|
Resumes
|
|
|
Selling Yourself on Paper: Creating a Resume A practical workshop for undergraduate students Dr. Paul Blowers The University of Arizona Who Are You? Before you start your resume, know who you are and what you have to offer. Identify your values and goals. Honestly identify your strengths and weaknesses. Know your motivations. Evaluate yourself in terms of what you have accomplished. Identify what is relevant and what is not. Format and Content There is no "best" format. Conciseness, organization, physical appearance, and presentation sequence is what matters. You need to stand out from the crowd (in a good way). Show that you are the best candidate for the job. Laying the Resume Out Make your resume easy to read. Leave lots of white space a vary the font styles for emphasis. Do not use long, complex sentences - they tend to leave a blurred image. Justify every word on your resume. Try to keep the resume to as few pages as possible.
Sample of a Resume Your Name Present Address Permanent Address Professional Objective Education If you'd like to see how the same student's resume changed after another summer and semester of school, click here. Or how about when they had just begun their senior year, click here. As you can see, this person has been extremely active and has developed a great resume for many different activities that they can pursue. The Career Objective Establish a clear statement which is realistic. Focus on what you want to do and not what you want to be. If you aren't sure, be specific about what interest you. Ex: entry level position in international systems management. Educational Background Include the name of the institution, the degree received, and the year. If your GPA is very good, list it - it will be a big selling point. Mention particular subjects excelled in, honors, and publications. Employment Experience List in reverse chronological order. Describe what you did and how you contributed. Show how your transferable skills will help your new company. Do not dwell on assignments which are not applicable. Other Stuff Do not put your references on the resume - this allows you to be flexible and change the list as needed. Make sure your references know you are using them. Use personal references only if requested or if you have not been previously employed. Defer discussion of salary until you know more about the job. Before you Send It Your resume must be error free! No grammar errors, no spelling errors. Is it visually attractive and easy to read? Have someone else look over your resume to make sure you didn't leave anything out. The Cover Letter It should be three or four paragraphs long. Make sure there are no errors! Try to tailor the cover letter to each company. Keep a copy of every letter you send out so you can keep track of who you sent to and where they were. What does a Cover Letter Look Like? Your Present Address Date Company Address Dear ____________: Tell them why you are writing, and the position you are applying for. Summarize why you want this job. Highlight past achievements and experience. Refer to your enclosed resume. Have an appropriate closing to pave the way for future contact. Sincerely, (signed name) Typed Name
References Fry, R. 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions Besson, T., Cover Letters, Prove Techniques for Writing Letters that Will Help you Get the Job you Want Hirsch, A. S., Interviewing Besson, T., Resumes National Business Employment Weekly by Dow Jones AIChE Journal Chemical Engineering Progress Acknowledgments AIChE My current and past students
To return to the previous page, click here. |
|
© 2002 Arizona Board of Regents for The University of Arizona |