This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Shreena writes:
I am applying for a summer undergraduate work placement in a large company of opticians. One of the questions of the application forms is as follows: “Provide details of key achievements in your current role including facts and figures and performance targets to indicate the business outcome that resulted.”
Do I need to write about my role as a student at university? There is no real business outcome that results from being a student.
Thank you so much for asking this question. Everyone reading this blog who knows a college student should be sure that s/he reads my answer.
Most college students should leave college with two types of experience: actual work experience gained through internships and part-time jobs and practical experience gained through class projects and papers.
When writing their resume, most students don’t have too hard a time describing work experience, but one of the most common errors I see is that students often discount those class projects.
As the application states, the company is looking for your key achievements/accomplishments to date. If you have previous work experiences, list those along with their outcomes. But don’t forget about those class projects.
For example,at the university where I previously taught, many major courses required completing a project, often with a real client. For example, in a marketing research class, students might work with a local business in uncovering a problem and suggesting solutions.
When describing those student experiences, remember the same rules that apply to describing your work experiences: always try to quantify your descriptions, focus on outcomes and project objectives.
A sample explanation of a student project:
Market Research Project for DeLand ElectronicsDeveloped detailed SWOT Analysis
Assisted in writing survey questionnaire
Managed survey mail-out to 1,000 residents
Compiled strategic solutions based on survey results
For more information, consider reading this article on Quintessential Careers: For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Allison writes:
I thought I’d take a chance and see if I could have a question answered that I didn’t find addressed on your Quintessential Careers Website. (Excellent site, by the way).
I am required to turn in a resume for a school district with whom I am applying. I have been in the same type of position for 9 years, doing relatively the same type of work (counseling). Since each of the jobs I have held have virtually the same description, how do I address that under the work experience?
I wondered if I should do a functional resume and bullet all the skills I have acquired through the years and then just list the schools (or districts) in which I have worked under the work experience.
Kudos first for planning in advance — and for doing the research — with regard to your resume. Resumes are extremely important documents, and I am always amazed at how many bad resumes I see — poor focus, too wordy, ugly/boring appearance, with typos and misspellings. Resumes are one of the main tools with which prospective employers judge you — and help them decide whether to call you for an interview.
The key element of resumes you are missing is that a resume is not some statement of job duties or descriptions. A resume is about showing how you took a job and made it your own — and helped the employer in the process. A resume highlights your key accomplishments in every job. And even when you have held similar jobs over a long period, you should still have quantifiable accomplishments in every position.
So, you certainly could make a chrono-functional resume, where the job-seeker chooses about three broad functional skills areas, but what would you list under the functional categories? Not job duties. But I think a standard chronological resume would work fine for you as long as you take the time to sit back and examine your accomplishments in each job.
Here are some Quintessential Careers resume resources that you may find useful:
- To get some help and guidance in identifying your accomplishments, check
out this Job-Seeker
Accomplishments Worksheet.
- Evaluate your current resume with this
Resume Critique Worksheet.
- For some general tips on improving your resume, read this article: Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Resume.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Anonymous writes: Quick question: How do you handle and resume that is now 2 pages… no way around the second page…have to turn in Friday and I am stumped!!
There is nothing wrong with established job-seekers having a two-page resume. Even some exceptional recent college grads may need two pages to showcase all their accomplishments, skills, education/training, and talents and abilities.
In fact, it’s much better to have a two-page resume with normal margins and font size than to try and condense all your information onto one page using narrow margins and tiny type, virtually guaranteeing that no employer is going to even bother trying to read it.
Here are some rules about writing a two-page resume. First, if you need to go to a second page, do so. Just be sure that the second page is at least half full; anything less, and you should find a way to cut/condense to make the information fit on one page. Second, be careful not to divide elements from page one to page two; in other words, do not start a section on page one that carries over to page two. Third, be sure to include a header at the top of the second page identifying it as page two of your resume. Fourth, do not even consider going to a third page.
Some other general rules of resume-writing: focus (and quantify whenever possible) on accomplishments rather than job duties or responsibilities; showcase transferable skills when your work experience has been outside the traditional path; consider a functional style over a (traditional) chronological format when changing careers; consider leaving dates off college degrees to avoid age discrimination.
