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Resume Writing
Guide
Your Guide to
Writing Dynamic..
‰ Resumes
‰ Cover Letters
Business Blog
‰ References
Get the secret tips and
tricks that give you a
competitive edge as a job
seeker.
Learn which resume
format will work best for
you.
Know what you should
include in a cover letter.
Find out who should be a
reference for you and
what employers want to
know.
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This Employment Ontario Program is funded
in part by the Government of Canada
RESUMES
Your resume is a key jng tool for securing an interview. It
summarizes your accomplishments,
work
experience, A resume will NOT get you the job! It is a markeng tool that get’s
you an interview.
A Good Resume HAS
A Good Resume Does NOT Have
Contact Information. Mailing address, email
address, home phone number, cell phone, etc.
Accomplishment Statements. Focus on what
you have achieved in the positions you held,
NOT the duties and responsibilities.
Education/Training. Include all relevant
degrees, diploma’s, certificates and
professional development. If you have a
foreign degree and it has been equated to
Canadian education, include that information.
If currently enrolled in an educational
program, list expected graduation month and
year.
List of duties or responsibilities. Use
accomplishment statements instead.
Acronyms. Spell each acronym out and
in parenthesis write the acronym. Future
usage of the acronym may then be
referred to in short form. ex: Human
Resources (HR)
Edit your Resume. Be sure to meticulously
proofread your resume for misspellings and
typos. Resumes with errors get filed in the
trash can.
Spelling and Grammar mistakes.
Mistakes are unacceptable, have another
person proofread your resume before
your final draft.
Targeted and Focused. Tailor your basic
resume to specific jobs and specific
employers. Tweak each resume you submit to
the specific job you are seeking or to the
specific employer.
More than 2 pages. The general
accepted rule is one page for every ten
years of experience, not to exceed 2
pages.
Handwritten information. Always use
a computer to correct or reprint your
resume.
Appearance. Your resume should be wellorganized with consistent headings, fonts,
bullets, and style.
Personal information. Such as a
picture, age, weight, birthdate, marital
status or SIN number should NOT be
included
Past Tense and Action Verbs. Use past tense
action verbs to describe what you did. ex:
Utilized excellent customer service skills to
diffuse displeased clients.
1
References. Do not include them on
your resume. Have a separate sheet of
paper with references to share with the
employer after the interview.
Which Resume Format is
Best for You?
One of the first decisions job-seekers must make when preparing their resume is how to
organize the resumes content. Today’s resumes generally are:
–
–
–
Combination, which is a hybrid of the Chronological and Functional format.
Reverse Chronological, listing all your experience from most recent to least recent
Functional, which lists experience in skills clusters.
Combination Resume
This resume is the most commonly used and acceptable format. It highlights outstanding skills
and achievements that might otherwise be buried within the job-history section. 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 skills clusters to emphasize the skills most relevant to the particular job you seek.
•
Combination resumes suit a variety of job-seeker needs, mature workers, career
changers, and job-seekers with academic deficiencies or limited experience. Job-seekers
who have large employment gaps or many short employment stints prefer this format
because it downplays employment history.
Reverse Chronological Resume
This type of resume is organized by your employment history in reverse chronological order,
with job titles, employers, dates of employment and accomplishments, working backwards
10-15 years.
•
A standard reverse chronological resume may be your best choice if most/all of your
experience has been in one field, you have no large employment gaps, and you plan to
stay in that same field.
•
The reverse chronological resume is preferred by recruiters and many of the Internet job
boards. Recruiters and hiring managers tend to like this resume format because it's easy to
read and clearly demonstrates your job history and career advancement/growth. This
format is also recommended for all conservative career fields (such as accounting, banking,
law, etc.) and international job-seeking.
Functional Resumes
This resume format is recommended to job-seekers with a limited job history, a checkered 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
clusters. In a purely functional resume, company names, employment dates, and position
titles are intentionally omitted.
2
COMBINATIONRESUME
RESUME EXAMPLE
COMBINATION
EXAMPLE
John Doe
12 Donald Crescent
Toronto, ON. L3R 7G1
Combination Template
COMBINATION
TEMPLATE
(416)555-8396
johndoe@nomail.com
First and Last Name
Address
Address
Talented professional with skills and training in:
BIOTECHNOLGY AND BIOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES
The Job You Want!
