YOUR RESUME REPRESENTS YOU ON PAPER!
Your qualifications, related skills, education, experience, certifications, technical skills, volunteer experience, community involvement, honors, activities, professional development, GPA, and other relevant information will not be seen by an employer if you don't pay attention to the presentation of the product.
Utilize the information below to assist you in developing
the resume that lands you an interview!
If you misspell a word, you are showing employers that you lack attention
to detail, and
you aren't concerned about making the final project presentable
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- What interests you?
- What type of work environment are you seeking?
- Do you want to work for a non-profit organization, a large corporation, a small corporation, a governmental institution, etc?
- Do you have a geographical preference? Would you like to live in a particular area of the country, a small town, a metropolitan area, or internationally?
To offer assistance in your career path decision making process, the Career Services office offers one-on-one counselors, as well as resources on costs of living, including Internet sites for you to visit.
You may request alumni lists from the Alumni Office at (270) 809-6600 or visit their web site. Also, faculty members can be valuable resources by possibly having professional contacts in your areas of interest.
Utilize
the Career Services Office
These resources will assist you in researching the job market, what types
of qualifications are expected, salary ranges, and other job search questions.
- Peterson's Guides
- The National Directory of Addresses and Telephone Numbers
- Opportunities in Public Affairs
- Job Opportunities Bulletin
- On-campus Interviews
- Company Information
- Various Internet sites
Utilize the Library
You may also research career possibilities through Waterfield Library's
Reference Department. For example, if you are interested in a career in
pharmaceutical sales, the appropriate individuals can point you in the right
direction for valuable resources. The following resources are some suggestions
that we recommend:
*Encyclopedia of Association-occupational
journals
*Standard and Poor's Register
of Corporations
*The Thomas Register
*The National Job Bank
*Government Documents
*Chamber of Commerce
*Better Business Bureau
*Business and Industry Trade
Association
*Annual Reports
Utilize Your Friends
Mention to everyone you know that you are looking for a job and what areas
of interest you are considering. Friends, family members, former employers,
former graduates, and former professors may offer a multitude of contacts
in a variety of areas. Remember that many jobs are not advertised publicly,
but are filled through a number of other avenues.
**Now that you have explored these abundant resources and taken into consideration the above factors, you may begin matching your interests with particular positions listed in job advertisements, thus narrowing your career path.**
Step 2: Organizing your resuming effectivelyNOTE: There are numerous resume types and styles available. Career Services recommends for you to choose a format and style you feel most comfortable with and represents you the best. Remember that your resume is the recruiter's first impression of you. We encourage you to manipulate all four margins to gain extra space.
Contact Information:
Always place your contact information at the top of the page and at the
top of the 2nd page. You should include the following information:
- Name
- Address
- City, State
- Telephone Number
- E-mail address (optional)
Career Objective:
This section allows the recruiter to understand what
type of position you wish to obtain, in what field, and how you plan to
contribute to the position. It indicates direction and planning. If included,
this statement is located 3 spaces down from your contact information.
Sample Career Objectives:
To obtain a position in the field of marketing, wherein I can utilize my
academic background and work experience, preferably in the areas of
sales, merchandising, and management.
To obtain an elementary level teaching position, where I can establish
a meaningful and positive learning environment that encourages
individuals to develop to their fullest capacity.
To obtain a position in the field of
social work, preferably working with
child protection, foster care, adoption, unwed mothers, and medical
social services.
Sample Co-op/Internship
Career Objective:
To obtain a cooperative education or internship position in the
field of
pharmaceutical sales, where I can gain valuable knowledge and
experience to promote my career path, as well as the services of the
organization.
Sample Summer
Employment Career Objective:
To obtain a summer job in the field of my major wherein I can gain a better
understanding of work ethic and finance my college education.
Education:
This section includes post-secondary schools, summer
school, night school, vocational schools, etc. You should list your degree(s),
month/year obtained or expected, names and locations of schools, major/minor/area,
and GPA, if desired. This section is usually located 2 spaces under the
Career Objective. List the name of the college or university, usually bold
and underlined. Tab over and type location of school. Directly underneath,
list your major, minor, or area. Also, list the accreditation in ( ) beside
the major. List your graduation date. Then, if desired and you have a 3.0+,
include your GPA.
Sample:
EDUCATION: Murray
State University
Murray, Kentucky
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business
Area: Marketing (AACSB-International Accredited)
Anticipated date of graduation:
May 2012
Overall Grade Point Average:
3.50/4.00
Special
Skills:
This section includes what is considered as, "technical
skills," including any type of computer and computer software programs you
are either "proficient with" or "familiar with." This section provides your
level of expertise and experience with career-related equipment and skills,
word processing skills, second language, special laboratory or technical
equipment, etc. A word of caution on the implications of being "proficient":
if you indicate, "proficient in Spanish," then you could be interviewed
in Spanish or given a Spanish proficiency test. These special skills should
be tied to the objective and reflect only those skills and abilities an
employer would be interested in. Be careful about listing personal hobbies
in this section.
