How to do a resume by Kitty Bucsko

HOW TO DO A RESUME

A recipe for success with step-by-step instructions

KITTY BUCSKO professional-business-writing.com

DEDICATION

Strive always for success and excellence!

CONTENTS Acknowledgments

Introduction

How to Start

Objective

Education

Skills

Work Experience

Achievements

Volunteering

Fits one page?

Resume Tips

Cover Letter

Appendix

Notes

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The experiences of a lifetime.

1 INTRODUCTION – THE RECIPE To start planning, you will need: • •

A planning sheet (see end of this manual) The time to plan what you will include in your resume

When you are ready to create and print, you will need: • • •

Good quality bond paper (whether A4 or ANSI Letter or US Letter) A good quality printer Black ink – no colour

And a proofreader… If you’re ready to get started, let’s go… On the next page are listed the parts of the resume you need to include. We will go through them one-by-one so that you can prepare what you want to include.

The Parts of a Resume The Parts of a Resume are quite similar from one resume to another. However, they may be individualized and personalized to show you at your best. • • • • • • • •

Information section Objective Education Work Experience Skills Achievements Volunteer Activities References 1

HOW TO DO A RESUME In Appendix A is a basic resume prepared for a student who has just graduated as a dental hygienist. • • •

Follow the same format. Add in your own information for your own professional resume. Look it over carefully, please.

If you wish to be sure about the final presentation and ensure that it is going to be professional in appearance, I suggest that you use Times New Roman 12-point font throughout. Also, use single spacing throughout. This format will definitely help you to produce a very attractive and professional document. Under the Home tab and Paragraph settings, in the Paragraph formatting window, choose single spacing.

2 HOW TO START NOTE. When you create your own resume, for the sake of ease, use the same format as shown here â€“ regular letters, solid capitals, or italics. Use the same indents as you see below. Ensure that you have a minimum margin of one inch all round. PERSONAL INFORMATION. The first section is the information section. It tells your personal information. Before you begin, add a few blank lines to the top of the document. Press the Enter key several times to create a few blank lines that will be helpful later. Then, return your cursor to the top of the page. The following graphic shows the paragraph marks and other hidden formatting symbols.

With your cursor at the top of the page, and a few other blank lines below the cursor, you are ready to begin. From the menu bar at the top of the screen, choose the Insert tab and then Text Box. Click the simple text box.

HOW TO DO A RESUME

The text box opens at the top of your page.

See below.

[Grab your readerâ€™s attention with a great quote from the document or use this space to emphasize a key point. To place this text box anywhere on the page, just drag it.]

Place your cursor inside the shaded text and enter your personal information as shown in the sample. Center the lines. Use the adjusting marks on the sides of the box to stretch the text box almost the full width of your page. Add a blank line before the top line and a blank line below the bottom line.

JANE DOE 687 Main Street, Mytown, ON N7T 6Z7 (555) 321-7824 Jane.doe@hotmail.com

NOTE: Because you added the additional blank lines at the top of the document before adding the text box, you will now be able to move your cursor to a position UNDER the text box and continue the document. Without those additional blank lines, you will be unable to move the cursor to a position under the text box.

3 THE OBJECTIVE OBJECTIVE. The first section after the information is the OBJECTIVE. Leave a blank line after the text box before you begin the objective. Emphasize how you can contribute to the reader’s needs. OBJECTIVE Immediate full-time employment as a dental hygienist in your dental office, where I can demonstrate my exceptional skills and experience, my excellent work ethic and my outgoing personality in the care of your patients. Available to work immediately.

The Objective – a few examples So, what is your objective? Here are some resume objective examples: A full-time position as staff writer, available immediately, where I can contribute my skills and experience to your firm. A part-time sales position where I can contribute my happy and outgoing personality to help serve your clients. I am available immediately to contribute to your firm. A full-time position as child care worker with the Toronto Board where I can contribute my many years of experience to the benefit of the children in your care. Available immediately. A full-time supply teaching position with … where I can contribute to the sports program at the school and assist the general staff in as many ways as possible. Summer position where I can contribute my skills, my experience, and my outgoing personality working with, and serving, the public. 5

HOW TO DO A RESUME Devise your own best objective. Follow the guideline above. • • •

It is short. It’s not a full sentence. The objective is a noun – and that is what we begin with. The position.