Highly- accomplished, quick learner with impressive praccal knowledge encompassing the
spectrum of biochemical research, with special ex c, Inorganic, Anal
Chemistry, an d by peers and mentors as an overachiever who is
ed to excellence in this eld, as demonstrated by outstanding academic achievement.
Demonstrate thorough and detailed research capa
Experience and academic pr include:
Molecular Theory
Blood Typing
Spectroscopy
Biological Assays
Reagent Prepon Enzyme Extrons
Microbes Analysis
Culture/Media preparons
Bimolecular ons
DNA Analysis
Blong Techniques
Chromatographic Techniques
Excellent computer Skills
Mathematical Modelling
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE & EMPLOYMENT
Biotech Program Coordinator- CIIS Eduon Services, Fatehgarh Sahib –
Lecturer in Biochemistry – GNK College, Kurukshetra University, Yngr –
Research Schoonal Dairy Research InsKarnal, INDIA –
Phone
email
2008 to 2010
2005 to 2008
2005
Performed anal and analysis in established college laboratories and
according to degree syllabus for more than 4 years, completed
required sy
mely manner under ght schedules.
Prepared test samples, set up and operated automated laboratory instruments such as
GLC, Spectrophotometer, Ultra violet Spectrophotometer, Colorimeter, pH meter,
viscometer, ultracentrifuge, cell cultures, blood co on, serum plasma qualitve and quanve analysis of biological bio-molecules i.e. DNA, RNA and
Proteins.
Performed general maintenance and of laboratory equipment according to the
department’s established calib standards. Troubleshot instruments
and method problems.
Contributed in reducing chemicals used in the laboratory by implemenng a strict
inventory control and waste on process.
Supervised 15 technicians work and reviewed the analysis performed.
Tutored technicians to prepare them for laboratory analysis.
Worked as an eecve team member to meet departmental goals, sharing knowledge
with students and co- workers.
Tell me a little bit about who you are and the skills you want to bring to this company.
•
Sample skills
•
Sample skills
•
Sample skills
CAREER HISTORY
Company Name
Yr to Yr Dates
Your Title
A brief introduction to what the company does, the industry type etc.
•
One Accomplishment Statements
•
Two Accomplishment Statements
Company Name
Your Title
A brief introduction to what the company does, the industry type etc.
•
One Accomplishment Statement
•
Two Accomplishment Statement
•
Three Accomplishment Statement
Yr to Yr Dates
Company Name
Your Title
A brief introduction to what the company does, the industry type etc.
•
One Accomplishment Statement
•
Two Accomplishment Statement
Yr to Yr Dates
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
School Name,
Degree or Certificate or Diploma achieved, accreditation to Canadian system if relevant
Seminars or Workshops attended
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Biochemistry and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra – Graduated with the highest honours
(Currently being assessed by WES)
3
4
CHRONOLOGICALRESUME
RESUMEEXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
CHRONOLOGICAL
Your Name
655-10602 Yonge Street, Aurora, ON. L8A 2B3 . 905-555-1234 . yourname@address.com
-,+*+)('&*+,%$#"*!!)# ',#,)!,),%$#()* &,)&,(#%&*$!,' +, *,&*( ##,!**) %#!)# ,) ,* ) **$) HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
Over 10 years of experience in engineering ranging from research to project management
Strong '($#und in in AutoCAD and SolidWo$s CA,!#ware Proven sills in Lean
Manufacturing and MRP principles and )%** &'#
Professional co )('# ,!)!,) (+*,strong business pr*!* &'# '))*!
B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering
#%&*$,!)!,) (+*,,
(*,so'$*,including Access database development and
MS Project
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Engineer
2005 – 2008
Priority One Machinery Inc., Hamilton, ON
Conducted research into the feasibility, desi ,#%*$'# ,' +,%*$"#$' (*,#f,#%*$' ,
machines
Designed and maintained database on all standards, roung, costs and distribuon
Supervised and inspected the ) !&''# mo+)('# ,&*!ng ' +,#%*$'# ,!!&*ms and
equipment
Developed maintenance and #%*$' standards for each department on machinery.
Technician
1998 – 2005
Kelloggs Inc., Richmond Hill, ON
Crucial member of Cost Redu(on Commi** resulng in a savings
Designed and implemented a computerized carton labeling and bar coding !#'$*,
%'('* including database developmen&,' +,($*'# ,#",','*l formats
Designed jigs and &$*! for new products and wo$*+,)&,* +#$!,to,* !$*,# ,me
delivery
Led a team i ,&*,($*'# ,#",','nufacturing cell for a new product line
EDUCATION
Project Management te
Ryerson University, Toronto, ON.
