Almost all prospective employers meet your résumébefore they meet you, and their reaction to it usually determineswhether or not they will consider you further by interviewingyou. In addition, your job interviews will often start withreferences to your résumé. Consequently, spendconsiderable time in developing one or more versions of yourrésumé, each one targeted for a specific type of job.
Effective résumés contain the following elements:
The heading should contain your name, full address, and phonenumber, including area code. If you have them, you may alsoinclude a FAX number, an electronic mail address, and even yourWorld Wide Web page (if you are sure that youwant all prospective employers to see it).
The objective statement is a short, one- or two-line descriptionof the sort of job you want and the specific fields in which youare interested. It does not have to be a complete Summarize your educational history in reverse chronologicalorder, showing how it has prepared you for the sort of job youwant. List descriptive titles (but not course numbers) of allrelevant classes you have taken. If you have not yet receivedyour bachelor's degree or if you have just graduated, include thename of your high school, the city and state in which it islocated, and the dates you attended. List all relevant work experiences in reverse chronologicalorder, using action verbs to provide vivid andspecific descriptions of all activities that are connected withyour job objective. List any skill (such as proficiency in a foreign language or expertise in specific computerapplications) that may be relevant to the position. In addition, list any activity oraccomplishment that will provide a positive first impression of relevant personal qualities, such asyour energy level and initiative, your ability to work with diverse groups of people, and yourcommunication skills. Do not, however, list hobbies or memberships merely to fill out therésumé. Include only activities and accomplishments that a prospective employermay find relevant to the position. Federal law prohibits employers from asking job applicants certain personal informationconcerning gender, race, religion, age, and marital status. Include such information on yourrésumé only if you believe it may help you obtain an interview. Because ofgovernment contracts, for example, certain employers can hire only citizens or residents of theUnited States. Consequently, if you are applying for such a position and you are a United Statescitizen or resident, you should include that information. In most cases, conclude your résumé with "References available on request." Listthe names of your references only if doing so is customary in your profession and only if you havesecured explicit permission from each individual to include his or her name on yourrésumé. Most résumés should not be more than one page. However, if you have extensiverelevant experience and skills, do not hesitate to extend your résumé to two pages. Your résumé must be readable, neat, and free of grammatical, spelling, andtypographical errors. Because it is so crucial in the job application process, The following résumés illustrate the main features of résumeé format. Copyright ©2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of Educational History
Work Experience
Relevant Skills, Activities, and Accomplishments
Reference Statement
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