What is a resume and why do I need one?
A resume is a written review of your education and experience as they relate to your job/career objective. It is often the first "contact" you will have with a prospective employer; therefore, it should indicate clearly and concisely your skills, abilities, and accomplishments in a positive light. It is a marketing device that tells the employer what you have to offer and why he/she should interview you.
There are several basic resume styles. This booklet outlines the most common and easiest to put together -- the chronological resume. We have also included some components of the functional resume style that can easily be incorporated into a chronological resume. Although most resumes contain a core of similar types of information, each resume is as unique as the individual it represents. You will have to decide exactly what to include, as well as the particular format that works best for you.
NOTE: In this handbook, we have attempted to provide students with simple, easy-to-follow steps for writing resumes and cover letters. We have included information that we hope will be most relevant to the greatest number of NECC students. For those of you who have a great deal of work experience, an unusual work history, or simply would like additional information on developing resumes and cover letters, we have several excellent references in the Career Planning and Advising Center, and others are available at any library. We encourage you to make use of them.
General Tips

Keep it short and concise -- One page or two at the most; your resume may be reviewed by a potential employer in as few as 30 seconds. In most cases, personal pronouns (I, we, he, his, etc.) should be eliminated when writing your resume.

Determine your target -- Stress the skills and achievements that are most directly related to your job target.

Make it dynamic -- Use action verbs to catch the reader's attention (see the Verb List, page 7).

Make it consistent -- The format of names, titles, and addresses, the general style and spacing should be consistent throughout the entire resume.

Make it easy to read and understand -- Avoid abbreviations wherever possible, with the following exceptions:
Educational degrees (B.S., A.S., A.A.)
State abbreviations approved by the postal service (MA, NH, CT, VT, RI, ME)
Abbreviations and acronyms that are so widely used in your field that they are more recognizable than the words for which they stand (MS/DOS, TQM, CD ROM). Use these only if they are widely understood and would seem awkward if written out in full.

Make it attractive -- Pay as much attention to how your material is presented as you do to what material is presented. Your original must be typed, preferably on a computer, and copies should be of the highest quality using white, off-white, or cream bond paper.

Focus the reader's attention -- Make effective use of margins, bullets, headings, capitalization, underlining, bold type, and white space.

Keep the layout simple -- With rare exceptions, the most effective resumes are written in a simple, straightforward manner. If you are looking for a job in one of the more creative fields (i.e., advertising or graphic design), you may be able to experiment a bit in order to highlight your strengths in your field.

Make it flawless -- This cannot be emphasized enough. Remember, your prospective employer will probably read your resume before he/she meets you. It is his/her first impression of you and it should be a good one.
Your resume should be neatly presented, and flawless in terms of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Keep the format consistent throughout your resume. A word of warning -- spell check programs will not catch misused words, such as "their" for "there", etc. Proofread carefully, and ask several other people to do the same.

Do not leave gaps -- Account for all periods of time if at all possible. If there are large employment gaps in your history that are not filled by education, you may want to consider using another resume style, such as the functional resume. (We have a number of excellent books on resume-writing in the Career Planning and
Advising Center that include information on other resume styles.)

NOTE: Some large organizations are beginning to scan and store resumes electronically. As this method becomes more prevalent, we will see resumes changing to become more computer-friendly. The major change will be a greater reliance on "key words". Employers will program computers to search for certain key words, usually nouns, that are most relevant to the job they are trying to fill. At this time, we still recommend that you stick to a traditional "people-friendly" resume, but include as many key words as possible. Try to describe your experience with words that are most likely to match up with words for which the computer will search when locating likely candidates. Key words for which a computer might search in a resume for a Marketing Manager might include: Merchandising, Marketing, Buyer, Promotions, Advertising, Travel, Wholesale, and Graphics
Production. For more information, one possible source is Electronic Resume Revolution by Joyce Lain Kennedy and Thomas J. Morrow (published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).
Before reading the following outline, you may want to take a look at the resumes in the back of this handbook.
This will make it easier for you to understand these guidelines.
The following information should always be included in a resume:
IDENTIFICATION

Begin with your first and last names

Do not abbreviate, except for the approved two-letter state abbreviations

Include the area code with your telephone number

Include your e-mail address, ensuring that it is appropriate for business
Example:
Dominic Barboza
576 Main Street
Hampton Falls, MA 01965
978-555-5555 e-mail: dbarboza@necc.mass.edu
NOTE: The Job Objective information is OPTIONAL on a resume, and should be included ONLY when it presents
you in a more positive light.
JOB OBJECTIVE
An objective is a SHORT statement concerning the specific position you are seeking. Use it if you are interested in only one particular type of position, or if you plan to create several different resumes with different objectives.
A word of caution: If your objective says "Accounts Receivable/Payable Clerk" and the only position the employer has available is for a payroll clerk, would you want your objective to exclude you from consideration?
Examples:
OBJECTIVE: A position as a computer repair technician, with an emphasis on electromechanical testing and
PC repair.
- OR -
OBJECTIVE: Travel Agent

