To know yourself, to summarize your skills and accomplishments and to communicate your potential worth.

To give to your references for their use if contacted by your potential employer.

To summarize your education and experience.

To take or send in advance to an employer when you have an interview.

To enclose with a letter of application or a cover letter.

To leave on file with an organization through which you are networking and seeking information about employment opportunities.

Chronological Format:
This is a commonly accepted format. Experience is organized by job title and in reverse chronological order. Titles, places of employment stand out more. Achievements stand out less.

Functional:
Experience is organized by areas of expertise, rather than position titles. This format is especially helpful when referring to your volunteer experience. It allows employers to pick out strengths and achievements more readily and puts less emphasis on job titles and gaps in employment. Although this format is not traditional, when done correctly and well, it can be very affective in highlighting transferable skills.

Blend:
This format blends the chronological and the functional. Skills are emphasized and attributed to places worked. More time and creativity is required when composing a functional or blend resume.

Get it all on one page. Although two-page resumes exist, they are not recommended. Employers don't spend much time on resumes. There are no guarantees they will bother to turn to page two. Utilize space creatively and keep it to one page.

Your name, address, email, and telephone number should be at the top. If your address will soon be changing, include the new information as well.

Your job objective should be clearly stated in one sentence. Tailor this to the specific job for which you are applying. If you prefer not to have an objective statement, make sure it is stated somewhere in the cover letter.

Begin your sentences with such active verbs as "directed", "organized," "implemented,", etc. Avoid terms like "responsible for" and others that sound dull and more like a job description than a count of your achievements. 

Show that you did more than simply what the job required.

Do not use the pronoun "I."

Use terms like "gained experience in" and others that demonstrate growth through your work.

Stress abilities and results, rather than specific events. Remember to include all you gained through your volunteer experience.

Personal information is generally not included in a resume unless it is directly relevant to the job (e.g. fluency in a foreign language). No need to put "willingness to travel or relocate" either. This is a given if you are applying for a job that requires travel or relocation.

Never lie. 

Never put anything negative in your resume. 

Carefully select what to include and what not to.

Check your resume for neatness, correctness, spelling, etc. Your eye may not catch tiny errors. Ask someone else to check it over.

List your educational experience according to which is most relevant to the job. (This may or may not be in reverse chronological order).

Do not state your reasons for leaving any employment.

Avoid humorous statements. Wait for the interview to determine if your sense of humor will be appreciated.

Don't bother mentioning anything about your references. Simply take to the interview a typed list of names, titles, addresses and phone numbers of your references.

State why you are interested in a specific position, what attracted you. Mention how you learned of the position. It is helpful if you use the name of a person familiar to the employer.

In one concise sentence, state highlights of your potential value to an employer. 

Compose a letter that comes from your qualifications, rather than your need for a job.

Do not state why you are leaving a current job.

Do not ask to hear from the employer. 

State that you will be calling to arrange a brief meeting at their convenience.

Always include a cover letter with your resume. Address the letter to a real person. Never use "Dear Sir" (unless you want to infuriate every female employer out there)!

Keep it brief. The letter should be concise and to the point.

The interview is often the most dreaded part of the job search process. No one really enjoys being examined with a critical eye, no matter how objective and interested the critic. A successful interview depends on several things, but one of the most basic is the reflection of an attitude of poise and quiet confidence. Be prepared for your interview. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be.

Learn as much as possible in advance about the position for which you are applying and about the organization for which you wish to work.

Dress neatly and appropriately -- appropriate to your age and the employment you are seeking.

Go to the interview alone. Be on time or early. Don't use first names unless invited to. Show confidence, but don't overdo it. Bring with you:

	Two copies of your resume (one for you and one for the interviewer if needed).
	Your social security card or number.
	A typed list of names, addresses and phone numbers of your references (your name and address should be typed on this paper as well).
	Exact dates of work history and school enrollment (your resume may not have exact dates).

Don't schedule more than two interviews in one day. Give yourself ample time to get there, fill out applications, interview and then to take a breather afterwards.

Fill out applications quickly, neatly, and completely. If a question is not applicable to you, put N/A in the space -- don't leave it blank.

Be prepared to answer questions other than those related to your qualifications. Some examples might be: What attracted you to this company/school/parish/hospital? With which computer programs are you familiar? Proficient? What do you regard as your strongest qualification for this position? What do you regard as your greatest weakness? Prepare yourself for this question. Choose something that has a positive aspect to it. "I tend to be very meticulous and at times spend needless energy on every last detail of a project." Be truthful, but be creative. "Tell us about yourself." Gear your answer to the employer's self interest. Don't give your autobiography. Instead, talk about the part of you that makes you perfect for the job.

Answer the questions briefly and to the point. Don't seem rushed, but don't ramble on. This may take some practice.

Know what questions you want to ask the prospective employer. By asking questions like, "What do you value most in your employees? " and "What would you like to see this organization achieve in the long range?" you show that you are truly interested in the employer's needs. Also, take this opportunity to find out if this is truly a place where you want to work.

The subject of salary is a bit delicate. If the salary is not stated, and you are asked what you expect, consider holding off on a direct answer. There is always opportunity to discuss salary once you have been offered a position. Respond with something like, "Salary is important, of course, but I am more interested now in determining whether or not this is the position where I can best use my talents and experience." If the employer makes it clear that he wants a figure, give a generous range to work with.

After the interview, send a thank you note, again using this opportunity to sell yourself (without overdoing it).

After the interview, analyze what happened. Think about what went well and why. Did anything not go as well as you would have liked? Why? Learn from the experience.

If you get offered the job, wonderful! If not, use what you've learned for the next time. Keep plugging away and try not to get discouraged. Remember, something will come your way.
                                        
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Copyright © 2006 St. Vincent Pallotti Center
Last modified: August 04, 2008 -