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What is a resume?
Some people think of a resume as their "life
on a page," but how could anyone put everything
important about himself/herself on a single piece
of paper (or two)? Actually, resumes are much
more specific, including only relevant information
about yourself for specific employers.
Like a life, however, a resume is
always growing and changing. As your career goals
shift or the job market changes--as you grow personally
and professionally--chances are you will need
to re-write your resume or at least create new
versions. Writing a resume is a lifelong process.
How do you know what in your life--past,
present, and future--is most relevant to prospective
employers? How do you select which information
to include? The quick answer to both these questions
is "it depends." It depends on your
individual career goals as well as on the professional
goals of the companies hiring in your area or
field of interest. In the end, only you, through
research, planning, questioning and self-reflection,
can determine the shape and content of your resume,
but the strategies below along with those on the
job search, can help you ask the right questions
and begin exploring your options.
Why write a resume?
A silly question--to get a job of course! But
why else?
- to persuade your readers you are
the best person for the job
- to construct a professional image of yourself
and establish your credibility
- to provide a sample of your written communication
skills
- to convince prospective employers you deserve
an interview
What kind of resume should you
write?
This is a trick question. You will likely need
to create more than one kind of resume. Moreover,
your resume(s) will grow and change dramatically
as you travel down your career paths. What are
the most common kinds of resumes? Which ones are
right for you given your career goals? To help
answer these questions, you will need to think
about your overall job search strategy and make
some decisions about current resume technologies.
Overall job search strategies:
main approaches
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Approach
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When to use
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Drawbacks
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A generic approach to writing
a resume involves creating one version for
a broad range of readers.
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large number of applications
placing a resume on the Internet
or in a job search database
creating a resume for an employment
portfolio
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casts you as a "generic
applicant" with undefined career goals
makes it difficult for recruiters
to decide whether you are the right person
for the job
implies you are not especially
interested in the organization or position
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A tailored approach to writing
a resume involves creating multiple versions,
each one customized for a single company
or position.
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whenever possible!
for "top choice" positions
for small number of applications
previous contacts or connections
with the organization
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takes more time to research
each company/position and customize each
resume
increases chances to make mistakes
with multiple versions
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A combined approach to writing
a resume integrates the above two approaches,
creating tailored resumes for "top
choices" and creating a generic resume
for all others.
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when you want to maximize your
chances for success
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can be difficult to keep organized
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Technological Considerations
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Type
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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Traditional print resumes are
printed on paper, usually to be mailed or
hand-delivered.
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allows you to use page design
and formatting to emphasize your qualifications
and skills
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difficult for computers to scan
your resume
requires knowledge of advanced
formatting features in word-processing or
desktop publishing programs
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Scannable resumes are often
printed on paper as well, but they are designed
to be scanned first by a computer rather
than a human eye; they include little visual
and textual formatting (i.e. columns, varied
font styles and sizes, etc.).
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can be scanned by a computer
so that employers can search for keywords
required by some prospective
employers (check job ad)
can be easily sent via e-mail
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limits options for page design
and layout
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On-line web resumes are placed
on a web server/site so they can be accessed
by web browsers such as Internet Explorer
or Netscape.
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adds many design/layout options
allows links to other sites/files
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often not easily printable
requires basic web design and
authoring skills, an Internet connection,
and server space
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Questions to ask
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About you
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About the company or organization
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How much time and energy can
you dedicate to finding the right job for
you
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Which companies/positions would
be your top choices? Which would be second
choices? Which jobs are most worth tailoring
your resume for?
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Which writing technologies are
you comfortable using? Which could you learn
given the time you have available? What
resources are available to help you learn?
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What kind(s) of resume do companies
in your area of interest request? What writing
and computer technologies do they typically
use?
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