Résumé Writing
Contents
1. 20xx omit reference to the month after the end of the year of graduation e If you changed your program of study include an entry like the following o Candidate for Bachelor of Science Honours Biology University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario 20xx Present o Environmental Studies Geography University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario 20xx 20xx e Check the name of the degree granted e g Bachelor of Applied Science for most engineering students Bachelor of Mathematics for computer science students and list the degree unabbreviated e Multiple entries when referring to more than one program e g Bachelor s Master s arrange entries in reverse chronological order i e most recent first e Incorporate professional development activities e g certification workshops or continuing or distance education courses by changing the heading to Education and Professional Development arranging entries in reverse chronological order Relevant Courses Consider creating this section as a sub heading or as a bullet point of the Education section e Choose three to six courses related to your Job Objective e If the name of the course does not convey its relevance elaborate e g Basic Human Resources Management trained in labour relations and various recruiting and salary negotiation techniques e Prioritize the list or arrange it by themes to prevent the appearance of randomness e Place information in columns for easy rea2. e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb OTHER SECTIONS e g Publications Memberships ACTIVITIES amp INTERESTS Most Recent Position Held Club Organization Team City Province Month Year Month Year e If desired an accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb 2 Most Recent Position Held Club Organization Team City Province Month Year Month Year e If desired an accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb List of activities hobbies separated by commas no dates necessary Appendix E Functional template NAME Academic Level e g 1B and Plan Name co op r sum only University of Waterloo ID co op r sum only Local Address Permanent Address Street Address Web site Street Address City Province and Postal Code Email City Province and Postal Code Phone Number Cell Phone Number Phone Number JOB OBJECTIVE optional for co op r sum e Title of position applying for or area of work SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS or SKILLS SUMMARY Number of years experience in relevant paid or unpaid work Related special knowledge training or certification Relevant accomplishment skill attribute Relevant accomplishment skill
3. sketched sold saved scheduled searched secured serviced selected separated served shaped shared simplified sketched sold solved specified spoke started streamlined strengthened summarized supervised supplied talked taught tended tested traced trained transcribed transformed translated travelled treated trimmed troubleshot tutored uncovered unified updated upgraded utilized validated verified viewed vitalized visualized weighed welded widened won wrote Appendix B Sample experience headings The following skill areas can be used as headings in the experience portion of a functional and modified chronological r sum These are suggestions only you may use many other headings as well Administration Advising Analysis and Evaluation Business Development Business Management Childcare Client Relations Communications Community Liaison Computer Experience Conflict Resolution Consulting Counselling and Development Creativity and Design Crisis Evaluation and Response Customer Relations Customer Service Data Collection Entry Design and Development Electronics Knowledge Equipment Operation Evaluation Analysis Financial Analysis Food Preparation Fundraising Health and Safety Human Resources Management International Experience Leadership Management Mentoring Office Administration Organizational Development Planning Presentation Skills Proble
4. Whether an electronic or paper version your r sum should make a favourable first impression include well organized material use an easy to read serif font e g Times New Roman or Courier 11 12 point size check grammar and spelling and provide up to date information Minimize the use of tabs and highlighting techniques e g bold italics capitals so that your r sum does not look too busy Print your r sum on high quality white or light neutral paper and do not handwrite corrections or use whiteout Write in a positive tone while describing your education experience skills and qualities Don t be shy If you don t believe in yourself how will a potential employer believe in you Nevertheless the r sum must be an honest depiction of your experience and abilities Don t lie or stretch the truth Any misrepresentation will come back to haunt you if not at the interview then on the job Copyright 2005 Career Services University of Waterloo There is no ideal r sum suitable to all job seekers Your goal should be to create a document that reveals your strengths through both your content and your writing style Be enthusiastic confident and focused Major sections of a r sum It is up to you to determine which sections to include in your r sum Job Objective and Summary of Qualifications are typically the first two The remaining sections should be ordered according to their relevance to the job If you
