Tips, Tools & Technology
Presented by
Shelly L. Robinson
Company
LOGO
Résumé Tips
1. What’s the true PURPOSE of a résumé
anyway?
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The purpose is to get your foot in the door at ABC Company.
Keep in mind that a résumé is a self-promotional tool that
presents you in the best possible light, for the purpose of getting
invited to a job interview.
It's not an official personnel document, job application, "career
obituary“, or a confessional.
2. What should the résumé content be
about?
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It's not just about past jobs! It's about YOU, and how you
performed and what you accomplished in those past jobs-especially those accomplishments that are most relevant to the
work you want to do next.
A good resume predicts how you might perform in that desired
future job.
3. What's the fastest way to improve a
résumé?
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Remove everything that starts with "responsibilities included"
and replace it with on-the-job accomplishments.
Use action verbs so employers can see the value in your
transferrable skill set. (Use words such as coordinated,
managed, championed, increased, facilitated, etc.)
4. What is the most common résumé
mistake made by job hunters?
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Leaving out their Job Objective! If you don't show a sense of
direction, employers won't be interested. Having a clearly stated
goal doesn't have to confine you if it's stated well.
No objective also leads employers to believe you think they
should decide where you belong in the organization. Take
control…especially when trying to move forward to the next level
of responsibility.
5. What's the first step in writing a
winning résumé?
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Decide on a job target (or "job objective") that can be stated in
about 5 or 6 words. Anything beyond that is probably "fluff" and
indicates a lack of clarity and direction.
This can often be combined with a summary of skills. If you
choose this route, 2-3 sentences will work. Remain direct and to
the point.
6. How do you decide whether to use a
Chronological vs. Functional résumé?
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The Chronological format is widely preferred by employers, and
works well if you're staying in the same field (especially if you've
been upwardly-mobile).
Only use a Functional format if you're changing fields, and you
are certain a skills-oriented format will show off your transferable
skills to better advantage; and be sure to include a clear
chronological work history!
7. What if you don't have any experience
in the kind of work you want to do?
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Get some! Find a place that will let you do some volunteer work
right away.
You only need a brief, concentrated period of volunteer training
(for example, 1 day a week for a month) to have at least SOME
experience to put on your résumé.
8. What do you do if you have gaps in
your work experience?
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You could start by looking at it differently.
General Rule: Tell what you WERE doing, as gracefully as
possible--rather than leave a gap. If you were doing anything
valuable (even if unpaid) during those so-called "gaps" you could
just insert THAT into the work-history section of your résumé to
fill the hole.
9. What if you have several different job
objectives you're working on at the
same time? Or you haven't narrowed it
down yet to just one job target?
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Then write a different resume for each different job target. A
targeted resume is MUCH, much stronger than a generic
resume.
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10. What if you have a fragmented,
scrambled-up work history, with lots of
short-term jobs?
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To minimize the job-hopper image, combine several similar jobs
into one "chunk," for example:
 1993-1995 Secretary/Receptionist; Jones Bakery, Micro Corp.,
Carter Jewelers -- or
 1993-95 Waiter/Busboy; McDougal's Restaurant, Burger King,
Traders Coffee Shop.
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NOTE: Don't drop a job, even a short one if it is where you
acquired important skills or experience.
11. What's the best way to impress an
employer?
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One way is to fill your resume with "PAR" statements. PAR
stands for Problem-Action-Results; in other words, first you state
the problem that existed in your workplace, then you describe
what you did about it, and finally you point out the beneficial
results.
 "Transformed disorganized, inefficient warehouse into
smooth-running operation by redesigning layout; saving
company thousands of dollars in recovered stock."
12. What if your job title doesn't reflect
your actual level of responsibility?
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When you list it on the resume, include a more appropriate job
title (say "Office Manager" in addition to "Administrative
Assistant" if that's more realistic)
 Example: Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
13. How can you avoid age discrimination?
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If you're over 40 or 50 or 60, remember that you don't have to
present your entire work history! You can simply label THAT part of
your resume "Recent Work History" or "Relevant Work History" and
then describe only the last 10 or 15 years of your experience.
