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  • Lesson resourcesResources
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About this lesson

Learn the uses and content of an effective resume, and its most applicable and common structures.

Exercise files

Download this lesson’s related exercise files.

Resume
59.3 KB
Resume - Solution
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Quick reference

Topic

Learn the uses and content of an effective resume, and its most applicable and common structures.

When to use

When applying for employment, a position at a new company, or a promotion.

Instructions

Purpose

Typical purposes for a resume:

  • Initial communication with HR department at a company
  • Basic correspondence about you and your qualifications
  • First impression with hiring manager or direct supervisor
  • Interoffice shorthand among team members during hiring process
  • Create a competitive advantage
  • One page is preferred, especially for new grads and entry to mid-level positions

Formatting and Content

  • Keep it straightforward and clear, or relative to your industry and position standards
  • Consider online templates: Google Docs: for resume samples, Cvmaker (www.cvmkr.com) and Microsoft Office
  • Simple designs are easiest to read and upload into digital programs
  • Include your most important duties or accomplishments, and the difference you made, in each role
  • Use a customized objective, try to say what you aim to bring to a specific company or role
  • Describe actions you have taken in your duties and the positive results they brought about
  • Show growth in your field if you have a longer work history to relate
  • For a short work history or recent college grad, choose a functional resume which focuses less on employment history more on skills, experience and education
  • For headers, Skills, Experience, Education and other concrete categories are better than Personal Interests or even References. Awards are optional
  • Proofread and Spellcheck!
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  • 00:05 We begin our look at personal business writing with a topic that
  • 00:09 concerns everyone in the professional environment,
  • 00:12 the resume, which is your history organized for business use.
  • 00:18 Getting your resume right is essential for
  • 00:20 a productive job search and potential career advancement.
  • 00:24 In one page your best qualities can
  • 00:26 reach many key decision makers at various levels.
  • 00:30 Resume uses begin with communications with a company.
  • 00:35 It can land in the HR department, human resources or
  • 00:38 a team leader will see your resume when you answer an ad.
  • 00:41 Your resume can serve as basic correspondence about you and
  • 00:46 become the first level tool for moving you forward or eliminating you as a candidate.
  • 00:52 A first impression or an introduction is going to be made with your resume.
  • 00:58 The hiring manager for
  • 00:59 the job you want, will need this document before meeting you.
  • 01:04 Your resume also serves as shorthand for interoffice correspondence.
  • 01:08 When departments, or
  • 01:09 team members, have a hand in the decision making process for new hires.
  • 01:13 The power of a resume resides in its ability to
  • 01:18 create a competitive advantage for you.
  • 01:21 It's the piece you leave behind as a final decision maker when you and
  • 01:25 another candidate are equally qualified.
  • 01:29 There are many approaches and an entire industry of
  • 01:33 professionals who can help you fine tune your resume, but you can write a great one
  • 01:37 on your own using some insider business writing tips and free online templates.
  • 01:43 Check out Google Docs for resume samples, CVmaker and Microsoft Office online.
  • 01:49 They have hundreds of templates there to choose from.
  • 01:53 And don't assume you have to be fancy.
  • 01:55 A simple design is usually best for uploading and for reading.
  • 01:59 Shown here is
  • 02:00 a traditional resume template from the Microsoft Office website.
  • 02:04 It's clear and easy to navigate.
  • 02:07 Structure will vary according to the candidate and the position.
  • 02:11 Look around at samples in your own field for ideas.
  • 02:15 Education, work history, skills, or
  • 02:18 achievements that could be a key focus for an employer in certain industries.
  • 02:23 So use what you know about the industry you work in to help you decide.
  • 02:29 This resume highlights work experience and history.
  • 02:33 You should always include your most important duties or
  • 02:36 accomplishments and the difference you made in each role.
  • 02:41 Begin your resume with an objective.
  • 02:44 This is a way to describe in one sentence your ideal position.
  • 02:48 We show here a very basic objective of a new college graduate, level and
  • 02:53 type of position at what kind of company.
  • 02:56 It would be better to customize the objective per the position or
  • 03:00 the company if you can.
  • 03:02 Be more specific than medium sized.
  • 03:04 Industry specific for example.
  • 03:06 Another tip is, add what you can contribute.
  • 03:09 Such as, I bring presentation skills, advanced accounting skills, etc.
  • 03:16 Use high level actions and results to describe your experience.
  • 03:20 Examples might be, increased sales, tripled revenues, expanded a team.
  • 03:25 Show what you did.
  • 03:28 Specific to the position or industry, write your resume to show your own
  • 03:32 growth in your field, and/or your potential contribution to this job.
  • 03:40 For a short work history, a recent grad, or
  • 03:42 a career change, a more functional resume can be chosen.
  • 03:47 This kind of focuses on things that you have done, or
  • 03:50 can do, instead of the specific employment history details.
  • 03:56 This is a resume for a new college grad, highlighting education and achievements.
  • 04:03 It uses the same business focus when writing points under each section, though.
  • 04:08 You still want to write about your actions and results.
  • 04:14 Skills and abilities.
  • 04:15 It's a strong header option in lieu of a long work history.
  • 04:20 Experience, as shown here,
  • 04:22 is still a must, even if it is not direct employment experience included.
  • 04:27 Awards, Those are a maybe.
  • 04:29 You can include them.
  • 04:30 Interests though, that's unnecessary on a resume.
  • 04:34 And finally, get a proofreader.
  • 04:37 Errors are a leading cause of being passed by for an interview.
  • 04:42 Overall, there are many approaches to creating an attention-getting and
  • 04:46 effective resume.
  • 04:48 Finding the balance between being straightforward, concise, and
  • 04:52 then thorough at the same time, plus engaging and
  • 04:57 progressive, is a key for getting your foot in the door.
  • 05:02 So check out some samples from others in your industry, and look for tips online
  • 05:08 to help you write the resume that will get you started on the career of your dreams.

Lesson notes are only available for subscribers.

Introduction to Business Writing
4m:40s
Cover Letter
4m:34s
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