Resumes That Work for Technical Jobs CLAIRE BENTON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ENGINEERING CO-OP & CAREER SERVICES FALL 2009
Our Primary Roles Help Engineering students identify and market their skills to the employment community Facilitate interaction between students who seek internship or entry level employment, and employers who seek skilled interns and graduates
Cornell Career Services -Students have access to both- University-based Career Office (Barnes Hall 103/203) offers large-scale core services to all students from all Colleges and Majors of the University College based Career Offices offer specialized services to students in their College: Agricultural & Life Sciences; Architecture, Art and Planning; Arts & Sciences; Engineering; Hotel Administration; Human Ecology; Industrial & Labor Relations
Cornell Career Services 103 Barnes Hall www.career.cornell.edu LARGE-SCALE CORE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO ALL STUDENTS Career Library (One of the Largest Collections in the USA) Career Counseling / Testing Graduate School Advising Credentials Files University Career Fair Alumni Events in Distant Cities On-Campus Non-Technical Recruiting
Services - Technical On-Campus Recruiting Program (Fulltime / Intern / Co-Op) -Administer Engineer Co-Op Program - Cornell CareerNet job postings on WWW - Facility for Phone Interviews (subject to availability) - Resumes - Cover Letters - Job Search Strategies -Interviewing Group Workshops - Career Development for Engineers (ENGRG 2350 Spring 2 credits) Individual Advising - Career Info & Decision-making - Job Search Advising - Resume Critiques - Interview Strategies Resources - Corporate Literature & Brochures - Limited Directories - Salary Statistics - Post Graduate Activities by Major - Job Offer Analysis & Negotiations
Information to cover on Resumes Overview What should be included on the resume Sections of the resume How to write good descriptions Putting it all together
Basic Assumptions There is no one right way to write a resume but there are generally accepted guidelines The only wrong resume is one that is not truthful and accurate Effective resumes appeal to the reader are written clearly and succinctly are error free
Preparatory Steps Know Yourself - Where Are You in Your Career Development? Know Your Target - Why Do You Need this Resume?
Know Yourself Understand Yourself interests, values, strengths Explore Options through publications, volunteer, contacts, internships Take Action networking, completing applications, developing your resume, conducting interviews
Know Your Target Resumes are essential at each stage of career development Establish a focus - understand why you are writing this resume
Resume Focus Clear and based on careful self assessment Demonstrated through: Objective statement on resume Content and structure of resume More on this in the What To Include section
What to include Name and Contact Information Objective Qualifications for the Job or Functional Area Education Work/Internship Experience Volunteer/Extra-curricular Activities Special Skills (computer, language)
Getting started Always include complete name and contact info Some students include both school and home / permanent address information Some students use their cell phone as the primary phone number
Sample Name/Contact section Jane W. Doe jwd55@cornell.edu (607) 555-1212 (cell) Current Address (until 6/10) Permanent Address 1 Thurston Ave 1 Superior Street Ithaca, NY 14850 Duluth, MN 55801
Objective One or two sentences describing a specific job / internship / co-op interest Short and to the point Employers prefer one Use different resumes for different objectives
Sample Objectives A co-op position in the field of Materials Science. A mechanical engineering position where knowledge of engineering, applied physics, and mathematics will be an asset. Seek a position as an analyst of financial and production problems utilizing operations research and industrial engineering techniques.
Education Include institution(s), degree, location, and date of graduation List major(s), concentrations and GPA Include awards (dean s list, etc.) List coursework when it is applicable
Sample Education section Cornell University, College of Engineering, Ithaca, NY May 2010 Bachelor of Science in Applied and Engineering Physics GPA: 3.57 Related Courses: Lasers and Photonics, Electricity and Magnetism, Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations, Computer Science, Special Relativity, Linear Algebra, Mechanics of Solids, and Waves, Particles, and Optics. Shattuck St. Mary s School, Faribault, MN June 2006 GPA: 4.0 Graduated Summa Cum Laude
Experience Include paid and unpaid positions - anything that helped build qualifications for the position For each position, include 1) the name of the organization, 2) the location 3) title 4) dates of employment 5) accomplishments, skills developed/used
Sample Experience section Technology Consultant Intern Summer 2008 Denali Business Systems, Girdwood, AK Assisted customers with technology questions on a daily basis. Coordinated on-site service calls to customers with problems that could not be solved via telephone or email communication. -- or WAUSAU PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Wausau, WI Volunteer Teacher Winter 2007 Taught seventh grade level math to underprivileged kids ages thirteen to fourteen. Prepared lesson plans each week for twelve students.
Good descriptions should Tell what was accomplished (not what was done) Start with an action verb Demonstrate results Let accomplishment show skill Quantify as much as possible Be honest (do not exaggerate or sell short)
Sample Accomplishment Statements Led and managed a team of six programmers in developing simulation software for counter terrorism training. Reduced training costs by an estimated $20,000 annually. Awarded a $2000 prize in the 2005 Army Work Improvement Competition. Conducted experiments involving 600 people and analyzed the data to assist in formulating new counter terrorism doctrines.
Additional sections Specialized Skills (computer, machinery / equipment, processes, foreign language, etc.) Extracurricular Activities, Clubs, Organizations Volunteer Work Honors / Awards Hobbies / Interests
Formatting Neat and easy to read Use a conservative font (e.g., Arial, Times) Between 10 and 12 pt Maintain at least ½-inch borders Use white space Use bold and italics for emphasis and readability
Formatting (cont.) Place items of greatest importance closer to the top and the left margin Maintain consistency with spacing, punctuation, etc. List education and experiences reversechronologically within each category
Final Thoughts/Highlights Base resume set up according to resume s focus List qualifications in an appealing format based on importance Highlight skills and abilities by demonstrating them in accomplishments Stick away from Word templates Proofread!
Questions?