Career Center

San José State University

The Resume Heading

PAUL NGUYEN2500 Salvador Dali, #10

San Jose, CA 95192(408) 924-6093

nguyen@email.sjsu.edu

Scanner Friendly

Font size of 10-14 Avoid italics, script and

underlined passages Avoid horizontal and

vertical lines, graphics and shading

Variety of Resume Headings

Military Experience

Volunteer Work

Community Service

Employment Summary

Accomplishments

Summary of Qualifications

Leadership Activities

Affiliations

Publications

Presentations

Objective

Education

Related Course Work

Projects

Experience

Skills

Activities

Awards/Honors

Employment

Related Experience

Other Employment

Organize the body of your resume according to headings that best reflect your level of experience

and background.

Tailor your resume -- change the order of your heading, to emphasize or de-emphasize

different aspects of your education and experience, and position the most relevant

information at the top.

The Career Objective

The Career Objective is a short and realistic statement of interest. Its purpose is to indicate the type of position you are seeking. It can be a list of functions you wish to perform, or a set of skills you can contribute to an organization.

Sample Career Objectives

Seeking a co-op position at the National Weather Service.

Full-time meteorologist position at the U.S. Forestry Service.

Seeking a Research Associate position at NASA to utilize my abilities in forecasting and computational meteorology.

Education

B.S. degree in Meteorology, 8/05Specialization in Forecasting, Major GPA: 3.3/4.0San Jose State University, San Jose CA

Relevant Course Work:

Weather Briefing, Thermodynamics and Radiation, Empirical Techniques in Meteorology, Synoptic Weather Analysis and Forecasting

List only select number of upper division or other relevant courses completed in major.

Experience

Use active, present tense verbs to describe current duties.

Use active, past tense verbs to describe activities performed in the past.

Avoid: “ing”, “responsible for”, “has ability to”.

Communicating with Creativity

Demonstrated effective sales techniques by communicating well with diverse groups of customers.

Managed numerous responsibilities, including the training of new employees.

Worked an average of 15 hours weekly while completing undergraduate degree to help pay for tuition and living expenses.

Salesperson, Macy’s Department StoreSan Jose, CA, 8/04 - present

Examples of Class Projects

Weather Forecasting, SJSU, Fall 2004

• Led a team of three to conduct weather analysis and forecasting.

• Acquired, manipulated, and displayed real-time data sets to present to class.

Skills

This category may include your knowledge of laboratory skills, research skills, and the operation of various instruments and equipment relevant to your objective.

It may also include such “soft” skills as writing, artistic expression, interpersonal communication, and languages spoken other than English.

List only those skills that you have applied in a classroom/lab or work setting.

Activities

May group affiliations, honors and interests under “Activities,” or may create individual headings for each.

Member, Student Chapter of MAS, SJSU, 2004 – present

Orientation Leader, New Student Orientation, SJSU, 2004

Gary Quinby Prize Recipient (recognized for service to department), SJSU, 2003 & 2004

Volunteer Tutor, ABC for Kids, San Jose, CA, 2002 – 2004

List leadership roles as appropriate.

Red Flags Flying!

No Career Focus or Direction Specified No Dates Listed Few Achievements and Skills Highlighted Outdated Information Irrelevant Information Passive Voice Lack of Organization Grammatical and Spelling Errors

The Cover Letter

Must be concise and quickly capture the prospective employer’s attention.

Should NOT be about you. It should be about your target. What can you do for them?

Cover Letter Step 1

Begin your letter by addressing a specific person.

If you cannot obtain the spelling from an advertisement, call the employment office to verify the information.

Although the tone of the letter needs to be business-oriented, remember that it also serves as a personal introduction.

Cover Letter Step II

First Paragraph: State the purpose of your letter, relating the title of

the position you’re seeking and how you heard about it, such as the location and date of an advertisement or a referral by a current employee.

Second Paragraph: The next paragraph should present your

qualifications as they relate to the position you’re seeking.

Cover Letter Step III

Third Paragraph: Close the letter with an offer to provide additional

information if necessary. You may also state a time when you will be responsible for follow-up.

Cover Letter Sample

February 25, 2005

Eileen Smith

Human Resources

Valley Research Center

1111 Stevens Creek Blvd.

Santa Clara, CA 95051

Cover Letter 1st Paragraph

Dear Ms. Smith:

This letter is to express my strong interest in the Research Associate opportunity that recently appeared in the San Jose Mercury Newspaper. As you can see from the attached resume, I will be completing my B.S. in Meteorology from San Jose State University in August 2005.

Cover Letter 2nd Paragraph

I firmly believe that my previous work experiences, in conjunction with my academic preparation, have prepared me to contribute immediately as a Research Associate. I have molded my career and my studies to achieve my goal of working as a researcher. This passion, coupled with my attention to detail and organizational skills, will allow me to a valuable contributor to your Center.

Cover Letter 3rd Paragraph

Enclosed please find my resume for your review. If you have any questions, please contact me at (408) 111-2222 or via e-mail at smith@yahoo.com. I look forward to learning more about Valley Research and the possibility of becoming part of your team.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Cover Letter Checklist One page only and limited to three targeted

paragraphs Type written or word processor, with full spell check

and proofing Written to someone specific, with the name and title

spelled correctly Company name and address are correct and

complete Quality bond paper, 8x11 inches, ideally as the same

as your resume Three focused paragraphs (focused on the reader’s

needs, not yours) Signed with a blue or black pen Place resume behind and tri-fold (no staples) Type or neatly print address on envelope Do not forget to follow up, or all the other steps will

be in vain!