resume writing:
stand out in the paper crowd
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES
Ivy Tech Community College
The resume is almost always the first step in the job search process. Having an up-to-date, organized resume could be the difference between getting the interview or not. Be sure to visit the Office of Career Services to have your resume critiqued by a professional before sending it out.
The DOs
• Use bullets (maximum of four).
• Include all possible contact information. Be sure to list your cell phone number rather than your home phone number
if possible.
• Think in terms of professional or educational accomplishments.
• Emphasize your transferrable skills.
• Quantify your job duties (how often or how many).
• Have your resume proofread by someone who has expertise in writing resumes.
• List the city and state of job locations, as well as the month and years of employment.
• Always keep a copy of your resume for yourself (and bring a few extra along to job interviews).
• Match your resume to the job description by noticing the key terms used.
• Use industry-specific language to describe your experience and qualifications.
• Elaborate on your accomplishments. Instead of “Developed a new filing system,” try “Developed a new filing system
that reduced filing time by 25 percent.”
• Limit your resume to one or two pages (one page for new graduates).
The DON’Ts
• Don’t use a Word resume template. Start with a blank Word document.
• Never lie on your resume.
• Don’t print your resume on colored or patterned paper.
• Don’t use personal pronouns (I, me, myself ).
• Don’t list high school education. (Include this ONLY if it is the highest level of education started.)
• Don’t include personal information (such as LinkedIn URL, Twitter URL, etc.).
• Never abbreviate company names or job titles.
• Don’t include personal hobbies or interests.
Reminders
• Use keywords in your resume to get more “hits” from resume-tracking software.
• Be sure there are no misspelled words.
• Be honest! Untrue statements could eliminate your from further consideration for a position.
• Do not include salary expectations in the resume.
• When making a career change, evaluate and revise each section of your resume to fit your new career goals.
When submitting your resume online, convert it to a .pdf file to prevent any format issues. This is the easiest and most reliable method.
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES // SHANNON NIEDZWICKI, DIRECTOR // SNIEDZWICKI@IVY TECH.EDU // 800-459-0561, EXT. 222
Types of Resumes
Functional Resume
Focus on skills rather than experience
Name in big and BOLD type. Make sure mailing address and phone number are correct and use only one professional email address.
Summary is usually used to describe areas of expertise and personal strengths. This is normally three to five sentences. Other options for this area are Objective, Skills or Professional Profile.
Functional resumes focus on skills rather than experience. This approach is great for students who do not have much experience in their related field and people who have been out of the workforce for some time. You can outline your experience from the classroom along with any transferable skills.
Work experience is listed in reverse chronological order. No need to go into detail on work experience.
Use a profile to briefly describe who you are and what you can bring to the company in one sentence or two: “Goal-oriented leader who is dedicated to customer service and helping others.”
Chronological Resume
Focus on experience rather than skill set
List any education in reverse chronological order with degree in BOLD type. Name degree appropriately; for instance, use Associate of Science instead of AS. You may also list any accomplishments such as Dean’s List or Phi
Theta Kappa in this area.
List your places of employment, with title and years worked, with most recent first. This is where you would list your responsibilities, highlighting your experience with three to five bullet points. Remember: If the job is in the present, use present tense when describing current job responsibilities; use past tense for experience in the past.