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The Resume
Contents:
- Resume Basics
- Resume Design
- Summary
- Chronological Resume Examples
- Resume Format for Experience
- The Functional Resume
- Resume Details
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Resume Basics
A resume should provide a focused, positive and accurate review of your work experience, skills, and education.
The intent of your resume is to market your abilities and get an interview.
Your resume is a presentation- provide structure and craft a cohesive message. A resume that portrays twenty or more things you have done is not effective. Instead, select three or four core competencies and build resume content:
- Production: Quality, productivity, team work
- Marketing: sales growth, new product introductions, market share gains
- Sales: business development, key account management, new markets
- Finance: cash management, cost containment, investment management
- Accounting: systems management, management reporting, regulatory compliance
The Chronological resume is the employer preferred format and should be used. It presents employment history in reverse order (most recent experience first), followed by education.
The functional resume is useful for individuals who are returning to the workforce after a period of time or recent graduates who lack formal work experience.Please refer to example below.
Resume Design
I. Summary with three key sections:
- Global statement of overall career
- Statement about strengths, core competencies (what you do well)
- Proficiency statement (technical skills)
II. Professional Experience
- Past ten years, page one
- Focus on accomplishments throughout resume
- Use accomplishment statements to show cause-effect relationships and tangible results: issue, action, outcome(s) tells the reader what you did with your job duties.
- Quantify your accomplishments with percentages and numbers like "increased productivity 20 percent" or "supervised three-person staff."
- Use descriptive words to highlight your efforts, such as "proposed," "launched" and "managed."
- Minimize use of "job description" information-it does not add value to the resume
- On page two, complete the review of your accomplishments, stopping at twenty years or so of employment history.No need to provide details beyond that range, such as 1980.
- Experienced workers should place education at bottom of page two.
III. Education, Training
- Place education before experience if you are a recent graduate
- State the degree and major, school and location
- Note grade point if above 3.0, and relevant courses or internships, special awards
- Omit year of graduation if greater than ten years
- Note: If you left an educational program, list the major area of study and number of credits completed or the year of schooling at departure (i.e., sophomore, junior).State any courses completed that would add to your credentials.
- Add any additional training, seminars, etc., that have contributed to your skills.
Summary
Create several versions of your resume, each tailored to the type of position sought. If you are applying for a specific job, research the position and company. Focus on the job requirements, and highlight your qualifications as they reflect the hiring company’s needs.
Chronological Resume Examples
Summary Statements:
Non-college: Senior Technician with ten years experience in assembly of electronic parts and components, consistently meeting quality and productivity goals. Strengths in teamwork, team leadership and problem-solving to improve daily operations. Proficient in use of software for manufacturing operations.
Recent graduate: College graduate with training in Operations Management and Logistics.Experience includes sales, customer service and operations support in retail electronics and general merchandise. Proficient in Operations Management and Logistics software applications.
Fifteen+ years experience: Purchasing/Operations professional with three years experience in full cycle procurement of chemicals and materials for production of ink products, plus thirteen years in operations and service assignments. Strengths in sourcing, vendor relations, project management, contract negotiation and cost containment to meet margin goals. Technical competencies in process improvements/automation, installation/repair of commercial/industrial equipment, production of metal fabrication and machining processes products.
Twenty+ years experience: Retail Buyer/Merchandiser with experience in sourcing, product development, product marketing, and rollout of national merchandise campaigns for success in the marketplace. Strengths include:
- Evaluation of retail markets for products with broad/ niche market opportunities.
- Research, selection and negotiation of commitments to domestic and international vendor sources.
- Development and implementation of direct import programs to improve margins.
- Bi-annual planning of seasonal financial goals and monthly planning of merchandise assortment.
- Leadership of teams to introduce and merchandise products to achieve financial goals.
- Consistent record of success in meeting/exceeding customer expectations.
- Continuous focus on fashions and consumer trends for rapid response to changing markets.
Extensive international travel experience to Asian and European countries, coupled with fluency in Spanish language. Proficient in MS Word, MS excel and retail systems applications.
Resume Format for Experience
Since the details of resume content would consume too much space, here’s the layout for presenting work history:
Company name, city, state years of service
Job title
(optional) one line statement of duties
- Accomplishment #1
- Accomplishment #2
- Accomplishment #3
(repeat through work history)
The Functional Resume
Name [Phone number]
[Street Address], [City, ST Zip Code] [E-mail address]
Professional Profile | |||
[Briefly describe your professional background and education relevant to this position.] |
|||
|
|
||
Professional Accomplishments | |||
|
[Field or Area of Accomplishment]
|
|||
|
[Field or Area of Accomplishment]
|
|||
|
[Field or Area of Accomplishment]
|
|||
Work History | |||
[Job title] |
[Company Name], [City, ST] |
[years of employment] |
|
[Job title] |
[Company Name], [City, ST] |
[years of employment] |
|
[Job title] |
[Company Name], [City, ST] |
[years of employment] |
|
[Job title] |
[Company Name], [City, ST] |
[years of employment] |
|
Education | |||
[Degree] |
[School Name], [City, ST] |
[under 10 years, year of graduation] |
|
Resume Details
For more effective presentation, consider the following points:
- Review contact information, assure accuracy
- Keep resume appearance basic- avoid underlines, bolds, etc.
- The Summary statement should be about five to seven lines
- Avoid use of personal pronouns (I, me, my)
- Report employment periods in years
- Accomplishment statements should be one or two lines, emphasizing results
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