How to Prepare A Resume
It takes quality time to build a good resume.
- DETERMINE & PRIORITIZE your skills, strengths, and
interests. Assess your core capabilities.
- CHOOSE a format for your resume:
- SELECT one of the following formats below:
This is the only format with a stated objective. Without past job
experience, this is essential since the employer needs to know your
career aim. Otherwise, avoid stating an objective unless you know
what position the employer is trying to fill.
For example:
Jeff Jones
999 Post Oak Lane
Sacramento, CA 55555
(123)555-6666
OBJECTIVE:
- Actively seeking entry level management training position
with opportunity for career development.
EDUCATION:
- Master of Science, Comparative Economics, Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY (1995) Bachelor of Arts, Political
Science, University of California. Davis, CA (1992)
SKILLS:
- Analytical: Able to develop and use quantitative theories,
graphs and statistics in the analysis of economic and political
policies. Excellent ability to approach problems from many
perspectives and grasp the consequences of different solutions.
- Organizational: Highly efficient in hiring, training and
scheduling employees in order to maximize productivity. As
production manager at the school newspaper, The California
Aggie, I cut costs by 5% in one year.
- Creativity: Wrote article for local business journal
describing the political consequences of economic trends in our
area. Designed, typeset and marketed catalog explaining the
Aggie's outside production services. Resulted in increased
outside production sales by 15%.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
- Teaching Assistant, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, January
1994-December 1995. Production Manager, The California Aggie,
University of California, Davis, CA, June 1991 - June 1993.
This format is for candidates with a some of job experience or
for those who find it hard to relate accomplishments to specific
dollar amounts.
- State your past duties. (feature).
- Briefly follow with the results of those duties (benefit).
For example:
John Smith
222 Mesa Blvd
Westminster, CA 12345
(123)222-2222
EXPERIENCE:
- ACME BRICK MANUFACTURING Plant Manager September 1990 -
Present Supervised all aspects of operations for a brick plant
producing 200 million bricks per year. Operating profit was
improved by approximately 20% from 1990 to 1995. Reduced hourly
overtime from 16% in 1994 to 9% in 1995. Awarded the company's
Special Achievement Award in 1994 for altering production
methods which led to increased output by 15% without increasing
costs.
- ACYU BRICK Ceramic Engineer February 1987 - July 1990
Responsible for research and development of new brick
compositions and for solving production problems. Developed a
low-porosity brick for lining industrial chimneys which
increased sales by 22%. Also improved several existing
compositions leading to a higher quality product without
increasing manufacturing costs. This change amounted to an extra
11% profit on each 10,000 bricks sold.
EDUCATION:
- Master of Science in Ceramic Engineering, University of
Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (1987) Bachelor of Science in
Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (1984) -
Graduated Cum Laude
MEMBERSHIP:
- Member, American Ceramic Society Member V.E.S.T. (Volunteer
Engineers, Scientists and Technicians)
REFERENCES: Available upon request
The Responsibility, Accomplishment and Profitability resume (RAP)
is best for highly experienced people who can put dollar figures on
their achievements.
This format:
- organizes a job description into specific categories.
- shows the employer bottom-line results at a glance.
For example:
Mary Fellow
1212 Robin Hood Lane
Neverneverland, PA 44444
(123)456-7890
EXPERIENCE:
- WINDY COVE OIL Vice President, Finance August, 1987- Present
Responsibility: Developed financial forecast to improve cash
management for $1.9 billion company. Accomplishment: Freed up
$13 million cash by redeploying assets to more productive areas.
Profitability: Realized net profit of $7 million by the
redeployment. Also increased cash availability by $3 million by
recognizing an opportunity and renegotiating an existing
financial package.
- WINDY COVE OIL Financial Manager October 1980 - August 1987
Responsibility: Supervised a staff of 12 CPAs. Accomplishment:
Shortened closing schedule by two days each month.
Profitability: Shortening the closing schedule freed up the
staff for other purposes thereby increasing efficiency in
production. We were able to trim the staff from 14 to 12 CPAs,
saving the company at least 70K per year in salaries.
- GIMMINEE KRICKED, lNC. Financial Analyst June 1974 - October
1980 Responsibility: Financial consultant for major agricultural
firm. Accomplishment: Researched capital equipment costs and
enabled company to obtain profitable contracts previously
overlooked. Profitability: Saved approximately $60,000 annually
by lowering debt ratio.
EDUCATION:
- Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA- M.B.A. (1973) University
of Virginia, Richmond, VA - B.A., Accounting (1971)
REFERENCES: Available upon request. |