Resume Building Tips

Resume Writing

• List only colleges where you have completed a degree or certificate program.
• Specify your high school and college GPAs.
• Do not include personal information (height, weight, and marital status) on a resume.
• Improve the visual impact of your resume by placing your employment achievements and relevant job duties in an easy-to-read bulleted list.

Personal Data on a Resume

• Omit personal data on a resume in the United States.
• Do not include personal or character references on a resume.
• Remember that companies generally do not check references before a job interview.

Quantifying Achievements on a Resume

• Quantify achievements on a resume by using specific numbers and data.
• Achieved 125 percent of production goal for three consecutive quarters is an example of quantifying an achievement.

Plain-Text Resumes

• Plain-text resumes are widely used for posting to online job boards and for applying by email.
• When creating a plain-text resume, use white space or a line of hyphens or equal signs to separate sections.

Cover Messages

• The purpose of a cover message is to introduce the resume.
• The biggest error job seekers make when writing a cover message is making it too generic.
• Use a descriptive subject line such as "Marketing Specialist Position" if you cannot find the name of a person to address your cover message to.
• Make activities and outcomes, not yourself, the subject of sentences to reduce overuse of "I".

Job Search Strategies

• A successful job search should use a blend of traditional and modern approaches to job hunting.
• The job search process begins long before you are ready to prepare your resume because you must invest time and effort in self-evaluation.
• Students who are serious about the job search should include an internship in their education.

Resumes and References

• Do not list references on a resume.
• Use a blend of traditional and modern approaches to job hunting.
• Proofreading a resume is important because a resume must be perfect.

Electronic Resumes and Tracking Systems

• Once your resume is submitted to a company, the first reader of it may be a computer.
• You can maximize recognition of your resume by a tracking system if you focus on incorporating targeted noun phrases.
• The advantages of career e-portfolios are that they can be posted online, viewed at the employer's convenience, are easy to share, and can show off your talents and qualifications more thoroughly than a print resume.

Cover Messages and Job Applications

• The purpose of a cover message is to introduce the resume, not to secure a job interview.
• You can make your cover message more appealing by addressing it specifically to the hiring manager or person mentioned in the job posting.
• If an employment position has been announced and applicants are being solicited, you can write your cover message using a direct approach.

Personal Branding and Job Markets

• Personal branding is identifying what makes you special and desirable in the job market.
• The job market in which jobs are advertised or listed is known as the open job market.
• An applicant tracking system (ATS) is more likely to select your resume if it focuses on nouns.

Resume Styles

• A chronological resume lists work history job by job, starting with the most recent position.
• A functional resume focuses on a candidate's skills rather than on past employment.
• A summary section of a resume identifies your most impressive accomplishments relevant to the position and may appear near the top of your resume.