2008
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.
1998
References Available Upon Request
5
Chronological Template
CHRONOLOGICAL
TEMPLATE
First and Last Name
Address Phone Email
HEADLINE STATEMENT:
HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
Over 10 years of experience in …
Strong background in …
Proven skills in …
Demonstrated ability to…
Professional communicaon skills include uency in English and …
Recent graduate of … or B.Sc. in …
Computer skills include:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Your Title
Company Name, City, Province or Country (if not Canada)
Accomplishment Statements
More…
Your Title
Company Name, City, Province or Country (if not Canada)
Accomplishment Statements
More…
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Title
Organizaon Name, City, Province
Accomplishment Statements
More……
Yr to Yr Dates
Yr to Yr Dates
Yr to Yr Dates
EDUCATION
Degree/Diploma/Cercate Achieved
School Name, City, Province
Year
Other Professional Development
School Name, City, Province
Year
References Available Upon Request
6
FUNCTIONAL RESUME EXAMPLE
FUNCTIONAL
TEMPLATE
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Phone
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The Job You Want!
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QUALIFICATION SUMMARY
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8
ACCOMPLISHMENT STATEMENTS
ACCOMPLISHMENT
STATEMENTS
An accomplishment statement clearly demonstrates your past ability to contribute to the
productivity and or profitability of the company by citing specific examples. Most resumes list
the job duties or responsibilities, but this reads more like a job description than highlighting your
achievements.
Give Employers a STAR answer
(Situation – Task – Action - Results)
Consider the following questions:
•
•
What situations or tasks did I face?
What action did I take to solve the problem?
•
What result did I achieve?
Situation/Task
Action (skill)
Results
(what you did)
Managed sales
calls tracking system
(how you did it)
Researched, identified and
implemented software program
that provided user-friendly system
for salespeople to input all sales call
information
(What happened)
Eliminated 90% of
double calls and increased sales by 15%
Still having difficulty with your accomplishments? Consider the following:
a) What was your impact on time, money, quality or customer service?
b) What other impact did your actions have on the project or situation?
c)
Why is this important as an achievement?
d) How do you know it? (Saved time or money? Increased revenues? Decreased errors?)
e) Describe the struggle to achieve the result.
f)
What changed after the completion of the task?
When preparing your Accomplishment Statements keep this in mind:
•
Use Action Verbs!
•
Highlight specific achievements. Employers want to know your accomplishments and
results in saving money, solving problems, enhancing performance, improving products
and services, saving time, etc.
•
Include quantifiable results where possible and use numbers, dollar signs and percentages.
(i.e. supervised a staff of 12, increased sales by 32%, processed up to $15,000 in daily
transactions, etc)
•
Be concise and avoid generalities! Instead of saying “work well under pressure” give a
specific example of a high pressure situation where you worked well. i.e. “Proactively led
a 10 person team charged with completing the business critical and complex initiative 3
weeks ahead of schedule.”
