Career Success Guide

Job Search Documents - Resume Writing

What should I put in my resume? Contact Information At the very top of your resume you should have your name, phone number (record a neutral greeting on your voicemail greeting), and email address. Adding your physical address is optional. Utilize your permanent or current address. Professional Objective or Statement Briefly describe the type of position you seek and the two or three qualities, abilities, or achievements that make you stand out for the position. Focus on the employer’s needs, not yours. Employers prefer candidates who are realistic, focused, and direct.

Reproduce your resume on quality paper with a high-quality copier, laser printer, or printing service. Prepare a cover letter to accompany your resume (See “Job Search Letters” in this guide or on our StoutCloud Site).

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Summary of Qualifications The “Summary” or “Summary of

Qualifications” can be at the top of the resume below your contact information. It consists of several concise statements (can be bulleted for easier reading) that focus the reader’s attention on the most important job related qualities, achievements, and abilities you have to offer. Those qualities should be the most compelling demonstrations of why they should hire you instead of other candidates. What would make someone the ideal candidate? Look at the job description for the qualities the employer will care about most. This may be the only section fully read by the employer, so it should be exceedingly strong and convincing to entice the employer to keep reading.

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Educational Information List most recent

Relevant Courses List selected courses that will help convince the reader of your qualification for the job you are seeking. List 4-6 relevant classes that relate to the position. Skills Include a list of your computer, technical, laboratory and/or language skills, relational and collaborative. Experience List significant experiences related to the position. This typically includes past employment and can also include military service, co-op, and internship positions and significant volunteer roles. Course projects can be added to showcase your experience and skill development (see example on the Sample Advanced Combination Resume on page 19). List your experiences in reverse chronological order or in order of relevance to your work objective. Briefly list your position title, company or organization, city/state, dates of employment, responsibilities, accomplishments, and skills. For every skill, accomplishment, or responsibility described, use the most impressive power verb you can think of (which is also accurate). Use the language of your profession. Teachers and counselors should include student teaching, internship and practicum experiences. Honors/Professional Development Indicate your awards, involvement in student professional and non-professional organizations, volunteer activities, athletics, and other school and non-school related activities. High school activities may be included if you are a freshman or sophomore seeking a co-ops, internships, or other experiential learning opportunity. Leadership Leadership is a valuable skill sought after by all employers. List any leadership roles you’ve had or experiences you’ve participated in while in college.

educational institutions you have graduated from or expect to graduate from first. Indicate your degree, major, minor, and concentrations as well as your date of graduation. Cumulative GPA or GPA in your major is recommended if over a 3.00. Academic honors and other recognition should be included. Teaching candidates should include their area(s) of certification.

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