5. for the countries that interest you Job Objective or Career Goal Job Objective often refers to an interim or relatively temporary role whereas Career Goal refers to a longer term position e g Forensic Chemist for a career goal and Summer Camp Counsellor for a job objective Listing an objective is optional on a r sum for co op summer or part time employment however a recent survey of UW co op employers indicated a preference for its inclusion e Ifthe r sum is for an advertised position include the job title in the statement e g Junior Computer Programmer Social Worker or Technical Writer e If the r sum is for an unadvertised position state an area or field of interest e g Public Relations or Health Education Summary of Qualifications or Skills Summary This section provides a concise overview of your qualifications showing the employer how you will offer a competitive advantage Qualifications may be drawn from any area of your life e g work volunteer experience education or other activities Typically include four to six points outlining your relevant strengths beginning with the most relevant to the job Points may begin with nouns or adjectives Describe your competitive advantage the value you offer For example e Three years process engineering experience with key responsibilities in product design and implementation All points in your Summary of Qualifications should be tar
6. have only one or two points to communicate under any section heading consider including the information under an existing heading rather than creating a new one e g include one or two awards as a sub section under Education The content of the first page is especially important An employer may initially spend just a minute or less looking over your r sum so you should position the most important sections on the first page Use key words that are common in the industry to which you are applying and or that are listed in the job advertisement Doing so will increase the chance of your r sum being selected during human or electronic scanning Remember to include dates throughout your r sum If you are concerned that the information in your r sum will reveal your ethnicity or religious political or sexual orientation use generic terms e g Team Leader Local Youth Group The following are possible sections and sub sections of a r sum Contact Information Contact Information refers to information such as name address telephone number email address and web page blog In North America no other personal information e g date of birth marital status or Social Insurance Number SIN is required nor are labels for each piece of information e g Email R sum or Contact Information at the top of the page Co op students should add their academic level plan name and student identification number e
7. of information retrieval Complete statement Designed client database using MS Access doubled speed of information retrieval Although each bullet point should include skill and task components always adding tools and results may be too lengthy Try to include points that use three or all four components several times throughout your r sum especially when demonstrating key achievements R sum styles and templates There are three basic types of r sum s chronological modified chronological and functional The decision to use a particular style depends upon your past work experience and your current objective Chronological r sum e The chronological style is the most common Since employers are most comfortable with this format choose another format only if the chronological r sum does not allow you to market your skills effectively e Organize jobs in reverse chronological order stating o Job Title create an accurate one if you had none o Name of company or organization and location city province Do not include supervisor s name or employer s street address or telephone number o Dates beginning and terminating for full time on going positions of at least one year it is not necessary to include a reference to the months e For jobs you want to include but not in detail add a sub section at the end of Work Experience called Other Work Experience dates if you wish e g 20__ __ with job titles or job tit
8. the award s title e Be selective include no more than six entries Professional Memberships e List current and relevant memberships and include dates to demonstrate length of membership Publications e List in bibliographic format only those publications that would interest the reader If your list is lengthy include only relevant publications using the heading Selected Publications If there is insufficient space to list all relevant publications add Additional publications available upon request as part of a point or as a footer at the end of your r sum e Include work that has been published has been submitted for publication or is in progress e List papers or reports you presented as a guest speaker Languages If you are proficient in several languages and this skill is relevant create a Languages Spoken section e List languages in which you are fluent other than English e Specify your verbal and or written competency level take special care to be accurate in this section because some jobs require fluency Volunteer Experience Format volunteer experience according to the message you wish to convey e If you wish to highlight two or more volunteer activities create a separate heading e g Volunteer Activities Volunteer Experience or Community Service e In this section either list the organizations for which you volunteered or add detail about your contributions beginning each point with an action ve
9. to the position you are seeking e g able to work under pressure consistently meet tight deadlines attentive to detail recognized for being flexible because of willingness to work weekends holidays and evening shifts e Specialized training education e g CPR certification e Fluency in a language other than English specifically noting your level of verbal and or written competency Education How you describe your education depends on your level of study and your graduation status Consider the following options e For students in postsecondary education Candidate for Degree Plan major minor option specialization if desired University Location and Year beginning program e g Candidate for Bachelor of Mathematics Honours Computer Science University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario September 20xx present e Secondary school listing omit reference to your secondary school once you have moved beyond your first year of postsecondary study unless the reference is to a prestigious institution or will add valuable information when the reader considers you for an interview list Diploma High School Location and Year diploma was received e g Ontario Secondary School Diploma ABC High school Any town Any province 20xx include specialization if applicable e For alumni Degree Plan major University Location and Year degree obtained e g Bachelor of Arts History University of Waterloo Waterloo Ontario June