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY
When used, this generally comes right after the objective. If no objective is included, you may begin with a qualifications summary. It is most often useful if you have a great deal of experience and wish to give the reader a brief synopsis of your qualifications and attributes. It should be a short, concise paragraph or bulleted list which encapsulates the experience that is listed later in the resume.
Example:
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS: More than 15 years experience in the implementation and refinement of world class strategies for operations, manufacturing, and material control. Demonstrated track record of professional success attributable to team-building skills, outstanding capacity and resource management, and aptitude in problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills.
SKILLS/RELEVANT COURSEWORK
If you have special skills that might be of interest to an employer (e.g., familiarity with particular computer programs or medical equipment, fluency in languages other than English, accounting procedures, etc.), you may wish to include a "Skills" section on your resume.
If you have not yet graduated or are a recent graduate and feel that your coursework helps qualify you for a position, you may include a list of courses you have completed in your field of interest.
NOTE: You will have to decide which category should come next, "Education" or "Experience". The rule of thumb is to begin with whichever information will be most important to the employer. Most students and recent graduates with little experience in their fields should begin with "Education". As the years go by and you have more background in your field, you will probably begin with "Experience".
EDUCATION
Begin with the most recent school you have attended and continue with other post-secondary education, listed in reverse chronological order. Include the following:

Date of (expected) graduation or completion of certificate program

Major/concentration

Academic honors or awards

G.P.A., if 3.0 or above
If you are looking for a position that is not directly related to your concentration, you may want to list your major, but not your concentration. For example, a Business Management student concentrating in Sales/Marketing, but applying for accounting jobs, may want to omit Sales/Marketing from his/her resume.
Examples:
EDUCATION Northern Essex Community College - Haverhill, MA
Associate of Arts: Paralegal studies
Expected date of graduation: May 2003
Honors: Dean's list, G.P.A. - 3.4
- OR -
EDUCATION: NORTHERN ESSEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Haverhill, MA
A.S. in Office Technology/Executive Secretarial Option cum laude May, 2002
President of Student Senate

EXPERIENCE
This section may also be entitled "Work Experience", "Professional Experience", or another similar title.
Depending upon your background, you may include all work experience, paid and unpaid, under one heading; or you may wish to have two headings, such as "Related Experience" and "Other Experience". The former, containing positions related to your job objective and the latter, containing all other work experience. You may include volunteer work or community service, either under the same heading as paid experience, or under a separate heading.
Work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order (most recent position first) and should include, for each position:

Name of employer (and department, if relevant)

City and state

Job title

Dates of employment

Job description, with an emphasis on accomplishments
The above information should be listed in the order that best presents your experience. If your employment history is spotty or if you haven't stayed at your jobs for a reasonable length of time, place the dates where they will not easily catch the reader's eye. You may place either the name of the company or your job title first, depending upon which is more likely to impress the reader. However, keep the format consistent throughout your resume.
Your job descriptions may be written in paragraph form or in bulleted lists. Try to highlight the most important aspects of each position, especially as they relate to your current job target. When describing each position, begin with the responsibilities, accomplishments, and skills that are most relevant to the job for which you are applying.
Use specific examples of what you have done and use numbers if they are impressive, e.g., "supervised five employees," "increased sales by 20 percent."
Do not use the word "I" when describing your jobs. Write "Managed corporate finances" rather than "I managed corporate finances."
Use action verbs. A list of action verbs is provided on page 7 of this handbook to assist you in writing your employment descriptions.
Examples:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Teacher's Aide
Barlow Elementary School - Lowell, MA 1999 -
2002

Developed and implemented lesson plans for third grade students

Taught hands-on computer skills

Organized science fair for all third grade classes

Assisted students in assembling their own books and presenting them to parents at an authors' day

Worked closely with a severely emotionally disabled student in integrating him/her into the inclusionary classroom

EXPERIENCE
The Unlimited, Middleton, MA
Store Manager: (1998 to Present)
Direct daily store operations; schedule and supervise a staff of 20. Design window and store displays, develop effective marketing strategies, and determine weekly and monthly sales goals. Maintain inventory control and monitor customer satisfaction. Increased store sales by 25 percent over a one-year period and reduced employee turnover by 15 percent.
Sales Associate: (1995 - 1998)
Assisted customers in the selection and purchase of ladies' fashion apparel. Handled returns and exchanges. Consistently met or exceeded sales goals; received "Sales Associate of the Year" award.
OTHER OPTIONAL CATEGORIES
Again, include sections for the following ONLY if they present you in a more positive light:

Military History

Community Service

Professional Affiliations

Hobbies and Interests
You should include hobbies or interests ONLY if they relate to your job objective. For example, if you are applying for a job as a secretary in a veterinarian's office and your hobby is breeding golden retrievers or if you have traveled extensively and are looking for a position as a travel agent, you may want to include this information on your resume.
The following information should NEVER be included in a resume.

