Resumes (Print & Electronic) Resumes (Print & Electronic) and Web Portfoliosand Web Portfolios

Electronic Writing & Electronic Writing & PublishingPublishing

By Dr. Jennifer L. BowieBy Dr. Jennifer L. Bowie

How many resumes do I How many resumes do I need?need?1.1. Master resume:Master resume: put everything you could ever use on this. put everything you could ever use on this.

Update frequently. From this you will develop your other Update frequently. From this you will develop your other resumes as needed. Can/Should be very longresumes as needed. Can/Should be very long

2.2. Print resume:Print resume: a short job-centric listing of your skills, a short job-centric listing of your skills, experience, and education. Keep to one page unless an expert. experience, and education. Keep to one page unless an expert. Print on nice light, high quality paper with lots of white spacePrint on nice light, high quality paper with lots of white space

3.3. Email/ASCII resumeEmail/ASCII resume: also job-centric listing of your skills, : also job-centric listing of your skills, experience, and education. Keep short if only humans are experience, and education. Keep short if only humans are reading & go longer as necessary if machines are reading it. Use reading & go longer as necessary if machines are reading it. Use only plain text and save as a text file (.txt). Okay to use all caps only plain text and save as a text file (.txt). Okay to use all caps for headings (only time!)for headings (only time!)

4.4. Scannable resumeScannable resume: may use your email/ASCII resume. Print it : may use your email/ASCII resume. Print it on white paper. Do not use bold, italics, or underlining. Keep on white paper. Do not use bold, italics, or underlining. Keep simple and clean.simple and clean.

5.5. Web resumeWeb resume: a more detailed job-centric discussion of your : a more detailed job-centric discussion of your skills, experience, and education, divided into detailed sections skills, experience, and education, divided into detailed sections (chunks) on various pages (1 chunk per page, maybe 2-3 if (chunks) on various pages (1 chunk per page, maybe 2-3 if chunks are small). This resume allows you to go into the detail chunks are small). This resume allows you to go into the detail other resumes, especially the print, don’t. Do include a print-other resumes, especially the print, don’t. Do include a print-friendly (and possibly shorter) unchunked version of your friendly (and possibly shorter) unchunked version of your resume available to print. Include navigation to all sections of resume available to print. Include navigation to all sections of the resume on each pagethe resume on each page

What type of Resume should I What type of Resume should I use?use?Two main types:Two main types: Chronological: most common. Information grouped Chronological: most common. Information grouped

(education, work experiences,…) and items in each (education, work experiences,…) and items in each group are in reverse chronological order (most recent group are in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Good for the general candidate. Sample: first). Good for the general candidate. Sample: http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_sample_4.htmlhttp://www.quintcareers.com/resume_sample_4.html

Functional: less common (10%). Information also Functional: less common (10%). Information also grouped, but with a focus on skills and qualifications. grouped, but with a focus on skills and qualifications. Items often listed in order of importance for the job. Items often listed in order of importance for the job. Good for candidates with limited clear job experience, Good for candidates with limited clear job experience, gaps in time working, career changes. Sample: gaps in time working, career changes. Sample: http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_sample_2.htmlhttp://www.quintcareers.com/resume_sample_2.html

What information should I What information should I include?include? Objective: 1Objective: 1stst. Make it simple, clear, and directed . Make it simple, clear, and directed

to the job. Example: “The web designer and to the job. Example: “The web designer and usability tester position at Starre Solutions”usability tester position at Starre Solutions”

Summary of Qualifications: Optional (2Summary of Qualifications: Optional (2ndnd), include ), include if using a functional resume where the employer if using a functional resume where the employer may not easily see connections between your may not easily see connections between your experience and their needs experience and their needs

Skills: 2Skills: 2nd/nd/33rdrd for functional. List skills by category for functional. List skills by category (like “writing,” “editing,” “managing,”) and then (like “writing,” “editing,” “managing,”) and then discuss 3-5 successes/examples of each skill. discuss 3-5 successes/examples of each skill. Example: Writing –Composed a 50 page Example: Writing –Composed a 50 page recommendation report for Business Writing classrecommendation report for Business Writing class

What information should I What information should I include?include? Con.Con.