10. IENCE or SKILL heading reflecting type s of work that will be described relevant to job objective Most Recent Job Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb 2 Most Recent Job Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE unless including in XXX YYY Experience or Activities amp Interests Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb
11. Include your name on both pages in the largest heading on page one using a font size larger than that used in the body and the page number on page two e If you will be changing address while your r sum is in circulation note the expected date of your move e g address valid until April 18 20xx e Decide what headings you will use if you need to state two addresses e g Local Present and Home Permanent e When creating a personal email address ensure that it is business like be selective when choosing an email provider because the addresses of some of the more popular ones are rejected by SPAM filtering software e If you cannot answer your phone during business hours make sure you have a reliable message retrieval system with a professional sounding recording or list an alternate number in your r sum e If you include a web page blog make sure it is professional and up to date Your site can include your r sum and or examples of your work e g reports projects thesis code drawings etc e If you have no Canadian work experience and or you may appear to be ineligible to work in Canada note your citizenship as Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident e After graduation foreign students may have opportunities to work in Canada temporarily Decide whether you would like to include a notation about short term employment on your r sum e g Available for one year contract Check the usual employment requirements
12. Please refer to the list of action verbs Appendix A provided Remember that all action verbs are not created equal Verbs like helped assisted participated and worked although technically in the active voice fail to provide a specific picture of what you have done so avoid them them wherever possible If you intend to use such words to show that your role was to participate in but not to lead a project consider using other strategies If you were one member of a two person team consider using co as the prefix to the action verb describing your role e g Co edited user s manual if you were part of a team with 2 members explain your role and end by indicating that others were involved e g Edited user s manual for XYZ software as member of communications team or Edited user s manual for XYZ software in collaboration with supervisor If on the other hand your goal is to hide the fact that your role was minimal omit the statement You may find it helpful to think of the following four components as you begin to write bulleted statements 1 Skill what action you took action verb e g designed 2 Task ways in which you applied skills using descriptors adjectives and nouns e g client database 3 Tools how you performed the task attitude conveyed hardware software or process used e g MS Access 4 Result what outcome you achieved quantified wherever possible e g doubled speed
13. University of Services Waterloo Resume Writing What is a r sum The purpose of a r sum is to get an interview A r sum is like an advertisement it must attract attention create interest and generate action on the part of the reader A good r sum will lead an employer to call you to discuss at an interview how your background and personality fit the organization Since the average employer takes less than one minute to scan a r sum your r sum must be brief no longer than two pages The r sum tells a potential employer what you have done what you can do who you are and what you know It also states what kind of work you seek The r sum must provide enough information to allow the employer to evaluate your qualifications and to convince the employer to invite you for an interview The r sum is more concise than a curriculum vitae CV which is prepared for a teaching research position at a university or for inclusion in an application package for graduate school If you need help writing a CV refer to careerservices uwaterloo ca What do employers want Content Design your r sum to match the position you seek convey the skills and traits you would bring to the job Be sure to demonstrate Your relevant skills knowledge and experience Your personality to ensure your compatibility with the work environment Your general interests Your ability to set and achieve goals Style and appearance
14. atement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits beginning with action verb taken from paid or unpaid work academic or life experience e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits beginning with action verb taken from paid or unpaid work academic or life experience e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits beginning with action verb taken from paid or unpaid work academic or life experience WORK HISTORY full time part time volunteer etc Most Recent Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year 2 Most Recent Title Volunteer Organization City Province Month Year Month Year 3 4 Most Recent Title Part time Organization City Province Month Year Month Year 4 Most Recent Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year OTHER SECTIONS e g Publications Memberships ACTIVITIES amp INTERESTS Most Recent Position Held Club Organization Team City Province Month Year Month Year e If desired an accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb 2 Most Recent Position Held Club Organization Team City Province Month Year Month Year e If desired an accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique act