Salary history or requirements (if the employer insists that you include salary requirements, you can include a rather vague statement in your cover letter).

Personal information (i.e., marital status, height, weight, etc.). An exception would be when this information is required for the type of position you are seeking: for example, performing arts students may need to include height and weight.

The reason for leaving your previous position.
REFERENCES
Most resumes end with the statement, "References will be furnished upon request." Never list your references on your resume. Although the reference statement on a resume may seem unnecessary (of course you'll provide references when asked), it has become customary and signals the reader that he/she has reached the end of the resume.
Note: On a separate page, NOT to be included with your resume, it is a good idea to head a page with your name and address and list your references, their addresses, and phone numbers. When asked, you can then quickly provide a professional-looking list.

Listed below are some action verbs that may be helpful to you when writing your resume and cover letter. accommodated consolidated achieved contained acted activated contracted contributed exceeded executed expanded expedited maintained managed marketed measured rehabilitated remodeled reorganized repaired adapted addressed administered advanced advised allocated analyzed applied controlled converted coordinated corresponded counseled created critiqued cultivated explained explored extracted fabricated facilitated familiarized fashioned focused mediated merged minimized moderated modified monitored motivated negotiated reported represented researched restored restructured retrieved revitalized salvaged appraised approved arranged ascertained assembled assessed assigned assisted assumed attained audited augmented authored authorized automated balanced decreased defined delegated delineated demonstrated designated designed determined directed developed devised diagnosed dispatched distinguished distributed diversified forecasted formulated founded generated governed guided headed up identified illustrated implemented improved increased indoctrinated influenced informed innovated observed obtained operated organized originated performed persuaded planned prepared prescribed presented presided prioritized processed procured produced saved scheduled screened shaped simplified solidified solved spearheaded specified stabilized standardized stimulated streamlined strengthened structured studied budgeted built calculated catalogued chaired classified coached collected commanded communicated compiled completed composed computed conceived conceptualized conducted conferred documented drafted earned economized edited educated effected eliminated employed enabled encouraged engineered enlarged enlisted established evaluated examined inspected inspired installed instigated instituted instructed integrated interpreted interviewed introduced invented inventoried investigated launched lectured led programmed projected promoted provided publicized published purchased reacted realized recommended reconciled recorded recruited rectified reduced referred regulated summarized supervised supplemented surpassed surveyed synthesized tabulated taught trained transformed translated traveled trimmed upgraded updated validated worked wrote

Functional Resume
Prior to
Completion of
Program

Experienced in HTML, JavaScript, DreamWeaver, Flash, PhotoShop

Possess excellent interpersonal, problem-solving, and creative skills

Ability to work as contributing team member as well as team leader

Fluent in English and Spanish
Advanced Web Page Design , coursework
HTML, JavaScript, DreamWeaver: Built and published web sites containing dynamic calendar, calculator, online quiz
Advanced Graphic Design , coursework
Macromedia Flash, Adobe PhotoShop, ImageReady, Illustrator:
Designed animated scenes, buttons, text effects, and navigation bars,
edited photographs, created illustrations
Advanced Java Programming , coursework
Java: Designed and implemented advanced program containing compiler and computer emulator
Data Management , coursework
MS Access: Implemented and designed multi-functional relational database using queries, tables, forms, and reports
Northern Essex Community College – Haverhill, MA
Computer and Information Science: Web Page Design Option
3.8 GPA - Anticipated date of graduation, May 2004
Staples – Salem, NH; Sales Associate, 2001-present
Dunkin' Donuts – Haverhill, MA; Counter Help, 1999-2001
YMCA – Haverhill, MA; Camp Counselor, Summers 1998, 1999
Dean’s List, 2002-present
Recipient of NECC Scholarship Award , Fall 2003

1973 Forrester Street
Lawrence, MA 01843
978-555-5555 carlosl@netscape.net
Chronological
Resume
Northern Essex Community College - Haverhill, MA
A. S., Computer Information Sciences, 2002
Relevant coursework:

