7 STEPS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR FUTURE

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7

Summarize your Qualifications.

Education
Work Experience
Additional Information
References
Power Words
The Cover Letter

Step 1 Summarize your Qualifications.

Summarize your qualifications by writing a summary paragraph that highlights
your professional background as it relates to the needs of the company. Hiring managers need to
see immediately that you have the skills and experience they need. If an employer has to figure
out what you can do for him, the odds are you won't get an interview.
Over 15 years of diverse and challenging experience, combined with powerful presentation
skills, a disciplined approach to the task at hand and the innate ability to anticipate potential
obstacles are attributes that contribute to a strong record of excellence and acknowledgement for
"getting the job done."
An accomplished senior executive with outstanding credentials and a proven record of
resultsConstantly progressed in an organization that demands a broad business perspective
to achieve accelerated growth in sales and profits.
Fourteen years experience with a major international organization on a career path which
supported increased levels of responsibility in the areas of management, communication and
training.
Over 12 years of technical sales and marketing experience including: electronic component sales
knowledge of Unix, Pascal, Sun work station, Fortran new software business start-up and market
presentation international marketing penetration.
The Objective
There is much debate regarding the inclusion/exclusion of a job objective-use your judgment. It
is usually placed right under the heading. The job objective is a targeted, brief description of the
specific kind of job you are seeking: legal administrator, bookkeeper, medical transcriber, diesel
mechanic, etc. Avoid vagueness here, if you can't be specific leave it off the resume. It should be
specific to the point of repeating what the advertisement/announcement stated. Since you may
need a different resume for each opening you locate, you may also need to change the job
objective. You can always discuss your objective in the cover letter.
Do not assume that any job objective is better than no job objective. If your objective is vague or
unfocused, you will appear unable to decide what you want to do with the next part of your life.
Target it to the specific kind of job you are seeking, e.g., secretary, bookkeeper, sales

representative, medical transcriber, backhoe operator, etc.

Example: Position teaching science and/or math at the secondary school level. Position within a
financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills. The profile is an
alternative to an objective statement. It gives you the opportunity to present your strengths at the
very beginning of the rsum.
Example: Profile Marketing...Finance...Management
Eager to contribute to the growth of a progressive company with quality products or services.
Qualified by business education, customer service and administrative experience. Professional
appearance and advanced interpersonal communication. Highly motivated, strong work ethic;
available as needed for training, travel, overtime, etc. Financed 80% of college tuition and
expenses; additional 20% through scholarships. In writing the major areas of your rsum, it is
important to emphasize your abilities and accomplishments more than past duties. You may also
want to indicate how well you performed. This will help infuse personal qualities such as
character and personality into your rsum.
Step 2 Education
This category is particularly important if you have not had a great deal of work experience.
Remember, your most recent educational experience should be listed first.
Include your degree (A.S., B.S., B.A., etc.), major, institution(s) attended, date of graduation,
minors or concentrations, and any special workshops, seminars, related coursework or senior
projects. A G.P.A. of higher than a 3.0 (either overall G.P.A. or G.P.A. in major) should also be
noted here.
Step 3 Work Experience
If you are a student, recent college graduate or have limited paid work experience, but have been
involved in volunteer, internship, practicum or student teaching work experiences, be sure to
point this out to the employer. This is what your skills are and what you can do on the job. Be
sure to include all significant work experience in reverse chronological order.

Note to teacher candidates: Be sure to include your student teaching experience on your
rsum.

