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Resumes and job hunting are
important to obtaining employment and a great career. This page is dedicated to providing
information on employment, jobs, resumes, employment services, career
assessment, resume services, and job hunting services you need for after successful educational experience.
Education
is important in today's world! An education, going from preschool to elementary
school, high school, college, university and continuing education through online
education for lifelong learning, contributes to your success and the success of
the community within which you live and work.
Understanding the job hunting
process and the services and job hunting strategies that are available is
important in helping you find a job and career. Use the resources below to post
resumes, assess your career, apply for jobs, job search, employment search, and
other job hunting tips.
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Resume Writing Tips
An effective resume
is the foundation of every successful job campaign. Most students write their
first resume when they are seeking internships or summer employment, but resume
writing skills are equally important for seniors approaching graduation and
alumni seeking advancement.
As most people know,
the purpose of the resume is to summarize the key elements of your past
experience that you would like employers to consider when you are seeking
employment. Naturally, a resume needs to be revised periodically during your
career to reflect changes in your qualifications. Keep in mind that a good
resume alone won't get you a job; however, it can help you get an interview and
influence an employer's perception of your skills and potential for a particular
kind of work.
There are several
standard formats for resumes, but most employers prefer the chronological
format, which is outlined and illustrated below. A few students might prefer to
use a functional format to call attention to particular skill areas. Additional
information on various resume formats is available in the Career Development
Center. The organization of the resume can be adapted as necessary to emphasize
an individual's most outstanding characteristics. In general, however, the
resume should include:
IDENTIFICATION DATA:
name, address (or two addresses--present and permanent), and phone number(s)
(including area code).
OBJECTIVE: a single
phrase expressing the specific type of employment you are seeking and/or the
principal skills you want to use on the job. Some people prepare two or more
resumes with different objectives. Once you formulate a clear objective, you can
use it almost as a thesis for the remainder of your resume; only information
that supports your career objective should be included on the resume.
EDUCATION: basic
details about your education, including college location (city and state),
degree, date of graduation (or expected graduation), major, related course work
and (possibly) G.P.A. Most college students do not need to include information
about secondary school, but it is important to summarize education attained
through community colleges, other colleges (i.e., transfer credits), and
specialized training programs.
EMPLOYMENT: brief
summaries of principle employment to date. Start with your current (or most
recent) position and work backward. Include all employment relevant to your
career objective in any way. Internships and cooperative experience can be
listed either under employment or under education.
Provide the name of
the employer, the employer's location, your job title, dates of employment, and
simple verb phrases to summarize your main activities on the job (see "action
verb" list). When ever possible quantify and qualify data with specific details
and statistics that illustrate your potential.
ACTIVITIES/HONORS/SPECIAL
SKILLS: additional areas that may be included on the resume if space allows.
List all major activities and awards as well as any skills that are relevant to
your career objective. These can show leadership, organization, critical
thinking, teamwork, self management, initiative and influencing others.
PERSONAL DATA: such
as height, weight, sex, and marital status should not be listed on the resume.
Such factors are irrelevant and cannot legally be considered in employment
decisions.
REFERENCES: and, in
some cases, portfolios or transcripts can be listed as "available upon request"
if you have enough room at the bottom of the resume. Have references, phone
numbers, and business addresses ready on a separate sheet whenever you go to an
interview.
Remember to keep all
information on the resume concise and clear. A one-page resume is best, although
people with extensive experience or advanced degrees may have to use two pages.
Be scrupulously careful when you proofread; some employers will refuse to
consider candidates who submit resumes with spelling or typographical errors.
ACTION VERBS FOR
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Verb phrases are the
strongest way to describe previous job responsibilities. To write verb phrases,
pretend you're telling someone about your job, beginning each sentence with "I.
. . . " For example, "I supervise ten employees. I organize mass mailings. I
arrange airline and hotel reservations." On the resume, you omit the "I" and use
only the remaining verb phrases to describe the work you do: "Supervise ten
employees. Organize mass mailings. Arrange airline and hotel reservations." Use
present tense verb phrases for jobs you currently hold and past tense for former
jobs. If you have any difficulty finding the right verbs to describe your work,
choose from the following list:
accomplished achieved
acquired acted
adapted addressed
adjusted administered
advanced advised
allocated analyzed
applied appraised
approved arranged
assembled assigned
assisted attained
audited author
automated balanced
brought budgeted
built calculated
catalogued chaired
changed clarified
coached collected
communicated compared
compiled completed
composed computed
computerized conceptualized
conceived concluded
conducted conserved
consolidated contained
continued contracted
contributed controlled
coordinated corrected
corresponded counseled
created critiqued
cut decreased
delegated decided
defined delivered
demonstrated determined
designed developed
devised diagnosed
directed dispatched
distinguished distributed
diversified drafted
edited educated
eliminated enabled
encouraged engineered
enlisted established
ensured estimated
evaluated examined
executed expanded
expedited extracted
fabricated facilitated
familiarized fashioned
finalized focused
forecast formulated
founded gathered
generated graded
guided handled
headed up identified
illustrated implemented
improved increased
indoctrinated influenced
informed initiated
innovated inspected
instructed insured
integrated interpreted
interviewed introduced
invented investigated
kept launched
lectured led
made maintained
managed manufactured
marketed mediated
moderated modified
monitored motivated
negotiated observed
operated ordered
organized originated
outsold overhauled
oversaw participated
performed persuaded
planned prepared
presented presided
prioritized processed
produced programmed
projected promoted
proposed provided
publicized published
purchased recommended
reconciled recorded
recruited reduced
referred regulated
rehabilitated related
remodeled repaired
reported represented
researched restored
restructured retrieved
reversed reviewed
revised revitalized
saved scheduled
schooled screened
selected serviced
set shaped
screened selected
simplified skilled
sold solidified
solved specified
stimulated streamlined
strengthened suggested
summarized supervised
surveyed systemized
tabulated taught
tested trained
translated traveled
trimmed updated
upgraded validated
worked wrote
RESUME CRITIQUE
LIST
-
Does the overall
appearance make an employer want to read it?