Introduction to Information Processing/BASIC

Personal Computer Maintenance and Repair

Personal Computer Applications

Operating Systems
United States Air Force Radio Electronics School - Washington, DC
Honor Graduate, 1988

Theory and hands-on troubleshooting and repair of complex electronic systems
Novell/NetWare
CAD/CAM
DOS
Lotus
Microsoft Word
UNIX
PASCAL
COBOL dBase
Circuit City - Danvers, MA
Sales Representative, 1996 - 2002

Assisted customers with computer hardware, software, and peripheral selections

Consistently met or exceeded sales goals

Received "Sales Representative of the Month" award

Developed excellent communication and customer service skills

Gained familiarity with a variety of hardware and software applications
United States Air Force - Lackland, TX
Ground Radio Maintenance, 1988 - 1992

Received top secret security clearance; honorably discharged
Furnished upon request.

Combined Skill and
Chronological
10 First Street
Somerville, MA 02144
617-555-5555 jenng@mindlink.com
Resume
WORK EXPERIENCE
DATABASE MANAGEMENT

Designed and implemented management information system for science-based information

Designed and implemented network and text database of corporate history
FISCAL MANAGEMENT

Developed budget and prospectus

Examined performance results and took corrective action
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

Prorated services for support bidding on competitive public procurement opportunities from state, federal, and international organizations

Developed cost estimates and prepared company business information for proposals to organizations engaged in public procurement
INFORMATION ANALYSIS

Executed on-line searches in commercial electronic databases such as DIALOG and Lexis-Nexis at expert level

Retrieved information requiring knowledge of business, government, social science research, and statistical sources
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
MX Corporation – Boston, MA
Manager, Corporate Marketing and Information Services , 1998 - Present
Organized, managed, and delivered information-based marketing and research support services for a $100 million business and public policy research firm.
Workplace Systems – Woburn, MA,
Executive Assistant , 1996 - 1998
EDUCATION Boston University – Boston, MA
Bachelor of Business Administration , 2002
Concentration in Management Information Systems
Workplace College – Worcester, MA
Master of Science, Library and Information Science
Enrolled for academic year 2002-2003
AFFILIATIONS Professional Women's Association
American Society for Technical Information
REFERENCES Available upon request.

Alan Brown
99 Soule Street
West Tisket, MA 02154
978-555-5555
alanbrown@netscape.com
Objective
Staff or management position utilizing proven skills in desktop systems management and support.
Chronological
Resume
Summary of Qualifications

Extensive Macintosh and other desktop systems hardware and software experience in both support and analyst positions.

Strong analytical, communication and organizational skills.

Ability to work as leader of a team or as contributing member.

Independent Macintosh consultant.
Employment
1986 - Present GE/RCA Automated Systems Department, Burlington, MA
Senior Support Analyst, Desktop Systems 1989 – Present
Provide operations and customer service support to a 500-user community of IBM PC and Apple
Macintosh terminals including acquisition, installation, configuration, trouble shooting, user training, hardware and software consulting, and LAN integration and support.

Established uniform software application and network standards. Negotiated vendor discounts
 which resulted in a $50K departmental savings
Eliminated extensive manual tasks by supporting client objectives through generations of customized reports utilizing Microsoft Excel and Claris SmartForms software.


Saved 10 man-weeks of effort by performing extensive file recovery actions resulting in the restoration of critical proposal and program data. Instituted and implemented routine backup procedures to minimize the effects of data loss reoccurrence.
Developed customized classroom workshops and training presentations to permit uniform plantwide knowledge of supported software products.
Programmer/Analyst, Mainframe Systems 1988 - 1989
Supported client objectives through direct assistance to end-users. Generated requirements definitions and operational support for an IBM-hosted program management system. Developed in-depth knowledge of data needs and resources, provided training classes and materials, and acted as liaison between users and applications development personnel. Designed/institutionalized standard solutions to typical problems.

Instituted several cost reduction initiatives to minimize data processing and output generation expenses, including 60 percent database size reduction and optimized output production.

Uncovered limitations and instituted workarounds which would have otherwise prevented satisfactory PM system performance.

Influenced the redesign of common cost, performance, and proposal management systems as the local representative of Technical and Functional working groups.
Leader, Proposal Support 1986 - 1988
Supported costing and analysis objectives through direct assistance to a 20-person Cost Estimating
Department.

Provided innovative and award-winning approaches to the content and display of proposal data.

Eliminated data entry overtime requirements by developing alternative approaches to cost proposal data input.
Education
Northeastern University, Boston, MA; Candidate, M.B.A.: Management
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA; B.A.: Administrative Management