MODULE-5

RESUME WRITING
INTRODUCTION

 A resume is a short document used to summarize a job seeker’s experience and

qualifications for a prospective employer. A resume includes the job seeker’s contact
information, work experience, education, and relevant skills in support of a job application.
 Your resume is arguably the most critical part of the modern job application process.
Writing the best resume possible is more important than ever now that online job postings
routinely attract hundreds if not thousands of applicants. A well-organized, tailored resume
will increase your chances of landing an interview while a poorly written resume could get
lost in the sea of applicants.
 Think of a resume as “self-advertisement” that sums up your experience on one page. Your
resume is one of the most important pieces of your job application. It gives the hiring
manager an overview of the qualifications you have for the job for which you’re applying.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESUME
a. Chronological:
 What is it - Chronological resumes are the most commonly used format. They list work history in
chronological order, starting with your most recent job down to your earliest. This resume is preferred
by most employers because it provides a quick snapshot of work history, with most recent positions
up front.
 Who should use - If you have a solid work history, your experience is aligned with the job you are
applying to, and you have no lapses between employment, use this format.

b. Functional Resume:
 What is it - Unlike chronological resumes, functional resumes focus on your skills and experience
first. This type of resume de-emphasizes the dates in which you have worked. Employment history is
secondary, and is listed under the details of your skills.
 Who should use - If you have lapses in employment, are in the middle of a career transition, are a
recent college grad with limited work experience, or have a diverse background with no clear career
path, this is the most effective type of resume.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESUME

c. Combination Resume:
 What is it - Combination resumes let you detail both your skills and experience, while also backing
this up with a chronological listing of work history. Flexible in nature, the combination resume lets
you tailor to the prospective job opening and tell hiring managers a story.
 Who should use - Use this resume if you want to detail work experience to show hiring managers
the type of employee you are.

d. Targeted Resume:
 What is it - Targeted resumes are customized in detail to the prospective job you are seeking.
Everything from your objective, your qualifications to educational experience mirrors the job
requirements.
 Who should use - These resumes are the most time-consuming, but can generate the best results
as the qualifications and experience you outline mirror the prospective job opening closely. Be
careful, however When you develop a targeted resume you need to be as accurate as possible and
not embellish career highlights simply to mirror the job.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME

At a minimum, your resume should include your contact information, work experience, and education. Additional
sections for career summary, skills, volunteer work, and additional qualifications can be added if they’re
relevant to the job for which you’re applying.

1. CONTACT INFORMATION
 The top of your resume should include the following information:

 Name

 Phone number

 Location (City, State, Zip Code)

 Email Address

 LinkedIn profile URL

 It might seem obvious, but job seekers sometimes forget a key piece of contact information in this section.
Double check and make it as easy as possible for recruiters to contact you for a job interview.
 Include a personal phone number, never a work number. Add your city, state, and zip code (e.g. “Seattle, WA
98104”). This is important as some applicant tracking systems allow recruiters to filter candidates based on
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME
Use a professional-sounding email address. An email address based around your name is ideal, such
as jackieromano12@[Link]. Your “fun” email address might work perfectly fine in your personal life might not cast you in the most
professional light. Even using an email client that is considered outdated -- like yahoo or Hotmail -- could hurt your chances.
2. WORK EXPERIENCE
The work experience section is the heart of your resume. Differentiate this section with a clear, to-the-point heading, such as “Work
Experience,” “Professional Experience,” or “Employment History.” This will help guide recruiters through your resume as well as ensure it
is accurately parsed by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Under the main heading, list each job in reverse-chronological order. Each job should have its own subheading that includes the following
information:
Company
Job location
Your job title
Start and end dates
For example:
ABC Corporation, Seattle, WA
Distribution Manager (01/2017-Present)
The first things a recruiter looks for on your resume are the job titles you’ve held and the caliber of companies you’ve worked with. This
format not only makes it easy for them to find that information, but our research has found that this sequence also offers maximum ATS
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME

Remember, you don’t need to include every duty that was part of your day-to-day work. Use your available
space to emphasize the skills and experiences that are asked for in the job description.
3. EDUCATION
If you’re a few years into your career, your resume’s education section can be minimized at the bottom of your
resume. Unless you’re applying in a career that puts extra emphasis on education (like academia, law, or medicine),
most job seekers can get away with providing only the following information on their resume:
Name of Institution
Degree
Years Attended
University
If you’ve recently graduated college, your education section goes above your work experience and includes more
detail. Skills developed in school are real skills that have value in the professional world. Recent grads can include
relevant coursework, societies, organizations, and extracurriculars that strengthen their candidacy.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME

4. Skills
Whether hard skills (Technical) or soft skills (e.g. Communication) are the main interest of the people hiring
you. In fact, including the maximum number of skills based on the job description considerably increase the
chances of getting.
Soft skills: (being responsible, loyal, hardworking, energetic, outgoing.)
Hard skills: (research and writing, Microsoft word 98, Microsoft Publisher 2000, Public speaking.)

5. Awards and Certificates

There are always some commendable things to tell about that don’t fit into any of the above categories. You
can use up the little extra space to mention the accolades that you earned.
Mention of Certificates non-related to your career choice is acceptable until it focuses on the dynamo of your
personality. List only those awards in your resume that will surely impress your employer.

