Constructing Your Resume

To begin, you need to be able to specifically answer the following information:

1. What work experiences have you had? Which are field related? What were your responsibilities? What technology or procedures have you had experience with?
2. What are your achievements while working?
3. What special aptitudes and skills do you have? For instance, software or advance testing methods.
4. Honors and Awards? Special College achievements?
5. What special projects have you completed in your field?
6. What is your G.P.A.?
7. Did you earn your college expenses?
8. What was your minor? Or are their any courses that you took that apply to the job in question?
9. Are you willing to leave lovely Fort Valley?
10. Do you belong to any professional organizations? As an officer?
11. Are you fluent in a second language?
12. Do you have military experience, especially specific military training in relevant areas?
13. Who is willing to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf???

Determine what employers in your field are seeking. Head to the library and research the firms you would like to work for. See the kind of employee they are looking for and contact them to see what specific attributes they are seeking.

Planning the resume:

Information to include

• Personal info: name, address, phone, email
• Educational info : degree, name of college, major, date of grad or anticipated grad
• Work history: list of jobs held, employing companies, dates, duties, and a career objective.
• Achievements: g.p.a., awards and honors, special aptitudes and skills, work achievements, etc.

Types of resume:

1. Chronological, which includes:

• career objective states the position you are seeking (don't be ridiculous, though)
• summary (optional) a mini resume that emphasizes the key points. It might look like this:
  • Summary
  • Gained extensive intern experience at Nu-Way Weiners
  • Worked with WordPerfect, Cash Register, and steamer
  • Graduated with honors in Criminal Justice from Fort Valley State University
• personal data name, contact information, place to contact for credentials and letters of reference.
• educational history Just give relevant info here. Mine would look like this:
  B.A. Morehead State University, May 1984
  Major: Radio/Television
  Minors: Public Relations and Philosophy
  GPA: 3.92/4.0
  M.A. Miami University, June, 1985
  Area: Speech Communication
  Ph.D.: Ohio University, August, 1988
  Area: Rhetoric and Public Address
  You could also include key courses which are relevant to the position you are seeking.
• work history name of company, job title, duties.

When you order the entries on the page, remember that the top part of each section is most visible, so be sure the most important information is on top.

Other forms of resumes:

Functional, which is structured like this:

• objective
• summary (optional)
• personal data
• education
• work
• skills

A standard resume is organized like this:

• Objective
• Summary
• Personal Data
• Education
• Work and Skill Sections

Writing the Resume

Follow these guidelines:

1. Triple check accuracy, spelling, etc...then check again.
2. Keep it easy to read
3. Indicate main divisions with headers flushed left
4. Boldface key words (job titles, names of majors) use underlining sparingly
5. Use bullet lists
6. Single space entries, but double space around them
7. Use 1 inch margins and a 9 or 10 point font
8. Treat each items consistently.
9. Print the thing on good quality paper. The best plan is to have paper that matches for resume, letter of application, and envelope.

Back to The Proposal

On to Interviewing

All the way back to Eng 2053 Topics Page