SBIT/H&S/7.5.

1/RC 07 June, 2011

UNIT - IV

RESUME WRITING

A “RESUME” is a self-professional document; basically it helps you to sell for a company. It

consists of information about the performance and accomplishments of the candidate. It’s
important to be truthful, unambiguous and concise. The manner you present your resume
effectively demonstrate your ability of communication. A well presented resume also indicated
your professionalism. It provides personal and career history regarding the candidate.
Structure & Presentation:
A Resume is your calling card to your future employers and a summary of what you
can do for their companies, when deciding on the structure of your resume, first determine your
strengths and then organize your resume with headings that highlight these strengths. A resume
begins with your name and address and telephone number message or cell No and your e- mail
address.

Notice that you should always put your name in bold letters, qualifications can list good
personal qualities that employers would appreciate and can also include specific
accomplishments. Professional experience includes the job you have worked education as a
resume section needs to include your college and what your degree you earned and appear at the
achieved that can impress your future employer should go here.

Presentation should be very professional look feel, good visual appeal, white space for reliability.

¥ Page length : 1-2 pages.

¥ Font size : 1-12 points.
¥ Font styles : Bold, Italics, and Capitalization to highlight key areas.
¥ Paper colour : White, light gray.
¥ Writing style : Always write in first person number-I.
¥ Proof read and spell check
¥ Place your name and a page No on the top of all subsequent pages of your ‘Resume

Avoid:
¥ Errors

Dept of English, SBIT KMM AECS Lab Manual Page 6

 SBIT/H&S/7.5.1/RC 07 June, 2011

¥ Fancy e-Mail id
¥ Scattered Information.
¥ Over writing
¥ No current information
¥ Don’t share the resume with title Resume.
¥ Resume without a covering letter.
¥ Wrong Resume for a position

Planning:
When you are writing your resume, it is important. To keep in mind the purpose of the
resume. The resume is meant to spark interest in you as a candidate in order to make your
resume pleasant and easy to read, you will want to follow some resume format guidelines keep
your objective focused and precise, ensure that the rest of your resume supports your
objective.

Strengths and Skills- Set:

Acknowledging and dedicating yourself to your natural talents is the path to excellence,
success and efforts abundance. Focus on your strengths. Skills are things you are good at such
as organizing people or events. You have hundreds of skills that could be highlighted in your
resume to attract the attention of a number of employers from a variety of sectors.

Summary:
Tips for Developing Summary
 Focus on functional strengths such as years of experience, knowledge of key technologies
or any other items that are directly related to your experience or training.
 Don’t be afraid to mention any major certifications, training, I T skills or education in the
summary. The summary in your resume should tell who you are in a single paragraph the
summary will inform the head hunter what you can do for the company.
Cover letter:
Covering letters do three things. Introduce you and say why you are writing Explain how
your education and experience fit this employer’s need Another topic to cover is the specific
work that the employer does and your reasons for being interested in that work.

Dept of English, SBIT KMM AECS Lab Manual Page 6

 SBIT/H&S/7.5.1/RC 07 June, 2011

Formats and style:

There are five types of formats, they are:

 Targeted Resume:
A Targeted resume is used to focus your resume towards a specific career objective,
performed in a specific industry, and for a specific company. The content of a targeted
resume is written to highlight the skills, qualifications, and experience that match the
requirements of your job target.
 Inventory Resume:
If you have only a general objective and don’t want to limit yourself to a specific job
title , an inventory Resume may be your best choice, likewise, if you want to be able to use
the same resume to apply to a number of companies, you should write an inventory
Resume. This type of resume is designed to highlight your skills, qualifications, and
achievement in a more general manner.
 Chronological Resume:
The chronological Resume is designed to highlight progressive career growth and
advancement. It is easy to read and scanner for employment history. In a chronological
Resume you have to list your job experience in date order, starting with the most recent
first.
The sections of chronological Resume are:
 Personal Details
Name, Phone, Email address postal address.
 Personal Profile
It defines your career objective three lines should enough for this.
 Career & Related Accomplishments
A synopsis (summary) of your resume, it is important to use thus section to mention
your achievements and stress your value to the company.
 Education details
If you have work experience, place this section just below it. If you are just out of
school or university and have no work experience, place this section first in your
chronological Resume.

Dept of English, SBIT KMM AECS Lab Manual Page 6

 SBIT/H&S/7.5.1/RC 07 June, 2011

 Functional Resume:
The functional resume highlights key skills, accomplishments, and qualification at
the top of the resume. Your employment history is de- emphasized by placing it toward the
bottom of your resume and by documenting a simple listing rather than details of each
position. In this way functional resume firmly places the focus on what you have done.
A functional resume category is based on:
 Personal details
 Career objectives
 Professional experience
 Work experience
 Education
 Awards
 The Combination Resume :
The combination resume combines the benefits of both the combination Resume &
functional resume the combination resume or format is well accepted by hiring authorities
and you should consider using it when ………
 You have steady and progressive employment history.
 You are applying for a position for which the chronological resume is expected
but you also want to highlight qualification from earlier positions
 You are writing Targeted Resume and need an effective way to match your skills
to the job requirements

The combination resume is so called as it combines the features of both a functional &
chronological resume.

The main headings are other headings can include

 Summary Career objectives
 Skills Memberships
 Experience Honours
 Work history Certifications
 Education

Experts Advice Tips

Dept of English, SBIT KMM AECS Lab Manual Page 6

 SBIT/H&S/7.5.1/RC 07 June, 2011

 Spell check and Reality check:

Before you submit your resume, make sure you give it a spell check after you spell check it
have someone else give it a quick reality check to make sure that the spell checker didn’t miss
anything and to make sure that you didn’t make a mistake that your computer can’t catch.

 Not too long, But not too short

Go into enough details to give an accurate view of your skills, but not so long that the
reader falls asleep.

 Formatting counts

Have two versions of your resume available, one to be viewed online and one to be handed
out at in- person interviews and job fairs.

 Key words are key

When an employer searches a data-base, they use keywords include relevant keywords in
your resume, because this is how you will be found.

 Include the Basics

Basics like objective education, experience, technology summary are should be included.

Resume preparation Do’s & Don’ts:-

Do’s
 Do consider a bulleted styled to make your resume as reader-friendly as possible,
 Do consider a resume design that doesn’t look like everyone else’s
 Do include as much contact information as possible
 Do give a sharp focus as possible (a glance)
 Do consider a section such as summary of qualifications, which can also help sharpen
your focus
 Do list your job information in order

Dept of English, SBIT KMM AECS Lab Manual Page 6

 SBIT/H&S/7.5.1/RC 07 June, 2011

 Do avoid the verb; work because it’s a weak verb. Everyone works be more specific.
 Do , however, list sports if you are a college student or new grade
 Do proof read carefully.

Don’ts
 Don’t go beyond two pages with your resume.
 Don’t ever lie on your resume
 Don’t use personal pronouns (I, My, Me) in resume.
 Don’t leave out the locations of your past jobs (city & state)
 Don’t use expressions like ‘Duties included’ “ Responsibilities included” or
“Responsible for”
 Don’t list too many expressions on your resume.
 Don’t include on your resume on salary information, the title “Resume ”
 Don’t include hobbies.

Dept of English, SBIT KMM AECS Lab Manual Page 6