Resume Writing &

LinkedIn or beLeftOUT

Presented by Ellen Kelly Daley

Career Services Center

What is a Resume?What is a Resume?

• Summary of your professional Summary of your professional history and qualificationshistory and qualifications

• Your opportunity to interest an Your opportunity to interest an employer, introduce yourself, employer, introduce yourself, and get an interviewand get an interview

Purpose of a ResumePurpose of a Resume

• Give a first impression!Give a first impression! Companies will judge you by content, Companies will judge you by content,

layout, layout, language, grammar language, grammar & tone& tone

10-second review max!10-second review max!

• During an interview: resume is a During an interview: resume is a discussion guidediscussion guide

Resume FormatsResume Formats

• Reverse ChronologicalReverse Chronological Employment history organized: most Employment history organized: most

recent position firstrecent position first Highlights accomplishments within Highlights accomplishments within

each positioneach position Recruiters and employers often prefer Recruiters and employers often prefer

this formatthis format Can reveal employment gaps or lack Can reveal employment gaps or lack

of experienceof experience

Resume FormatsResume Formats• FunctionalFunctional

Focuses on areas of skillFocuses on areas of skill Draws attention to accomplishments rather Draws attention to accomplishments rather

than job titlesthan job titles Good for career changers or gaps in Good for career changers or gaps in

employment historyemployment history MayMay make recruiters suspicious make recruiters suspicious

Sample Resume

Targeted ResumeTargeted Resume

• Prepared with a specific position Prepared with a specific position or employer in mindor employer in mind

• Features Features most significantmost significant qualificationsqualifications

• Grabs employer’s attentionGrabs employer’s attention• Educates the employer about Educates the employer about

your backgroundyour background• Illustrates the type of results you Illustrates the type of results you

can producecan produce

Resume Writing StyleResume Writing Style• Use present tense for current jobUse present tense for current job• Use past tense for previous jobsUse past tense for previous jobs• Don’t use pronouns: “I, We, They”Don’t use pronouns: “I, We, They”• Complete sentences and periods are Complete sentences and periods are

not necessarynot necessary• Don’t over-abbreviate Don’t over-abbreviate

Names of associations, clubs, Names of associations, clubs, etc.etc.

Resume AppearanceResume Appearance• One page preferred, except as One page preferred, except as

dictated by industrydictated by industry• Bonded paper (24-60 lbs.) in a Bonded paper (24-60 lbs.) in a

professional color: white, cream, light professional color: white, cream, light graygray

• Laser-printedLaser-printed• Standard Fonts (Arial or Standard Fonts (Arial or Times New Times New

RomanRoman) in 10-12.5-pt. ) in 10-12.5-pt. • Margins: use white space to frame Margins: use white space to frame

(1” ideal)(1” ideal)• Emphasize points with bullets •, Emphasize points with bullets •,

UPPERCASE, UPPERCASE, boldbold, , italics italics (do not (do not overuse, however)overuse, however)

Other General Resume InfoOther General Resume Info

Do not include high school, nor Do not include high school, nor any high school activitiesany high school activities

Resume Content OverviewResume Content Overview

• Contact info: Name, address, Contact info: Name, address,

telephone, and e-mailtelephone, and e-mail Include LinkedIn Profile in contact Include LinkedIn Profile in contact

info (Twitter, Blog, Facebook info (Twitter, Blog, Facebook

if appropriate)if appropriate)

• EducationEducation• ExperienceExperience• Skills (computer, language, etc.)Skills (computer, language, etc.)

EducationEducation

• Include expected graduation date, Include expected graduation date, major, minor, etc.major, minor, etc.

• Can include GPA if over 3.5 Can include GPA if over 3.5 • Can include study abroad Can include study abroad

experience and community college experience and community college (reverse chronological)(reverse chronological)

• Can include special coursework, Can include special coursework, projects, honors & awardsprojects, honors & awards

ExperienceExperience

Include job title, name of company, Include job title, name of company,

location, dates, description of location, dates, description of

responsibilities & results producedresponsibilities & results produced Doesn’t have to be paid experienceDoesn’t have to be paid experience Include information that supports Include information that supports

job objective – job objective – be specificbe specific Create a “Relative Experience” Create a “Relative Experience”

section if neededsection if needed

Experience (continued)Experience (continued)

Use Use accomplishment statements:accomplishment statements:

Action Verb + Object + Context + Results Include quantifiers (numbers!) as much as

possible Did you:Did you:

Achieve same results with fewer resources?Achieve same results with fewer resources? Improve a task, function or process?Improve a task, function or process? Initiate a new undertaking?Initiate a new undertaking? Surpass accepted standards?Surpass accepted standards?