What kind of position? • •

A full-time position as … A part-time position as …

Contribute. Try to include the fact that you want to contribute to the reader’s needs. You want to add value in some way to your reader’s situation. Always write for the reader. Do not consider the benefits to the writer – but always the benefits to the reader. All these examples are viable, but they must be tailored to your specific situation with your specific interests and goals.

AFTER THE OBJECTIVE. Decide whether your Education or your Skills would be more important and relevant to your prospective employer. • •

If you’re writing a Chronological Resume, add your Education next. If you’re writing a Functional Resume, add your Skills and Experience next.

4 EDUCATION EDUCATION. In the example, the individual is applying for the job of dental assistant. That position requires prior education and certification. Because of the education requirement, the reader/prospective employer in this case will be most interested to know that the individual is, indeed, qualified to apply for this position. So, add Education after the Objective. Below, in the section on Education, the achievements are highlighted. The details of each are provided on the second, indented, line.

EDUCATION Dental Hygiene Diploma/HARP Certified (2014) St. Clair College – Windsor, Ontario, Canada First Aid and CPR Certified (2013) Red Cross – Mytown, Ontario, Canada Level II Dental Assisting Diploma/HARP Certified (2009) St. Clair College – Windsor, Ontario, Canada Pre-Health Certificate (2008) Community College – Mytown, Ontario, Canada Ontario Secondary School Diploma General James School – Mytown, Ontario, Canada WHMIS trained and certified (2006) WHMIS – Mytown, Ontario, Canada

What to note: • • • • •

The reader can clearly see the six certifications. Each is bold and begins at the left margin. The details are indented and in italics on the next line – no bold. A blank line separates each entry. The year is in parentheses at the end of the first line of each entry. It jumps out at the reader. Each entry is consistent in format with the other entries. 7

HOW TO DO A RESUME IMPORTANT. If possible, leave 2 blank lines between each main section. Leave one blank line after each title.

Do you need to save space? Save space, if necessary, by leaving only one blank line between the sections – where the black arrow shows in the first graphic. OR eliminate the blank line after each title if necessary (as in the second graphic below). Regardless, maintain consistent format and spacing throughout and avoid making the final document look jammed together and hard to read.

OBJECTIVE Immediate full-time employment as a dental hygienist in your dental office, where I can demonstrate my exceptional skills and experience, my excellent work ethic and my outgoing personality in the care of your patients. Available to work immediately.

EDUCATION Dental Hygiene Diploma/HARP Certified (2014) St. Clair College – Windsor, Ontario, Canada

5 SKILLS SKILLS. In the Skills section, a minimal use of bold highlights the most important skills for the reader. Avoid too much bold because it makes the work very difficult to read. Be careful with your use of bold.

RELATED SKILLS/TRAITS • • • • • •

Graduated with Academic Distinction Member of CDHA and CDHO Jurisprudence Education Model. Successful completion Dental clinical setting. Six years’ successful experience Passionate about health promotion and preventive services Positive attitude, team member with calm work ethic

OR another example: RELEVANT SKILLS • • •

Language. Fluency in both French and English Communications. Comfortable writing or speaking Computer literacy. Familiar with MS Office, including Access and PowerPoint

Keep the list to about 6 points maximum.

6 WORK EXPERIENCE WORK EXPERIENCE. In the Work Experience section, note the format. Begin with the most recent experience. The most recent experience is at the top of the list. In this example, the position is highlighted – rather than the actual location. This is a functional presentation. The individual wants the reader to see clearly that she is qualified through her experience to apply for this job. Again, note the following: • • •

The year is presented in parentheses at the end of the first line in all entries. It jumps out at the reader, as a result. Each entry is formatted simply and each one is consistent in format with the others. Each bulleted point is consistent grammatically with all other bulleted points.

