Writing Guides Print-Friendly Page

Purpose for Resume Writing

Determining the writer's goal in a resume seems relatively simply on the surface: to get a job. However, like any writing project, it is often more complicated than that. Many resume writers begin with an advertisement for a job, fellowship or other employment opportunity. This advertisement may address the resume writer's specific background and qualifications and it may not, depending on the field, the position, and the culture of the company or institution.

Sometimes, however, a resume is required for other purposes. A teacher, for example, may need to include a resume in her licensing portfolio. A student applying to graduate school may need a Curriculum Vitae (a specialized resume style used only in academia) for his application materials. Even scholarship applications sometimes require a resume. A writer should consider other issues as well: what salary considerations are important; why does this particular job offer sound promising?; why work for this particular company or organization?

Why is purpose so important? Because it will determine how the resume is written. A teacher that needs a resume for her licensing portfolio, for example, will probably write a more comprehensive, general document focusing on education and teaching experience. A student applying for graduate school would probably avoid including every single part-time fast-food job he had as an undergraduate and instead focusing on the parts of his history that are important to a graduate entrance committee. In this case, the student may choose to write a Curriculum Vitae instead of a resume, because it is the form the entrance committee knows best.

Purpose can also dictate the structure of a resume. Depending on what qualifications an employer finds important, the career field the job falls into, and the applicants history the structure of the resume will change.

Resume Audiences

The audience or audiences for the resume mostly likely include the employer, but this is not quite specific enough for most resume projects. It can only help the document if the writer does a little homework: Who is most likely to read the resume? A store manager, a human resources executive, a head hunter, a hiring committee? Is the document likely to go through a hierarchy of readers, say from a floor manager to a general manager to a company owner? Perhaps from a hiring committee to a committee head?

Many experts warn that employers give each resume about 15 seconds to determine if an applicant is right for a job. As much as possible, a resume writer should try to tailor her document to each specific position, rather than writing one general document that is sent to several different employers. This is important because different positions may require that the resume writer highlight different skills and abilities. The following will help you reach your intended audience:

• Read Between the Lines
• Tips for Researching Resume Audiences
• Audience Appeal

Read Between the Lines

For example a job advertisement for a manager at software store may state that a candidate must have a college degree and customer service experience. An applicant with a degree in business management may not be as qualified as say, someone with a degree in Anthropology, depending work history, experience, and special talents. Let's say both candidates have relatively equal amounts of customer service experience. The applicant with a business degree may not have much experience with computers or software. The applicant with the anthropology degree may have made computers her hobby. A retail management job probably also requires good organizational skills, a thorough understanding of the products sold, and leadership abilities.

In this instance, the Business major may highlight his or her management experience and training while simply omitting or downplaying her lack of experience with software. On the other hand, the Anthropology major may highlight his knowledge of computers and software while downplaying his lack of business training.

Read between the lines with considering job advertisements to determine what skills are most important to an individual employer, then spend time tailoring your resume to match those skills. Use this information to determine the vocabulary used in the document, which skills to highlight in the document, and how to structure the document.

Tips for Researching Resume Audiences

• Do an Internet search to find out information on the company culture. Company rules, such as dress codes, openness to flex-time, benefits and other information can indicate whether the resume should be highly traditional or if the document can be creative.
• Read the company's press releases, reviews of their products or services, and any other topical information to determine how the company officially presents itself.
• Talk to current or former employees.
• Talk to a counselor at a campus job center. Often counselors are familiar with company representatives who may have visited campus. Ask for the counselor's impressions and find out what worked for other applicants, if possible.
• Rely on knowledge of the field. Applicants interested in specific fields, such as business management, engineering, or social work should rely on what they know about the field already to determine the document's vocabulary, style and organization.

Audience Appeal

The resume is a kind of advertisement for an applicant's future abilities based on past experience. Advertising writers spend thousands of hours and dollars determining how best to present their information to a specific audience in order to sell a product. The desired outcome of any advertisement is to get the viewer/reader to go out and take a risk by spending money on something. The desired outcome of a resume is to convince an employer to take a risk and grant an interview. Don't forget, employers often have many more applicants than positions available. Those who make their own document stand out by determining why it needs to be written and tailoring it to the needs and priorities of the people reading it are more likely to receive an interview.

Also like an advertisement, a resume offers the writer a finite amount of space to accomplish its goal. Most resumes are no longer than a page to a page and half. In such a small space, language and form are amplified, making them the two most important tools for appealing to its audience.

It pays to spend time considering the layout and design of the resume as well, to insure its readability.