Below your 10-15 year work history, you could add a paragraph
headed "Prior Relevant Experience" and simply refer to any
additional important (but ancient) jobs without mentioning dates.
14. What if you never had any "real" paid
jobs -- just self-employment or odd jobs?
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Give yourself credit, and create an accurate, fair job-title for
yourself. For example:
 A&S Hauling & Cleaning (Self-employed) -- or
 Household Repairman, Self-employed -- or
 Child-Care, Self-employed
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Be sure to add "Customer references available on request" and
then be prepared to provide some very good work references.
15. How far back should you go in your
Work History?
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Far enough; and not too far!
About 10 or 15 years is usually enough - unless your "juiciest"
work experience is from farther back.
16. How can a student list summer jobs?
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Students can make their resume look neater by listing seasonal
jobs very simply, such as "Spring 1996" or "Summer 1996"
rather than 6/96 to 9/96.
This also implies temporary and eases concerns that the
candidate is a job jumper.
17. What if you don't quite have your
degree or credentials yet?
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Use something like:
 Eligible for U.S. credentials -- or
 Graduate studies in Instructional Design, in progress -- or
 Master's Degree anticipated December 1997
18. What if you worked for only one
employer for 20 or 30 years?
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List separately each position you held there, so your job progression
within the company is more obvious.
Include a customized section called “Career Highlights /
Qualifications.” This section of the resume is usually a series of
bulleted points that emphasize your most important career
experience, your skills, your personality traits and characteristics,
and some key accomplishments from your work history as they
relate to the job for which you are applying.
19. What about listing hobbies and
interests?
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Don't include hobbies on a resume unless the activity is
somehow relevant to your job objective, or clearly reveals a
characteristic that supports your job objective ( you’re not
dating). For example:
 Your hobby, Sky Diving (adventure, courage) might seem
relevant to some job objectives (Security Guard?) but not to
others.
 20. What is an appropriate length for a
résumé?
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There is no rule, but if you can keep it to one page – Perfect.
(new grad, less than 10 years of experience)
If you need two, it should be worth the employers time to turn the
page AND keep the most important items on Page 1.(above
entry-level, technical, CV)
How do I find a job?
 Newspapers (Want ads)
 Professional Associations, Journals, Websites,
Newsletters, Alumni Associations, etc.
 Search and research on the WWW (targeted mailings,
cold-calls)
 Career Fairs, Virtual Fairs, Recruiting Events (on and
off campus) and other Networking Events
 Family, Friends, Past Co-Workers, etc. (word of
mouth)
 Posting your resume in Resume Books, Resume
Blasts, and Job Boards (resume searches and
referrals)
 Head Hunters, Third Party Recruiters, Employment
Placement Agencies, etc.
 In-Person Visits
Resume Tips
Resume Content Checklist
 List your complete name, address, and
telephone number at the top of the page.
 Place summary and/or objective directly
under your name and address to lead the
reader's eye to it immediately.
 Whenever possible, eliminate information
not directly related to this position.
Resume Style List work experience in chronological order
from most recent experience backwards.
 Mention awards and community activities
that support your targeted job. Present
them in ways that reflect your enthusiasm,
versatility, and other attributes. Make
every experience appear to be a positive
one.
 Include white space by consolidating
information where possible.
 Avoid repeating the same or similar
information.
 Choose words carefully to catch the
reader's attention.
 Be sure your resume is clear, attractive to
the eye, and easy to read.
 Use a quality printer with a clear, sharp
typeface.
 Use a heavy bond 8 1/2" by 11" paper.
 Keep resume to one page in most cases.
 Begin sentences with action verbs, like
initiated, organized, developed.
 Avoid using abbreviations, overly technical
jargon, or slang.
 Check verb tense for consistency.
 Include all education, formal and informal,
relevant to the desired position.
 Include only relevant work experience.
 Avoid excessive detail in relating your
experience. For example, don't write
"opened mail, sorted correspondence"
unless directly related to the position you
seek.
 Use truthful, quantitative detail.
