Academic & Career Advising
Resume Basics
Eastern Oregon University
Online Tutorial
Up-to-date inform ation
on w hat you need to know
before you start
Let’s begin…
What is a resume?
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A self-promotional document
It presents YOU in the best possible
light to a prospective employer or
graduate program
A good resume gets you an interview
A good interview gets you the job
offer
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A resume is used to….
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Initiate contact with an employer
Facilitate an interview – Some interviewers start at the top and work
their way through the document. (Think about it, you could be scripting your own
interview. Arrange information so you get to discuss all the things that make you a
terrific candidate!)
Serve as a record to leave with an employer
Share information with the people who are
assisting you with your job search
Attach to a job application- Some forms don’t
allow us to express our skills and abilities very
well
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In constructing a resume
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Answer the question the
reader is asking:
“What can this candidate do
for our organization?”
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Envision the ideal
candidate and arrange
your information to match
those qualities.
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Make no mistake
Employers want to know you will represent
them well. Spelling errors, poor grammar,
smeared ink, crumpled corners… will send
your resume right to the trash.
Small Typos That Can Change the Meaning:
Dealing with customers’ conflicts that arouse
Develop and recommend annual operating expense fudget
I’m a rabid typist
Instrumental in ruining entire operation for regional service organization
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Have others review your job search documents
Check spelling, pull out the dictionary
Read document backwards, word for word
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Tell the Truth!
There have been many examples in the news recently of
people who have, shall we say, s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d
the truth on their resumes. Don’t be one of them. It will
catch up to you.
Tell the truth… but it is okay to tell the best side of the truth
Claim the highest level of skill you can legitimately claim
helped vs. assisted
monitored vs. supervised
Small differences perhaps, but they may make a difference
Be positive - Say what you can do, not what you cannot do
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Several Different Formats
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Chronological
Functional
Targeted
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Chronological Resume
Chronological resumes are the easiest to prepare and thus appear to be the more
popular style of resume used. In this style, you identify information in
descending order, with the most recent events listed first under each heading.
Chronological resumes require selective wording in order to minimize the amount of
interpretation an employer will have to do. Use action verbs in describing your
experiences, and highlight transferable skills.
A great way to emphasize continuous employment. This style may not highlight
your skills and abilities as well as another format. Nowadays, people move
more frequently between employment situations. A chronological layout will
highlight short stays of employment.
Avoid cluttering up the resume with personal data and names of references.
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Functional Resume
The functional resume enables the candidate to focus on skills, aptitudes, and
qualities that can be applied to a number of situations. This style of resume deemphasizes chronological listings and emphasizes qualifications, skills, and
related accomplishments. Skills are organized into categories that tell employers
what you will be able to do for them.
The functional resume is especially valuable for candidates who lack direct jobrelated field experience; who want to work in fields not related to their academic
background; or for those whose education is so general that they must find a
way of bridging the gap between their education and the job requirements.
This type of resume is also well-suited for those candidates who have considerable
work experience, because it allows them to portray the skills they will be able to
put to immediate use.
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Targeted Resume
A resume is not one's life history. It is a summary of the knowledge, skills
and abilities one brings to a particular employer/situation. In a
targeted resume, include only the information that specifically relates
to that position. Given today's access to word processors, it is
relatively easy to cut and paste documents and tailor resumes to
specific jobs.
Someone looking at a variety of employment opportunities might have
three to five different resumes. The content is basically the same but it
has been reorganized to highlight different strengths for each different
industry or field.
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Special Types of Resumes
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State & Federal government agencies have templates and sample formats.
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Read directions and follow instructions
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You will likely be asked for your social security number and your citizenship
This information belongs on this type of resume but not on others
Curricula Vitae are a specific style of resume preferred for medical, academic and
research positions.
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They contain more publications, papers, abstracts, book reviews, and
presentations - Tend to be longer
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Because of the academic emphasis, education is featured first
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Usually there is no objective or profile statement
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More understated than business resume
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They look rather plain - Save the bells and whistles but make sure it is neatly
organized
Internet and scannable resumes The basic premise is: These days you’ll need a paper
version, a scannable version and a text-only version of your resume.
WE HAVE EXAMPLES IN THE ACADEMIC & CAREER ADVISING OFFICE
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Tips to keep in mind
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Be consistent - Demonstrate your detail skills
Ex. Dates can be listed 1/5/11 or January 5, 2011 or Jan. ’11, or…
PICK ONE and stick with it.
