Writing your resume

Why do I need a resume?

The purpose of writing a resume is to gain an employer's interest so they will offer you an interview!

It is like an advertisement: it should attract attention, create interest, describe accomplishments and invite a hiring manager to contact you. It is very important that the resume be brief - no more than three pages. The resume tells a potential employer what you can do and have done, who you are, what you know, and what kind of work you seek. It should provide enough information for the employer to evaluate your qualifications and create enough interest to invite you for an interview. To assist you in writing your resume we have provided the following information:

• What to include in your resume
• Style and appearance of your resume
• Using action verbs
• Additional resume tips
• Proofreading your resume
• Providing references

What to include in your resume

Before you begin to write your resume take the time to do a self-assessment on paper. Outline your skills and abilities as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities (if they are supportive of your job application). This will make it easier to prepare a thorough resume.

It is important to tailor your qualifications to the work for which you are applying, yet include the following information:

1. Personal data:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• E-mail address

2. Describe your Current Work Objective:

• An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you're hoping to do.
• Be specific about the job you want. For example: To obtain an entry-level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Tailor your objective to each employer you target or every job you seek.

3. Special skills and qualities asked for in the job posting, for example:

• Computer skills, technical skills and knowledge
• Experience with specific machinery and equipment
• Certification
• Excellent communication skills
  

4. Education:

• Degrees, diplomas and certificates
• Courses and workshops taken which relate to your objective
• Examples of best work done related to your objective (team or individual projects)
• Other significant facts (recognized achievements, professional membership)

5. Work experience:

Briefly provide an overview of the work that has taught you your skills. Use action words to describe your job duties. Detail your work experience in reverse chronological order—that is, put your last job first and work backward to your first, relevant job. Include:

• Position Title
• Name of organization
• Location of work (City, Province)
• Dates of employment
• Describe your work responsibilities with emphasis on specific skills and achievements.

6. If you don't have a great deal of work experience to discuss think about highlighting other activities that are relevant to applying for the position such as:

• Volunteer experience
• Community involvement
• Professional memberships

Describe

• The organization
• Length of your involvement
• Your role
• Your accomplishments
• Samples of best work if relevant

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Style and appearance of the resume

Ensure that both the electronic and paper versions of your resume create a favourable first impression. They should be well organized in an easy-to-read font (Arial or Times New Roman, 11+ point size), with correct grammar and spelling and up-to-date information. Paper copies should be printed on high quality white or light coloured paper with no handwritten corrections or whiteout.

Prepare a positive document that presents your skills, qualities and experience. Don't be shy! If you don't believe in yourself, how will a potential employer? However, the resume must be an honest evaluation. Don't lie or stretch the truth. The misrepresentation will come back to haunt you - if not in the interview, then on the job. There is no one right resume. The goal is to create a document that presents your strengths. The content and writing style will reflect this. Be enthusiastic, confident, and focused.

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Use action verbs

No matter what type of resume format you choose to use, describe your skills using action verbs. Some examples are shown below, or you can view a list of action verbs. Use the verbs that apply to you:

• achieved
• compiled
• completed
• improvised
• launched
• participated
• taught

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Additional resume tips

• Do not include the word “Resume” at the top of the page or the date you prepared the document.
• Be sure that your name appears at the top of all pages.
• Include page numbers beginning at page two.
• Start with strong verbs (e.g., wrote, presented, advised, etc.) and to eliminate any misconception that you might be responsible for the total project, end with “in conjunction with”, “in collaboration with”, “as a member of [design] team”, etc.
• Avoid expressions such as “responsible for” or “duties included” as your accomplishments may not be understood.
• Avoid repetition.
• Avoid weak verbs such as “did”, “had,” and “handled”. There is no exact formula for determining how recent an experience must be to be included on your resume; if it is relevant, it can be included.
• Do not create a section if you have only one bullet of information. Instead, include it in another appropriate section.

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Proofread the resume

Before you give your resume to any potential employer, don't rely on the computer to do a spell check and have at least one other person proofread your document. To a potential employer, typographical errors demonstrate that candidates haven't prepared themselves properly, or that the candidate does not pay attention to detail. To assist you in this task, consider the following:

1. Appearance

At first glance, will the employer find the resume attractive and want to read it (paper weight/colour, layout of sections/points/margins, font size/style, unfolded, no corrections in handwriting, etc.)? Plenty of white space is recommended.

2. Accomplishments

Does the document present your qualifications from both theoretical and practical perspectives regarding education, skills, experience, personality, etc.?

3. Writing/Presentation

• Is every word necessary to explain your meaning?
• Is the point relevant to the job for which you are applying?
• Does the writing style clearly and completely convey what you want the reader to know?
• Are your words precise and action-oriented?
• Are there any spelling or grammatical errors?

4. Sales Appeal

Have you told the reader in a positive, interesting way what you can do for their organization? Have you provided sufficient proof of expertise that the reader will want to meet you personally in an interview?

5. Personal Identification

Have you included your name, mailing address, voice mail, fax and/or email information on the top of the first page so that an employer can easily reach you?

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Providing references

The City of Vancouver requests references from at least three people, preferably managers, supervisors or clients, who have direct knowledge of your work. If this is your first job application and you cannot provide work-related references, consider providing the names of coaches, volunteer coordinators, teachers or other people who can vouch for your personal skills or abilities. Ask people if they are willing to serve as references before you give their names to a potential employer.

Do not include your reference information on your resume. We suggest that you note at the bottom of your resume "References provided upon request". Bring your reference details with you to the interview.

Source: University of Waterloo's e-manual for Career Development

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