Developing Your Master Resume

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Introduction • New to Job Search? • Resume outdated? • Overwhelmed?

This program will help you through the process.

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Program Goal • Summarize important resume basics

• Provide tools and resources to help you develop your master resume • Develop master resume as the source document used to create resumes for jobs

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Program Outline • Characteristics of a master resume • “Recruiter” guidelines • Applicant Tracking System (ATS) guidelines • Chronological resume

• Functional resume • Guidelines for submitting resumes for jobs • Additional resources/information

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Characteristics of a Master Resume • Covers your entire job history including all positions/accomplishments • Has no limit on number of pages • Provides information answering the “tell-me-about-yourself’ question • Is a “source” document to create your custom resume for each job MASTER

JOB A

JOB B

JOB C

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Characteristics of a Master Resume – cont’d. • Is your most important foundation marketing tool, which will set you apart from other candidates • Presents your value proposition

• Purpose is to get you an interview!

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Characteristics of a Good Resume for the “Recruiter” • Easily readable by human eyes • Uses concise language, and contains well-written sentences • Has correct spelling, grammar and punctuation • Is written in the past verb tense (unless still employed)

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Characteristics of a Good Resume for the Recruiter cont’d. • Contains no subjective, trite expressions, such as: - Hard worker - Team player

• Is one to several pages long depending on number of years worked

• Includes volunteer positions (better if career related) • Titles, organizations, etc., are written as follows: - Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

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Characteristics of a Good Resume for the Recruiter – cont’d. • Use 10 point size font or larger • White space between jobs • Left side justified (fully justified is optional)

• Left margin should be 1 inch. • Make right margin 1 inch also, if fully justified

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Keep in Mind… • Recruiters have to weed through MANY resume submissions • Make your resume demonstrate that your skills and experience MATCH THE EMPLOYER’s NEEDS FOR THE JOB!

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Guidelines for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS’s) • Use black text, which is easiest for the ATS to read

• Include numerous key words in Summary and Skills sections, and on the first page, as well as throughout you resume • Avoid underlining words. Bold words for emphasis. • Use traditional bullets for accomplishments • Upload resume vs. copying and pasting

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Guidelines for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS’s) – cont’d. • Don’t Use: ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫

Images Photos Graphics Logos Arrows Tables Borders Lines across the page

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Guidelines for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS’s) • Per a popular study by Preptel, 70% - 75% of candidates don’t get through ATS screening. Common reasons for exclusions are: tables, pictures, and symbols • Avoid serif type styles, such as Baskerville, David

• Use sans serif styles: Arial, Calibri, Tahoma ,Verdana and many others

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Additional ATS Guidelines • In Review Pane in Microsoft Word, click “Accept” or “Accept All Changes” in Documents . (This prevents reader from seeing your previous changes, corrections, etc.) • Do not save resume in PDF format. Save resume in one of the following formats (check your software’s definitions, especially those that protect integrity of what you sent): - .doc - .docx

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Resume Formats Chronological • Most common and accepted format • Career progression in same general professional field or an allied field

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Sample Chronological Resume

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Sample Chronological Resume - cont’d. Professional Experience and Achievements

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Sample Chronological Resume - cont’d.

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Sample Chronological Resume - cont’d.

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Resume Formats

Functional • Less common • Emphasis on qualifications

• Less emphasis on employers and dates • Contract or consulting work • Career change

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Sample Functional Resume

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Sample Functional Resume cont’d. List key professional skills by function with a list of accomplishments for each

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Sample Functional Resume - cont’d. List company names, job titles, years employed

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Sample Functional Resume - cont’d.

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Possible Additional Resume Sections •

Professional Associations or Educational Affiliations

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Volunteer experience (if job or career related)

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Memberships (example: Phi Beta Kappa Society)

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Publications (profession-related only)

•

Patents

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Your Finished Master Resume • Send to friends and to professionals for proofreading, especially to Human Resources professionals! They will focus on: ▫ Appearance ▫ Content ▫ Grammar ▫ Readability/Clarity

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Guidelines for Submitting Resumes for Jobs Modify your Master Resume as follows: • Make copy of the job description, and highlight key skills & requirements • Make a copy of the master resume, and save it as a new document: ▫ Change Summary heading to the job title ▫ Fine tune keywords and phrases to coincide with the job description ▫ Per a report from “The Ladders”, ATS ranks your resume on how much it contains the number of keyword matches, and gives you a score from 0 – 100.

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Additional Resources • Sample resumes - PSG of Mercer County website • Resume and cover letter templates: - Microsoft Word or within Word (file/new/search resume templates) - quintcareers.com

• Actions verbs for accomplishments: career.opcd.wfu.edu/files/2011/05/Action-Verbs-for-Resumes.pdf • To optimize resume keywords, use Jobscan.co

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Final Thoughts?

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Gary Lande Career Coach helping you land interviews by focusing on development of your:    

Master Resume LinkedIn Profile Cover Letters Thank-You Letters Contact Information www.showingyouthewayforward.com [email protected] 609-409-8401 (H) 609-819-9333 (C)