Find lots more information, articles, tutorials, and resources in the Resume and CV Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Shreena writes:
I am applying for a summer undergraduate work placement in a large company of opticians. One of the questions of the application forms is as follows: “Provide details of key achievements in your current role including facts and figures and performance targets to indicate the business outcome that resulted.”
Do I need to write about my role as a student at university? There is no real business outcome that results from being a student.
Thank you so much for asking this question. Everyone reading this blog who knows a college student should be sure that s/he reads my answer.
Most college students should leave college with two types of experience: actual work experience gained through internships and part-time jobs and practical experience gained through class projects and papers.
When writing their resume, most students don’t have too hard a time describing work experience, but one of the most common errors I see is that students often discount those class projects.
As the application states, the company is looking for your key achievements/accomplishments to date. If you have previous work experiences, list those along with their outcomes. But don’t forget about those class projects.
For example,at the university where I previously taught, many major courses required completing a project, often with a real client. For example, in a marketing research class, students might work with a local business in uncovering a problem and suggesting solutions.
When describing those student experiences, remember the same rules that apply to describing your work experiences: always try to quantify your descriptions, focus on outcomes and project objectives.
A sample explanation of a student project:
Market Research Project for DeLand ElectronicsDeveloped detailed SWOT Analysis
Assisted in writing survey questionnaire
Managed survey mail-out to 1,000 residents
Compiled strategic solutions based on survey results
For more information, consider reading this article on Quintessential Careers: For Job-Hunting Success: Track and Leverage Your Accomplishments.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Allison writes:
I thought I’d take a chance and see if I could have a question answered that I didn’t find addressed on your Quintessential Careers Website. (Excellent site, by the way).
I am required to turn in a resume for a school district with whom I am applying. I have been in the same type of position for 9 years, doing relatively the same type of work (counseling). Since each of the jobs I have held have virtually the same description, how do I address that under the work experience?
I wondered if I should do a functional resume and bullet all the skills I have acquired through the years and then just list the schools (or districts) in which I have worked under the work experience.
Kudos first for planning in advance — and for doing the research — with regard to your resume. Resumes are extremely important documents, and I am always amazed at how many bad resumes I see — poor focus, too wordy, ugly/boring appearance, with typos and misspellings. Resumes are one of the main tools with which prospective employers judge you — and help them decide whether to call you for an interview.
The key element of resumes you are missing is that a resume is not some statement of job duties or descriptions. A resume is about showing how you took a job and made it your own — and helped the employer in the process. A resume highlights your key accomplishments in every job. And even when you have held similar jobs over a long period, you should still have quantifiable accomplishments in every position.
So, you certainly could make a chrono-functional resume, where the job-seeker chooses about three broad functional skills areas, but what would you list under the functional categories? Not job duties. But I think a standard chronological resume would work fine for you as long as you take the time to sit back and examine your accomplishments in each job.
Here are some Quintessential Careers resume resources that you may find useful:
- To get some help and guidance in identifying your accomplishments, check
out this Job-Seeker
Accomplishments Worksheet.
- Evaluate your current resume with this
Resume Critique Worksheet.
- For some general tips on improving your resume, read this article: Ten Easy Ways to Improve Your Resume.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Anonymous writes: Quick question: How do you handle and resume that is now 2 pages… no way around the second page…have to turn in Friday and I am stumped!!
There is nothing wrong with established job-seekers having a two-page resume. Even some exceptional recent college grads may need two pages to showcase all their accomplishments, skills, education/training, and talents and abilities.
In fact, it’s much better to have a two-page resume with normal margins and font size than to try and condense all your information onto one page using narrow margins and tiny type, virtually guaranteeing that no employer is going to even bother trying to read it.
Here are some rules about writing a two-page resume. First, if you need to go to a second page, do so. Just be sure that the second page is at least half full; anything less, and you should find a way to cut/condense to make the information fit on one page. Second, be careful not to divide elements from page one to page two; in other words, do not start a section on page one that carries over to page two. Third, be sure to include a header at the top of the second page identifying it as page two of your resume. Fourth, do not even consider going to a third page.