 Avoid using "I" (e.g., say "Wrote and
edited manual" instead of "I wrote and
edited the manual").
 Exclude data that could be used in
discrimination (age, social security
number, religion, salary expectation,
weight, height, marital status, or political
affiliation).
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 Double-check all spelling, grammar, and
punctuation.
 Never print names and addresses of
references directly on the resume.
 “References Available Upon Request” is a
given.
Quantify  Utilize numbers or percentages whenever
possible. Don't say you merely increased
sales. Say you "Increased sales by 75
percent while reducing waste by 25
percent."
Be concise  Combine information in one clear
statement, beginning with an action verb.
 Example: "Implemented new computer
system for accounting department in
accordance with client and sales staff
requirements, training office personnel on
new procedures including going online
with electronic communications."
Be active  When stating the action you took to
improve a situation, express specifically
how it was beneficial to the organization.
 Be as dynamic as possible. Explain how
you improved efficiencies, saved time, or
streamlined procedures.
 "Provided critical market analysis to the
marketing and promotions staff which
resulted in a 50 percent increase in direct
revenues."
 Use whatever is on your list of
achievements to your best advantage. No
matter how ordinary or small the task may
seem, it’s a selling point if you saved your
past employer time and increased
productivity.
Web Tools
These are some of the most popular job search
engines on the Web today. Users can create alerts,
apply directly through the site, and allow employers to
view their resume.
Web Tools
CareerOneStop has been around for a while, but
includes employment resources, service locator, career
coaching, career videos, and a skills profiler.
Specialty niche sites include:
•CoolWorks.com (seasonal jobs)
•SnagAJob.com (part-time and full-time hourly jobs)
•Myfirstpaycheck.com (jobs for teens)
•OneDayOneJob.com and OneDayOneInternship.com
(jobs/internships for college students and recent grads)
•Risesmart.com (executive level jobs)
•Workforce50.com (jobs for older job seekers)
•Womenforhire.com (jobs, fairs, and advice for women)
•Idealist.org (non-profit jobs)
More Tools
Maximize your search by using job aggregators
such as Indeed, Simplyhired, and LinkUp.com.
Although you cannot submit your resume
directly from these sites, these job search
engines more than make up for that by being
meta search engines, seeking out jobs from
multiple job search boards at once.
LinkUp publishes job openings that are listed
on over 11,000 corporate and employer web
sites from around the country. As a result, the
listings are from real companies, there are no
duplicates because they are only pulled from a
single source, and they are always current. No
spam listings either!
More Tools
Jobfox matches job seekers with employers and
provides a professional web page for personal branding,
and has a selection of tools, including text messaging,
resume tracking, and Instant Messaging (IM) to manage
your job search.
Realmatch works a little like an online dating service, but
with jobs. The system matches you with employers and
presents the results according to how good the match is.
Realmatch takes job seekers skills and qualifications
and matches them up with jobs posted by employers.
Employers post jobs for free, then view a graded and
ranked list of pre-qualified candidates. They pay only to
contact the candidates they are interested in.
Other Technology
Meeting people is a must. People get you jobs!
Facebook, My Space, LinkedIn, and Ning are a few sites
to look over. Ning is an online platform to create your
own social network. LinkedIn combines the best of two
worlds: the ability to scour the Internet for jobs with its
job search engine, and the opportunity to network with
like-minded friends and individuals to deepen your job
search.
Twitter is a free social messaging utility for staying
connected in real-time..
A VisualCV is an online version of your resume, but, like
a portfolio, has much more - images, videos, and links to
your accomplishments. It's an excellent way to
showcase your skills and present your personal brand.
More Technology
Job hunting is more complex than ever, use these
resources to educate yourself:
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Jobradio.fm (advice)
iTunes Podcasts (Business/Careers)
RileyGuide.com (advice)
Secretsofthejobhunt.com (advice)
Job-Hunt.org (advice)
JibberJobber.com (career mgmt)
Glassdoor.com (employers)
JobsinPods.com (employers)
Do's: for the interview
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DO tell yourself you deserve
the job. (That doesn't mean
they owe it to you. You must
convince them.)
