technical writing resume. what is resume a resume is a brief summary of your abilities, education,...
TRANSCRIPT
Technical Writing
Resume
What is Resume A resume is a brief summary of your
abilities, education, experience, and skills.
Its main task is to convince prospective employers to contact you.
A resume has one purpose: to get you a job interview.
Characteristics of Resume
Resumes must do their work quickly.. your resume must quickly convey that
you are capable and competent enough to be worth interviewing.
The more thoroughly you prepare your resume now, the more likely someone is to read it later.
Steps to write the Resume Gather and check all necessary information Match your experience and skills with an
employer's needs Highlight details that demonstrate your
capabilities Organize the resume effectively Consider word choice carefully Ask other people to comment on your resume Make the final product presentable Evaluate your resume
Gather and Check All Necessary Information
Write down headings such as
OBJECTIVE, EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, HONORS,SKILLS,ACTIVITIES,REFERNCE
Objective
To obtain a ______ position in the area of ______ (write this infinitive phrase to target the audience of this resume)
This infinitive phrase is often reworked by the author to target different audiences
and purposes.
EDUCATION usually means post-secondary, college and
university. If you are just starting college, you can
include high school as well. List degrees and month/year obtained or
expected; names and locations of schools; major and minor, if any; grade point average.
A brief summary of important courses you've taken might also be helpful.
EXPERIENCE Includes full-time paid jobs, academic research
projects, internships or co-op positions, part-time jobs, or volunteer work.
List the month/years you worked, position, name and location of employer or place, and responsibilities you had. As you describe your experiences, ask yourself questions like these: – Have I invented, discovered, coordinated, organized, or
directed anything professionally for my community? – Do I meet deadlines consistently? – Am I a good communicator? – Do I enjoy teamwork?
HONORS
List any academic awards (scholarships, fellowships, honors list), professional awards or recognition, or community awards (i.e. for athletic
skills).
SKILLS
List computer languages and software, research, laboratory, teaching or tutoring, communication, leadership, or athletic, among others.
ACTIVITIES
List academic, professional, or community organizations in which you hold office or are currently a member;
List professional and community activities, including volunteer work.
Listing hobbies is optional.
Match Your Skills and Experience with an Employer's Needs
POSITION: What kind of position do you want for this job-search? Make notes. Now match your wishes up with positions that are actually available (postings, ads, personal contacts, or your own research).
EMPLOYER: For a certain position, what aspects of your education, experience, or skills will be most attractive to that employer? List SPECIFIC coursework, areas of specialty, specific skills, or knowledge that you think would interest the employer.
Name
Street Address City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number FAX (if applicable)
Email Address http://web.address/ (if applicable)
Objective To obtain a ______ position in the area of ______ (write this infinitive phrase to target the audience of this
resume) Education Name of Degree on Which You Are Working, Expected Month/Year University Overall GPA: X.XX/4.00 Targeted GPA (if beneficial): X.XX/4.00 Name of Next Most Recent Degree, Month Year (if applicable) University or College Overall GPA: X.XX/4.00 Targeted GPA (if beneficial): X.XX/4.00 Relevant Courses Most Relevant Course Fourth Most Relevant Course Second Most Relevant Course Fifth Most Relevant Course Third Most Relevant Course Sixth Most Relevant Course Experience Most Recent Position, Company, Location (Month/Year–Month/Year) Verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed Second verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed Third verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed (if appropriate) Next Most Recent Position, Company, Location (Month/Year–Month/Year) Verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed Second verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed Third verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed (if appropriate) Third Most Recent Position, Company, Location (Month/Year–Month/Year) Verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed Second verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed Third verb phrase that identifies key activity that you performed (if appropriate) Honors/Awards Most Impressive Honor or Award Second Most Impressive Honor or Award Third Most Impressive Honor or Award Fourth Most Impressive Honor or Award Activities Most Impressive Activity Second Most Impressive Activity Third Most Impressive Activity Fourth Most Impressive Activity Outside Interests One outside interest, a second outside interest, perhaps a third outside interest
Organize the Resume Effectively
PERSONAL INFORMATION: Top center of first page. Name (no title); addresses; phone numbers; e-mail and/or fax addresses (optional); citizenship if applicable.
Example AHMED ALI
273 East Sixth Street
Gaza, Gaza Strip 47401
(970) 286-4557
EDUCATION
Often comes first in student resumes, especially if it is a strong asset.
