(PLC) systems, Allen Bradley PLC Systems, motor controls, pneumatics,
hydraulics, mechanical systems, welding systems, project management (PM),
SLC-5 series, rsnetworx, Control Logix, DH+, process control
instrumentation, I/P, PID, voltage troubleshooting, standard wiring practices,
National Electrical Codes (NEC), AC/DC control circuit troubleshooting.
*