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DO introduce yourself by name
first. "Hello, my name is
________." Use your first and
last name. Look the person in
the eye and speak clearly.
DO try to define your strengths and
weaknesses. If you can't think of a
weakness, try: "I'm overresponsible" or "I'm incredibly
organized."
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DO take out your pen and
notebook to take down notes -or just to look prepared.
DO be prepared to talk about your
professional goals.
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DO be enthusiastic, courteous and
alert throughout the entire
interview.
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DO sit calmly --if you tend to
gesture a lot when you talk, try
clasping your hands in your lap.
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DO ask for a business card so that
you can send a short and prompt
thank-you note.
DO be friendly. Give a firm
handshake, make eye contact,
smile and speak up. A little
small talk to start is fine. For
example, comment on the nice
surroundings or a book you
notice on the shelf.
DO feel free to explain how
well your special skills match
up with the employer's needs.
Don'ts: for the interview
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DON'T bring a friend or child
along.
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DON'T be insincere -- fake
flattery shows.
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DON'T wear flashy jewelry
(keep it simple and small) or a
facial piercing.
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DON'T flirt, even if the
interviewer flirts with you -- be
friendly but business-like.
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DON'T use the word "fired" or
mention that you didn't get
along with a past supervisor.
DON'T be afraid to ask why
this company would be a
better employer than its
competitors.
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DON'T start with questions
about your salary or about not
working -- such as, "How much
vacation do I get?"
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DON'T be afraid to say, "I
really want this job; I know I
could make a real
contribution."
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DON'T slump, yawn, smoke,
chew your nails or chew gum
during a job interview.
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DON'T panic if you trip, knock
something over or drop
something. Show how cool you
are under pressure.
Ace that Interview
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Learn about the company. - Do research. The more you know about the
company and job you are applying for the more confident you can be. By
finding out information ahead of time you will be able to determine where
you will fit. One way to get information might be the company's web site.
You can view their information and get a feel for the company. The
company may also have literature you can review.
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Arrive early - About 10 minutes is early enough. Check out the directions
before the scheduled interview. Leave plenty of time on the day of your
interview for the unexpected traffic delay. If you carry a cell phone, turn it
off.
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Have a firm handshake - Regardless if you or the interviewer is a man or
a woman have a firm but not too tight a handshake. You don't want to have
a feeble or damp handshake. If you are not used to shaking hands,
practice.
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Address the interviewer by name - This will help you remember it, too.
Don't call the interviewer by their first name unless invited to do so.
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Wait until you are asked to be seated. Allow the interviewer to offer you
a seat. Of course if they don't, ask politely if you may have a seat.
Ace that Interview cont.
 Speak clearly - Do not have gum or candy in your mouth during an
interview. You want to be able to speak clearly. Having something in
your mouth will be distracting to you and the interviewer. If you are a
smoker, avoid smoking at least one to two hours prior to the
interview, especially in the age of smoke-free offices.
 Communicate positive body language - Have good eye contact.
Use your listening skills. Emphasize your qualifications and smile.
Project a positive impression of yourself. Be self-assured, not selfimportant.
 Avoid distracting behaviors - Do not handle anything on the
interviewers desk. Do not use exaggerated hand and body gestures.
Avoid fidgeting and slouching.
 Information for the interviewer - Have questions and answers
prepared - Ask meaningful questions. Also, think about what you
might be asked and have answers already in mind. Practice with a
friend or mentor. If available, tape record or video record how you
sound and look.
 Have a notepad and pen - You may need to take notes.
Resources
 This presentation is for educational purposes only and is an
adaptation of the thoughts and ideas of many online resources
including the following:
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http://jobsearch.about.com/od/topjobsdb/a/bestsites.htm
http://www.secretsofthejobhunt.com/
http://bx.businessweek.com/executive-job-search/8-top-job-search-tools-youdidnt-know-about
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/joblistings/tp/jobbanks.htm
http://websearch.about.com/od/enginesanddirectories/tp/jobsearchengine.htm
http://www.damngood.com/jobseekers/tips.html