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The Resume

The Resume. CALM 20. The Basics. The purpose of a resume is to draw a potential employer’s attention to your most significant skills and accomplishments It is a marketing tool used to get you invited for an interview It should be visually appealing and easy to read

britanni-hyde
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The Resume

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  1. The Resume CALM 20

  2. The Basics • The purpose of a resume is to draw a potential employer’s attention to your most significant skills and accomplishments • It is a marketing tool used to get you invited for an interview • It should be visually appealing and easy to read • There is no “perfect” resume format – the key is to clearly and efficiently market your skill set in pursuit of the job/career that you seek

  3. The Basics cont’d • Create a resume that highlights your strongest qualifications first • To emphasize how you have progressed to increasingly complex and responsible positions, use a chronological format (most recent to least recent) • To focus on skills that you have developed, use a combination format that groups your experience according to skill categories, then provides a brief chronological background • If you don’t have much work experience but your education is directly related to the work you’re applying for, list your education first and use a functional format

  4. Checklist • Once you have a draft prepared, ask yourself the following questions: • 1. Is it short and to the point (preferably one to two pages long)? Busy employers won't take the time to sift through a lot of information. • 2. Is it printed on good quality white or off-white standard, business-size bond paper? Are the margins at least one inch? • 3. Does it look professional and inviting to read? Are items listed in point form? Is there a good balance of white space on the page? • 4. Is it well organized and readable? Do key points and headings stand out? Is your eye drawn immediately to the information you want employers to notice first—your most relevant accomplishments and achievements? • 5. Have you described how your work benefited your former employers (e.g. you improved sales by a certain percentage, you made procedures more efficient, you developed an innovative program)?

  5. Checklist cont’d • 6. Is the language clear, simple and concise?  Does every statement emphasize a skill or ability? Have you eliminated unnecessary words or sentences? • 7. Is all of the information relevant and positive? (Never include anything negative!)  Does everything you say about your qualifications relate to the requirements of the type of work you are applying for? • 8. Does every item start with an action verb?  Are your tenses consistent? (Avoid the pronoun "I" and inexpressive phrases such as "I was responsible for . . ." or "My duties involved . . .") • 9. Is the information accurate? (Don't exaggerate or misrepresent yourself—most employers check. On the other hand, don't sell yourself short by being too humble.) • 10. Have you listed your name, address (including postal code), e-mail address (if appropriate) and a telephone number where you can be reached during the day? (Don't include a photograph or unnecessary information such as height, weight, sex or state of health. Also, don't put the title Resumé at the top, or date or sign your resumé.)

  6. Checklist cont’d • 11. Did you check for spelling, grammar or typing errors? (If you are not absolutely sure, ask a friend to proofread your draft.) • 12. If you have listed your references, put them on a separate sheet of paper. Are they people who can verify the skills you have chosen to emphasize? (Always find out if the people you list are willing to provide a positive reference before you distribute your resumé!) If you answered "no" even once, redo your draft. When you can confidently answer "yes" to all of the above questions, find out if other people agree with you. Show your draft to people who work in your target industry and to an employment or career development professional. Accept their suggestions without argument, then make up your own mind about what you will and will not change.

  7. References • When you’re being considered for a job, having effective references can increase your chances of being hired. Knowing who to ask and how to ask for a reference is key to your job search. • Test your reference knowledge with the following True or False quiz:

  8. Statement #1 A reference is someone who knows you and can tell an employer about your character, skills and work experience. True.Your best references will be people who know you and have worked with you, such as a supervisor or manager. They can speak or write to a potential employer about your experience, skills, accomplishments and work ethic.

  9. Statement #2 Most employers don’t check references. False. Most potential employers will follow up with at least three of your recent references when you’re being seriously considered for a job.

  10. Statement #3 Once someone has agreed to be your reference, you don’t need to contact him or her again. False.It’s good manners and professional courtesy to contact your references each time you provide their name to a potential employer.

  11. Statement #4 You should prepare your reference list before you begin your job search. True.Even though you usually provide your reference list to a potential employer at the end of an interview or when you’re being considered for a job, it’s a good idea to begin gathering references before you start your job search.

  12. References cont’d • Who do I ask? • Start by making a contact list of people who can speak about your character, skills and experience. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, think of recent and former employers, supervisors, managers, co-workers and clients. If you’re just starting out, think of teachers, coaches, group leaders (Girl Guide or Boy Scout leaders, for example), neighbours, community elders or volunteer, religious or community leaders. • Next, review your contact list. For each person on your list, consider:

  13. References cont’d • 1. Your relationship to that person. Your reference list should include at least three people who have supervised you either at work, at school or in a volunteer role. A reference from the company president may look impressive, but unless you’ve actually worked closely with this person, it’s better to request references from people who are familiar with your work • 2. The kind of job you’re applying for. Can this person evaluate whether your skills are a good match for this job? • 3. How recently you’ve worked with this person. Potential employers tend to focus on your most recent work experiences. • 4. Their communication skills. Can this person express himself or herself clearly in a letter or a telephone conversation? • 5. What he or she will say about your background and performance. Will this person give a positive description of you and your abilities?

  14. Resources Reference Tips: http://www.youth.gc.ca/eng/topics/jobs/resume.shtml https://alis.alberta.ca/ep/eps/tips/tips.html?EK=3343 Unavailable or problem references: https://alis.alberta.ca/ep/eps/tips/tips.html?EK=3333

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