RÉSUMÉ PREPARATION

 

TYPES OF RÉSUMÉS

Chronological: This type of résumé is the most common and lists your education and previous work experiences, along with job descriptions in reverse chronological order. It is easy to understand and prepare. When preparing this style, remember to emphasize your strong points and transferable skills when describing your work experience and education.

 

Functional: This format lists your skills and accomplishments at the top of the résumé and your work history and education at the end. It can be organized to highlight a variety of skills acquired through non-employment experience. This type works well with job seekers who have skills gained from school projects and volunteer work; as well as those who have little related work experience, have made a significant career changes and have long work history gaps.

 

Combination: This style lists your skills and accomplishments at the beginning but also includes a detailed work history. It will showcase your skills acquired through projects and lists previous work experience. This is usually the best format for students just out of school.

 

LAYOUT TIPS

• Font: use font that is clear, sharp and large enough to read without squinting. Avoid using too much script or changing your font every section. Be consistent with the font style that you choose. Consider “Arial” or “Times Roman”.
  

• Layout of the Information: do not crowd the information and at the same time, do not have overly large empty spaces. Both pages of your résumé should use up the same space. Use at least one inch of margin on all sides, and lots of room between blocks of text, double space between job or education listings, triple space between categories.
  

• To make your credentials leap off the page, apply different effects (but remain consistent with the one you choose, and do not over use or it will loose its effectiveness) i.e.: Bullets; Underlining; Bold; UPPERCASE letters; Italics
  

• Things that you should accent: main headings, your name, your job titles or names of companies you work for, name of the school you attended, and impressive accomplishments.
  

• Printing: good quality paper, i.e. “24 pound linen or bond stock available in any print shop”.
  

• Colour: do not choose a colour that is too off the wall – white, off-white and light gray are the most used colours.
  

• Make sure that your résumé is not crumples, or full of coffee stains. When mailing your résumé use and 8 ½ by 11 envelope so you do not have to fold your résumé.

 

DESCRIBING YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

A good résumé is an “Achievement Based” résumé. It not only tells what you did, but how successful you were at what you were doing. I know that you are going to say that your work history has nothing great to show or tell ! NOT TRUE !! Everyone has achievements. To find them start by scanning your past for statistics. When boasting about your achievements, always discuss the RESULTS of your actions. i.e.: When you modified the filing system, did you enhance the efficiency of the office? Then say so.

 

EDUCATION

• It is not enough to state that you went to Canadian Business College and graduated with Network Technician Diploma. You must describe your education and what you accomplished.

• If you are a first time job seeker in the field and have little work experience, your educational history should come first.

• List post-secondary education in descending chronological order, starting with the school you attended most recently. If you have jumped around from school to school, list only your most recent institution and add only another school if it strengthens your résumé.

• Do not list high school, unless you came straight from high school to Canadian Business College, or had outstanding accomplishments.

• Include a list of relevant courses, projects, computer knowledge, and equipment knowledge.

• List any awards, achievements, and your grade point average (if over 3.0).

 

PERSONAL INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES

• Keep your interest statement short, unless you have an outstanding record of accomplishment in your extracurricular life.

• Do not include controversial interests or interests indicating your religious affiliations or political preferences.

• Mention fluency in other languages.

• List special accomplishments or any leadership positions you have held.

 

WORK HISTORY

Format Rules

• Start your work history section with your most recent job, list previous positions in descending chronological order.

• If you held several part-time jobs simultaneously, avoid confusion by indications that the positions were part-time beside the dates.

• Do not list the street address of the company, your supervisor’s name or number.

• It can be advantageous to put your job title in bold so that it stands out.

• If you have too many previous positions to include on your résumé, choose three or four to describe in detail and then summarize the remainder at the end of your work history section by having an “Additional Experience” section.

• People read from left to right; use the left column for your most impressive details – either your job title or company name; things like dates should be justified to the far right hand side.

 

Describing Your Job Responsibilities

• List your job duties and responsibilities in simple term.

• List all tools and equipment that were required to do your job.

• What self-management or transferable skills were needed for your position?

• What special job related skills or knowledge was needed for your position?

• What did YOU do well or accomplish in your position?

 

REFERENCES

• References are not to be included on your résumé. State that they are available upon request and then list them on a separate sheet of paper for presentation at the employer’s request.

• References can come from the following areas: employment, volunteer work, education or personal.

• Before giving a reference, be sure to obtain permission from the person concerned.

• The paper should be of the same colour and quality as that used for your résumé and covering letter.

• Indicate your name and the word “References” at the top of the page.

 

 

SAMPLE RÉSUMÉ