You should include:

1. The title of your position
2. The name of the organization

3. The location of work (town, state)

4. The dates of jobs held
You should describe your work responsibilities with an emphasis on achievements using action
words to communicate your skills. List the most important and related responsibilities first.
Identify the most relevant work experiences and describe them fully. Be brief with the irrelevant
experiences or omit them. It is sometimes useful to divide your work experience into two
categories: Relevant Experience and Other Experience. You may want to add that work was
performed to earn a certain percent of college expenses.
Example: Earned 75% of college expenses through the following part-time jobs
Step 4 Additional Information
This category is useful for displaying information that doesn't fit in any other category. Although
Interests, Computer Knowledge, and Activities can be separate categories, especially if they are
very strong, they can be listed here as well. Languages spoken, or any extra, relevant bit of
information can be placed here as well.
Interests
This is sometimes used to evaluate your suitability to a geographic area or to understand your
"personality type". Include this section if you have available space. Include social or civic
activities, health and fitness or sports activities, or hobbies which indicate how you spend your
leisure time. Computer Knowledge: If using computers is a necessary skill for the job you are
seeking, be sure to highlight your knowledge in this section.
Example:
Databases: Oracle 8.x, SQL Server, Sybase
Client/Server: Power Builder 3.x/4.x/5.x/6.x/7.x, Visual Basic
Oracle Skills: SQL, PL/SQL, Replication, Database Administration, Oracle Web toolkit
Web skills: HTML, XML, Sybase EA Server, Power Dynamo, Power Site, Jaguar Component
Transaction Server, Oracle Application Server Data modeling: Erwin
Object modeling: Rational Rose, BPWin
Hardware: Sun Workstations Operating Systems: Windows NT, UNIX Programming
Languages: Java, C, C++, Perl
Activities, Honors, and Leadership are also important categories to include. If the activities
involved work responsibility, note it in some detail. The employer is interested in the skills you
have developed whether through volunteer or paid experiences. If you were elected to offices or
committees, mention it. Recognition and demonstration of leadership roles are valuable.
Step 5 References
Be sure to ask individuals if they would be willing to be a reference for you prior to mentioning
their names to prospective employers. Names of individuals are not usually listed on the
rsum (unless there is space available at the end), but you should prepare a typed list of three
references to provide at the interview. This list should include name, title, employer, address,

business and home telephone number. You may also state at the bottom of your rsum
"References furnished upon request."
Step 6 Power Words
Employers today want to know concrete things about you, and what you can produce. Most
rsums today are filled with empty generalizations, failing to be distinguished in any way
from the crowd of respondents. By beginning sentences with Action or Power Words, you are
showing employers you are capable of tactical strategic thinking and have proven results. Here
are some Power Words to get you started:
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
adapted
administered
analyzed
approved
conceived
conducted
completed
controlled
coordinated
created
delegated
demonstrated
designed
developed
directed
earned
effected
eliminated
established
evaluated
expanded
expedited
facilitated
found
generated
implemented
improved
increased
influenced
initiated
inspected

mastered
motivated
operated
ordered
originated
organized
participated
performed
pinpointed
planned
prepared
produced
programmed
proposed
proved
provided
proficient in
purchased
recommended
reduced
reinforced
reorganized
revamped
reviewed
revised
scheduled
simplified
set up
solved
streamlined
structured
supervised
supported
surpassed

instructed
interpreted
launched
led
lectured
maintained
managed

taught
trained
translated
used
utilized
won
wrote

Step 7 The Cover Letter

Never send a rsum without a cover letter. The purpose of a cover letter is to express your
interest in an organization and to request an interview. The opening paragraph must get the
reader's attention and interest in your employment potential. This paragraph should also refer to
the specific position sought and areas in your background that make you an attractive candidate
for it.
The development section (usually one or two paragraphs) highlights specific aspects of your
education, training, and experience that relate to the position or organization to which you are
applying. It also refers the reader to your enclosed rsum for further details.
The concluding paragraph should request action by the reader. You should request an
opportunity to meet with the person to discuss your qualifications and employment potential in
greater detail. Include information on how you can be contacted by providing both day and
evening phone numbers.
Important: If you are expecting a prospective employer to contact you at home and you have an
answering machine, this may be a good time to review your outgoing message. This is the
employers first contact with you. Be sure your outgoing message is respectable