RESUME WRITING TIPS
What is a resume and what is its purpose?
A resume is a snapshot of
your employment and educational experiences. Its purpose is to get you an
interview (while the interview’s objective is to get you the job). Your resume
functions much like a personal sales brochure, advertising what you can offer a
potential employer.
Should I target my resume for each position I am applying for?
Targeting your resume for
each job you apply for is most effective. Analyze job postings to
determine what type of candidate the employer is looking for. Then tailor your resume
so it relate as closely as possible to the position and its job description.
General Resume Guidelines
- Include your name, mailing
address, email addresses and voice/fax numbers at the top middle or upper-right
corner of the first page of your resume.
- Make sure your resume is
attractive, clean and pleasing to the eye with enough white space
- Use a high-quality paper.
Your Resume Should Not
Include...
- Age/Height/Weight/Personal
Photo
- Gender
- Race/Ethnicity/Religion
- References
- SIN #/Drivers License
- Salary
Expectations/Availability
- Reasons for Leaving Previous
Employers
Resume Formats
- Chronological
- Functional
- Combination
Chronological Resume
A chronological resume
focuses on your work history and lists it in reverse chronological order,
starting with your current or most recent employment. This resume type works
best if:
The job you are applying for
is a natural progression in your career
You have few/no gaps in
employment
You have a stable work
history
You want to highlight your
current or most recent job
Most employers prefer chronological
resumes as they can easily see where you worked and what you did.
Functional Resume
- The functional or
skills-based resume highlights responsibilities, skills and achievements rather
than work history. This style is sometime used by those wishing to
change
careers.
Combination Resume
- Combines
features from both the functional and chronological formats.
- Functional elements include
highlighting and grouping relevant skills and accomplishments at the beginning
of the resume to grab reader attention. Then the work
history is listed in
reverse chronological format with a few bullets under each job to expand on
skills and accomplishments while linking them to the job. This format is a
good
alternative to the functional format, as employers like to see employment
information and dates.
Typical Resume Headings:
While
resumes can have many sections, the following are often included:
OBJECTIVE
or SUMMARY
HIGHLIGHTS
(or HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS)
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (also can be described as EMPLOYMENT HISTORY , WORK
EXPERIENCE or PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE)
EDUCATION
More
information on each of these resume sections follows below:
OBJECTIVE (or SUMMARY)
While
the Objective statement is still used quite extensively, the SUMMARY statement
is gaining favour for its ability to convey relevant information more quickly
to an employer. If you have extensive
experience or relevant skills, you may wish to use a SUMMARY statement:
Examples:
Objective:“To utilize my extensive skills and
experience as a computer programmer for ABC Data Services.”
Summary:
“Computer Programmer with over 25 years
experience operating and maintaining legacy computer systems. Able to read
schematic diagrams. Strong information systems aptitude and attention to
detail.”
HIGHLIGHTS (or HIGHLIGHTS of QUALIFICATIONS)
- Provides a snapshot of
important information
- Refers to select information
in your work experience (shown later in your resume)
- Bulleted points are useful here (maximum
of 6)
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (also
can be described as WORK HISTORY, WORK EXPERIENCE or PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE)
- Remember
to transform duties / responsibilities into Accomplishment Statements using Action - Benefit statements.
- Example:
“Responsible for delivery and
pickups for the office.” Transform to:
“Performed deliveries
and pickups for the office resulting in timely business transactions.”
WORK EXPERIENCE
- When describing your work experience
on your resume, keep in mind that employers are looking for their needs to be met in an effective and definable way.
- Using numbers helps employers understand in concrete terms how you benefited your last employer.
- Example: Note these two statements:
"Created an incentive program to reduce absenteeism."
"Created and implemented an employee incentive program that
reduced absenteeism by 25% in less than 4 months."
Note how the second statement
has greater impact.
Quantifying as many
aspects of your previous jobs as possible is a good approach as it lets the
employer know how you can benefit them.
EDUCATION
This section can include:
Awarded degrees, diploma and
certifications, along with educational institutes
Internships
Special Projects
Civic Activities or Community
Involvement
Awards and Honours
Languages
Licenses
Professional Development
Training
Computer Skills
Affiliations or Associations