Sample:
SPECIAL SKILLS:
Familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Basic knowledge of Microsoft Access. Basic knowledge of conversational Spanish. Excellent interpersonal communication and time management skills.
Experience,
Work Experience, Career-Related Experience:
This section includes full-time paid jobs, internship/co-op
positions, part-time jobs, volunteer work, or academic research projects.
You should list the months/years you are/were employed, the job positions'
titles, the names and locations of employers, and the tasks and responsibilities
done. If you haven't had much work experience, you can include a " Special
Class Projects" category, where you can list particular classroom projects
or experiences that relate to the field of interest you are applying for.
You will want to include the university the class was taken, the course
name, semester taken, and a brief description of what you acquired.
This section is located 2 spaces under Education. If your employment experiences coincide with a position you are applying for, then categorize as career-related experiences. Usually, list the dates on the left-hand side, the name of the business in sequence with your other tabs, then the location of the business on the right-hand side. Whichever style you choose to use, follow these key points:
- Compose all job descriptions using action verbs in parallel phrases
- Use present tense for descriptions of current job, use past tense for previously held jobs
- List the most important or relevant responsibilities first
- List similar tasks together
- Accentuate collaborative or team involving tasks
EXPERIENCE:
Murray State
University, Murray, Kentucky
Industrial Technology Education, May 2004
Graduate
Assistant
-Responsible for revision of syllabus and teaching
of architectural drawing classes
-Assist with developing Study on Environmental
Control
-Serve as Assistant Instructor in construction
and manufacturing classes
Retail Sales Sample:
CAREER-RELATED
EXPERIENCE:
Summer 2008
Molly's Retail Store
Murray, Kentucky
to
Sales Associate
Fall 2006
-Provided assistance to customers with purchases
-Handled customer transactions
-Responsible for daily opening/closing procedures
-Maintained appropriate inventory levels
Military
Sample:
MILITARY
EXPERIENCE:
March
2004 United States Air Force
Fort Benning, GA
to
rank
May 2006 -Responsible for
-Explain special clearance and discharge status
Honors/Activities:
This section includes any academic awards, such as scholarships,
fellowships, honor lists, professional awards or recognitions, and community
awards. Activities can include any academic, professional, or community
organizations where you hold offices or are currently a member. Also,
list any volunteer or extra curricular activities. This section is located
2 spaces under Experience. If you only have one item to list, such as a
scholarship, you can elect to leave off this section and include that under
Experience.
HONORS/ACTIVITIES:
Association for Childhood Education
Board of Regents Academic Scholarship
Gamma Beta Phi (National Honor Society)
Physics Activities Club
Volunteer Track Official
References:
When choosing individuals for references, keep in mind
that the recruiter is contacting your references to get personal or professional
opinions on your behalf. Therefore, you want to choose individuals who will
highly regard you in an employment situation or characteristically speaking,
such as:
*past or present employers
*instructors
*professional business leaders in your community, etc.
NOTE: Always
ask individuals beforehand if you may use them as references and if you
know your resume has been sent to a particular recruiter, Career Services
recommends that you contact your references and let them know so they may
anticipate calls on your behalf.
Always provide your references with an updated copy of your resume so they
may be familiar with your current skills.
Normally, typing, "available upon request," or "Murray State University Career Services office," are appropriate for this section. You may use the Career Services office if we have a copy of your references in your file so that we may forward them to recruiters upon request. Depending on individual situations, you may include a summarized paragraph of your relationship with your reference below his/her contact information. Depending again on individual situations, you may need to list your references to complete 2 full pages for your resume. You want to have either a 1 page complete resume or 2 pages complete resume.
REFERENCES:
Ms. Jane Doe, Owner
Doe's Lawn Repair
1234 Grass Lane
Greengrass, KY 12345
(270) 555-5555 (home)
(270) 555-5551 (work)
doej@email.com
NOTE: Difference between telephone and written references: Telephone references are individuals that employers can telephone and speak with about your abilities and skills. These individuals need to have the ability to verbally communicate well. Written references need to be individuals who have good writing skills and can communicate well in written format. If you are having separate letters written for different positions, try to give your references copies of your job descriptions. Give the references the employers' names and addresses so they may personalize their recommendation letters. You may want to consider developing a draft recommendation letter highlighting your skills and accomplishments to assist the individuals with writing your recommendation letters. Avoid using, "To whom it may concern," and use "Dear Recruiter:," or "Human Resources Manager."
***Once you have organized your resume, reevaluate your word choice and use spell check. Remember to sound positive and confident, but not too aggressive or overly modest. Find the right words to describe yourself. Then, have at least 2 other individuals view your resume for spelling errors and content. The Career Services office has resume counselors too!!!!****
Now that your resume is proofed and free of errors, you are ready to produce the resume for distribution. You should use a laser printer!!!! There are various locations across campus, including the Career Services Office, that offer laser printers for use for a small fee. Remember this is the recruiter's first impression of you--use good ink!
NOTES:
Always remember to critique, revise, and update your
resume frequently. Your resume needs to be updated every time your employment
history changes, phone number or e-mail address changes, physical address
changes, graduation date is altered, career objective takes new direction,
and so forth.