15. attribute Relevant accomplishment skill attribute EDUCATION or section most related to work being sought Candidate for Degree Name remove Candidate for if completed Plan Specialization Option Institution City Province Start date present or completion date Relevant Courses 3 6 related to objective listed by course name not number Relevant Projects Thesis Awards if not creating separate section Other Diplomas including secondary school if in 1 year of post secondary studies certificates training listed as above with locations and dates XXX EXPERIENCE or SKILL heading reflecting type s of work that will be described relevant to job objective e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits beginning with action verb taken from paid or unpaid work academic or life experience e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits beginning with action verb taken from paid or unpaid work academic or life experience Name p 2 XXX EXPERIENCE or SKILL cont d e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits beginning with action verb taken from paid or unpaid work academic or life experience YYY EXPERIENCE or SKILL heading reflecting type s of work that will be described relevant to job objective e Anaccomplishment st
16. ctions points margins font size style smooth paper no corrections in handwriting etc e Accomplishments Does the document present your qualifications from both theoretical and practical perspectives and cover education skills experience personality etc e Writing presentation Is each point relevant to the job to which you are applying Is your writing clear concise and complete Are your words precise and action oriented Are there any spelling typographic or grammatical errors e Sales appeal Have you told readers in a positive interesting way what you can do for their organization and provided enough proof of expertise that the reader will want to interview you e Contact information Have you provided your name street e mail address es voice fax numbers and website blog address on the top of page one so that an employer can easily reach you Electronic r sum s Changes in technology have changed the recruitment process significantly over the past decade Today most companies accept or request an electronic version of your cover letter and r sum R sum s are sorted and stored in various ways by human resource departments using databases that organize application packages into categories There are five methods by which you may be asked to submit your cover letter and r sum 1 Inside the body of an email using ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange text format Attached as an MS Word docu
17. ded they often diminish clarity e Describe the most relevant points in greater detail e g in an entry about report writing you would include information about literature searches only if that part of the experience was relevant to the job e If your work experience is not directly related emphasize transferable skills e g if you worked as a server and now want to work in an administrative role emphasize your ability to work under pressure stress communicative interpersonal skills attention to detail etc e There is no rule concerning how recent an experience must be to be included on your r sum if it is relevant include it e If you learned something on the job e g how to use a new piece of software but did not have a chance to use it you may include a learned statement e g learned how to use Excel use this approach sparingly e Indicate your level of responsibility e g depositing cash or managing a department during the absence of supervisor and provide evidence of promotion if applicable e Do not use personal pronouns such as my and their or definite and indefinite articles a an or the Awards and Scholarships e State the name of the award the name of the institution from which the award was received and the date it was received e Include important awards from both university and high school in reverse chronological order e Explain the significance of the award if it is not implicit in
18. ding or separate courses with commas if space is an issue e Do not include the course number Project s and or Thesis You may choose to create this section as a sub heading or as a bullet point under the Education section e In italics refer to any relevant project report thesis etc If the title does not indicate a project s scope and relevance use a few words to describe it Laboratory Skills Technical Skills Scientific Instrumentation Certification Consider creating one or more sections to highlight strengths in these areas e Present an overview of qualifications relating to your job objective e If including dates list them in reverse chronological order Work Experience How you format your work experience section depends upon the type of r sum you have chosen Refer to R sum styles and templates for details on the three types Generally e This section could also be referred to as Employment Experience or Relevant Work Experience e Include up to six points outlining your most relevant strengths e List your points in decreasing order of importance for the type of work you are seeking i e most relevant first e In point form describe what you accomplished on the job e Begin each point with an action verb do not use weak verbs such as helped or assisted e Use the present tense for ongoing jobs and the past tense for past jobs e Do not use vague expressions such as responsible for or duties inclu
