1. RESUME WRITING CERRITOS COLLEGE Career Services Created by: Traci Ukita, Career Counselor

2. The Resume • What is it? • A snapshot of your experience & qualifications • A job-hunting tool that serves the purpose of securing an interview • Why is it important? • Helps your organize your job search • Helps prepare you for the interview • Employers expect one

3. Components of a Resume • Heading • Objective Statement (optional) • Summary of Qualifications • Education • Experience • Affiliations/Activities • Honors/Awards/Accomplishments

4. Types of Resumes • Chronological • Emphasizes work experience, titles, & dates • Functional • Emphasizes qualifications & skills • Combination • Emphasizes experience & skills for particular positions

5. Advantages • Employers are familiar w/ it • Employers often prefer • Easier to prepare • Highlights steady employment • Disadvantages • Reveals employment gaps • Difficult to spot skills • May place undesired emphasis on certain experiences Chronological • Best to use if: • Staying in same field • Have steady employment history • Want to emphasize job titles

6. Functional • Best to use if: • Changing careers • If have little, spotty, or unconnected experience • If held a number of similar positions • Advantages • Emphasizes select skills & qualifications • De-emphasizes titles & dates • Disadvantages • Employers not familiar • Doesn’t satisfy employer’s need to know your work history

7. Combination • Advantages • Emphasizes relevant equals • Provides info expected by employers (chronology & functional descriptions) • Is unique • Disadvantages • Harder to write • Many employers do not like • Takes longer to read • Best to use if: • Targeting specific positions • Looking for an alternative to Functional

8. Resume Rules • Do: • Keep it neat & clean • Keep it simple & clear • Keep it brief • Base it on provable facts • Target your audience • Use action words, power words, & descriptive phrases • Do not: • Use personal pronouns & articles • Include personal or irrelevant info • Have typos or spelling errors • Have inconsistency of content

9. Other Tips • Use light colored (white or ivory), 8 1/2 x 11 inch, high quality bond paper • Have plenty of white space (1 inch margins) • Nothing handwritten • List education & work experience in reverse chronological order • Use high school exp. & education w/ discretion • Indicate years (exclude day & month)

10. References • Separate from resume • “References available upon request” • Minimum of three (3) • Professional/business/educational references Inform your references

11. Scannable Resumes • Differences from paper resumes: • Noun-driven (vs. verb-driven) • Focus on content & keywords • Do: • Keep it crisp & sharp • Use white (light) paper • Use keywords • Use bold & caps • Use 10 or 12 font size • Do not: • Use graphics (no frills) • Use textured paper • Have poor quality copies • Fold or staple resume • Include columns

12. Cover Letters • 3 components: • Opening • Main Body • Closing • Emphasize accomplishments • Individualize • Keep it brief & concise • Close w/ request for interview