Begin with a specific job target. Tailor your resume to a particular job. State your Objective near the top of the resume.

Transcription

1 Career Skills Learning Centre Writing a Resume Begin with a specific job target. Tailor your resume to a particular job. State your Objective near the top of the resume. Find out what the employer needs. Highlight important details and key words from the job posting experience, skills, education required - so you can address these requirements in your resume. Start with your key strengths. You have 20 seconds and the top quarter of the page to grab an employer s attention. Start with your key strengths in the first section, titled Profile, Highlights, or Summary of Qualifications. The employer will immediately get a snapshot of your strengths related to the position. Start with your strongest, relevant qualification. List your training and education. Besides your VCC studies, list other education and training including names of schools and completion dates. Include certificates, for example, First Aid or Serving It Right. List your employment history. Unpaid (volunteer) work or internships count too! Edit your work history to emphasize your highest level of competence and skills. Leave out unrelated job experience. Include specific examples of job duties. Use powerful action verbs. Be precise about what, how many, and how long, e.g. Accurately and efficiently word processed legal documents in MS Word in the busy office of four real-estate agents. Arrange sections for the strongest impact. Arrange Education before Employment History if it is your strongest qualification, for example, as a recent grad. Move Education down if you have a lot of job-related experience. Start with your current or most recent information and work back. Choose a resume format. A chronological format highlights work experience related to the job; it often suits a person staying in the same field. It is a traditional format. A functional format emphasizes skills; it often suits a new graduate or a person changing careers. List your related skills in a functional resume. In a functional resume, emphasize three or four job-related skills in a section titled Relevant Skills. Follow this section with Education and Employment Experience. Skills gained at work, in a volunteer position, or at school are often transferable, e.g. Customer Service Skills. Include specific examples under each skill heading. Check your resume carefully for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and typing errors and then have someone else read it over. A Learning Centre tutor would be happy to do this! Authored by by Learning Emily Simpson Centre Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes.

2 Resume Draft (Fill in the blanks) Name Address Phone / Sandy Jones 430 River Road Richmond, BC V8S 1B sandy_jones@mail.com Objective: Objective: Licensed Practical Nurse position in Gateby Residence Summary of Qualifications e.g. Number of years experience e.g. Education/Training e.g. Key skills or qualities e.g. Personal values toward the job e.g. Computer Skills e.g. Languages spoken Profile / Key Strengths / Highlights / Summary also work as headings. SUMMARY Three years experience as a health care provider Certified LPN, Industrial First Aid and CPR Competent, compassionate, and flexible team member Strong commitment to promoting wellness and preventing disease Familiar with MS Word and Healthwatch software Fluent in English and Hindi Education or Work Experience comes next, whichever is strongest in relation to the job. Credential Institution Year Completed Licensed Practical Nurse Vancouver Community College 2003 First Aid/CPR St. John s Ambulance 2001 Then choose either a chronological or functional resume format. Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes. 2

3 A chronological resume lists employment experience starting with the most recent. This traditional format is good for an unbroken work history or continuous career path. WORK EXPERIENCE Use action verbs and specific details to show main duties and skills Use action verbs and specific details to show main duties and skills Use action verbs and specific details to show main duties and skills Employment Experience / Work History also work as headings. EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE Care Attendant Renfrew Care Facility, Vancouver, BC 2000 to 2003 Provided daily personal care for residents Completed daily charts and reports Assisted in recreation activities Need to add more information? Add sections for Affiliations, or Awards, or Special Interests. Not many people supply names of references on their resumes, but have a list of two or three ready with full names, job titles, and contact information because employers will ask for them after a successful interview. The final line to your resume should be References upon request. Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes. 3