19. dvantage of promoting r sum s this way however is that your document may not be viewed in its intended format if the browser or browser settings used by the viewer differ from yours Before displaying your r sum to employers and network contacts follow these guidelines e Ensure that your website is professional and contains no information that could reduce your chances of obtaining employment e Proofread your code and edit it if necessary e Review your r sum in various browsers to make sure it is understandable and pleasing to the eye Check font size style bullets colour alignment table formatting screen display etc Consider ways to present your r sum effectively Include your site address URL within the contact information of your cover letter and or r sum calling card and portfolio Refer to your online r sum in any formal or informal meeting interview to generate interest and make yourself stand out from the competition Multimedia format Multimedia also known as Flash r sum s or ePortfolios are most often created on CD or on a webpage and incorporate graphics video color sounds photographs special fonts links to research papers projects and animation They are a unique way of marketing your skills and background Many online companies will help you create your own mostly on a fee for services basis Although such r sum s are becoming more common if you choose to use this type of r sum re
20. geted to your potential employer elaborated on throughout your r sum and accurate Employers indicate that job applicants often falsely claim to possess skills and that such misrepresentation is perceived negatively Precision and accurate wording will help you obtain a job to which you are well suited and in which you can excel Your summary points must reflect the research and other work you have done Consider including key words commonly used in the industry to which you are applying If you are having trouble identifying what to highlight do more research Try typing job description computer engineer or the title of the job you seek into a search engine to discover industry specific words and phrases Include e As a first bullet if applicable your work experience paid or unpaid relevant to the Job Objective e g one year experience in graphic design e Your relevant knowledge skills expertise e g computer proficiency report writing program planning public speaking problem solving e Any education that complements your practical experience e g machine design resource assessment marketing e A general reference to where you developed the skill e g proven leadership skills developed through three summers as camp counsellor Include this level of detail only once or twice so that points do not become too lengthy e Personal characteristics and attitudes however include only those that are relevant
21. highlight the entire document and click Copy e Paste it directly into the message area of your email e Begin the email with your ASCII text cover letter unless requested not to do so by the employer Sending the r sum as an email attachment Click on Attachments in your email system In the Go To section click Browse or Look In Find the file in which your plain text or PDF document is located Click on this file and then press Ok or Attach Your file should show up on your email as an attachment Because of the prevalence of viruses many organizations will not open attachments Unless otherwise directed by the employer submit both an ASCII text document within the body of the email and an MS Word or PDF file attachment leaving the employer to choose which version to view Emailing a PDF file is an increasingly popular alternative to attaching an MS Word document However to view your r sum employers need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on their computers If you choose this method of delivery contact the organization or recipient beforehand to determine which delivery formats are supported When emailing attachments combine the cover letter and r sum into one document because opening or viewing two windows can be frustrating for the employer Consider including a line stating the purpose of your email and that the attachment has been checked by anti virus software Regardless of the format used ensure that
22. ions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb List of activities hobbies separated by commas no dates necessary
23. le you are sure will speak highly of you Be sure that they see your strengths and weaknesses as you see them and discuss what your referee s response might be to potentially embarrassing questions If much time has lapsed between requesting permission to use a reference and a potential call from an employer notify your referee that a call may be forthcoming e Choose someone who has seen you work in situations similar to those in which you would be working in the job to which you are applying you do not need to use your immediate supervisor e Give your referees a copy of the r sum s you have submitted to employers e Have the names addresses and telephone numbers of two to four references on sheets that you can provide to an employer when asked for your references Writing effective bullet points Use bulleted statements throughout your r sum Each bullet point should strongly communicate your qualifications and accomplishments which are relevant to the position If you have only one bullet point in a section find a way to incorporate it into another section Review Major sections for advice on writing bulleted statements in Job Objective or Career Goal and Summary of Qualifications or Skills Summary Any bullet point in the Work Experience Volunteer Experience Education and Activities and Interests sections should begin with an action verb that will create a vivid image of your accomplishment Be concise and avoid repeating verbs
