{"id":512,"date":"2019-06-21T02:11:40","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T02:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/sunyulster227technicalwriting\/?post_type=chapter&p=512"},"modified":"2019-07-22T16:52:12","modified_gmt":"2019-07-22T16:52:12","slug":"resume-sections-and-guidelines","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/sunyulster227technicalwriting\/chapter\/resume-sections-and-guidelines\/","title":{"raw":"11.3 R\u00e9sum\u00e9 Sections and Guidelines","rendered":"11.3 R\u00e9sum\u00e9 Sections and Guidelines"},"content":{"raw":"

KEY SECTIONS OF A R\u00c9SUM\u00c9<\/h2>\r\nWhichever format you choose, employers will expect to see certain key sections. Each number in the list below corresponds to a section on the sample r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that follows; as you read through the list, refer to the sample r\u00e9sum\u00e9 to see how the section appears in context.\r\n\r\nContact Info (1):<\/strong> Create a header that includes your address, telephone number, professional e-mail address, and possibly a link to your Linkedin page.\r\n\r\nHeadline (2) <\/strong>(Also called Summary, Profile or Highlights of Qualifications):<\/strong> include a brief summary of your professional self to grab your reader\u2019s attention. Think of this section as your elevator pitch, offering a quick impression of your personal brand. Include a few relevant achievements or strengths (in bullets or sentences). Headline sections are especially useful for candidates with a long work history, or those who have experienced job transitions. Here are two formulas for a one-sentence headline:\r\n
\r\n

formula 1<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • \u201cAccomplished [job title]\/Certified [industry] professional holding more than [x] years of experience, specializing in [x,y,z].\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    • Accomplished graphic designer with more than ten years of experience, specializing in image editing, web page layout, and font creation.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Certified network security specialist with five years of experience monitoring internal network security at a large corporation, specializing in risk assessment, firewall maintenance, and security procedure updates.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n

