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Developing an effective resume
An effective resume is an indispensable part of a job search. It is the summary of your education, skills, abilities, and past professional experience.
Writing a resume is best accomplished one step at a time. Start with an outline of current/past employment, list each employer, write down your job titles, and indicate time spent on each job. Be concise. Do not include your life story in a resume.
Customize your resume to demonstrate how your skills and abilities meet the duties of a specific position to which you are applying and save additional information for the interview.
Chronological resume
The majority of resumes are written in chronological format. This format describes your work history in order from the beginning to the most recent. This style also highlights companies, dates, titles, duties, and work accomplishments. Usually, this means your most recent job gets the greatest emphasis.
The downside of this style is that specific skills and abilities are difficult to spot unless reflected in your most recent jobs.
This style is effective in outlining:
- your professional experience in a particular field relevant to the employer
- your measurable accomplishments from your work experience
- your work experience that illustrates your work record
Functional resume
This style is effective in assisting the reader to see your work experiences by grouping them into vocational skills and highlighting achievements. This also gives you great flexibility to call attention to specific skills or knowledge that you may have. This is important when you want the reader to know that you have transferable skills that will be of value to the readers organization. Your work history portion is not the emphasis.
Using this style does not allow the reader to see your steady job progression and advancement. If this is important to you for your reader to see this, you may want to stay with the chronological format.
Resume writing tips
- Use non-decorative typefaces. Use a font size of 12 or 14 points.
- Use light-colored (white is best), standard size, 8-1/2 x 11" paper, printed on one side.
- Avoid using italicized text, script, and underlined passages.
- Avoid graphics and shading.
- Your name, address, phone number(s), and e-mail address should be the first readable item on the first page. Make sure your name is also listed on each page.
- Be concise. Resumes reflecting ten years or less of experience should fit on one page. Two pages, including professional references, should be an absolute limit. Avoid lengthy descriptions of projects of which you were only a part. Minimize the usage of articles (the, a, an) and do not use "I" or other pronouns to identify yourself.
- Use action verbs to describe yourself as someone who is active, contributes, and gets things accomplished.
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Action verbs to use in describing your accomplishments
- Administered
- Advised
- Analyzed
- Assisted
- Audited
- Communicated
- Completed
- Coordinated
- Counseled
- Created
- Designed
- Determined
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- Developed
- Directed
- Evaluated
- Expanded
- Implemented
- Improved
- Increased
- Interviewed
- Maintained
- Managed
- Negotiated
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- Obtained
- Organized
- Performed
- Planned
- Prepared
- Provided
- Researched
- Reviewed
- Selected
- Supervised
- Verified
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Omit needless items - leave these items off your resume
- Social security number
- Marital status
- Health
- Citizenship
- Age
- Irrelevant awards
- Travel history
- Salary information
- Reasons for leaving a position
Some final tips
- Have another person review and proofread your resume.
- Ask someone who is attentive to details, can effectively critique your writing, and will give an honest and objective opinion.
- Look for spelling errors, grammatical weakness, and inconsistent capitalization.
- Reread your resume numerous times over several days to catch any hidden mistakes.
- Keep your resume current and relevant.
- Revisit your resume frequently to make sure it reflects accurate, current information.
- Tailor your resume for each job to which you are applying.
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Chronological Resume Format
John Clarke
21 Maple Avenue
Smithfield TN 19236
Telephone: 555/683-2560
E-mail: jclarke@home.org
OBJECTIVE: A management position with a health services delivery program.
QUALIFICATIONS: Over ten years experience managing health services delivery programs. Demonstrated skills in the following areas:
- Program development and evaluation
- Service delivery goal development and evaluation
- Operating budget development and monitoring
- Vendor contracts development and negotiation
- Staff development and management
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Operations Manager (1999 - Present)
Jones Health Services Group, Salem OR
Responsible for coordination of client services. Evaluated various programs, implemented program services changes. Monitored a $2.5 million operating budget. Managed, developed a staff of 50 employees.
Program Technician (1995-1999)
Jones Health Services Group, Salem OR
Coordinated the Elder Care Program. Assisted with implementation of program revisions. Performed lead work responsibilities over clerical staff. Developed, implemented contracts for vendor services.
Health Services Coordinator (1991-1995)
Edwards Assisted Living Center
Assisted with the coordination of client health care services. Reviewed client applications for program rule, policy compliance. Monitored, evaluated customer satisfaction. Prepared various correspondence, reports.
EDUCATION: 1990 - Bachelor of Science, Social Services, Oregon State University
References available upon request
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Functional Resume Format
John M. Smith
200 SE 15 th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97000
(503) 947-5071, work
(503) 341-0001, home
E-mail: JMSmith@world.net
Education -Bachelor of Science, Secondary Education, University of Oregon (1971); Leadership Oregon (1998)
Program Design and Policy Development - Planning, Policy and Staff Development for Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) 1996-present: create and sustain partnerships with workforce system partners; CO-manage two major systems change grants; responsible for comprehensive system of staff development, administrative policy and State Plan development and legislative advocacy; serve as member of Divisions Executive Staff. CO-manage (1992-1997) with state Department of Education for federally funded schools transition systems change grant; created and implemented (1991) innovative youth transition through partnerships with Department of Education, local school districts and the University of Oregon; currently designing a high school high tech program and a youth leadership forum. Former program manager for division specific program and quality assurance unit manager. Former Student Services Coordinator with Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. Former program manager for two statewide programs with state of Nebraska program-specific association.
Management Experience - Assistant Administrator for DHS Division (1989-1996): responsible for statewide field services delivery, served as appointing authority, responsible for large multi-million dollar biennial budget. CO-manager (1992-1997) of a federal schools transition grant, Project Director (1998-2003) for US Department of Education employment program systems change grant, CO-manager (1998-2001) for womens health care grant. Assistant Administrator for Planning, Policy, and Staff Development for DHS Division (1996 -present): manage 15-person unit with responsibility for staff development, program management, and grants project. Executive Director for a community-based nonprofit organization: responsible for staff selection, program management, funding, and community support: reported to volunteer Board of Directors.
Communication and Facilitation Skills - Chief spokesperson and lobbyist for DHS on program services, policies, and issues with members of Congress and the local state Legislature; liaison with key workforce system partners at the state level including the Employment Department, Department of Community Colleges/Workforce Development, other DHS Divisions, and the Governor's Office on Workforce policy. Nebraska elementary school instructor, adult basic education, and community college instructor; lecturer with community colleges and higher education institutions consultant on program-specific diversity awareness. Selected delegate for cultural and educational exchanges to Southeast Asia, Europe, Central and South America, and Mexico.
Leadership - Expert on the program specific policies at both the federal and state legislative levels; member of the national training and implementation network; delegate to the National Council on National Policy Summit; graduate of Leadership Oregon, graduate of the National Academy for Executive Leadership, graduate of the Pacific Program, University of Oregon honoree, past board member of the Salem YWCA. Board President of nonprofit organization, key leader in the development of the revised state government policies.
References available upon request
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