24. les and type of work environment if helpful e g camp counsellor waiter in fast paced truck stop stock clerk in automotive store e If you started or ran your own business refer to it by its proper name and your official title For example you could write o Owner Manager ABC Window Cleaning Toronto Ontario or o Proprietor Residential Window Cleaning Service Toronto Ontario e Chronological template Appendix C Modified chronological r sum e The difference between this type of r sum and the chronological one is the section on work experience e The modified chronological r sum enables you to feature related experience or to move to the top of the section those jobs that would ordinarily be listed after less relevant ones e Replace the words Work Experience with a description about the type of experience be consistent use either all nouns or all adjectives see Sample experience headings Appendix B for examples e Collect in one section all jobs of similar type and list them in reverse chronological order e Write in the past tense for former positions and present tense for current positions e Be sure that the theme word you use to describe each Experience section is descriptive of aspects of the job you stated in your objective e Modified Chronological template Appendix D Functional r sum e The difference between this type of r sum and the chronological one is the section on work experience e A functi
25. m Solving Product Development Program Development Program Planning Programming and Special Events Project Management Public Relations Public Speaking Quality Control Research Sales and Marketing Special Events Coordination Strategic Planning Supervision and Training Systems Development Teaching Team Work Technical Skills Training and Development Trouble Shooting Warehouse Inventory Writing and Editing Writing and Presentation Appendix C Chronological template NAME Academic Level e g 1B and Plan Name co op r sum only University of Waterloo ID co op r sum only Local Address Permanent Address Street Address Web site Street Address City Province and Postal Code Email City Province and Postal Code Phone Number Cell Phone Number Phone Number JOB OBJECTIVE optional for co op r sum e Title of position applying for or area of work SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS or SKILLS SUMMARY Number of years experience in relevant paid or unpaid work Related special knowledge training or certification Relevant accomplishment skill attribute Relevant accomplishment skill attribute Relevant accomplishment skill attribute EDUCATION or section most related to work being sought Candidate for Degree Name remove Candidate for if completed Plan Specialization Option Institution City Province Start date present or completion date Relevant Courses 3 6 related to objective listed by cour
26. member that some employers may not have the equipment necessary to download your r sum properly or at all Research the potential employer s preferences and capabilities before using this type of r sum This format may be most helpful in certain fields e g acting graphic design and advertising Follow up After responding to an online job posting you should usually follow up either by phone or email with the contact person listed on the job advertisement If there is no contact information phone the organization to determine whom to contact Do not follow up however if the employer clearly states No phone calls please Appendix A Action verbs Describe your skills using action verbs Review these sample verbs and select those that apply to you achieved acted adapted addressed adjusted administered advised altered analyzed appraised arbitrated arranged assembled assessed associated audited balanced broadened budgeted built calculated calibrated catalogued categorized chaired classified coordinated coached collected combined communicated compared compiled completed composed computed conducted configured consolidated constructed contracted contrasted controlled converted corrected corresponded counselled created critiqued decided decreased defined delegated delivered demonstrated described designed determined developed devised diagnosed directed discovered di
27. ment or PDF Portable Document Format file Copied and pasted to an online application form using ASCII text format Online in HTML HyperText Markup Language format Multimedia format on Sending the r sum in ASCII text format ASCII text also known as plain text format is a worldwide standard that allows computers to exchange information files and documents Regardless of what operating system you use e g Windows Linux Unix or Macintosh you can transmit or receive ASCII text This technology is used for internet communications including email It is also the format in which employers and job boards have you build online r sum s Note The following advice also applies to ASCII text cover letters Writing an ASCII text r sum e Word process your r sum e To convert the file into ASCII select File then Save As in the menu bar e Inthe File Name box consider saving your attachment as your first and last name e g Jane_Doe_ Application This naming convention will help the organization sort your information e Inthe Save As Type box choose Plain Text txt e A pop up box will appear warning you that saving the document as a text file will cause all formatting pictures and objects to be lost Click Ok to have your document converted automatically e Close and then reopen the document to view the conversion e Keep a copy of your r sum in ASCII text format as a separate file from your word processed copy Fo
28. minated from their database Employers may not ask that you include the Skills Summary or Highlights of Qualifications sections of your r sum on the application form In this case you can simply include the information from these sections in the comments or additional information fields In these fields you might also demonstrate your knowledge of the company to indicate your interest in the organization Before submitting your r sum online read each site s privacy and confidentiality agreement In addition ask yourself e Am comfortable with the site s privacy and confidentiality policies e Whom do I want to see my r sum Do want it to be a private or a public document e How often do I need to update my profile r sum for it to be refreshed within the site s database e How long will my r sum be kept in the database Can resubmit once that time has expired e Can update my r sum easily and at no charge e Why am I posting online Online posting is a great option to supplement your job search but do not use it as your only method Online in a HTML format You can market your r sum by posting it on your personal website using HTML format the language used by the web browser to show web content HTML formatting is relatively simple to learn through online tutorials You can also build your website using any HTML editor e g MS FrontPage Editors are similar to word processing programs One disa
