Resume Writing

Resumes and application forms are two ways to provide employers with written evidence of your qualifications and skills. Generally, the same information appears on both a resume and an application form. The way it is presented differs.

Some employers prefer a resume and others require an application form. This booklet presents the basic information to include in your resume.

You want to apply for a job. Do you need a resume? That depends on the kind of job you’re applying for.

RESUME REQUIRED

• Professional, technical, administrative and managerial jobs.
• Sales positions.
• Secretarial, clerical, and other office jobs.

RESUME SOMETIMES REQUIRED

• Skilled jobs

(Examples: Baker, Hotel Clerk, Electrician, Drafter, Welder)

RESUME NOT REQUIRED

• Unskilled, quick turnover jobs

(Examples: Fast Food Server, Laborers, Machine Loader, Cannery Worker, etc.)

There are many ways of organizing a good resume. Depending on the job, you should choose the format that best highlights your skills, training, and experience.

A resume must be very easy to read so that an employer can see at a glance who you are, where you can be reached, what kind of work you can do, and why you’re qualified for that kind of work.

A resume should be short, preferable one page typewritten. It must be error free. It includes honest, positive information that is related to your job goal.

A good resume will open the door for an interview.

When do you use a resume?

• To respond to a want ad
• To give an employer more information about you than the job application gives
• To send to a company you’d like to work for
• To give to an interviewer so he or she will ask you about the positive things on your resume you want to talk about
• To leave with an employer after an interview as a reminder of your skills and abilities

Tips for good resumes

You need two types of information to prepare your resume:

1. Self information. Completing a background and experience list will give you the self information required to prepare your resume.

• If you’ve worked before, list your jobs. Next, write down the work duties for the jobs you’ve listed. Now, think about the skills or talents it took to do each work duty. Write them down.
• List your hobbies, clubs you belong to, sports you’ve been involved in, church and school activities, and things that interest you. Look at the first item on your list. Think about the skills or talents it takes to do that item. Write them all down.
• Look at the abilities (talents) identified on your background and experience list. You have talents that you use everyday. Now, find out what JOBS can use your talents.
• Don’t limit yourself. The important thing is not the job title, but the skills and abilities of the job.

2. Job information. Gather specific information on the job you’re applying for. Here’s what you need:

• Job duties (to match your skills to the skills needed to do the job). Get your job duties from the job announcement. If the job announcement or ad is vague, call the employer and ask for a description of job duties.
• Education and experience required (again, so you can match your education and experience with that required for the job).
• Hours and shifts usually worked.
• Pay range (make their top offer the minimum acceptable!).

Selecting information for your resume

The best way to select information that belongs on your resume is to think like an employer. Ask yourself, "If I were hiring a person for this position, what training and experience would be related?" Give brief, specific, positive information that would be of interest to your next employer. Do not give unrelated or negative information.

A standard resume should include...

Contact information

Tell the employer your full name, street address, apartment number, city, state, zip code and telephone number (including area code).

Employment goal or job objective

Tell the employer the specific job you are interested in. Good examples are, "An entry-level clerical position", "A customer-service position in the retail industry", or, "A manufacturing position utilizing my five years of quality control experience."

Avoid vague statements like, "A position with growth potential", or, "A challenging position with a stable company." Remember, keep it simple and to the point.

Summary of Qualifications

Tell the employer your major selling points in 3-5 lines. Be brief, summarize, give facts — not opinions.

Work Experience or Work History

Tell the employer about your work experience in one of two ways — either by job titles and dates, or by functions and skills. Later in the publication you will see outlines and sample resumes which will help you decide which way would work best for you.

Education

Tell the employer about any job-related training or education. List your most recent training first.

If you are a recent graduate with little work experience, you might want to list the following information before your work history: the name of the school, the degree or certificate received, dates, course titles related to your job goal, scholarships, honors, grades, and extracurricular activities.

If you have been working for over five years, you don’t need to give as much information about your education. Name the school, city, state, degree or certificate, or course work and dates (dates are optional).

Include your high school unless you have a higher degree. Never include your grade school or middle school.

Military Experience

Tell the employer the branch of service, your highest rank, type of discharge, and date of separation. List any special assignments, duties, clearances, collateral duties, and decorations that relate to the job that you are seeking. Technical military training can be listed under the Education heading on your resume. (A Military heading is only listed if you have military experience.)

Special Skills and Abilities

Tell the employer any other information you feel might help you. (This section is optional.) You might want to include information about knowledge of foreign languages, volunteer or leisure activities, memberships in professional organizations, special skills such as typing, computers, machines you can operate, licenses or certificates you possess. Do not provide personal information such as your age, sex, marital status, or handicaps.

References

Tell the employer simply that, "References are available upon request," or, "References gladly furnished upon request." Do not list references on your resume. Instead, have them typed on a separate sheet of paper and have them available if the employer asks for them. You should have three to five references listed. They should be people who know you and your work — not your relatives. Be sure to get each person’s permission to use him or her as a reference.