Accomplishment StatementsAccomplishment Statements(continued)(continued)

• Emphasize accomplishments related Emphasize accomplishments related to responsibilities in target jobto responsibilities in target job

• Ex: “Achieved and maintained 30% Ex: “Achieved and maintained 30% annual sales growth over four-year annual sales growth over four-year period”period”

• Ex: “Improved service efficiency and Ex: “Improved service efficiency and customer satisfaction by 20% by customer satisfaction by 20% by streamlining responses to customer streamlining responses to customer requests” requests”

SkillsSkills

• Languages: Languages: Specify language and Specify language and degree of fluency (i.e. fluent, degree of fluency (i.e. fluent, proficient, conversational, written, proficient, conversational, written, spoken)spoken)

• Computer: Computer: Name both hardware Name both hardware and softwareand software

• Other skills and abilities that make Other skills and abilities that make you stand out from the crowd, if you stand out from the crowd, if relevant relevant

• No need for an “Interests” sectionNo need for an “Interests” section

Things to AvoidThings to Avoid

• Personal information: social security Personal information: social security number, marital status, height, number, marital status, height, weight, citizenship, healthweight, citizenship, health

• Hobbies (unless unusual or related Hobbies (unless unusual or related to target job), political or religious to target job), political or religious affiliationsaffiliations

• References (use a separate page for References (use a separate page for these)these)

• Salary historySalary history

Final Resume PointersFinal Resume Pointers

• Put your best foot forward - be proud Put your best foot forward - be proud of your accomplishments! of your accomplishments!

• Be honest – would former Be honest – would former supervisors agree with what you’ve supervisors agree with what you’ve included?included?

• Ask a few people to review your Ask a few people to review your resume: is it clear, specific, and to-resume: is it clear, specific, and to-the-point?the-point?

• Proofread, proofread, proofread!Proofread, proofread, proofread! Don’t assume employers won’t catch Don’t assume employers won’t catch little mistakeslittle mistakes

LinkedInLinkedIn

What is LinkedIn?What is LinkedIn? A professional social network consisting A professional social network consisting

of of 43 million professionals43 million professionals!!!!!!

Check out the Student Guide to Check out the Student Guide to LinkedIn:LinkedIn:

http://learn.linkedin.com/students/step-1/

Why use LinkedIn?Why use LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the leading professional LinkedIn is the leading professional network on the web, enabling you to:network on the web, enabling you to: Connect with classmates, faculty, and Connect with classmates, faculty, and family professionallyfamily professionally

Find new opportunities for internships Find new opportunities for internships and full time positionsand full time positions

Manage what potential employers learn Manage what potential employers learn about you from the Internetabout you from the Internet

Makes it so much easier to make Makes it so much easier to make connections and leverage those connections and leverage those connectionsconnections

Build Build YourYour Professional Professional BrandBrand Be aware that employers use social Be aware that employers use social

networks as part of their scouting networks as part of their scouting activitiesactivities

Focus on an appropriate photo, Focus on an appropriate photo, smart headline, and rich summarysmart headline, and rich summary

Reach out to faculty and summer Reach out to faculty and summer employers to get great employers to get great recommendationsrecommendations

What if you don’t know any What if you don’t know any “real” professionals?“real” professionals? Start building your professional network by Start building your professional network by

connecting to friends and family, then connecting to friends and family, then move on to alumni connectionsmove on to alumni connections

Join LinkedIn groups for your alumni and Join LinkedIn groups for your alumni and the industry you’d like to work inthe industry you’d like to work in

USF LinkedIn Group: USF LinkedIn Group: USF - University of San Francisco Network

Upload your contact lists from webmail or Upload your contact lists from webmail or Outlook to LinkedInOutlook to LinkedIn

Request introductions from your Request introductions from your connections to grow your network, gain connections to grow your network, gain advice, and open doors to new advice, and open doors to new opportunitiesopportunities

Turn Relationships Into Turn Relationships Into Opportunities Opportunities

Can networking really help you get a Can networking really help you get a job?job?