29. ob objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb OTHER SECTIONS e g Publications Memberships ACTIVITIES amp INTERESTS Most Recent Position Held Club Organization Team City Province Month Year Month Year e If desired an accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb 2 Most Recent Position Held Club Organization Team City Province Month Year Month Year e If desired an accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb List of activities hobbies separated by commas no dates necessary Appendix D Modified Chronological template NAME Academic Level e g 1B and Plan Name co op r sum only University of Waterloo ID co op r sum only Local Address Permanent Address Street Address Web site Street Address City Province and Postal Code Email City Province and Postal Code Phone Number Cell Phone Number Phone Number JOB OBJECTIVE optional for co op r sum e Title of p
30. onal format may be useful for individuals who have o Little or no related experience but do have relevant qualifications for the job o Relevant experience but these positions would be lost among the other jobs in a chronological r sum and the modified chronological format would not be suitable o A number of similar work experiences which would require repeating the same points under several job listings o So much material to say that it would take more than two pages to do it e It is essential that you have a good chronological r sum from which to work because it is difficult to think creatively and evaluate information at the same time e Identify three to six major skill areas related to your objective be consistent use either all nouns or all adjectives see Sample experience headings Appendix B for examples e Make sure there is no overlap in meaning when selecting the names for your skill sections as you take each point from your chronological r sum you will then find that it clearly fits in only one section e Take each point in the job description section of Work Experience from your chronological r sum and include it under one of the skill headings you created ensure that each point starts with an appropriate action verb e Since the points are removed from the employers they were associated with you may have to add some generic information on setting population etc example under ABC Parks and Recreation Department in
31. osition applying for or area of work SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS or SKILLS SUMMARY Number of years experience in relevant paid or unpaid work Related special knowledge training or certification Relevant accomplishment skill attribute Relevant accomplishment skill attribute EDUCATION or section most related to work being sought Candidate for Degree Name remove Candidate for if completed Plan Specialization Option Institution City Province Start date present or completion date Relevant Courses 3 6 related to objective listed by course name not number Relevant Projects Thesis Awards if not creating separate section Other Diplomas including secondary school if in 1 year of post secondary studies certificates training listed as above with locations and dates XXX EXPERIENCE or SKILL heading reflecting type s of work that will be described relevant to job objective Job Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb Name p 2 YYY EXPER
32. rb e Include your Volunteer Experience before Work Experience in your r sum if it is more relevant e If your volunteer activities are as impressive as your paid work experience add information on volunteering to your Work Experience section with a notation e g Assistant to Director volunteer e If your volunteer activities are not directly related to the work you are seeking add them to the Activities and Interests section Activities and Interests e Begin by listing organized activities state role e g Member President name of organization location and dates organize entries in reverse chronological order and state if you were elected or appointed to any positions e General interests or hobbies do not require dates e If you have many interests consider including only those that are most relevant to the job to which you are applying e g fitness related interests for a job in a health oriented field References e Although references are very important the notation References Available Upon Request is no longer considered necessary e Generally you should not list referees names and contact information your goal should be to meet with the prospective employer to sell yourself before the employer contacts your referees In addition you do not want your referees to have to answer phone calls until you have reached the interview stage Always ask permission to use someone as a reference Choose only peop