      formula 2<\/h3>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      • \u201c[Field of study] graduate seeking an opportunity to focus on [x,y,z,] and promote [desired company\u2019s mission or goal].\u201d<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
          \r\n \t
        • Veterinary technician graduate seeking an opportunity to focus on animal health and well-being, as well as client satisfaction, while promoting the importance of pet fitness and holistic healthcare for pets.<\/li>\r\n \t
        • Honors English literature graduate seeking an opportunity to focus on adult literacy needs and promote reading programs for individuals of all ages.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nHave you been starting your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 with an Objective statement? These days, most experts recommend omitting the objective statement from your r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Objectives too often emphasize what you want from a job, rather than what you can offer an employer, and thus are generally seen as a waste of space.\r\n\r\nSkills\/Achievements\/Qualifications (3):<\/strong> Use sub-headers to group skills into skillset headings (management skills, customer service skills, laboratory skills, communication skills, etc.). Use targeted headings based on the qualifications your potential employer is seeking.\r\n
            \r\n \t
          • Include only the most relevant, targeted skills and achievements.<\/li>\r\n \t
          • Emphasize quantifiable achievements and results: skills, equipment, money, documents, personnel, clients, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t
          • Use the active voice (supervised sixteen employees, increased profits, built websites) vs. the passive voice (was responsible for supervising... or duties included\u2026)<\/li>\r\n \t
          • See\u00a0Building a Better Bullet<\/em>\u00a0below for more information on how to craft an effective skill bullet.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nEmployment Experience (4):<\/strong> List positions in reverse chronological order (most recent first).\r\n
              \r\n \t
            • Include basic information for each job: job title, employer, dates employed, city\/state (and country if outside the U.S.) of employment.- Include internships and skilled volunteer positions (but if you do, title the section \u201cExperience\u201d rather than \u201cEmployment\u201d).<\/li>\r\n \t
            • Consider filtering work experience into \u201cRelated Experience\u201d and \u201cExperience\u201d instead of one employment section to highlight most relevant jobs (and downplay less significant experience).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nEducation (5):\u00a0<\/strong>Place your education section after the headline\/summary section if it is recent and relevant, after the experience section if your stronger qualification is employment experience. List the most current degree\/school attended first, and proceed in reverse chronological order.\r\n\r\nInclude the following information for each educational item: the degree earned, the name of the school, the school\u2019s location, your graduation date or anticipated graduation date. If you are in college, do not include high school unless your high school work was outstanding, unique, or particularly relevant to the job you're applying for (such as a trade\/technology\/arts high school). Also include trainings and certifications (e.g. first aid certifications, sales seminars, writing groups).\r\n\r\nDevelop this section by adding educational accomplishments:\r\n
                \r\n \t
              • Your GPA (if it is 3.0 or better, and if it is expected in your industry)<\/li>\r\n \t
              • Relevant courses<\/li>\r\n \t
              • Special accomplishments (conferences, special papers\/projects, clubs, offices held, service to the school)<\/li>\r\n \t
              • Awards and scholarships (can also be separate section \u2013 Honors)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nOptional Sections (not included in Education):<\/strong>\r\n
                  \r\n \t
                • Volunteer Work: List skilled volunteer work (building websites, teaching classes) under skills, along with your other qualifications, but include general volunteer work (making meals for a soup kitchen, etc.) toward the end of your resume in its own section or under activities.<\/li>\r\n \t
                • Activities:\r\n\u00b7 Don't include a section titled \u201cHobbies\u201d or \u201cOther,\u201d with irrelevant interests.\r\n\u00b7\u00a0Do include interests that may be relevant to the position, but aren\u2019t professional skills (sports for Nike, Eagle Scouting for leadership, golfing for business jobs, game design\/play for game design jobs, blogging for PR jobs, etc.). Market yourself in the best light.\r\n\u00b7Do include honors,<\/strong> awards, publications, conferences attended, languages spoken, etc. You may choose to include a separate honors section or fold these into your skills\/achievements section.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nReferences:<\/strong> Do not list references on your r\u00e9sum\u00e9. You may want to state that references are available on request. Create a separate References page that you can send to the employer on request. Generally, three references are sufficient. The most important references are your superiors, but you can also use co-workers, clients, or instructors. Before listing people as references, contact them to verify their willingness to act as a reference. Your References page should match the look of your cover letter and your r\u00e9sum\u00e9, and it should be ready to send as soon as you hear from the employer.\r\n
                  \r\n\r\nMIA SANTIAGO\u00a0(1)\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n123 Four Street \u00b7 City 10110 \u00b7 123.456.7890\r\nmsantiago@example.com \u00b7 www.website.com\r\n\r\nPROFILE:\u00a0(2)\u00a0<\/strong> Business student with extensive retail experience and award-winning customer service skills. Successfully implemented social media presence and branding to improve sales. Strong written communication and graphic design background. Fluent in Spanish.\r\n\r\nEDUCATION:\u00a0(3)\u00a0<\/strong>A.A.S. Business (Will Graduate 2018)\r\nPortland Community CollegeAdditional Coursework in Graphic Design\r\nGreat Sales Seminar, 2015, 2016\r\nCustomer Service Training, Macy\u2019s, 2015\r\n\r\nSKILLS\u00a0(4)<\/strong>\r\n\r\nCustomer Service<\/strong>\r\nReceived \u201cOutstanding Customer Service\u201d Award, 2016\r\nAssisted up to 100 customers daily in locating merchandise and making purchasing decisions\r\nIncreased monthly sales approximately $1,000 by utilizing add-on sales techniques\r\nSupported customers by fielding and resolving key concerns\r\nEffectively handled irate customers and complaints in a friendly, patient manner\r\n\r\nMerchandising\/Marketing<\/strong>\r\nAssisted manager in analyzing sales and marketing trends for purchasing seasonal merchandise\r\nLaunched and managed social media presence to increase sales\r\nCreated innovative in-store displays and promotional materials\r\nStocked, priced, and inventoried merchandise\r\n\r\nAdministrative<\/strong>\r\nProduced daily, weekly, and monthly sales reports\r\nBalanced cash drawer with consistently high level of accuracy\r\n\r\nEXPERIENCE\u00a0(5)<\/strong>\r\nRetail Associate, Macy\u2019s, Portland, OR Dec 15 \u2013 present\r\nSales Representative, Target, Portland, OR Sept 14 \u2013 Dec 15\r\nServer, Otis Caf\u00e9, Lincoln City, OR Jan 12 \u2013 Sep 14\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

                  R\u00c9SUM\u00c9 GUIDELINES<\/h2>\r\nThe following tips will help you write a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that adheres to the conventions employers expect. Lose the fluff; include the expertise.\r\n

                  Personal Pronouns (Me & I)<\/h3>\r\nThe convention in a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is to write in sentence fragments that begin with active verbs. Therefore, you can leave out the subjects of sentences. Example: \u201cI eliminated the duplication of paperwork in my department by streamlining procedures\u201d would become \u201cEliminated paperwork duplication in a struggling department by streamlining procedures.\u201d\r\n

