Building & Troubleshooting Your Résumé

1. Building & Troubleshooting Your Résumé Central Piedmont Community CollegeCareer Services

2. What this workshop will cover • Purpose of a Résumé • Targeting Your Résumé • Specific Sections of the Résumé especially for Automotive Students & Graduates • Résumé Format

3. What isThe Function of a Résumé? • A summary of your qualifications • An advertisement or a form of persuasive writing that intends to evoke interest and action • Its most important function is to get an employer to grant you an interview

4. TARGET YOUR RESUME • Tailor your resume to the specific position for which you are applying. • Match the employer’s needs with your qualifications. • Create several editions for different positions. In a recent study by Career Masters Institute, employers wanted resumes to show a clear match between the applicant and a particular job's requirements.

5. Job Description Hansel Toyota Location: California Job Title: Automotive Technician Opening for a qualified technician. Prior Toyota dealership experience is preferred, ASE certification and a smog license is a plus. We are a 7-time Toyota President’s Award winner and pride ourselves on continuous improvement. The optimum candidate will have a minimum of 3 years experience, demonstrate respect and consideration for others, strives to exceed expectations and enjoys challenges. We do require a current California driver’s license and we perform pre-employment drug screening and background check. WHAT ARE THE EMPLOYER’S NEEDS?

6. Job Description Hansel Toyota Location: California Job Title: Automotive Technician Opening for a qualified technician. Prior Toyota dealership experience is preferred, ASE certification and a smog license is a plus. We are a 7-time Toyota President’s Award winner and pride ourselves on continuous improvement. The optimum candidate will have a minimum of 3 years experience, demonstrate respect and consideration for others, strives to exceed expectations and enjoys challenges. We do require a current California driver’s license and we perform pre-employment drug screening and background check.

7. JOHN EHLI235 West Thayer AvenueCharlotte, NC 28203(704) 354-7982  jzehli@yahoo.comObjective: To secure the automotive technician position with Hensel ToyotaSummary of Qualifications: - Toyota Dealership experience- Toyota T-Ten program , Associate’s Degree- Computer Proficient (Microsoft Office, Internet)- Excellent customer service experience- XXXX Certified EducationCentral Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NCAssociate in Applied Science, Automotive Systems Technology, (Toyota) May 2008ExperienceCo-op Student, January 2008-May 2008Hendrick Toyota, Charlotte, NC-Performed bumper-to-bumper maintenance according to work orders-Maintained clean, safe shop-Completed all paperwork accurately and in a timely fashion-Cooperated with fellow technicians and managersCo-op Student, September 2007-December 2007Town & Country Toyota, Charlotte, NC-Provided inspection and quick service maintenance on variety of Toyota vehicles

8. A. Basic Categories for a Résumé • Contact Information • Objective • Education • Experience • References

9. Sections AST Students Might Add • Automotive Tech Skills • Courses Completed • Hobbies/Interests (describing personal automotive experience) • Other students remove high school information. But, if you took automotive classes in high school, you should leave it on your resume. • Certifications

10. Contact Information • Your Name • Street Address • City, State Zip Code • Telephone Number • Email Address Name is in a larger/bold font Appropriate answering machine Appropriate Email Address

11. Objectives • Objectives should include: 1. The type of position you are seeking 2. The industry in which you want to work 3. Skills, Education, Experience that you will bring to the position You can even add the company’s name when you target your resume for a specific job posting.

12. Objective Examples • “Seeking an automotive technician position” • "Position as as a GM Certified Technician with City Chevrolet” • “To contribute my mechanical and problem-solving skills to a GM Certified Technician position with City Chevrolet”

13. Education • Include degree, major, institution, actual or expected graduation date • Information on GPA is optional (3.0 or higher) • A subcategory of Relevant Coursework is helpful for automotive students • Academic Honors, Academic Clubs & Associations

14. EDUCATION A.A.S., Automotive Systems Technology, May 2008 Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC Relevant Coursework: Suspension & Steering, Engine Repair, Automotive Computer Applications, Electrical Systems High School Diploma, May 2006 Phillip O. Berry , Charlotte, NC Took automotive technology college coursework

15. Experience • Include: position, employer, location of employer, dates of employment, and accomplishments • Focus on accomplishments that set you apart from other job candidates • Use a bulleted style to make your resume more reader-friendly • Do not limit yourself to paid experiences … volunteer work, lab work, clinicals, co-ops, leadership roles

16. Experience Examples EXPERIENCE Automotive Co-op Student, March – May 2007 Firestone Complete Care, Charlotte, NC • Assist technicians with automotive service • Troubleshoot systems problems • Perform tire and fluids services Automotive Assistant, September 2001 - Present Terry’s Automotive, Monroe, NC • Assist with family’s automotive service business • Explain services and problems to customers • Maintained clean and safe shop • Observed and assisted with repairs

17. Other Experience List Styles The career counselor can assist you with different ways to list your experience if the traditional way does not sufficiently highlight your background. Consider a different style if you have • Gaps in work history • Little-to-no experience • A lot of short-term jobs • Current experience in a different field

18. References • Never list specific references directly on your resume. List them on a separate sheet, and even then, submit them only when specifically requested by an employer. • Indicate that they are available upon request • Three references are generally sufficient Use former and/or current supervisors and instructors (or anyone who can describe your work habits well) • Ask permission and inform your references about your pending applications. Give them a copy of your resume for their reference. • Thank your references for their assistance

19. Irrelevant and Controversial Information • Age or birth date • Picture • Marital status • Social security number • Complete addresses for past employers • Salary received from present or past employers • Health • Religious or political affiliations

20. Résumé Language • Résumés do not use complete sentences • Résumés avoid the use of personal pronouns and articles (a, an, the) • Descriptions should be concise and clear • Avoid acronyms, excessive adjectives, and cumbersome sequences • Do use action verbs (Consult the list of action verbs in the Career Guide) • Do use numbers and specific information

21. Layout • Résumés must be easy to read • Use formatting (bold, italics, underline, etc.) sparingly, consistently, and appropriately • Avoid fonts that are difficult to read • Use no more than 1 or 2 fonts • Space appropriately and consistently • Quality Paper • Uniform Margins • Length (no more than 2 pages)

22. Plain-Text Resume • Include keyword Section • Left-align everything • Do not italicize, bold, or underline anything • Use asterisks or hyphens in place of bullets Plain-text resume is great for copying & pasting into online job applications and at the bottom of emails you send to employers.

23. Reminders • Have a clear job target before writing your resume. • Tailor your resume to each specific position. • Limit your resume to 1-2 pages. • Do not allow any misspelled words or typographical errors on your resume. • Make sure the resume looks neat and attractive. • Avoid abbreviations and acronyms • Begin sentences with action verbs. • Have your resume critiqued by a career counselor.

24. Additional Resources and Assistance • Obtain a critique from a career counselor • Consult examples from books in Career Services • Use our website- www.cpcc.edu/career