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Contents What is a resume? Why write a resume? What kind of resume should you write? Tailoring for your audience Developing your content Organizing your sections Designing your page

Your Resume: General Concerns What kind of resume should you write? This is a trick question. You will likely need to create more than one kind of resume. Moreover, your resume(s) will grow and change dramatically as you travel down your career paths. What are the most common kinds of resumes? Which ones are right for you given your career goals? To help answer these questions, you will need to think about your overall job search strategy and make some decisions about current resume technologies.  Overall job search strategies: main approaches Technological considerations Questions to ask Overall job search strategies: main approaches Approach When to use Drawbacks A generic approach to writing a resume involves creating one version for a broad range of readers. large number of applications placing a resume on the Internet or in a job search database creating a resume for an employment portfolio casts you as a "generic applicant" with undefined career goals makes it difficult for recruiters to decide whether you are the right person for the job implies you are not especially interested in the organization or position A tailored approach to writing a resume involves creating multiple versions, each one customized for a single company or position. whenever possible! for "top choice" positions for small number of applications previous contacts or connections with the organization takes more time to research each company/position and customize each resume increases chances to make mistakes with multiple versions A combined approach to writing a resume integrates the above two approaches, creating tailored resumes for "top choices" and creating a generic resume for all others. when you want to maximize your chances for success can be difficult to keep organized back to top Technological Considerations Type Advantages Disadvantages Traditional print resumes are printed on paper, usually to be mailed or hand-delivered. allows you to use page design and formatting to emphasize your qualifications and skills difficult for computers to scan your resume requires knowledge of advanced formatting features in word-processing or desktop publishing programs Scannable resumes are often printed on paper as well, but they are designed to be scanned first by a computer rather than a human eye; they include little visual and textual formatting (i.e. columns, varied font styles and sizes, etc.). can be scanned by a computer so that employers can search for keywords required by some prospective employers (check job ad) can be easily sent via e-mail limits options for page design and layout On-line web resumes are placed on a web server/site so they can be accessed by web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Netscape. adds many design/layout options allows links to other sites/files often not easily printable requires basic web design and authoring skills, an Internet connection, and server space back to top   Questions to ask About you About the company or organization How much time and energy can you dedicate to finding the right job for you? Which companies/positions would be your top choices? Which would be second choices? Which jobs are most worth tailoring your resume for? Which writing technologies are you comfortable using? Which could you learn given the time you have available? What resources are available to help you learn? What kind(s) of resume do companies in your area of interest request? What writing and computer technologies do they typically use? back to top

Written and Designed by Bryan M. Kopp and the Business Writing Consulting/Tutoring Staff with the Assistance of Liz Thelen.

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