Some other general rules of resume-writing: focus (and quantify whenever possible) on accomplishments rather than job duties or responsibilities; showcase transferable skills when your work experience has been outside the traditional path; consider a functional style over a (traditional) chronological format when changing careers; consider leaving dates off college degrees to avoid age discrimination.
Find lots more information, articles, tutorials, and resources in the Resume and CV Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Vince writes:
I have a question about resumes. I am a manager with several years of experience with one company. I have been approached about a couple of interesting job opportunities that I want to explore, so I am working on my resume. I am having a hard time keeping my resume to one page and I was wondering if you could tell me whether it was OK to go to two pages. Thanks.
The Career Doctor responds:
It used to be there was a hard-and-fast one-page resume rule, but no longer — and especially not for someone with your experience.
Better than cramming all your information on one page, go to a second page. I recently saw a resume that was written in 9 point type (very small) with almost no margins… it looked like some densely worded document (which it was) that no one would want to read.
So, revert those page margins back to standard levels, and push that type size back up to normal viewing (typically 10-12 pt.), and go to a second page. Just remember two rules about doing so. First, make sure you have a header on the second page that identifies that is your resume (Vince Smith, p. 2) and make sure that you use at least half of the second page.
In fact, some resume experts now say that a resume should be as long as necessary, and the more senior a job-seeker, the longer the resume.
Other resume tips:
- If you are a seasoned job-seeker, remember that you should really not include work experience older than 12-15 years. While the experience is valuable, the process to do the work has probably changed dramatically in that time.
- You do not need to include every single work experience you’ve ever had; instead, showcase the experiences that best showcase the skills/accomplishments for the job you are seeking.
- Always focus on accomplishments and how you contributed to the employer rather than on your duties and responsibilities. And quantify those accomplishments whenever possible.
- If you’re a new college grad, a two-page resume is acceptable if you have a lot of internships and other work experience, although I still prefer to see most new grads with a one-page resume.
You can find lots more suggestions, tools, and helpful advice about resume preparation in this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume and CV Resources.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Theresa writes:
I am a high-school student in my senior year. I was wondering if you had any examples or formats of resumes for high-school students entering college. If you do it would be greatly appreciated.
The Career Doctor responds:
Resumes for high-school students are definitely a little different from adult resumes, so I am glad to offer some assistance. Let me say that just having a resume as a high-school student will make you stand out — both for college applications as well as for part-time or summer jobs.
Some of the basics are the same: the top part of the resume contains all your contact information (name, address, phone(s), email). If you use an email address, just make sure it is professional and not something like “prettyprincess.”
Because you may not have much work experience, I think you should focus your resume with both an objective and summary of qualifications. For example, if you are attempting to get a job in retail, a simple objective is: “Seeking part-time retail sales clerk/cashier position with XYZ Company” — where you replace XYZ with each company’s name.
The summary of your accomplishments should be attributes that will help sell you to a potential employer or college… such as soft skills (writing, talking, listening), level of responsibility and maturity, and any hard skills you have. An example would be: “Energetic achiever and communicator, with strong listening skills”
The remaining parts of your resume should deal with your education — and awards and honors you have received — and any previous work experience you have, including jobs like babysitting.
Finally, remember the cardinal rules of resume-writing: no lying or exaggerating and no spelling errors or typos.
Find lots of resources for teens in this section of Quintessential Careers: Job and Career Resources for Teenagers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
Hiring decision-makers surveyed for the book,
Top Notch
Executive Resumes identified this as one of their Top 30 Executive Resume Pet Peeves:
Span of work experience in a given job is listed with years only instead of with months and
years or is listed inconsistently from job to job. Decision-makers want to see specific dates
of employment — months and years (not days). “A job that ran December, 2004 to January, 2005,
if months are not listed, looks precisely the same as a job that ran January, 2004, to December, 2005
— a significant difference,” noted senior IT recruiter John Kennedy. Similarly, De Benedittis noted,
“if your resume says 2004-2005 that could be a 30-day job or a 12-month job. I don’t want to guess and
neither does my client. Put a month and a year on your resume, even if it is short term; we won’t be
fooled because we will ask you the exact dates and we will verify the information.”
See all 30 peeves: executive resume peeves
1-10 in Part 1, executive resume peeves 11-20 in Part 2 and
executive resume peeves 21-30 in Part 3.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
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