More than 70% of jobs are found More than 70% of jobs are found through networking. LinkedIn can through networking. LinkedIn can help you:help you: Find jobs through postings on LinkedIn Find jobs through postings on LinkedIn

and tap your network to get a leg upand tap your network to get a leg up Reach out to your existing network to Reach out to your existing network to

find unlisted opportunitiesfind unlisted opportunities Find your way “in” by using company Find your way “in” by using company

pages, groups, and searchpages, groups, and search

Research Career Paths and Research Career Paths and OpportunitiesOpportunities

Search terms that sound Search terms that sound interesting to youinteresting to you

Be a joiner! Join professional Be a joiner! Join professional associations related to your associations related to your interestsinterests

Explore company pagesExplore company pages

Nail the Interview: Nail the Interview: Researching Researching & Prepping for Interviews& Prepping for Interviews

A bit of prep work on LinkedIn can A bit of prep work on LinkedIn can give you a huge edge over other give you a huge edge over other applicants:applicants: Quickly learn the basics about any Quickly learn the basics about any

company—and their competitioncompany—and their competition Find out and prepare for unique job Find out and prepare for unique job

requirements for each positionrequirements for each position Get the inside edge before interviews by Get the inside edge before interviews by

looking up your interviewers to looking up your interviewers to understand their background, and then understand their background, and then tailoring their stories to match their tailoring their stories to match their interviewer’s interests.interviewer’s interests.

Cover LettersCover Letters

• Purpose of a cover letter is to: Purpose of a cover letter is to: Supplement and clarify your Supplement and clarify your

resumeresume Demonstrate how your experience Demonstrate how your experience

fits the specific job description for fits the specific job description for this specific companythis specific company Target, target, target!Target, target, target!

Exhibit your enthusiasm and Exhibit your enthusiasm and knowledge of the companyknowledge of the company

Cover Letters Cover Letters (continued)(continued)

• Heading and IntroductionHeading and Introduction Your address Your address Name and address of the Name and address of the

companycompany Dear Ms. Barbara Smith,Dear Ms. Barbara Smith,

Always use Ms. for a femaleAlways use Ms. for a female Make an effort to find out the name of Make an effort to find out the name of

the hiring manager the hiring manager If not, start with Dear Hiring Manager,If not, start with Dear Hiring Manager,

Cover Letters Cover Letters (continued)(continued)

• Paragraph OneParagraph One Name position you are applying Name position you are applying

forfor Tell where you saw the job postingTell where you saw the job posting If possible, choose two or three If possible, choose two or three

key qualities that are mentioned in key qualities that are mentioned in the job description and name the job description and name them.them.

Cover Letters Cover Letters (continued)(continued)

• Paragraph TwoParagraph Two Support the two or three qualities Support the two or three qualities

mentioned in the first paragraph mentioned in the first paragraph with your past work experience with your past work experience and/or…and/or…

State how your academic career State how your academic career has prepared you well for this has prepared you well for this positionposition

Research the companyResearch the company Company websiteCompany website News articlesNews articles

Cover Letters Cover Letters (continued)(continued)

• Paragraph ThreeParagraph Three Reiterate your interest in positionReiterate your interest in position Request an interview and thank Request an interview and thank

them for their considerationthem for their consideration Make your contact information Make your contact information

(phone and email) easy to find(phone and email) easy to find Let them know when you will Let them know when you will

follow-up (if possible)follow-up (if possible)

Reference SheetReference Sheet

• Develop separate page of 3-5 Develop separate page of 3-5 academic or professional referencesacademic or professional references• Get their permission Get their permission • Let them know about your search Let them know about your search • Provide them with your updated Provide them with your updated

resumeresume• Include their name, title, company Include their name, title, company

address and daytime phone numberaddress and daytime phone number• Don’t send references to employers Don’t send references to employers

unless asked (usually after at least unless asked (usually after at least one interview)one interview)

Sample ReferenceSample Reference

Reference for Ima Star :Reference for Ima Star :

Ms. Wanda JonesMs. Wanda Jones

Catering Manager, Hotels-R-UsCatering Manager, Hotels-R-Us

123 Riverside Drive123 Riverside Drive

Wherever, CA 90000Wherever, CA 90000

(444) 111-5555(444) 111-5555

wjones@hotelsrus.comwjones@hotelsrus.com

* Former Manager* Former Manager

Wrap Up and Q & AWrap Up and Q & A

A-ha’s learnedA-ha’s learned Complete EvaluationsComplete Evaluations Other ???Other ???