Dental Assistant, Dr. Brown’s Office – Mytown, Ontario (2010-11) • Assisted with restorative procedures, impressions, placing crowns and bridges, implants, X-rays and Endo procedures • Maintained sterile prep room including instruments and equipment Dental Assistant, Dr. Johnson’s Office – Toronto, Ontario (2009-10) • Prepared patients and assisted dentist during examination • Documented services and maintained patient charts/records • Prepared dental instruments, restorative materials, and dental cement • Educated patients concerning oral hygiene and proper brushing techniques • Assisted with placement of Etch, Bond & Flow while waiting for restorative hygienist • Assisted receptionist duties (filing, booking and confirming appointments, answering phones, processing payments and completing insurance forms)

KITTY BUCSKO Other points to note regarding format • • • •

Keep your lists to about 6 points. Keep the points short. Highlight and write only what is necessary. Avoid writing too much. There is no end punctuation to the bulleted points because none is a complete sentence.

Now think about what you have achieved that may be relevant.

7 ACHIEVEMENTS If you have other achievements to list, add them after all the other important sections. Follow the same format as all previous sections. This section will allow you the opportunity to tell briefly - and in point form what sets you apart from the competition for this position. • • •

You might have been listed on the Dean's list at university. You might have been named the Most Valuable Employee at a previous job. You might have raised a significant amount of money for a Volunteer/Charitable project that you organized.

Achievements will show your initiative, your successes, and why you are above the crowd in this application.

Then, the references.

REFERENCES Finally, add the title for the References and add Available upon request.

8 VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

Plan now! Volunteer experience is a valuable part of how to do a resume! What you can add to your community, and your interest in others and helping others, will say a great deal about you. So, you can plan your life now. Get involved. If youâ€™re in school, volunteer for school activities. Most schools ask for volunteer hours as part of the curriculum, and you can make the most of this. There are countless volunteer opportunities in any community â€“ so just go out and do it! Not only will you be enhancing your resume by having volunteer activities to include, you will be enhancing your life and the lives of others whom you help. If you are out of school, volunteer in the community. There are countless opportunities in all communities for everyone! Then, you can add these activities to your resume for an excellent impression! So, get started!

9 DOES YOUR DOCUMENT FIT ONE PAGE? If you document fits comfortably onto one page, great! If not, you have to make a few decisions. Is it long enough to flow to the next page and fill up at least half of the next page? • •

If it is, then you need to add a proper header and page number to the top of the second page. If not, then you have to adjust the spacing – and perhaps the font size – so that the text fits comfortably onto one single page.

Avoid cramming the text and forcing it to look crammed together. The text must be very easy to read. If your document flows to the second page, you need a header. Here is the information your header should contain:

Resume, Jane Doe 2014 Page 2

See instructions in Appendix B – how to add your header and remove it from the first page.

KITTY BUCSKO

10 RESUME WRITING TIPS Let’s carry on. Resume Writing Tips will help you build an effective resume or CV and focus on success! Writing a good resume will be something you can be proud of. Now that you have a good idea of what should be included in your resume or CV, here are some resume writing tips to help you prepare this most important document in your business writing portfolio. The essence of who you are Your job, when preparing your resume (CV), is to create succinctly and clearly the essence of who you are. You must also indicate clearly and succinctly to the reader (the prospective employer) how you can fill his/her needs. How do you do that? Consider the reader. What does the reader look for in a prospective employee? • • •

Learn about the company. Learn about the employer. Learn about the job.

Draft the resume so that the reader can scan the document quickly and see the most relevant and important points about you. Personal characteristics When it comes to your personal characteristics, you should indicate responsibility, reliability, honesty, and other traits that indicate integrity. Another of the important resume writing tips you can follow is to indicate initiative. Surely initiative is also included in your personal characteristics! Again, this is part of writing a good resume. 15

HOW TO DO A RESUME Professional appearance In all your business writing, remember to keep the document professional and easy to read and understand. 10-second test Your document must pass the 10-second test. You can work very hard on this document, but all the time and effort you put into it won't mean a thing unless the document can pass that 10-second test! What is the 10-second test The prospective employer will look at your resume quickly because, no doubt, there will be more than one to review. It is in the first 10 seconds that the impression is made - So here are some important resume writing tips to consider: a. b. c.

Is the document easy to read? Is it framed attractively and professionally on the page? Can the reader understand the contents at a glance? or Does the reader have to "work" to understand what you have written?