Purpose and Audience Checklist

• If you are using an advertisement for a specific position, read between the lines to determine which skills to highlight.
• If you are writing a resume for another purpose (graduate school, portfolios, fellowship applications, scholarship applications) also read between the lines on the application instructions. Use this information to determine which skills are most important to the document's audience.
• Do some homework! To the best of your ability, try to determine who will be reading your resume and the hierarchy of readers that it might go through.
• Remember that your resume is like an advertisement for your future abilities based on passed experience - how can you "sell" yourself to your audience while still being honest about your experience and education?

Organizing Your Resume

There is no "correct" way to organize your resume, so be sure to choose the style that will most effectively highlight your skills and abilities. Don't forget, this is your advertisement!

• Chronological Resume
• Functional Resume
• Combinational Resume
• Skills Resume

Chronological Resume

The Chronological Resume lists employment history in reverse chronological order - beginning with the most recent and ending with the first relevant position you may have held. This form is generally the easiest to write because the structure is dictated by your own history, emphasizing dates, times and specific locations. Many interviewers are most familiar with this type of resume, which allows them a guideline for discussing work experience. However, it tends to emphasize the most recent employment and de-emphasize earlier experience. It also emphasizes any gaps in work history, which can be a disadvantage. This style is best suited to people who have work experience closely related to their desired job and do not have large gaps in their work history.

• Sample Chronological Resume (PDF format)

Functional Resume

This type of resume highlights skills and abilities with little emphasis on a dateline. This form can often downplay employment history not relevant to a specific position and allows the writer to highlight professional development, specific skills and more marketable abilities. The downside to this format is that many employers may want to see more detailed work histories from applicants.

• Sample Functional Resume (PDF format)

Combinational Resume

This form combines features from the chronological and functional formats. It is similar to a functional resume in format, but lists specific employment dates and positions as well. This form can draw attention away from gaps in employment while at the same time allowing the writer to emphasize specialized skills and experience. The downside to this type of resume is that it takes longer to read.

• Sample Combinational Resume (PDF format)

Skills Resume

The Skills Resume is useful for people who have varied experience or background and want to organize that information into a coherent whole, or for someone who is changing careers. It emphasizes abilities over work experience. Skills can be established through various means - courses, volunteer work, personal experiences (such as skills learned through participation in a specific hobby), travel, etc. The resume writer should do his or her best to match skills to the specific position or company.

• Sample Skills Resume (PDF format)

Drafting Your Resume

Once you have identified your audience and chosen an organizational style, it is time to start putting your information into the resume. The following are some tips for constructing your resume.

• What to Include
• What not to Include
• Tips for Appealing Language
• Tips for Appealing Designs

What to Include

Objective Statement: While you see objective statements on many sample resumes, they are not required. Objective statements should be clear, precise and succinct. They should make use of specific job titles and specific phrases describing the applicants preferred working environment.

Profile: Many people replace the objective statement with a profile or qualification highlights section that highlights the "soft skills" that do not always make it into resume databases. The profile is a sort of summary of the resume itself, highlighting the applicant's most impressive skills, abilities and accomplishments.

Education: Name and location of institution, dates of attendance, type of degree, area of study, and special awards. You may include GPA information if important to the specific position.

Work Experience: Name and location of company, dates of employment, major accomplishments on the job, major responsibilities, name and contact information of direct supervisor, skills acquired. Include paid and volunteer positions (if necessary).

Additional Training or Workshops: if you've attended specialized training courses, seminars or workshops, be sure to list these as well (depending upon relevancy).

Skills: Things you can actually do (as opposed to generalized skills - better to let an employer know you have leadership skills from reading your work or training history rather than telling them you have "leadership skills"). For example, software you may know well, systems you may understand, etc.

What Not to Include

References: There's no need to list references on the resume, as the goal is to get an interview and most employers will not check references until after you've been interviewed. Instead, take a list of references to the interview itself. Personal Information: Marital status, gender, religion, lists of hobbies, etc.

Combinational Resume

This form combines features from the chronological and functional formats. It is similar to a functional resume in format, but lists specific employment dates and positions as well. This form can draw attention away from gaps in employment while at the same time allowing the writer to emphasize specialized skills and experience. The downside to this type of resume is that it takes longer to read.

• Sample Combinational Resume (PDF format)

Skills Resume

The Skills Resume is useful for people who have varied experience or background and want to organize that information into a coherent whole, or for someone who is changing careers. It emphasizes abilities over work experience. Skills can be established through various means - courses, volunteer work, personal experiences (such as skills learned through participation in a specific hobby), travel, etc. The resume writer should do his or her best to match skills to the specific position or company.

• Sample Skills Resume (PDF format)

Editing Your Resume

• Proofread, proofread, and proofread!
• Be consistent with the document's organization - capitalizing, italicizing, bulleting, etc.
• Make sure your margins are even.
• Make sure to use the correct verb tense when discussing past activities.
• Make sure the document is easy to read, fast.
• Use specific language - concrete nouns and "action" verbs, avoid passive voice!
• Be careful about the length, one page is usually sufficient.