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Resumes are scanned – You’ve got 30
seconds to make a positive impression
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In general, all info goes in order of most
important to least important
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To facilitate scanning, put detail and dates on the right side of page
Use short, crisp descriptive statements
The job description is the place to find clues about what to emphasize
Be concise, one page to 1 ½ pages in length
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Power Words & Phrases
Add these and you look like a person of action
Accomplished
Acquired
Adapted
Advised
Arranged
Capable
Clarified
Coached
Communicated
Created
Designed
Developed
Directed
Edited
Expanded
Formulated
Guided
Improved
Influenced
Knowledgeable
Managed
Motivated
Negotiated
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Organized
Participated
Persuaded
Proficient
Promoted
Qualified
Revised
Scheduled
Sensitive
Strengthened
Structured
Successful
What goes at the top?
 Name – address – reliable phone – e-mail
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No nicknames – make your gender clear- Be Christopher or Christine but not Chris
What will I hear when I get your answering machine? Does it sound professional?
 If you will be moving soon, but you’re applying now,
put two sets of contact information up top
Im a Graduate
Until June 15,2013
503 Main St., Apt. 3
La Grande, OR 97850
541-962-0022
Permanent
123 Harmony Lane
Hometown, OR 12345
503-566-7890
 Consider establishing a separate e-mail account for
job search
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Responses won’t get lost among other correspondence
What you choose as an e-mail account name makes a difference
hotcoed @ hotmail sends the wrong message to a prospective employer
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Profile vs. Objective
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The resume is a marketing tool.
Hook the reader’s interest with your
expertise, strengths, skills, knowledge and
interests. Use a profile statement to say,
“Here’s what I have to offer….”
A profile replaces an objective which says “Here’s what I want…”
Move forward to see the difference
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Which sounds better?
Here’s what I have to offer
Here’s what I want
Background of proven success
in recreational and social
programming with young
adults. Able to coordinate all
aspects of large-scale events
from concept to completion.
Three years service on
University event planning
commission including primary
coordination of several major
music events.
Seeking an entry-level position
in event planning, primary
interest in music venues
located in a large metropolitan
area.
It is really best to avoid
the term, “entry-level.”
You might be qualified
for something higher in
the organization but by
using that term, you’ll
be channeled to that
pile of resumes.
The prospective employer doesn’t really care about what we want. He or she
has no investment in us until after we become a member of the team. The
question he or she is asking is: “What can this candidate do for me?”
Answer the question by using a profile statement and place it right up at the
top under your contact information.
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Resume Headings
Organizing the information in a logical way can help the reader navigate
the document. You can personalize your resume by considering which
headings best describe your experiences.
Profile
Highlights
Objective
Teaching Objectives
Relevant Courses
Professional Skills
Career Highlights
Achievements
Capabilities
Employment
Other Work Experience
Professional Experience Summer Work Experience
Student Teaching Experience
Education
Community Activities
Practicum Experience
Educational Background Teaching Experience
Volunteer Activities
Special Training
Related Activities
Coaching Experience
Licensure
Professional Activities
Related Experience
Knowledge
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What comes first
Education or Experience?
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There is no hard and fast rule. Employers
are looking for both. Check the position
description for clues about what might be
more important.
If you have related experience and want to
stand out of a pool of recent college grads,
consider leading with your experience and
not with your degree.
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Put it this way… Education
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Bachelor of Science, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande OR
Liberal Studies
Minors: Business and Psychology
Cumulative GPA: 3.26
Anticipated June 2013
Bachelor of Science, Rangeland Resources, Oregon State University at
Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR
Dec. 2013
Bachelor of Science with Honors, Eastern Oregon University
La Grande, Oregon
June 2013
Major: Multidisciplinary Studies
Minor: Biology
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Put it this way 2
Work, Community Service, & Experiences
Job title, organization, location, dates
Assistant Manager, Hometown Books, Baker City, OR
Supervise day-to-day operations in absence of manager
3/10 – present
Volunteer, Start Making a Reader Today (SMART), La Grande Public Schools
Mentor first-grader weekly to establish healthy reading habits
9-08 - current
Tutor, Learning Center, Eastern Oregon University Sept. 2005 – June 2010
Assisted students in evaluating first-drafts and improving writing skills
Universitat Karlsruhe, Study Abroad Program, Karlsruhe, Germany ’02 – ’04
Studied computer science, acquired IT related vocabulary
* Note verb tense. If you are currently involved write in present tense, past experiences are
described in the past tense.