33. rmatting an ASCII text r sum e Proofread and correct your ASCII text r sum to ensure that it is presentable e The font will automatically be converted to Courier New but you must change the font size from 10 points to 11 points or larger e Special formatting e g bolding bullets tabs italics graphics shading lines borders and underlining will not be recognized consider using the following instead o Capital letters or asterisks surrounding font in place of bolding o Dashes in place of horizontal lines or spaces between headings to separate sections of your r sum o Asterisks plus signs or arrows lt in place of bullets e ASCII text automatically left justifies so indent using the space bar instead of tabs e Substitute spaces five is standard for indentations so documents will be symmetrical e Indicate the end of a line by using a hard return i e Enter to ensure correct appearance no wrapping e Include 60 to 80 characters per line and set page margins at 2 e Do not centre text most database systems will not support this feature e Insert page breaks between your pages to prevent the appearance of unwanted spacing between your pages sections and or headings Sending an ASCII text r sum in the body of an email e When submitting your r sum over the Web always copy from your ASCII text file because it will be properly formatted for electronic submission e Open your text r sum document
34. se name not number Relevant Projects Thesis Awards if not creating separate section Other Diplomas including secondary school if in 1 year of post secondary studies certificates training listed as above with locations and dates WORK EXPERIENCE or section 2 most related to work being sought Most Recent Job Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb Name p 2 WORK EXPERIENCE cont d 2 Most Recent Job Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e Anaccomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb e An accomplishment statement relevant to job objective preferably detailing unique actions and benefits to organization beginning with action verb VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE unless including in Work Experience or Activities amp Interests Title Organization City Province Month Year Month Year e An accomplishment statement relevant to j
35. spensed displayed dissected distributed documented doubled drafted drew edited eliminated encouraged enforced engineered enhanced enlarged ensured established estimated evaluated examined expanded expedited explained expressed fabricated facilitated financed finalized fixed forecasted formulated founded generated guided hired hosted identified illustrated implemented improved improvised incorporated increased informed initiated inspected installed instituted instructed integrated interpreted interviewed introduced invented investigated itemized joined judged launched led learned lectured liaised listed located maintained managed marked marketed measured mediated minimized modelled moderated modernized modified monitored motivated narrated navigated negotiated observed obtained ordered organized oriented performed persuaded piloted planned predicted prepared prescribed presented produced programmed projected promoted proofread proposed protected provided publicized published purchased raised received recommended reconciled recorded recruited redesigned reduced referred refined rehabilitated rendered reorganized repaired reported represented researched resolved restored restructured retrieved reviewed revised revitalized saved scheduled searched secured serviced selected separated served shaped shared simplified
36. the subject line includes the job title and a job number or code if one has been provided Sending the r sum in ASCII text format to an online application form e Always copy your r sum from your ASCII text file when submitting your r sum online e Highlight and Copy all text in your r sum document e Go into the online application form and Paste your document directly into the appropriate location e Paste your ASCII text cover letter if asked to do so by the employer Often you will have the option to post your ASCII text cover letter and r sum online to company sites eNetworking groups job banks employment placement services and other forums To submit your application to a database you may be requested to follow a particular process which may include e Registering with the site by completing all necessary fields including contact geographic and demographic information e g name address etc e Responding to general questions to see if your background makes you a good fit for the organization e Obtaining an userid and password to access site information and update your profile e g make changes to your r sum or request email job alerts Ensure that you read each company s instructions and information carefully Employers want to ensure that you can follow directions for example if they ask you to answer a question in twenty words or fewer and your response exceeds the limit you may be automatically eli
37. your chronological r sum you have organized Friday afternoon drop in leisure activities for seniors in your functional r sum add in a recreational setting so that the reader will not wonder in what context medical psychological etc e Try to combine points whenever possible to make clear concise entries the number of points for each function skill should range from three to seven e In formulating the points for each thematic qualification you can also draw upon your academics projects papers etc extracurricular activities and volunteer work as long as the reader knows the setting and does not think you have done the work in one of your paid positions e The Work History section comprises in reverse chronological order a listing of your employment Job title Company Organization Location and Date There are no job description details in this section e Functional template Appendix E Proofreading Before you give your r sum to any potential employer proofread it carefully and have at least one other person review your copy Your computer s spell checker will catch some typing and spelling errors but it will not point out words that have been correctly spelled but incorrectly used e g precious when you meant previous In addition pay attention to the following e Appearance At first glance will the employer find the r sum attractive and want to read it attractive paper weight colour layout of se
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