OU – Tulsa Writing Center: Resume Tips
What is a resume?
A resume is a written compilation of your education, work experience,
credentials, and accomplishments that is used to apply for jobs.
Types of Resumes:
• Chronological
• Functional
• Targeted
Resume Purpose:
• Market yourself: knowledge, experience, accomplishments
• Separate yourself from rest of resumes received by hiring company
• Get to the next step in the hiring process:
 Telephone interview
 Skype interview
 Personal interview
OU – Tulsa Writing Center: Resume Tips
Audience:
• Placement Company Recruiter
• Corporate HR Recruiter
• Software Application (applicant tracking system)
 Keys on specific words associated with the job description, not on
your experience
 Make sure that the human reader and the application “reader”
identifies that you have many of the skills, experiences and
qualities that they value most highly for a specific job.
• Hiring Manager
Format:
• 1-2 pages only
• Short, succinct statements in each section of the resume
• Consistent type, bullets, spacing
OU – Tulsa Writing Center: Resume Tips
Content:
• Your name, address, telephone number, email address, LinkedIn URL
• Software Application (applicant tracking system)
 Keys on specific words associated with the job description, not on
your experience
 Make sure that the human reader and the application “reader”
identifies that you have many of the skills, experiences and
qualities that they value most highly for a specific job.
• Functional description: Give details that describes the magnitude or
complexity of a standard role activity can add to the importance of the
function.
• Achievements
OU – Tulsa Writing Center: Resume Tips
Language:
• Use strong verbs: Analyzed, Assessed, Coordinated, Completed,
Identified, Implemented, Eliminated, Developed, Edited and Published. . .
http://career.opcd.wfu.edu/files/2011/05/Action-Verbs-for-Resumes.pdf
• Focus on the purpose of the activity you perform at your job (“Kept
spreadsheet of blah, blah expenses” is really “Audited monthly
departmental expenses, identifying payable/receivable problems and
resolving them.”)
• Use formal, not stilted, language and perfect grammar.
Proof, Proof, Proof
Read you resume out loud. Read it over and over. Have someone else read
it.
OU – Tulsa Writing Center: Resume Tips
Sample Job Descriptions:
S:\Writing Center\Social Work presentation\1_Announcement Child Welfare
Specialist II - State of Oklahoma_asp.mht
http://www.careerbuilder.com/job/J3J4PD6RXSX46KVWCTK?ipath=JRG11&searchi
d=8ba4a219-e445-4f8a-8a24-ca9144a9f43e&siteid=ns_us_g
http://jobview.monster.com/v2/job/View?JobID=176334393&MESCOID=43007250
01001&jobPosition=2