Resumes 101 Resume Writing Guide
Here are some basic rules to follow and some sample resumes to help you begin writing your own. Keep in mind, however, that the attached resumes are designed to illustrate resumes that would be used early in your college career and should be edited as you gain more experience.
Fundamentals of Resume Writing
Write an objective that focuses on what you have to offer, not what you want to get from an internship or summer job. Keep your objective simple. One phrase is usually enough. Example - “To obtain an internship in the field of…or…using my skills in ” An objective helps the person reading your resume understand why you are applying for that particular position. Never use full sentences. Always describe experiences with sentence fragments that begin with an active, past tense verb such as “planned, taught, assisted, or organized.” Even for current positions, use past tense verbs. Keep it concise and consistent. Never use personal pronouns like “I.” Many of your skills are “transferable skills” that come from your classes, campus activities, or volunteer work when you are a student. Stress all of those experiences on your resume, not just your paid work experience. Example- “Enhanced public relation skills through committee work for Campus Day activities.” Choose a format where your best qualifications stand out. Put important experiences near the top. Use Word to compose your resume. Resume templates are not formatted to the principles of resume writing and are easily recognized as a non-original document. An important principle of resume writing is to start with the most important or relevant information. Most templates start entries with the date, hardly the most important fact about your job or activity. For the best resume, type it yourself! Use bold, italics, centering, or underlining to draw the reader’s eye to important points -- but don’t overuse them. Also, only capitalize proper nouns within the description or statement, not every word. Make sure potential employers can reach you. Include your email, campus phone and address, and home phone and address. Never make a mistake. Have a member of the Career Center proofread and edit your resume before mailing or emailing. Employers think this is your best work and errors can prevent you from getting an interview. Always print your resume on resume paper, not computer paper. You can purchase resume paper in the bookstore or from any office supply store. This handout is printed on a sample of resume paper. Always include a cover letter with your resume. The cover letter explains why you are applying. There is a sample letter provided in this document or you can get samples of cover letters in the Career Center and on our website.
When you’re finished, bring your resume to the Career Center, Hinsdale 101, to have someone look over it. If you have any questions, call the Career Center at ext. 5131.
Chronological Format
Sarah Jacobs
4531 Caladonia Avenue Norton, Ohio 44321 330-555-1212 Objective Education P.O. Box 27 Hiram, OH 44234 330-569-5724 jacobssh@hiram.edu
To secure summer employment working with animals. Hiram College Hiram, Ohio Major: Biology Courses include: Zoology, Calculus I, Chemistry Counter Assistant Hiram College Food Court Hiram, Ohio Placed grill orders and prepared register receipts. Provided friendly and efficient customer service. B.A. Expected, May 2009
Experience
August 2006 – present
Server Applebees Restaurant Fairlawn, Ohio January 2005 - August 2006 Placed customer orders in a timely manner to ensure quality service. Worked effectively with large groups of customers. Lifeguard Copley Recreation Center Copley, Ohio Summers 2003 - 2005 Protected children in the process of learning how to swim. Tested water to maintain quality standards. Activities Hiram College Hiram, Ohio Member, American Institute of Biological Sciences Member, Outdoors Club Hiram College Choir Hiram College Swim Team Copley High School Copley, Ohio Science Olympiad OMEA Solo Ensemble (Superior Rating) Environmental Team Community Hiram House Camp Pumpkin Festival, Fall 2006 Activities Patient Assistant, Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital, May 2005
Combination Format
Adam Hill
♦ PO Box 1056 Hiram, OH 44234 ♦ (330) 569-5674 ♦ Hillah@hiram.edu
Objective
To obtain a summer job in the communications field
Education
Hiram College Hiram, Ohio Freshman Year Completed, 2006 Major: Communications GPA: 3.2 Courses include: Introduction to Communication, Persuasion and Attitude Change, Photography
Skills
• • • • Strong writing skills Experienced with news and action photography Communicate effectively with a wide range of people Familiar with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Adobe Photoshop CS
Experience
Staff Writer, Hiram College Advance - Hiram, OH Conducted interviews Wrote feature and sports articles Sales Associate, Best Buy - Fairlawn, OH Managed stereo equipment department Promoted sale “items of the week” Operated the cash register Landscaper, Kelley Landscaping Company – Cleveland, OH Laid brick for patios and sidewalks Planted flowers and shrubs Fall, 2006 – present
Summers, 2005 and 2006
Summer, 2004
Activities
Member, Interact Communication Club, Hiram College, 2006 - present Cast Member, Rocky Horror Picture Show, November 2005 Photo Editor, Maple High School Yearbook, 2005 References available upon request
Sample Cover Letter
P.O. Box 34 Hiram, Ohio 44234 October 15, 2004 Robert Cummins Manager, Personnel Services ABC Products Services, Inc. 839 Washington Avenue Cleveland, OH 44211
Paragraph 1: In your introductory paragraph you should state your interest as well as show any knowledge you have about the company and/or position.
Dear Mr. Cummins: After reading the posting you sent to the Hiram College Career Center, I am very interested in applying for the internship within your marketing department. I have completed marketing projects using a team approach and have also assisted a local company in a marketing research project. I hope to pursue a career in marketing after my graduation from Hiram and would welcome the opportunity to learn from your staff if selected as an intern. As you can see on my resume, I have a strong background in marketing classes. In addition, I have been active in many campus organizations. My organizational skills and leadership abilities have been strengthened by balancing academics, campus activities, and a part-time job, while maintaining a 3.2 average. These skills would help me meet the needs of the marketing internship position you are offering. Please let me know if you need any additional information to consider my application. I am available for an interview during Christmas break after December 17th. I can be reached at Hiram College at 330-569-5131 or at my home during the break at 330-555-8987. I am very excited by the possibility of working for you and look forward to hearing from you soon. Paragraph 2: Here you Sincerely,
Paragraph 3: Your final paragraph is a statement of appreciation and includes the action you plan to take (follow-up call, mailing etc.) should give a brief background summary of your skills, education and relevant experiences as an intro to your resume and a summary of how you meet the needs of the position.
Leslie Miller