6. Include a Cover Letter

A cover letter is an introductory document that should accompany the resume. It sales you and explains your
qualifications for a desired position. Often, it is considered a first screening and should catch the immediate attention
of the employer.
WHAT SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME
1 . Irrelevant work experiences
2. Personal stuff
3. Your age
4. Too much text
5. References
6. Any unnecessary, obvious words
7. Headers, footers, tables, images, or charts
8. Your current business contact info
9. Social media URLs that are not related to the targeted position
10. More than 15 years of experience
11. Salary information
12. Fancy fonts
13. Reasons you left a company or position
WHAT SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDE IN YOUR RESUME

14. An Objective That Says What You Want

15. Physical Characteristics (height, weight, etc.)
16. Photographs
17. Any Personal Data Beyond Your Contact Information
18. The Word "Resume”
19. The Date You Wrote the Resume
20. Obsolete Skills (outdated)
21. Negative Words / Ideas ( "not yet graduated," , "limited experience")
COVER LETTER
A cover letter is a single-page letter written to the person or organisation offering the job you're applying for.
A well-written cover letter should introduce you and encourage the person reading it to read your resume.
A cover letter is a document sent with your resume to provide additional information on your skills and
experience.
The letter provides detailed information on why you are qualified for the job you are applying for. Don’t simply
repeat what’s on your resume -- rather, include specific information on why you’re a strong match for the
employer’s job requirements. Think of your cover letter as a sales pitch that will market your credentials and
help you get the interview. As such, you want to make sure your cover letter makes the best impression on
the person who is reviewing it.
A cover letter typically accompanies each resume you send out. Employers use cover letters as a way to
screen applicants for available jobs and to determine which candidates they would like to interview. If an
employer requires a cover letter, it will be listed in the job posting. Even if the company doesn’t ask for one,
you may want to include one anyway.
Successful cover letters go something like this:
Memorable introduction
Specific, organized examples of relevant work done and problems solved
Concise conclusion with a call to action
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR COVER LETTER?

You shouldn’t try to fit your whole career and life into the space of a cover letter.
Your cover letter should be a carefully curated selection of stories from your career that gives the
reader a clear idea of who you are and how you can add value to their company.
The Society for Human Resources surveyed organizations on resumes, cover letters, and interviews and
found the top three things that must be included in a cover letter are:
How a candidate’s work experience meets job requirements.
How a candidate’s skills meet job requirements.
Why a candidate wants to work at the organization.
Your cover letter needs to provide this information and leave the reader convinced that you are the right
person for the job.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR COVER LETTER?
To accomplish this, you should be using the requirements of the job to dictate the content of your cover letter and
following these best practices.
a. Show how you can solve specific problems

Don’t tell them about your amazing problem-solving skills. Explain the details of a particular problem you
were key in solving and how exactly you employed your skills to solve it. Better yet, if you know the
company has a particular problem you could help solve, outline how you can help solve it.
b. Pick an appropriate voice and tone
You should write like yourself, but you should also pick the appropriate voice and tone for the company
you’re applying to.
Researching the company will help dictate the tone you want to use, which may differ greatly, depending
on where you apply. For example, the tone of your letter for a legal consulting firm will likely differ from a
tech start-up.
c. Tell your story
Telling stories from your career is a great way to demonstrate your skills and give hiring managers some
insight into your personality and work style.
When looking for the right stories to tell, always look to the requirements for the position in the job
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR COVER LETTER?

d. Don’t sound like everyone else

“Hi, I’m ___. I’m a detail-oriented, multi-tasking, natural-born leader and I am perfect for your company.”
Instead of describing yourself as creative, try imaginative. You’re inventive, not innovative. You’re not
determined, you’re tenacious. These word variations at least show that you can think beyond what the
average applicant is willing to do.

e. End with a call to action

End your letter with a reason for them to contact you. But don’t add remarks like, “I’ll call to schedule
an interview.” This doesn’t make you a go-getter, it crosses a boundary.
Instead, let the call to action be polite and open ended, suggesting that you are excited to offer more
information and that you’re looking forward to talking with them.

f. Give your cover letter a unique visual format

A unique visual format for your cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates in a positive
way. Just be sure that the unique format you use is appropriate for the company you’re applying to and
their industry.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR COVER LETTER?
WHAT TO LEAVE OFF A COVER LETTER?

 Never include irrelevant information

Never include irrelevant information in your cover letter. Irrelevant information can confuse or bore the
reader, causing them to miss important points in your cover letter.
 Submitting your cover letter

Always follow the submission instructions laid out in the job description when submitting your cover letter.
If you are submitting the letter though a website with fillable fields, be sure that no formatting or content
errors have occurred.
FOLLOW-UP MESSAGES
If you've sent your resume and cover letter (or any other form of job application) to an employer and haven't
heard back, consider sending a follow-up email. You can also follow up with an email message if you don't
hear back after a job interview.

Unfortunately, employers don't always keep applicants informed about the status of their application.
Therefore you may need to reach out to determine your status. If done strategically, following up can be a
great way to reinforce why you are qualified for the job, and can even get your application a closer look.
More importantly, though, it’s what hiring managers want:
This report shows that 91% of employers like to receive follow-up thank you notes. And yet, according to
another study—57% of candidates don’t send them
Easy math, isn’t it? Following up on your interview with a thank you email gets you ahead of more than half
of the competition.

When to follow up after an interview?

The sooner the better—the same day as the interview or the next, but definitely no later than 24 hours after
the interview.
FOLLOW-UP MESSAGES