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Is the layout
professional?
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Is the information
organized so it is easy to read? (If the employer just skims through it, would
their eyes pick up the key points?)
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Is it well typed?
(Do not mix print styles. Important titles should be underlined. Use bold and
capital letters only when appropriate.)
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Is it printed on
good quality paper? (Remember to avoid colored paper; it does not copy well.)
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Are all words
spelled correctly? (Have your resume proof-read by a valued colleague.)
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Is the writing
style clear? (Do not use jargon.)
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Do statements
begin with action verbs and communicate accomplishments and results?
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Are verb tenses
consistent? (Have your resume proof-read by someone who is good in English.)
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Is the employment
objective well-written and clear? (Tailoring your resume to the job you are
applying for increases your success rate.)
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Is the major
discipline explained in brief if it is one that the employers may not
understand?
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Are employment
experiences listed in reverse chronological order?
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Do your strengths
stand out? Is it easy to get a clear picture of your qualifications?
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Does your resume
stress accomplishments and skills more than responsibilities and duties?
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Does your resume
sell your problem-solving abilities?
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Does your resume
show volunteer work that might be relevant to the position sought?
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Did you account
for all periods of time? (The employer will look for this.)
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Has irrelevant
information been eliminated? Could your resume tell the same story if it were
shortened?
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Can the same
information be limited to one page?
SAMPLE FUNCTIONAL
RESUME
Sandra J. Kirksy
Present Address Permanent Address:
11075 Grand River Ave 345 Maple Street
E. Lansing, MI 48823 Rosedale, MI 47389
(517) 351-7703 (313) 484-6965
Employment Objective
To obtain a position in public relations, editing, or
research that utilizes my communication, analytical, and
writing skills.
Education
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (September
19xx to present).
Bachelor of Arts expected June l9xx. Major: English.
Additional coursework in Advertising, Philosophy, and
Mathematics.
Human Relations and Communication Skills
Communicated in writing and by phone to many
customers of the bank.
Handled complaints and customer discrepancies,
conferring with senior bank personnel in an effort to
resolve problems promptly.
Participated in numerous fund-raising activities.
Developed new funding proposals which obtained grants
totaling $1,500.
Represented departments in meetings and relayed
information and concerns to appropriate parties.
Administrative and Management Skills
Gathered information to process customer accounts.
Organized billing to maintain timely accounts.
Improved training for incoming employees.
Interacted with various personnel through interviews
which enhanced overall efficiency of operations.
Other Skills Areas
Strengthened communication skills by volunteering for
special projects.
Enhanced writing technique by gaining experience in
different styles of writing, including press releases,
public service announcements, and problem solving
letters to customers.
Acquired data retrieval and Word Perfect
word-processing skills.
Work Experience
The American Red Cross, Lansing, Ml (June 19xx -
present, Public Information Intern.
National Bank and Trust, Rosedale, Ml (Summers,
19xx, 19xx, and 19xx). Accounting/File Clerk
Silver Lake Concession (Summers, 19xx and 19xx
Cashier/Cook
Organizations. Honors. Awards
Secretary, Michigan State University Advertising Club
(19xx-xx)
Acquired six Advanced Placement credits in English
Rosedale High School Yearbook Editor, 19xx-xx
National Council of the Teachers of English (NCTE)
nominee
References
Available Upon Request
SAMPLE
CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
William T. Dunn
Campus Address: Permanent Address:
123 East Shaw Hall 8030 Wild Oak Drive
East Lansing, MI 48825 Flint, MI 42909
(517) 355-1234 (313) 555-0897
Objective:
A position in sales or customer assistance for a major
grocery products corporation .
Education:
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824
(September 19xx to present) .
Bachelor of Arts in General Business Administration
(March l9xx). Additional coursework in computer
science, French, and Psychology.
Michigan State University Overseas Study: Paris,
France; July 19xx
G.P.A.: 3.3/4.0
Honors:
Dean's List -2 terms
Alpha Lambda Delta - Freshman scholastic honorary
Experience:
Night Manager
Good for You Grocery, Grand Ledge, Michigan
September 19xx to present
*Monitor inventory and supervise overnight stocking
procedures
*Maintain store security and ensure friendly, efficient
service for all-night customers
*Increased store sales 20%
Resident Assistant, Holden Hall
Michigan State University Housing Programs, East
Lansing, Michigan
September l9xx to June 19xx
*Coordinated social, cultural, educational, and
recreational programs for a community of fifty-two
undergraduates
*Acted as a resource person, conflict intermediary,
and counselor
*Improved key programs with new systems
Sales Intern
Land O'Lakes, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota June
19xx to September l9xx
*Assisted in development and implementation of
market survey
*Made independent sales calls in local area
Earned 75% of college expenses through above
employment and additional part-time jobs as waiter,
cashier, and news carrier.
Activities:
Vice-President, Marketing Association, 19xx-xx
Member, Student Alumni Association
Intramural Basketball, l9xx-xx and 19xx-xx
Volunteer Fundraiser, WKAR-TV, l9xx and 19xx
References:
Available upon request.
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