                  Quantifiable Skills<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nThe more detail\u2014particularly quantifiable detail\u2014you use to present your skills and achievements, the more authoritative you will sound. This means including references to technologies and equipment you have used; types of documents you have produced; procedures you have followed; languages you speak; amounts of money you have handled; numbers of employees you have supervised or trained; numbers of students you have taught; technical languages you know; types of clients you have worked with (cultural backgrounds, ages, disability status \u2013 demographic information that might be relevant in your new workplace); graphic design, blogging or social media skills; and so on.\r\n

                  Filler Words (Fluff)<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nAvoid generic, filler words that can be found on many r\u00e9sum\u00e9s in spite of the fact that these words don't suggest meaningful skills. Filler words include: team player<\/em>, results-oriented<\/em>, duties include<\/em>, fast-paced<\/em>, and self-motivated<\/em>. If you feel you must use these phrases, find concrete examples to back them up. For example, instead of using team player<\/em>, reference a time you collaborated with peers to earn a good grade on a project, save your company money, or put on a successful work event.\r\n

                  Results<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nIn at least one place in your r\u00e9sum\u00e9, preferably more, make mention of a positive impact (or result) of your skills or achievements. How did you create positive change for your employer, coworkers or customers? Did you resolve a customer complaint successfully? Did you make a change that saved your employer money? Did you build a website that increased traffic for your client? Did you follow safety procedures and reduce workplace injuries?\r\n

                  Targeted Bullets (Two Skill-Bullet Formulas)<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nEach skill-bullet may need to go through a few revisions before it shines. Here are two formulas to help you strengthen your bullets.\r\n
                  \r\n

                  skill-bullet formulas<\/h3>\r\n

                  Formula 1: Verb + Details = Results<\/p>\r\n

                  Formula 2: Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nStart your bullet with an action verb that describes a skill or achievement. Follow it with the details of that skill or achievement, and then describe the positive impact of your achievement. For example:\r\n

                    \r\n \t
                  • Developed (VERB) new paper flow procedure (DETAILS), resulting in reduced staff errors and customer wait times (RESULT)<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Provided (VERB) friendly customer-focused service (DETAILS) leading to customer satisfaction and loyalty (RESULT)<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Organized (VERB) fundraising event (DETAILS) generating $xxx dollars for nonprofit (RESULT)<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Provided (VERB) phone and in-person support for patients with various chronic and acute health issues (DETAILS & RESULT COMBINED)<\/li>\r\n \t
                  • Supported (VERB) 8-10 staff with calendaring, files, and reception (DETAILS), increasing workflow efficiency (RESULT)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nDevelop your bullets by going into detail about how you accomplished the goal and why it matters to your potential employer. Compare the following three versions of the same skill bullet:\r\n\r\nFirst Draft:<\/strong> Participated in a leadership program\r\nSecond Draft:<\/strong> Selected as one of 125 for year-long professional development program for high-achieving business students\r\nFinal Draft:<\/strong> Selected as one of 125 participants nationwide for year-long professional development program for high-achieving business students based on leadership potential and academic success\r\n\r\nNote how the third version is not only the most specific, but it is the one that most demonstrates the \u201cso what\u201d factor, conveying how the applicant\u2019s skills will benefit the potential employer.\r\n

                    Key Terms<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nRemember, use key terms you gathered in your pre-writing, preparation phase (from the job description, research into your field, and the \u201caction verb\u201d list presented earlier in this chapter). If your potential employer is using a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 -scanning program, these key terms may make the difference between getting an interview or a rejection.\r\n

                    Length<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nR\u00e9sum\u00e9 length is a much-debated question, and guidelines change as the genre changes with time. In general, the length of a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 should be no longer than one or (at most) two pages. Some fields, however, may have different length conventions (academic r\u00e9sum\u00e9s, for example, which include publications and conference attendance, tend to be longer). If your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is on the longer side, your work history should justify the length. Some experts recommend one page per ten years of work history; while that may be extreme, it is better to cut weaker material than to add filler.\r\n

                    Design<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nR\u00e9sum\u00e9 design should enhance the content, making it easy for the reader to quickly find the most significant and relevant information. See the chapters on Document Design for overall design tips.\r\n

                    Field-Specific Conventions<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nYou may find that there are certain conventions in your field or industry that affect your choices in writing your r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Length, formality, design, delivery method, and key terms are just some of the factors that may vary across disciplines. Ask faculty or professional contacts in your field about employers\u2019 expectations, visit your school\u2019s career center, or conduct web research to make informed field-specific choices.\r\n
                    \r\n

                    a few general design guidelines<\/h3>\r\n