Creating Your Resume

1. Creating Your Resume Norman S. Stahl, Ph.D Registered Professional Career Counselor Director, UH Hilo Career Center

2. BeforeYou Begin Writing Put First Things First • AssessYour • skills • attributes • experience • Research • your field • the firms • the position

3. Target Your Resume • Target your resume and every section in it to the field and the position for which you are applying.

4. There Is No Magic Format But there are Key Principles: • Look Professional • Be Easily Read • Document Skills & Experience • Stress Accomplishments

5. Look Professional • Aesthetically Pleasing and Balanced • Organized • Conservative Fonts w/o Graphics • Quality Paper • White • Cotton Bond • 24 Lb. Minimum

6. Be Easily Read • “Easily Read” = “Easily Scanned” • Consider using bullet format • Phrases not Sentences • One line per thought • One thought per line • Judicious use of bold • One page • Thou Shalt Not Use Less Than 11 Point Font !

7. Document Key Skills & Experience • Bounce Your Experience and Training Against the Required and Desired Qualifications of the Position • Assess, Research, Compare, Document • Tell them that YOU have what they want! • Use Descriptive Job Titles • Use Automated Screening Programs to YOUR Advantage

8. Stress Accomplishments& Quantify Results • Generate a List of Accomplishments (This is how I made a difference) Think Problems, Solutions, Results . . . • Quantify with $ # % Grades Etc.

9. Contents • Heading(Contact Information) • Objective(Optional) • Qualifications Summary(I got what you want -- read the rest of this resume for details! -- Optional) • Education • Professional Certifications / Credentials • Experience Section(s) • Other Categories(Honors / Publications / etc.)

10. Formats • Chronological • Functional • Combination

11. Chronological Resume • Reverse Chronological Order • Most recent experience first • Work backwards from there • Emphasizes Work/Experience History • When and Where You Gained Your Experience • But you may have more than one experience section • Type Most Preferred by Employers

12. Functional Resume • Emphasizes Skills & Accomplishments • Useful for Certain Problem Situations • Limited experience • Significant career change • Erratic work history • But Employers Greet with Skepticism • “What is she trying to hide?”

13. Combination • Emphasizes Skills and Accomplishments And • Includes Work/Experience History • Useful for a Person Who Has A Lot of Experience in the Same Field

14. Job Search Correspondence Letters of Application • Aka: “Cover Letters” • Create Interest and Identify Position • Highlight Your Most Salient Qualifications • Ask for an Interview

15. Job Search Correspondence • Thank You Notes (Sent after each Interview) • One Page • Within 24 Hours • Spell Checked & Double Checked • Typed, Handwritten, or E-mailed

16. Before you start writing, Assess your skills, strengths & accomplishments Research your industry and the firms in that industry Tailor your resume to the specific position Apply the key principles: Professional Look Easily Scanned Document Key Skills & Experience Quantify Results Summary

17. Additional Assistance • Attend one of our “live” workshops • Visit our Career Center to schedule a 15-minute resume critique • Pick up a copy of our Resume Writing Guide at the Career Center