ExampleIslamic University Of Gaza (Gaza Strip)
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Expected June 2006)
Major: Electrical Engineering Minor: Computer Science
EXPERIENCE
Here, you can use one of two formats: Functional or Chronological
Functional
To emphasize skills and talents, cluster your experience under headings that highlight these skills: for ex.: leadership, research, computers, etc. This format can be helpful if you have little relevant job experience
Continue Experience
Chronological:
To emphasize work experience, list jobs beginning with the most recent. Some hints: Write all job descriptions in parallel phrases, using
ACTION verbs List the most important responsibilities or
successes first Emphasize collaborative or group-related tasks
Example of Experience
Gaza Electric Company (Gaza, Gaza Strip)
Research Assistant intern, Summer and fall 2004 Assistant manager of corporate planning and developed computer model for long-range planning
Ali Corporation (Gaza, Gaza Strip)Technician May,2003 to May, 2004Use variety of test equipment to troubleshoot, repair and test precision electro-mechanical and electronic instruments in a team environment.
AWARDS/HONORS
Use reverse chronological order; include titles, places, dates.
ExampleDean’s List- IUG,3.88 grade point average of possible 4.
Senior Honor Society- IUG, 2004
ASAI Scholarship 2003-2004, Islamic University of Gaza.
SKILLS & ACTIVITIESGenerally, list hobbies, travel, or languages only if they relate to your job interests. In some cases, you may wish to emphasize your willingness to travel or relocate
ExampleComputer: Verilog HDL & Matlab in unix environment,
Assembly,Pspice, Fortran,C++, will be learning Java
Proven record of outstanding performance and dependability with increasing responsibility, both in teams and in stand alone projects.
Willing to relocate, love all kind of sport, speak & write French well
Member Of IEEE.
REFERENCES
You need not put these on your resume. Write a separate list of references, with complete name, title, company name, address, and telephone numbers for each individual.
Example
Available upon request
CREATING YOUR DRAFT
Look at other resumes written for positions within your field.
TYPE each entry in a format close to the one you want to use for your resume.
LENGTH: for many resumes, two pages is the maximum length
Consider Word Choice Carefully
In a resume, you need to sound positive and confident: neither too aggressive, nor overly modest.
For a list of typical verbs used in resumes see page 602 in your text.
Examples:accomplish; achieve; analyze; adapt; balance; collaborate; coordinate; communicate; compile …
Ask Other People to Comment on Your Resume
It STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you have an advisor, potential employer, or someone in your field critique your resume.
Make the Final Product Presentable
Use a computer and high-quality (preferably laser) printer
Evaluate Your Resume
Hold your resume at arm's length and see how it looks. Is the page too busy with different type styles, sizes, lines, or boxes?
Is the information spaced well, not crowded on the page?
Is there too much "white space"? Is important information quick and easy to
find?
CONTENT Check Name and address All entries highlight a capability or accomplishment Descriptions use active verbs, and verb tense is
consistent; current job is in present tense; past jobs are in past tense
Repetition of words or phrases is kept to a minimum Capitalization, punctuation, and date formats are
consistent There are NO spelling errors
ORGANIZATION
Your best assets, whether education, experience, or skills, are listed first
The page can be easily reviewed: categories are clear, text is indented
The dates of employment are easy to find and consistently formatted
Your name is printed at the top of each page
FORMAT/DESIGN No more than two typestyles appear;
typestyles are conservative Bolding, italics, and capitalization are used
minimally and consistently Margins and line spacing keep the page from
looking too crowded Printing is on one side of the sheet only The right side of the page is in "ragged"
format, not right-justified. Right justification creates awkward white spaces
AHMED ALI273 East Sixth Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47401(913) 321-4557
[email protected] ObjectivesAn engineering position with potential for increasing responsibilities in which to apply my education and technical experience .EducationIslamic University Of Gaza (Gaza Strip)Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (Expected June 2006)Major: Electrical Engineering Minor: Computer ScienceEMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCEGaza Electric Company (Gaza, Gaza Strip)Research Assistant intern, Summer 2004 Assistant manager of corporate planning and developed computer model for long-
range planningAli Corporation (Gaza, Gaza Strip)Technician 2003 to 2004Use variety of test equipment to troubleshoot, repair and test precision electro-mechanical and electronic instruments in a team environment.AWARDS & HONORSDean’s List: 3.88 grade point average of possible 4.Senior Honor Society, 2004ASAI Scholarship 2003-2004, Islamic University of GazaSPECIAL SKILLS & ACTIVITIESComputer: Verilog HDL & Matlab in UNIX environment, Assembly, spice, FORTRAN, C++, will be learning JavaProven record of outstanding performance and dependability with increasing responsibility, both in teams and in stand alone projects.Willing to relocate, love all kind of sport, speak & write French wellMember of IEEE.REFERENCESAvailable upon request
Now you're done!Now you're done! You can find Resume You can find Resume
examples in your text in examples in your text in pages 598-601pages 598-601