Experience: 3Experience: 3rdrd/4/4thth for functional, for functional, 22ndnd/3/3rdrd for chronological (place for chronological (place education before if education is more education before if education is more relevant). List and briefly discuss (2-5 relevant). List and briefly discuss (2-5 bullets for chronological) work and bullets for chronological) work and related experience. Use action verbs related experience. Use action verbs (collaborated, managed, directed…). (collaborated, managed, directed…). If limited work experience, consider If limited work experience, consider including relevant class experienceincluding relevant class experience

What information should I What information should I include?include? Con.Con.

Education: Near end of funcitonal, 2Education: Near end of funcitonal, 2ndnd/3/3rdrd for for chronological (before experience if more chronological (before experience if more relevant). Include:relevant). Include:

College work for the last 10 years. May skip or do more College work for the last 10 years. May skip or do more briefly if in industry for more than 10 years.briefly if in industry for more than 10 years.

Do not include high school if college junior or higher or if Do not include high school if college junior or higher or if more than 10 years ago (probably shouldn’t include when more than 10 years ago (probably shouldn’t include when in college anyway). Only include if clearly qualifies youin college anyway). Only include if clearly qualifies you

Place of school, degree, major, minor, in major or regular Place of school, degree, major, minor, in major or regular GPA (if over 3.0), date of graduation (or expected date of GPA (if over 3.0), date of graduation (or expected date of grad.), and list relevant coursework (optional), related grad.), and list relevant coursework (optional), related honors and awardshonors and awards

– Example:Example:Georgia State University, Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia State University, Atlanta, GeorgiaBachelor of Arts in English, Minor: PsychologyBachelor of Arts in English, Minor: PsychologyGPA: 3.4, Dean’s list: Fall 2004, Spring 2004, Summer 2005GPA: 3.4, Dean’s list: Fall 2004, Spring 2004, Summer 2005Expected Date of Graduation: May 2007Expected Date of Graduation: May 2007

What information should I What information should I include?include? Con.Con.

Tools/Skills: Near end and optional. May Tools/Skills: Near end and optional. May include computer skills and other skills and include computer skills and other skills and tools that qualify you. Only include software tools that qualify you. Only include software or other skills beyond the normal (for or other skills beyond the normal (for example most people can use word and example most people can use word and check email, so don’t include these). check email, so don’t include these). Include any software required by the jobInclude any software required by the job

Achievements/Honors: Near end and Achievements/Honors: Near end and optional. May be included in education as optional. May be included in education as relevant. List awards, achievements, and relevant. List awards, achievements, and other honors. Provide dates. other honors. Provide dates.

References: Don’t include unless directly References: Don’t include unless directly requested. requested.

Web PortfoliosWeb Portfolios

Web Portfolios: What are they?Web Portfolios: What are they?

Collection of your workCollection of your work Reflective discussion of your workReflective discussion of your work Designed to get you a jobDesigned to get you a job Texts with defined readersTexts with defined readers Illustration of your concrete abilities: Illustration of your concrete abilities:

what you have done and what you what you have done and what you can docan do

Web Portfolios: What do they Web Portfolios: What do they include?include? Homepage/Main page: Homepage/Main page:

– Introduce siteIntroduce site– Includes a series of links to rest of site, Includes a series of links to rest of site,

links may be descriptive on the main links may be descriptive on the main pagepage

Samples/Artifacts of your work with Samples/Artifacts of your work with reflections on the workreflections on the work

Web ResumeWeb Resume

Web Portfolios: What about Web Portfolios: What about design?design? Consistent & professionalConsistent & professional Clear and easy to use navigationClear and easy to use navigation Subtle non-distracting designSubtle non-distracting design StraightforwardStraightforward Legible and easy to readLegible and easy to read

Web Portfolios: What should my Web Portfolios: What should my reflections do?reflections do? Convince the reader of your Convince the reader of your

qualificationsqualifications Explain context of work: what, Explain context of work: what,

where, when, and whywhere, when, and why Explain process of creating and Explain process of creating and

developing workdeveloping work Provide honest and convincing self-Provide honest and convincing self-

assessmentassessment

Good luck and have fun!Good luck and have fun!

Web resumes & portfolios prevent this!