Professionally Written Resume: Your Future Depends on It
Are you looking for a new job? If your current resume looks barely passable and doesn't exactly scream "professional," now may be the time to make a change. Just imagine how different your life would be if you had one of these professionally written resumes! A well-written resume will help you get the attention of employers, land interviews, and ultimately find that perfect job.
PERSONAL PROFILE
Name: ______________
Age: ____________
Concepts : ______________
Position: _____________________
Skills : __________________
ACHIEVEMENTS/INFLUENCES : (include any awards, accomplishments, academic accomplishments, and so on)
Employment History: (summarize the job description, nature of work performed and the dates of employment) AFFILIATIONS/DEDICATIONS : Name(s) and title(s): Date joined : Date left : RELATED INFORMATION : Briefly describe any relationships you have that could help you get a job or further your career. Describe your family members who could be of assistance. Willing to relocate? : Willing to travel? : Do you have a valid driver's license? : Other information that may be helpful:
LANGUAGES:
(List any foreign languages you know, with the exception of English) EDUCATION : Name of College / University Years Attended Degree(s)/Graduation Date COURSEWORK/ACTIVITIES/HONORS : List any relevant college coursework, honors, and/or activities that are related to your field or interests. Include relevant courses, GPA, and any honors or awards received. OTHER BUSINESS RELATED INFORMATION : Briefly describe any other knowledge or skills that you possess that could be of value to employers. SUMMARY: Summarize your most significant qualifications and strengths in a paragraph.
PERSONAL PROFILE :
Provide a profile of yourself that is relevant to the kind of job you are seeking. If you are applying for a position as an art gallery curator, your profile might include your training and experience in art history, how your interests in the field developed and how you would approach certain tasks at work. Regardless of the position you are seeking, provide specific information about what kind of work you want to do, and why you believe that your skills are relevant to the job description.
REFERENCES : Provide the information listed below on a separate sheet of paper:
Name, Title, Phone Number and Address of Personal Reference : Name, Title, Phone Number and Address of Professional References : Brief description of association with References (For example: "Acquaintance in the banking industry," or "Former employer.")
EDUCATION : Your resume should include all relevant education you have received. An advanced degree or certification may make it easier to obtain a higher-level job. If you have taken courses that your employer would value, such as a course in safety or customer service, include those as well. EDUCATION : List your academic and professional education. Your education should be listed following the personal profile. Include the name, city and state of all colleges, universities, trade schools and other post-secondary schools you attended. Provide your graduation date and degree(s) received at each school if applicable.
FORMAL TRAINING : List any formal training or certification you have received since leaving school that could be relevant to a job opening you are applying for. Include any relevant courses or experience preparing for the exam (i.e., Microsoft Word courses taken in preparation for the Microsoft Certified Professional certificate). TRAINING : List any training or education you have received that may be relevant to the job for which you are applying. TRAINING : List any training, education, or experience that will help develop your skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position. List each experience under one heading. You may wish to separate your minimum required experience from additional suggestions. Including two years of relevant experience is generally accepted as demonstrating a level of proficiency in most professions and at least sufficient knowledge and skill to qualify for an entry-level position that requires no further training. If you have gained additional knowledge since leaving school, list it under "Other Business Related Information.
ASSOCIATIONS / MEMBERSHIPS : List any membership, association or affiliation that would make you a valuable asset to an employer (i.e. Junior League).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION : This section is your chance to put down anything else you want to mention that could help you get hired for the job. It is also a way for candidates with employment gaps to explain any periods of unemployment if those periods are relevant to the type of work they are seeking.
WORK HISTORY : Each experience should be listed under one heading and include the following information: Name, Company, City and State of Employer : Briefly describe nature of your responsibilities and include any significant achievements in this position. List each position you held, if applicable. The more specific and complete the information the better.
TIME PERIODS : List all of your employment dates in chronological order using one standard format. The most common layout is: Start - End. If you changed jobs frequently there may be some gaps in your employment. Skip those and list only the dates that indicate that you were working full-time in a job. Dates of unemployment should be included with a brief statement explaining why you did not keep this job for the required time period and what aspects of your job search demonstrated that you were committed to finding new work within a short period of time.
PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING RULES PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION:
1. Your application must be hand-typed, double spacing, and in clear English. Applications that are not clear or include any abbreviations or words that are not in plain English will not be accepted. If a resume is requested, please include relevant educational background with your application. 2. Be as specific as possible when describing your experience/education/training and place the most emphasis on your strengths and skills when listing your responsibilities at past jobs. 3. You may list any courses taken related to the position for which you are applying but do not reference any academic information already included on this application in the education section; 4.
Conclusion
Your complete, well-written resume or cv is the most critical aspect of your application process. Of course, you want to provide as much information as possible to support your qualifications for an important position, but do not overload the reader with too much information. Leave it for the interview to convey any additional information about you and about the position; if you are asked to elaborate on a previous job, say only what is relevant to your job duties and accomplishments in the job description. Underlining is not recommended because it can sometimes be interpreted as proofreading problems or sloppy handwriting (which may be a reflection of poor grammar or spelling).
The "resume" is one form of attention-getting writing.