If the reader has to "work" to read your document, chances are, he/she will not read it, or will read it reluctantly. You're off to a negative start, and that negative start is difficult to overcome. So, get it right the first time! A few Important Resume Writing Tips Use a standard and professional font. When preparing your document, something like Times New Roman 12-point font is a good standard. You do not have to use Times New Roman 12-point font, but that particular font and font size make the document very easy to read. If you deviate much from that size and style, the resume could end up looking much less than professional. Another good font to consider might be something like Cambria - about 11- or 12-point font. Both of those fonts are serif fonts. Serifs are the small finishing strokes on the end of a character. Sans serif fonts do not have these small finishing strokes.

KITTY BUCSKO Use standard good-quality bond paper. Shocking pink is likely to be tossed before it's read. Be professional. Be professional in all that you do. Use a professional, but personal tone. Don't be too familiar. Another of the best resume writing tips includes the length of your document: Try to keep your resume to one page or about one page and a half. More than that may be far too long to be effective. I've always thought that the more you have achieved, the shorter can be your resume. For example, if you're the CEO of a company, or you are the Chairman of a Board, you don't have to add the duties you perform with that resume entry. It is quite self-explanatory. When you worked for a company in a particular department, you may want to list the duties you had, or the skills you learned. When you must present a list like that, you require more room in your resume - and keeping the resume short becomes a challenge. However, it is a worthwhile challenge to try to keep your resume to one page. A maximum of two pages (1 Â˝) should be your goal.

HOW TO DO A RESUME More Resume Writing Tips Be truthful. Not only is it ethical to tell the truth, but if you are discovered to be providing false information, regardless of how well you might perform at your job, you could face termination even years into the future. Base your employment, and your life, upon integrity. Be succinct. Provide only what is necessary. Save details for your interview. Match your strengths to the job for which you apply. For example, if you're applying for a job that requires muscle, then say that you are strong or that one of your hobbies is weight-lifting. Consider the opposite. If you're applying to be a bouncer at a bar, you would not say that you're a ballet dancer - only because that may not give the best impression. Customize the resume for each job. If you're applying for an office job, you should not highlight that you have been a lifeguard or a professional wrestler. Instead, highlight skills and experience that would relate to that office job. Always consider the reader. What would the reader want to read in an ideal candidate? Write with the focus on contributing to the reader's needs. Highlight the information that will be most important to your reader.

Other good resume writing tips include: Highlight the positives. If you were fired from a previous job, you don't need to highlight the negative. Include the job in your listing - unless it's a functional resume you're writing where you focus on your specific skills that relate to the specific application. However, omit the negatives entirely. Be realistic. Avoid being too aggressive with braggadocio. If you use overkill to tell your reader how good you are - that you are unparalleled in your expertise and skills - then the reader is not likely to believe you. If you have strengths to relate, provide evidence to support - rather than presenting opinions about your worth. The evidence is crucial. Anyone can say "I'm a good communicator." That is a matter of opinion. Instead, you might write Communications. 12 years as lead writer for ABC Company. That is evidence - not opinion - and is far more valuable.

KITTY BUCSKO Overqualified? Highlight what the reader wants to read. Highlight the skills for your application. For example, if you have a Ph.D. in something, and you're unemployed at the moment, you may find yourself looking for a job as a manual labourer (just as an example). If that's the case, then avoid highlighting your education. Focus instead on the skills that the reader wants to read. Volunteer experience. Volunteer somewhere - like a food bank - so that you can include that Volunteer Activity in your resume. That ALWAYS looks good. It benefits you in two ways: It is excellent experience, and it can be an excellent character reference for you. Avoid controversy. Leave out religious affiliation and political views unless, of course, you are applying to a religious or political organization. Do your homework! Research the company you wish to join, and research the potential employer so that you know what will be of interest to your reader. Always write for your reader! Understand what your employer needs in an employee, and indicate clearly on your resume that you can fit the bill. Your resume writing objective is to demonstrate that you are the right fit for the job. These are just a few examples of what you might include - or omit - from your resume. Very soon, you'll be writing the perfect resume!

