 CV

A CV is a detailed document that highlights your academic and

professional accomplishments. It's used for academic positions and
graduate school applications. A CV typically includes your contact
information, education, work experience, skills, achievements,
publications, and professional affiliations.
 Resume
A resume is a concise summary of your professional background that
highlights your most relevant skills, achievements, and experiences for
a specific position. It's used for most other job applications. A resume
typically includes your contact information, education, work
experience, skills, and a resume summary or objective.

RESUME
Resume Writing:
A resume is a document that you—the jobseeker—uses to promote your skills,
abilities, and knowledge to a potential employer. It uses your past experiences
and accomplishments to position you for future opportunities.
From an employer’s perspective, resumes are used to identify qualified
candidates toinvite to an interview. Resumes do not generate job offers, but well
written resumes do facilitate interviews. They are a marketing tool. The resume
is important, but just one of several steps that make up a successful job search.
Things to know before you get started:
• Your resume will be among a stack of resumes that will be viewed for no
more than 30 seconds.
• Applicant tracking systems scan resumes for keywords that match the
company’s job descriptions.
 Use words in your resume that match the job description. If the
keywords/skills are missing, your resume may be rejected.
• Don’t be vague, you need to do more than simply list functions you had
at a previous job. What did you accomplish? What problem did you
solve? (see accomplishment worksheet)
• Don’t lie or embellish the truth (employers will check your references)
• Rules of the English language are forgotten
  Avoid first person pronouns “I” “Me” or “We”
 Keep sentences short. Sentence fragments are acceptable.
• Assemble all personal and factual information before you construct your
resume.
• Work on your resume one section at a time.
• Use a dictionary or thesaurus to avoid repetitive wording.
Types of Resume
1. Chronological resume (EXPERIENCE)
A chronological resume opens with an introduction, and then provides an
overview of your professional history in reverse-chronological order
(meaning your most recently held position is listed at the top). The
chronological resume format is the most common type of resume used by job
seekers today, and is suitable for candidates with various experience levels.

2. Functional resume (SKILLS)

A functional resume is formatted to focus on your skills and abilities rather
than your career progression. It’s preferred by professionals who want to draw
attention away from their traditional work experience, such as those who
are changing careers or have significant gaps in their work history.While
similar to other resume formats, functional resumes are unique in several
ways:

 The skills section takes up most of the page, and categorizes your professional
accomplishments according to the skill is demonstrates
 The work experience section is shorter

3. Combination resume
A combination resume is a format that combines aspects of a functional
resume and a chronological resume. While a chronological resume focuses
heavily on experience and a functional resume emphasizes skills, a
combination resume typically balances both work history and skills equally to
demonstrate your qualifications. Combination resumes are ideal for
candidates who have extensive experience or a highly developed set of skills
that they want to showcase.

4. Targeted resume
A targeted resume is a resume you write with a specific position in mind.
Use this format to clearly highlight the skills and experience you have related
to the position — writing each part of your resume in a way that best
emphasizes your necessary qualifications. To write a strong targeted
resume, scan through the job listing for the position you want to fill.
Typically, hiring managers include the skills, responsibilities, and traits that
they want candidates to possess directly in the job description.

Components of a good resume:

1. Personal Information
Your name, address, city, state, cell phone number and email address should be
highly visible, centered at the top of the page. *Note: E-mail address and cell
phone voicemail must be professional.
2. Objective (optional)
Not all employers require an objective. An objective identifies which position
you are seeking. Place an objective on your resume when you are applying for a
specific position.
3. Highlights of Qualifications
The qualifications section delivers an impact at the top of your resume – it’s
your first impression. The qualification statements should match your skills to
the target job description. You want the employers to read the summary and say
“we have to meet/interview this person.” Information in this section must be
customized to fit each position you apply for. Place most important words first
since the scanner may be limited in the number of words it reads. List hard
skills not soft skills. (Hard skills are job-related competencies and abilities that are
necessary to complete)

4. Experience
Use separate headings for Internship and Work experience List in reverse
chronological order, specifying employer name, city and state, job title, and
dates of employment. Use action verbs to describe your tasks, hi-lighting your
accomplishments and skills and relating these to individual job requirements. If
you have not completed an internship, you may consider adding a section titled
“Career Related Experience”.
 5. Education
List all collegiate experiences (degree received) in reverse chronological order.
Include school name, city and state, degree, anticipated graduation date,
majors, minors, GPA (optional). You may also list relevant course work, and
scholarships. Study abroad would also be listed under this section using the
same format.
6. Activities
Employers have indicated that involvement in extracurricular activities
demonstrates leadership, time management and organizational skills. The
following is a list of activities that can be included in this section:
organizations/associations, volunteerism, community involvement, and athletic
teams, (if you have held a leadership position, be sure to include this with the
activity). You may choose to have a leadership section if you have several
experiences.
7. References
“Reference available upon request,” can be omitted. It is understood that you
will supply references. Create a separate reference page and bring it with you to
the interview. Include the reference name, title, organization/company name,
business address, phone number, and email of each reference. Include only
those persons who have agreed to serve as a reference for you. List all your
personal information at the top of this page.
Vague Claims vs Accomplishments
• “Experience working in fast-paced environment”
“Registered 120+ third-shift emergency patients per night”

• “Excellent written communication skills”

“Wrote jargon-free User Guide for 11.000 users”

• “Team player with cross-functional skills”

“Collaborated with clients, A/R and Sales to increase speed of receivables and
prevent interruption of service to clients.”

• “Demonstrated success in analyzing client needs”

“Created and implemented comprehensive needs assessment mechanism to help
forecast demand for services and staffing.”

Online Resume Banks

 Resources o JobStar.org - highly recommended - topics include
"Descriptions of Major Resume Banks," "Should You or Shouldn't You?
Evaluating Resume Banks," and "Let's Get Electronic: Why Employers
Use Resume Banks."
 eResumes.com - Great advice, well-organized. Also, links to select
resume databases.
 ResumeRabbit.com - enter your resume on this site, and the site posts
your resume to multiple major job sites.
COVER LETTER IN RESUME:
A cover letter is a one-page document that accompanies your resume when
applying for a job. It's essentially a brief introduction that explains your
interest in the position and highlights your most relevant skills and
experiences, offering more context and personalization than your resume
alone. While not always required, a well-written cover letter can
significantly enhance your application and differentiate you from other
candidates.
Purpose of a Cover Letter:
Introduces You:
A cover letter provides the first impression to a hiring manager, explaining
your motivation for applying and why you're a good fit for the role.
Highlights Key Skills and Experiences:
It allows you to showcase specific skills and experiences that align with the
job requirements and demonstrate your suitability for the position.
Demonstrates Interest and Research:
A personalized cover letter shows that you've researched the company and
role, and that you're genuinely interested in the opportunity.
Differentiates You:
A well-written cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates,
especially if you're able to demonstrate your personality and enthusiasm for
the job.
Structure and Content:
Heading: Includes your contact information and the date.
Salutation: A formal greeting to the hiring manager.
Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and the position you're applying
for.
Body Paragraphs: Highlight your relevant skills and experience, explain
why you're interested in the position and the company, and show how your
qualifications align with their needs.
Conclusion: Express your enthusiasm for the opportunity and thank the
hiring manager for their time.
Closing: A formal closing, followed by your signature (if printing) or a
typed name.