14 Résumé Package Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc ACCURATE APPEALING EFFECTIVE Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc After studying these topics, you will benefit by: • Building a powerful résumé package • Communicating a clear career objective/personal profile • Use power words and quantifiable outcomes to reflect personal accomplishments and experiences • Identifying methods for effectively sharing a résumé • Developing a cover letter • Integrating methods to tailor the résumé package for target industries and employers • Addressing special circumstances and time gaps Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc BUILDING YOUR RÉSUMÉ PACKAGE • Résumé package: cover letter and résumé • Résumé: a formal written profile that presents a person’s knowledge, skills, and abilities to potential employers – Conflicting advice as to how the perfect résumé should look and what it should include – Appropriate résumé depends on work experience – A well written résumé makes it easy for potential employers to quickly identify your skills and work experience Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc BUILDING YOUR RÉSUMÉ PACKAGE • Five steps toward a winning résumé: Gathering information Creating an information heading and utilizing proper layout Writing a skills summary or personal profile Inserting skills, accomplishments, and experience Reviewing the completed résumé • As you construct your résumé, make every word, visual presentation, and fact sell your skills and accomplishments Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc STEP ONE: GATHERING INFORMATION • Create a draft document with key headings: – – – – – – Education Skills Employment Languages Honors and Awards Professional/Community Involvement • Do not include personal information Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc STEP TWO: CREATING INFORMATION HEADING AND USING PROPER LAYOUT • See Figures: – – – – – 14.1 p 218 14.2 p 219 14.3 p 220 14.4 p 221 14.5 pp 222-223 Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc STEP TWO (cont.): • Information Heading: relevant contact information including: – Name (complete and formal – including middle initial) – Mailing address (check for accuracy) – City, state & zip code (check format, capitalization and punctuation) – Contact phone (only one phone number) – E-mail address (professional, remove hyperlink) • Review for completeness, proper grammar, spelling, and accuracy – Check format, capitalization, and punctuation Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc STEP TWO (cont.): Arrange information in proper résumé layout • Functional résumé layout: for lack of related work experience – – – – Emphasizes relevant skills and education Used for entry-level positions Use a skills summary statement Typically one page • Advanced skill set layout: for those with extensive career experience – – – – Emphasizes related work experience and skill sets Stresses major accomplishments and responsibilities in skill sets Use a personal profile Typically two or more pages Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc STEP TWO (cont.): • Both résumé layouts present employment history and education in reverse chronological order (most recent first) • When listing work history, bold job title, not employer • When listing employment dates, use only month and year • Be consistent in layout, dates, and tense • Avoid the use of résumé templates Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 10 STEP FOUR (cont.): Power Statement for Work Section Additional Examples • Processed and prepared materials for pamphlets, bulletins, brochures, announcements, handbooks, forms, and curriculum materials • Provided training of temporary or new employees • Maintained department files and records • Demonstrated ability to receive incoming calls and route them efficiently • Experience power phrases • Processed purchase requisitions, ordered and distributed supplies, and maintained inventory control Responsibly planned and conducted meetings Copyright â 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 25 STEP FIVE: REVIEW THE COMPLETED RÉSUMÉ Check your information heading for complete and accurate information •Review skills summary or personal profile – Ensure it introduces and motivates reader to who you are – Encourage reader to learn about your specific knowledge, skills, abilities, and key accomplishments •Review appropriate and proper résumé layout – Confirm sub headings – Consistent setup, tense – Check spelling and grammar Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 26 STEP FIVE (cont.): • Completion tips – List experience and education chronologically (most recent first) – Keep setup consistent (all periods or none, line spacing, alignment, format, uppercase/lowercase words) – Be consistent with word endings (keep the tense the same in each section) Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 27 STEP FIVE (cont.): • Underline, bold & italicize for emphasis only • Only use bullets to emphasize key skills • Use easy to read font and size – Times New Roman or Arial – 12-14 point • Only use black ink • Do not include personal information – No photos, birth date, marital status, SSN or hobbies • Do not list “References Available” on résumé Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 28 STEP FIVE (cont.): • Professional presentation • Printed on black ink (laser print ideal) • 8½ x 11 inch, letter-sized paper • Cotton fiber, 24 pound white paper (not bound) • Single sided - if more than one page, place name at top of each page Do not staple documents Copyright â 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 29 STEP FIVE (cont.): When you think it’s perfect … – Have several individuals review for • • • • • • Clarity Consistency Punctuation Grammar Typographical errors Other potential mistakes Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 30 SHARING YOUR RÉSUMÉ • Start with a perfect résumé • Online version – Consider content-use keywords – Send as an attachment to preserve formatting • MS Word • Portable document file (pdf) – Electronic job boards – Guard personal information Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 31 SHARING YOUR RÉSUMÉ • Electronic file – Microsoft Word vs portable document file (.pdf) • Electronic formatted résumé: – American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) – Used when employers add résumé to special software to search applicants based on key words – Special format – Key words – Times New Roman (10-14 point) Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 32 COVER LETTERS • See Figures: – 14.6 p 224 and 14.7 p 225 • Cover letter: formal letter used as an introduction to a résumé • First impression for potential employers • Use a friendly but professional tone • Point out how you can meet the employer’s needs • Do not duplicate résumé; instead, expand the areas of interest to target employer Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 33 COVER LETTERS • Paragraph One: – Purpose of the letter, specific position, how you learned about the position • Paragraph Two: – Refer to attached résumé, highlights requested qualifications and skills, communicates what you can offer the employer • Paragraph Three: – Request an interview, state a follow up, be courteous Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 34 COVER LETTERS • Carefully review job announcement to identify key job skills and highlight company needs • Include key qualifications in both cover letter and résumé • In the cover letter: – Mention the target company by name – List specific qualifications (reflected from the job posting) that make you an excellent candidate to interview • Include daytime telephone number on both – Telephone voice mail and/or message machine is professional Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 35 COVER LETTERS • Although it is acceptable to use “I” and “my” in a cover letter, be careful not to begin most sentences with the word “I” • Address cover letter to specific person • Refer reader to the résumé • Request interview (not job) at close of letter • Display initiative • Print on the same paper used for résumé Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 36 TAILORING YOUR RÉSUMÉ AND COVER LETTER • Identify key skills for your targeted position by using ONET • List key skills first on the résumé • Emphasize specific qualifications in the cover letter • List phone and e-mail address on résumé and cover letter Make phone message professional Copyright â 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 37 TOPIC SITUATION Rebecca’s voice mail message TOPIC RESPONSE: What would be an appropriate voice mail message for Rebecca? Should Rebecca acknowledge the interview’s voice mail recommendation when she goes into the interview? Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 38 TIPS FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES • For gaps: list only years instead of months and years or identify a skill you learned during the gap and list as you would other jobs, but be prepared to answer questions about the gap • Ex-offender: list jobs you held, skills you learned, and education while incarcerated • Be honest Do not lie on employment application – Check “yes” – Write “will explain during interview” Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc 39 ... Information Heading: relevant contact information including: – Name (complete and formal – including middle initial) – Mailing address (check for accuracy) – City, state & zip code (check format,... layout: for lack of related work experience – – – – Emphasizes relevant skills and education Used for entry-level positions Use a skills summary statement Typically one page • Advanced skill set... toward a winning résumé: Gathering information Creating an information heading and utilizing proper layout Writing a skills summary or personal profile Inserting skills, accomplishments, and experience