Resume Outlines and Examples

The following pages have outlines and examples of two of the most commonly used basic resumes.

Example 1 lists each job separately, starting with your most recent job and working backward. Specific information is given about each job.

Example 1: Outline and resume

Example 2 lists the 3-5 skill areas or functions you performed that are related to your present job goal, briefly describing the work you’ve done within each area. Very little attention is given to when and where.

Example 2: Outline and resume

Cover Letter

Most employers prefer that a resume be mailed with a letter of introduction. This letter is called a cover letter. A cover letter should tell the employer which position you are interested in and why you are qualified for the position.

It should cover 1/3 to 2/3 of an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of paper and should be on the same size, grade, and color of paper as your resume. It is best to use a personal computer, word processor or typewriter to write your cover letter. Some information in your cover letter may also be on your resume; it is all right to have some overlapping information. Be sure your letter does not have spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors. Have another person proofread it before you mail it.

Example 3: Cover letter

Application Letter: An Alternative to a Resume

In some situations, a traditional resume might not be the best way to contact an employer. Depending on the employer’s preference, the field of work and your qualifications, you may want to use a Letter of Application.

This is a personal letter you write to an employer that tells which position you are interested in and why you are qualified for that position. It should fill 1/2 to 2/3 of an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of white or light-colored bond paper. It must be error free. Have another person look it over to make sure it is perfect before you mail it.

An outline and a sample for a Letter of Application follow.

Example 4: Application letter

Resume Checklist

Use 8-1/2" x 11" paper, 1-2 pages

Choose ivory, white, cream, buff or light gray paper

Use personal computer, word processor, typewriter or typesetting

Keep margins 1" wide at sides and bottom

Check for and correct any spelling, punctuation, typing or grammatical errors

Write short and to-the-point statements

Keep it brief; write a summary, not a life history!

Use short phrases beginning with action words to demonstrate accomplishments and results

Provide positive and honest information

Use a simple, professional, easy-to-read style

Have others look it over to make sure it’s perfect

Leave off personal information such as height, weight, age, sex, marital status

Emphasize important information by underlining or using capital letters when appropriate, but don’t overdo it

Don’t list wages, company street addresses, references, salary requirements, personal problems

Provide examples of your qualifications

Look at your resume through the eyes of an employer and ask yourself, "If I were an employer, would I want to interview this person?"

Application forms

Resumes are required for some jobs, and are sometimes required for other jobs. An employer may have you complete an application form instead of submitting a resume. On some occasions, an employer may ask you to complete an application in addition to your resume.

When you fill out an application form, make sure you fill it out completely and follow all instructions. Do not omit any requested information and make sure that the information you provide is correct.

Resume Worksheet

Step 1: Read this brochure.

Step 2: Review the samples provided in this brochure.

Step 3: Tear out and complete this worksheet

Step 4: Write your resume using the information from your worksheet.

Step 5: Check it for errors. Have others check it, too.

Step 6: Have your resume word processed, typed, or typeset.

Step 7: You’re ready! Now USE YOUR RESUME!

Name

Address

City/State/Zip Code

Telephone (with Area Code)

EMPLOYMENT OBJECTIVE (optional)

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE: List most recent jobs first.

1. Job Title:

Job Duties/Accomplishments:

Company Name:

City, State:

Dates of Employment (year to year):

2. Job Title:

Job Duties/Accomplishments:

Company Name:

City, State:

Dates of Employment (year to year):

3. Job Title:

Job Duties/Accomplishments:

Company Name:

City, State:

Dates of Employment (year to year):

SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

EDUCATION:

Technical School and/or College:

City, State: Dates Attended:

Degree/Certificate or courses taken:

High School:

City, State: Dates Attended:

Diploma or courses taken:

MILTARY EXPERIENCE: (optional and if not used elsewhere on this resume)

Branch of Service:

Highest Rank:

Type of Discharge: Year of Separation:

Duties:

OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE: List job titles/positions you want to show but do not want to go into detail about, i.e. short-term jobs, part-time jobs, volunteer work, etc.

10 Tips for the Effective Resume

1. If possible, use a computer to prepare your resume. There are computer programs that make it easy to produce a professional looking resume. Your Wisconsin Job Center, school, library, or quick print shop can help.
2. Do not include irrelevant personal information (age, weight, height, marital status, etc.).
3. Do not include salary and wages.
4. Center or justify all headings. Don’t use abbreviations.
5. Be positive. Identify accomplishments.
6. Use action verbs. For more information, read the publication, "The Right Words to Use in Your Job Search" (DETJ-9463-P).
7. Be specific. Use concise sentences, Keep it short (one page is best).
8. Make sure your resume "looks good" (neat and readable).
9. Proofread the master copy carefully. Have someone else proofread the master copy carefully.
10. Inspect photocopies for clarity, smudges and marks.