11 THE COVER LETTER The Resume Cover Letter The resume is a powerful document; however, the resume cover letter is required if you hope to gain some attention. The resume itself will tell who you are, and with some luck and planning, the document can be a very good description of your skills and your experience. However, it is simply a document. You need to have some way of communicating to the reader what it is that you hope to accomplish. Of course, if you can deliver the resume in person and have a short interview – even if there’s no job – that would be the ideal. Interviewing someone about the potential of a job – or what would an employer seek in someone looking for a particular job – is a very helpful way to discover what you might want to include in a resume or the job application if you are hoping to apply for that specific job. This section should help you in preparing the cover letter for your resume. Sending out a great number of resumes with cover letters for the resumes is not the best way to apply for a job. Let’s set the scenario. You have been given a lead. You need to contact the potential employer by mail – send in a resume. Maybe there is a publicized job opportunity, or it is a rather quiet one that you learned about from a friend. Regardless, you will need to have the cover letter or the resume. The purpose of the cover letter for the resume is to accompany the resume document and explain it or introduce it to the reader. It should read something like the following:

KITTY BUCSKO

The first paragraph of the cover letter Below is the first paragraph: The first short paragraph… Dear … Please consider me for the position of … I know that my skills and experience will be an asset to your firm. The first short paragraph introduces the document and the purpose of the letter. The middle paragraph(s) Tell about why you are qualified for the position in the next paragraph(s). Focus your skills and what you can contribute to your reader depending on what type of job you are applying for. You will probably use a lot of I here because you are “selling yourself.” The main focus should be, however, on what you can “contribute” to your reader’s needs. I have been working as a … for a number of years, and I have learned the skills necessary to be a valuable addition to your company. I can … and I can… Attached is my resume which can provide you details of my experience and skills.

The closing paragraph Then, a short closing paragraph to finish up. Begin with a direct request for action. Add a goodwill comment that will highlight once again the benefits to the reader. Please contact me at… to discuss how I can contribute to your firm. I look forward very much to speaking with you about this opportunity. OR Please contact me at … to discuss … I look forward very much to being able to join your company and grow with you. 21

HOW TO DO A RESUME Something like either of the paragraphs above would work very well. Summary The resume cover letter can be helpful if you follow the guideline summary below: •

Emphasize what you can contribute to the reader.

•

Keep the opening paragraph direct and short.

•

Lead into the middle paragraph(s) where you tell what you can offer or contribute to the reader.

•

Close with a short paragraph that begins with a direct request for action.

•

Add a closing goodwill statement that highlights the benefits to the reader.

professional-business-writing.com 22

KITTY BUCSKO

APPENDIX A – SAMPLE RESUME

HOW TO DO A RESUME

(This resume was originally created using Microsoft Word 2013 on 8 Â˝ x 11 paper (US Letter). The margins all round are one inch. For A4 paper, simply ensure that your margins all round are one inch.

APPENDIX B – HEADER/PAGE NUMBER Use the Word automatic header/footer feature. To add the header so that it won’t appear on the first page… From the top menu bar, under the Insert tab, click Header and then click Blank.

The header opens at the top of your page with the prompt to add text. Add the text you wish to add.

Caution. Do not type in the actual Page number. Leave the cursor positioned where the page number will go. See the next graphic.

HOW TO DO A RESUME

From the top menu bar again, locate the Page Number option. Click Current Position and select the simple option at the top of the list.

Your page number will now appear in the correct location. Note: You must remove the header from the first page. Otherwise, the header will appear on ALL pages. You must remove the header from the first page. To remove the header from the first page, In the top menu bar, click Different First Page. Now, the header and page number will appear on all pages AFTER the first page.

Note: In the header, add a blank line after the last line to ensure that the header is separated from the text on the page. 26

KITTY BUCSKO

APPENDIX C – PLANNING SHEET The job/position I want –

Objective – A position with … where I can contribute to

Skills Relevant for the job – (list 6)

Other Skills I have gained along the way –

Personal characteristics • Honest • Reliable • Responsible • •

HOW TO DO A RESUME Jobs I have held (provide dates and duration)

Volunteer experience I have gained

Achievements/Awards

Interests (if relevant)

References (list 3) â€˘ Provide the complete name, position, contact information â€˘ Ask each reference for permission before adding them here

KITTY BUCSKO

NOTES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kitty Bucsko has taught business communications at the secondary school level for over 30 years and now enjoys the challenge of the Internet. She lives in northern Ontario in the summer and on a small Caribbean island during the winter.

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