Adapted from Suitts Center for Career Services
9
ACTION VERBS
Accomplished
Achieved
Acquired
Activated
Adapted
Adjusted
Administered
Advised
Advocated
Allocated
Analyzed
Applied
Approved
Assessed
Assigned
Assisted
Balanced
Briefed
Budgeted
Calculated
Coached
Collaborated
Combined
Compiled
Completed
Composed
Conceived
Conducted
Conserved
Consolidated
Constructed
Consulted
Contracted
Contributed
Controlled
Converted
Coordinated
Corrected
Corresponded
Counselled
Created
Critiqued
Cultivated
Customized
Debated
Delegated
Demonstrated
Designated
Designed
Detected
Determined
Developed
Devised
Diagnosed
Directed
Displayed
Distributed
Diversified
Documented
Edited
Educated
Employed
Enabled
Enacted
Encouraged
Enforced
Engineered
Enhanced
Enlisted
Ensured
Entertained
Established
Evaluated
Examined
Executed
Expanded
Expedited
Explained
Explored
Extended
Extracted
Fabricated
Facilitated
Familiarized
Fashioned
Filed
Finalized
Financed
Focused
Forecasted
Formalized
Formed
Formulated
Fostered
Found
Fulfilled
Furnished
Furthered
Gained
Generated
Governed
Guided
Heightened
Hired
Honed
Hosted
Identified
lllustrated
Implemented
Improved
Improvised
Incorporated
Increased
Indexed
Informed
Initiated
Innovated
Inspected
Installed
Instilled
Instructed
Insured
Integrated
Interpreted
Intervened
Interviewed
Invented
Inventoried
Investigated
Issued
Launched
Learned
Lectured
Leveraged
Listened
Located
Logged
Managed
Manufactured
Marketed
Measured
Mediated
Mentored
Merged
Mobilized
Modeled
Modified
Monitored
Motivated
Navigated
Negotiated
Observed
Obtained
Operated
Ordered
Orchestrated
Organized
Outlined
Outsourced
Participated
Performed
Pioneered
Planned
Prepared
Presented
10
Presided
Prevented
Printed
Prioritized
Processed
Procured
Propelled
Proposed
Prospected
Provided
Publicized
Rated
Realigned
Recognized
Recommend
Reconciled
Recruited
Referred
Regulated
Reinforced
Remodeled
Repaired
Represented
Researched
Resolved
Restored
Restructured
Revised
Revitalized
Scheduled
Screened
Secured
Selected
Shaped
Simplified
Simulated
Spearheaded
Specialized
Standardized
Stimulated
Streamlined
Strengthened
Summarized
Supervised
Supported
Surpassed
Sustained
Synthesized
Systematized
Tabulated
Targeted
Trained
Transcribed
Transferred
Transformed
Transitioned
Translated
Tutored
Uncovered
Unified
Updated
Upgraded
Utilized
Validated
Verbalized
Verified
COVER letter
LETTERTemplate
TEMPLATE
Cover
SAMPLE COVER LETTER
;
Your Name, Address, Phone and Email(This is your heading and can be the same as your
resume)
Date
Contact’s Name
Contact’s Title
Organization Name
Street Address
City, Province, Postal Code
Competition No:
Position:
Dear Contact Name (if no contact name use Hiring Manager or Human Resources):
Paragraph 1: Tell the employer briefly (one or two sentences) why you are interested in
this position.
Paragraph 2: Explain the skills and experiences you have that will make you successful in
the position. Talk about classes you have taken, activities you have been involved in,
experiences you have had. You do not have to have directly related experience but think
about the skills you have gained from what you have done and how those could relate to
the duties of the position you are applying for. You do not want to repeat your resume to
the employer in this paragraph, rather to highlight related accomplishments that will make
the reader want to learn more, which will lead them to your resume. The goal is to show
the employer that you have confidence in your ability to succeed in the position.
Paragraph 3: Demonstrate that you have done some research about this organization. Go
to their web site, and talk to alumni or other contacts that may currently work for the
organization. This research does not have to be extensive but it shows that you have taken
some time to think about this position and put some effort into this letter. This makes a
very good impression on employers. It shows that this is not a form letter where only the
address and contact name is changed for each position.
Paragraph 4: State that you would welcome a personal interview to further discuss this
opportunity. Finish by thanking them for their attention and express a desire to meet them
sometime in the near future.
Sincerely,
Your signature (leave 4 blank spaces for this if you are sending by fax or mail)
Your name in print
11
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12
REFERENCES
REFERENCES
NOTES
What you should know:
Make sure your reference is familiar with your skills
Choose only people you are sure will speak highly of you.
Ask for permission before you use someone as a reference, and their preferred contact information.
To avoid embarrassment be sure to discuss your strengths and weaknesses as you see them and
dialogue responses to potential questions with your reference person.
Call and remind references that you are using them so they are not surprised when they get a call
from an employer.
Try to choose people in the same field of work
Who can be a reference:
Past employers are the most desirable but excluding that, co-workers, teachers and volunteer
supervisors will work.
Relatives should not be used, however In the event of a “character” reference you can use a client,
customer, friend or colleague.
It’s a good idea to choose someone who has seen you work in situations similar to those in which
you would be working for the potential employer
When to give references:
Have a list of three to five references ready to give to an employer at the interview.
Do not submit your references with your resume, unless instructed to do so.
Reference Template
10610 Bayview Avenue
Markham, ON L4C 3N8
905-780-9622
Jane Doe
REFERENCES
Name of Reference:
Title:
Company:
Relationship:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
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