4 Sample Chronological Resume Tom Cruise 123 Alpha Street Burnaby, BC, V1A 2B OBJECTIVE: Entry-level Accountant in Beta Corporation PROFILE Over two years experience as a bookkeeper Exceptional results in Accounting Certificate Program at Vancouver Community College Proficient in Simply Accounting, ACCPAC, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access Results-oriented team player with strong problem-solving and organizational skills Fast learner with strong work ethic and exceptional time management skills Fluent in English and German Accounting Certificate 2007 Vancouver Community College, Vancouver, BC First Year University in Liberal Arts 2003 to 2004 Langara College, Vancouver, BC EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE Bookkeeper 2005 to present Florex Management, Burnaby, BC Process accounts payable/receivable Prepare bi-weekly payroll for ten employees and submit federal and provincial taxes Accountant Practicum January 2007 Alouette Accounting, Richmond, BC Generated monthly financial statements for three major clients Assisted in auditing year-end financial statement for a major software client Volunteer Tax-Preparer 2007 Vancouver Senior Services, Vancouver, BC Assisted 50 seniors with personal tax returns Data-Entry Clerk 2004 to 2005 ABC Deliveries, Burnaby, BC Entered data for billings using ACCPAC and processed cheques for accounts payable AWARDS Clairborne Award for Academic Excellence 2007 Vancouver Community College, Vancouver, BC References available upon request Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes. 4

5 A Functional Resume is good for a graduate starting a new career, a person making a career change, or a person with gaps in their work history. List three to four relevant skills with examples demonstrating ability and experience. Work history follows with details of title, company, and dates only. RELEVANT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE First Relevant Skill Second Relevant Skill Third Relevant Skill Administrative Skills Submitted daily reports to Greenland Landscape following work site inspections Interviewed and hired gardeners for Greenland Landscape Organized two-day tournament for recreational volleyball league of 300 members WORK HISTORY WORK HISTORY Assistant Manager Greenland Landscape, Burnaby 2009 to 2010 Volunteer Organizer Vancouver Recreation Volleyball League 2008 Need to add more information? Add sections for Affiliations, or Awards, or Special Interests. Not many people supply names of references on their resumes, but have a list of two or three ready with full names, job titles, and contact information because employers will ask for them after a successful interview. The final line to your resume should be References upon request. Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes. 5

6 Functional Resume Tom Cruise 123 Alpha Street Burnaby, BC, V1A 2B OBJECTIVE: Entry-level Accountant in Beta Corporation PROFILE Over two years experience as a bookkeeper Exceptional results in Accounting Certificate Program at Vancouver Community College Proficient in Simply Accounting, ACCPAC, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access Results-oriented team player with strong problem-solving and organizational skills Fast learner with strong work ethic and exceptional time management skills Fluent in English and German RELEVANT SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Bookkeeping and Accounting Served as bookkeeper for company of ten employees Responsible for payroll and submission of provincial and federal taxes Prepared monthly and year-end financial statements for clients Prepared personal tax returns for clients Needs Assessment/Advising Advised 50 seniors as a volunteer tax-preparer Participated in accountant and client meetings to prepare statements Researched new accounting software for current employer Computer Skills Implemented new accounting software for current employer Expert in MS Office suite of programs Data-entry speed of 70 wpm WORK HISTORY Bookkeeper, Florex Management, Burnaby 2005 to present Accountant Practicum, Alouette Accounting, Richmond January 2007 Volunteer Tax-Preparer, Vancouver Senior Services, Vancouver 2007 Data-Entry Clerk, ABC Deliveries, Burnaby 2004 to 2005 Accounting Certificate, Vancouver Community College 2007 First Year University in Liberal Arts, Langara College 2003 to 2004 AWARDS Clairborne Award for Academic Excellence, Vancouver Community College 2007 References available upon request Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes. 6

7 Finally, check your resume using the following questions to see if it needs more work or if you have forgotten something. Make changes as required. Resume Checklist Have you matched your qualifications specifically to the job description? Have you placed your strongest sections closer to the top? Have you listed your employment and education details starting with the most recent? Have you edited your employment section to include relevant work experience, including volunteer or student work experience? Have you used powerful action words? Have you visually highlighted important points? Is it easy to read? Is the layout and format pleasing to the eye? Have you done a spell and grammar check? Is your resume no more than two pages? Has a friend, colleague, or tutor checked it over? Yes Needs Work Good luck! Student review only. May not be reproduced for classes. 7