Writing an Effective

Resume

Writing an Effective Resume

Why you are writing
Organization
Presentation

A Resume Gets You An Interview

Find out which applicants are suitable
Choose a small number of candidates to interview
Same issue for proposals and grant applications

Stand Out From the Crowd

Include interesting and unique
information
Attempt best effort to make a first
impression
No chance to explain if you do
not get an interview

Writing an Effective Resume

Why you are writing
Organization
Presentation

Summary of Sections
Name
Address, telephone number, e-ail addresss
Objective
Education
Experience
Achievements and awards
Skills
Professional affiliations
Optional
Publications or projects

Start With Contact Information

Name (bold, not underlined)
Address
Telephone number
Email address

Objective
One or two sentences
Type of position (part time, full time, summer internship)
What position would you like to find?
Emphasize how you will use your skills, not what you
want to gain

Use the Objective to Stand Out

Do not be needy:

Objective: To obtain a position that will allow me to advance my

potential while seeking new challenges.
Show what you will contribute:

Objective: An entry-level position in mechanical engineering where

strong leadership ability and good communication skills are needed.
Objective: Vice-president of aerospace engineering in an agency where
extensive knowledge of thermodynamics and heat transfer are needed.

Education in Reverse Chronological Order

Include schools attended beyond high school
List major and minor(s), supply interesting details
For NYU, put the expected date in parentheses:

NYU School of Engineering

B.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
(Anticipated graduation: May 2017)
Include special or interesting aspects of your program

Experience in Reverse Chronological Order

Dates of employment (2003-present)
Name and location of the company (Con Edison, Brooklyn)
Add specific detail that shows your organization, cooperation, responsibility with action
Calling this section Experience allows you to include jobs for which you were not paid.
Include:
Military service
Internships
Volunteer positions

Achievements and Awards

Deans list
Scholarships
Grants
Prizes
Nominations
Professional societies
Significant accomplishments
Committees and leadership roles

Use the Skills Section

Software programs and proficiency (Word, PowerPoiint,
Excel, FrontPage, AutoCAD)
Programming languages (include Visual Basic, HTML,
PHP,)
Abilities (based on experience)
Languages and language ability

Writing an Effective Resume

Why you are writing
Organization
Presentation

Create an Effective Layout

Try to interest your reader visually
A clean, professional format with a little style
Extra white space makes it easy to read set margins

Use Tables to Line Everything Up

CHRISTOPHER LESLIE

222 Nothing Street, Apt. 999, Noplace, NY 00000 (718) 260-3130 ChrisLeslie@nothing.com
Experience
Document Specialist
FMCG
0-00 to 0-00

Paralegal
Anthony Santoni, Esq.
0-00 to 0-00

Cover light phones and typing part-time

Prepare and filed legal papers
Perform consultations and intakes for new cases

Assistant Art Director

That New Magazine
0-00 to 0-00

Create ads and layouts using an MCS typesetter and a Macintosh

Conceive and implement design overhaul for TheaterWeek
Design two-, three-, and four-color covers, inside pages, advertisements
Efficiently produce five magazines with four deadlines a week

Summer Intern
The Buffalo News
0-00 to 0-00

Cover for vacationing staff on copy desk and in features department

Edit copy, proofread, design cover pages for sections on deadline
Write for book review and feature section
First intern ever selected from SUNY Fredonia

Intern and Stringer

The Post-J ournal
0-00 to 0-00

Report on three local governments and two school boards

Write hard news and features
Take photographs to illustrate stories
Cover police and court beat when assigned

Peer Tutor
SUNY Fredonia
0-00 to 0-00

Tutor college students in writing and mathematics

Train in general program and a full-semester writing tutor program
Help train new tutors
Write computer program to analyze usage statistics

Prepare color flip-books and presentation materials for financial consultants

Edit and proofread marketing newsletters and monographs
Negotiate writers needs, English usage, firm style under deadline pressure
Modify stock images, clip art, and logos to meet writers specifications

Skills
Advanced knowledge of PageMaker, Word, PowerPoint, Deltagraph, FileMaker
Working knowledge of QuarkXpress, Adobe Photoshop, WordPerfect, Excel, Outlook
Basic conversational skill in German; can read and translate French and Ancient Greek

Limit Font to Two Choices

For text: a serif font like Times
For headings: Arial or Helvetica are good choices to
add visual interest
Dont choose non-standard fonts like Comic Sans or
Lucida Handwriting
Font size should be 11 or 12 point

Write Concisely and Vigorously

A focused, targeted resume is best:
Avoid the temptation to go more than one page
Delete obvious information in order to highlight your unique qualities

Find specific, dynamic verbs:

Use present (or past) imperatives
Include each verb only once
Consult online lists of resume action words

Make Lists Parallel

Was responsible for staff of ten

Managed staff of ten

Present reports to consultants

Presented reports to consultants

New reporting system was developed

Developed new reporting system

Leader of monthly staff meetings

Led monthly staff meeting

Coordinate monthly review

Coordinated monthly review

Use Brief Style, Like Presentations

Omit articles (a/an, the)
Use more lists than sentences
Arrange information in columns

Final Thoughts
Choose the correct tense and use it consistently
Do not ask for a particular salary
Be accurate and honest
Print it out! Do not attempt to proofread on screen

Writing an Effective Resume

QUESTIONS?