- Use 12 or 14 font, no less than 10
- Be professional and neat in appearance
- Use a simple format
- Use a good printer
- Use white or off white resume paper
- Use past tense to describe previous employment/present tense to describe current employment
- Use quality paper/envelopes
- Never fold your resume/use 9 X 12 or 10 X 13 envelopes with computer printed or typed label
- Indent 2 spaces or use bullets or hyphens to offset your descriptions
- Get other individuals to proof your resume
- Use your full name if transcripts or other references may be listed under those names
- List education and work experience entries chronologically backwards, meaning most recent first
- ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS update your resume
- Make your descriptions too long or wordy
- Include personal information, such as height, weight, marital status
- Have your resume more than 2 pages in length
- Use a loud color or thin paper
- Exaggerate or claim skills that are untrue
- Print resume without a second party proof
- List GPA unless 3.0+/4.0
- Depend on spell check to catch all errors
PLEASE NOTE: **Due to conversion processes, many tabs do not line up accordingly. If you are using this as a guide to type a resume, line up all tabs.
E-MAIL YOUR RESUME click here
How to chooseREFERENCESclick
here
SCANNABLE RESUMES click here
HOW TO WRITE A RESUME click here
RESUME SAMPLES (click on major)
MARKETING
COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
Sample Resume: MARKETING/SALES
Sally A. Student
1234 Joe Road
Murray, KY 42071
(270) 555-5555
sally.student@murraystate.edu
CAREER
OBJECTIVE:
To obtain a position in the field of marketing where I can utilize my academic
background and employment experiences to
promote the organization.
EDUCATION:
Murray State University
Murray, KY
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Business
May 2006
Area: Marketing (AACSB-International Accredited)
SPECIAL SKILLS: Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Familiar with Microsoft Access. Excellent communication skills. Basic knowledge of written Spanish language.
CAREER-RELATED
EXPERIENCE:
Glowing
Light, Inc.
Mayfield, KY
Sales Representative, May 2006 to present
-Responsible
for outside sales of light fixtures and bulbs
-Conduct cold calling on new clients and maintain established customer
accounts
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Mayfield, KY
Sales Representative, January 2004 to April 2006
-Responsible for outside sales of pharmaceuticals in various
counties
throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana
-Conducted presentations to clients concerning product and services
-Established new accounts and maintained current accounts
-Received extensive and on-going training on pharmaceuticals
EXPERIENCE:
John's Grocery Store
Murray, KY
Cashier, May 2002 to present
-Handled customer transactions and provided customer satisfaction
-Maintained inventory levels and responsible for stocking shelves
REFERENCES:
Available upon request
Resume Sample: COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
Beth A. Student
1234 Murray Drive
Murray, Kentucky 42071
(270) 555-5555
beth.student@aol.com
OBJECTIVE:
To obtain a teaching position where I can utilize my educational
and professional experiences working with children in a learning
environment.
EDUCATION:
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky
Degree: Bachelor of Science
May 2006
Area: Communication Disorders (ASHA Accredited)
Grade Point Average: 3.57/4.0
CAREER-RELATED
TRAINING:
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky
West Kentucky Conference
Summers of
Motor Speech Disorders Workshop
2000-2004
-Workshop concerning the assessment and
treatment of motor speech disorders
Silvercrest
Gary, Indiana
Autism Workshop
Spring 2005
-Discussed characteristic behaviors in Autistic children
-Conducted morning circle exercises with children
-Provided assistance to children with assignments
-Assisted speech language pathologist in providing
speech therapy to students
WORK
EXPERIENCE:
Ray's Restaurant
Murray, Kentucky
Waitress
August 2008
-Provide customer service and handle monetary transactions
to
-Prepare and serve food for customers
Present
HONORS/
ACTIVITIES:
Speech Communication Disorders Society member
Project Wild workshop participant
Alpha Delta Pi Social Sorority member
REFERENCES:
Available upon request
Open resume in Word or program you are using
Save file type as "rich text format"
Close or minimize Word or program
Open E-mail
Enter the "To"-(company's e-mail address)
Hit the icon for "Attachment" or open message, attach file
Open resume saved as "rich text format"
Hit send
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS e-mail
your resume to yourself to ensure all tabs are lined up consistently and
for misspelling.
Companies are constantly requesting for scannable resumes. Many companies have their own brochures explaining how to write scannable resumes. The following list is a combination of rules to follow so you can submit a vanilla resume.
Use sans serif fonts.
Use a font size between 10 and 14 points.
Avoid italic text, script, and underlined passages.
Avoid using graphics or shading.
Use horizontal or vertical lines sparingly.
Avoid compressing space between letters.
Always send originals.
Minimize the use of general abbreviations.
Maximize the use of industry jargon and abbreviations.
Use a traditional resume structure.
Use white or cream-colored, standard-size 8 ½ X 11 paper.
List your name as the first text on the resume.
Do not staple your resume.
Do not fold your resume.
Use a laser printer.