2008 Woodie Awards
Revising Those Riveting Resumes
Student and Intern Resumes Play a Larger Role Than You Think
By Octavia Knight
Issue date: 10/15/07 Section: Features
Advertisements are a part of everyday life. You see them as commercials on the TV, billboards, and on the side of roads and parkways. You can even see them here on campus as posters and pop-ups on the internet. As different as they all are, they all have the same purpose, which is to get consumers to buy their product. In our academic and professional lives, we too advertise our "products," but in a different form-a resume. Resumes are a common part of our normal lives. As a student, you might have had to write one to get into college, apply for a job, or a position in a club you are interested in. As frustrating and difficult as the process of writing a resume can be, resume writing is inevitable. Here are a few tips that can make putting a resume together a whole lot easier.
The purpose of a resume is to show your accomplishments and qualifications to the people or organization you want to consider you. To make it easier, think of your resume as a personal infomercial. In order to get your "public" - the audience your resume is addressed to, for example a job supervisor - to look at you; you need to show them you are capable of doing what they want. Your main strategy should be emphasizing the skills showing how you'll be an asset to the company. It's also good to talk about your communication and organizational skills. You don't want to come across as a successful, experienced anti-social person, right?
If you're worried your writing technique may not agree with what your "public" wants, don't be! There are four acceptable formats for a resume based on the amount of work experience you have and your academic history. The first is the Chronological format. In this format, the applicant's job history is placed in order, with the most recent jobs put at the top of the list. The second is the Functional format. This format is non-linear and highlights your personal skills and achievements. Your employment history should be summarized and connect your skills and achievements to your experiences. This includes your educational experience and which should be presented in the beginning of your resume. This particular method is good for placing an emphasis on your skills rather than scant job history. The third format is called Educational, which is used to promote your academic history. Here you would highlight anything outstanding or recognizable that you've accomplished in school, for example a reward you received or an organization you were involved in. Your final option is the Combination format. This technique places equal emphasis on your skills, education, and past jobs. The educational qualifications are listed first, skills and accomplishments are second, and the employment history concludes it. In this format, you want to make sure you mention when and where you worked, how long you worked, and what your job position and description was. Using any of these formats will guarantee the important information has been included.
The purpose of a resume is to show your accomplishments and qualifications to the people or organization you want to consider you. To make it easier, think of your resume as a personal infomercial. In order to get your "public" - the audience your resume is addressed to, for example a job supervisor - to look at you; you need to show them you are capable of doing what they want. Your main strategy should be emphasizing the skills showing how you'll be an asset to the company. It's also good to talk about your communication and organizational skills. You don't want to come across as a successful, experienced anti-social person, right?
If you're worried your writing technique may not agree with what your "public" wants, don't be! There are four acceptable formats for a resume based on the amount of work experience you have and your academic history. The first is the Chronological format. In this format, the applicant's job history is placed in order, with the most recent jobs put at the top of the list. The second is the Functional format. This format is non-linear and highlights your personal skills and achievements. Your employment history should be summarized and connect your skills and achievements to your experiences. This includes your educational experience and which should be presented in the beginning of your resume. This particular method is good for placing an emphasis on your skills rather than scant job history. The third format is called Educational, which is used to promote your academic history. Here you would highlight anything outstanding or recognizable that you've accomplished in school, for example a reward you received or an organization you were involved in. Your final option is the Combination format. This technique places equal emphasis on your skills, education, and past jobs. The educational qualifications are listed first, skills and accomplishments are second, and the employment history concludes it. In this format, you want to make sure you mention when and where you worked, how long you worked, and what your job position and description was. Using any of these formats will guarantee the important information has been included.