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Put it this way 3
List accomplishments, problems
solved, special projects, capstone,
training, travel, awards…
Avoid describing job duties:
Responsible for opening & closing, hired and trained
new staff
Instead, cite the fact you made a difference:
Designed and implemented new orientation program
for first-time employees, resulted in 20% higher
employee retention
Situation – Action – Result
Describe accomplishments this way:
Recognized new employee retention problems,
assessed reasons for leaving, designed and
implemented orientation program for new hires.
Program resulted in 20% increase in summer
employee retention in first year of implementation.
What to do with unrelated
experience?
Use keywords and jargon from
your field
You can’t fit your life story on a one page resume.
Include skills, experiences and interests that relate to
the target position. Pick the ones that demonstrate
your qualifications and why you’d be a good
candidate. If you can’t make the experience relate to
the target, consider leaving it off.
You want to appear to be an insider.
Pepper your resume with the terminology of your
target career field. Use keywords. Ex: In banking,
mention your experience with credit analysis, building
a deposit base, generating fee income, negotiating
letters of credit…
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Punctuation
Avoid using complete sentences to facilitate readability
Instead, use short, crisp descriptive phrases
Question the use of periods
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String phrases together with commas
Scheduled firefighter crews, oriented new crew members, ensured accuracy of
time sheets
Use a keyboard symbol to do the same
Scheduled firefighter crews / Oriented new crew members / Ensured accuracy of
time sheets
Bullet phrases
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Scheduled firefighter crews
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Oriented new crew members
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Ensured accuracy of time sheets
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Factoids
 “La Grande” is two words - Avoid breaking up the two: La
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Grande (They stay together on the same line)
Use the postal abbreviations for states: OR or Oregon, not Ore.
Spell out the first reference of an acronym:
American Psychological Association (APA)
Spell out the full name of the degree you are earning
Bachelor of Science sure sounds/looks better than B.S.
Once you’ve established a location it is not necessary to repeat
it throughout the document
Ex. Your degree is from Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR
Subsequent references to the university do not need its location
Your GPA belongs on your resume if it is a 3.0 or above
If it isn’t you can calculate your major GPA or your GPA in the last
two years - If your GPA does not appear on your resume, be
prepared to explain the circumstances
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Your Final Product
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Print out your paper version using a high quality printer
Use a high quality bond paper, not the standard printer paper
Choose paper colors that are conservative – white, off-white or
light pastels (Keep in mind your document may be copied. Gray
is not advised as it does not copy well)
As much as you want to stand out, avoid clip art, graphics and a
flashy presentation – this is a business document (Exceptions
might be made for those in creative fields)
It bears repeating – no errors, no smudges, no wrinkles
If you’ve gone onto two pages, don’t staple together - Make
sure your name is on the top of page two, just in case the two
pages get separated - (Ex. Joe Smith resume, page 2)
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References
Singing your praises
Resumes contain the information we choose to highlight.
Employers will want to hear from those who can speak to
your skills, abilities & work ethic before they make an
investment in you.
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No need to say “References available upon request” on the bottom of your
resume – it is assumed that you will have them when they are requested.
You’ll need three to five people to write or speak on your behalf.
Submit reference list with your resume on separate sheet. Use same style &
font – it should match other documents in your application materials.
Ask permission before you use someone’s name. Ask this way, “Do you feel
com fortable writing me a strong recommendation? Engage in a conversation
about what the reference giver might say about you.
Give the reference writer (or speaker) a copy of your resume and share a
position description. They’ll be able to target their comments to the
requirements of the position.
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Sample reference list
CJ Palmer
Associate Professor of History
Eastern Oregon University
One University Blvd.
La Grande, OR 97850
541-962-2222
[email protected]
Hilary Logan
Manager
Target Stores
123 Hwy 22
Salem, OR 97824
503-768-0943
[email protected]
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Kelsey Davis
Director
YMCA Portland
45789 Barbur Blvd.
Portland, OR 97204
503-924-0014
[email protected]
Cover/Application
Letters
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Always send a cover letter with a resume
“Sending a resume without a cover letter is like starting an interview without a handshake.”
 Cover letters are based on a formula, four paragraphs in length
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1- reason for writing, specific position, how you learned of opening; 2- why you are
interested 3- Refer reader to enclosed resume; 4- Indicate desire for a
personal interview. Close letter with wording that encourages a response.
 Good cover letters are about the target organization, not about you
 Reflect the fact that you’ve done your research & you know what the organization does
 Demonstrate that your skills and experiences would help the organization meet its goals
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Personalize the letter –
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Do everything you can to find out the name and title of the recipient. Avoid “To Whom it
May Concern” –or- “Dear Sir or Madam”
Use the same high quality paper for resume & letter. Keep copy.