Work search tools

Presentation résumés

A paper résumé, also called a presentation résumé, is usually your first introduction to a potential employer. An attractive, well-written résumé is therefore an invaluable marketing tool. Writing a résumé can be a difficult task, to be sure, particularly if you are changing careers or re-entering the job market after a long absence. You may wonder what information you need to include.

Getting started

Start by collecting several sheets of paper to job down ideas. On one sheet of paper, list all your employment. On another, list all your education. Use the other sheets to document committees, activities, education, volunteer experience, and so on. This information will help you gather ideas to help you develop your résumé.

Now that you have some ideas, you can start building your résumé. As a general rule, résumés should be limited to no more than two pages. Be as concise as possible, but don't leave out any essential information. You can use a standard word processing program to develop your résumé, but avoid using templates or wizards, since these don't always follow recommended résumé formats. Templates may also be difficult to modify.

Parts of a résumé

Identifying information

Your résumé should begin with your personal information. At the top of the page, state your name and address. If you have one address, you will typically center it at the top of the page:

Jane Jobseeker 123 Main Street Pleasantville, SK A0A 0A0 (306) 555-1234 jane.jobseeker@somewhere.com

If you have two addresses, list them both:

Jane Jobseeker
Present Address: Box 1098 Mayberry Postal Outlet "C" Mayberry, ON  A0A 0A0 (905) 555-1234 jane.jobseeker@somewhere.com	Permanent Address: 123 Main Street Pleasantville, SK A0A 0A0 (306) 555-1234

Objective

Although not always necessary, some employers like to see an objective on a résumé. It helps recruiters direct your résumé to the appropriate job and helps give your résumé a focus. Your objective should be a short, concise description of the type of position you're currently seeking. It should clearly define a goal. Tell the employer the field(s) of work for which you would like to be considered. You can specify either a job function (i.e., social worker, physiotherapist, custodian) or a job area (i.e., public relations, accounting and finance, production, quality assurance). Consider these examples:

An entry-level position in sales
A career in information technology, focusing on software development and testing
A position in History and Social Studies at the secondary school level
A field position in forestry, focusing on climate change or fire modeling

If you simply can't focus on a narrow range of work fields, you can leave out the objective. Remember, however, that you will be less marketable if you are unsure of your career goals. A clear objective that shows thought and reflection makes you a stronger candidate and will help you organize your thoughts in an interview.

Education

As a general rule of thumb, you should list only those schools from which you obtained a diploma or degree. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, as in cases where you were particularly active or involved, whether in student government, student clubs, intramural or inter-varsity sports, or other campus organizations. When listing your education, list your highest degree first. A recommended format is:

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver, British Columbia Bachelor of Arts, 2001 Major: English Minor: Canadian History Convocated summa cum laude

Don't be afraid to list any awards or honors when listing your education. You can indicate such things as:

• Summa cum laude
• Graduated with distinction
• Dean's list
• Recipient of Enter Name Here Scholarship

Work experience

When listing previous and past work experience, include your title or position, the period during which you were employed, and your employer. Avoid ambiguous position titles such as Intern or Girl Friday—there's no harm in inventing your own job title, as long as it accurately describes the position you held. For example, switchboard operator, filing clerk, and administrative assistant are better descriptors than simply office clerk or Girl Friday"

List your key duties and responsibilities, what you learned at your job, what you accomplished, and whether you have any supervisory responsibilities. Use phrases that demonstrate and support any assertions you make to certain skills and abilities. It's better to show than to tell. Consider the following example:

Office Administrator, September 2000–April 2004 LATCHAM, HOWELL & BEECH, Smileyville, Alberta Oversaw the work of 5 clerical staff Developed staff policy manual and standard office procedures In 2003, spearheaded an initiative that saw sales increase 13% over 2002 Prepared documents, correspondence and reports using a variety of software Developed and maintained a client database Assisted in the coordination of meetings and special events by securing space, arranging catering, making travel arrangements, preparing and distributing minutes

General résumé tips

As a general rule, use a font that is easy to read and never go below 10 points or above 14 points. Avoid abbreviating words; write them out in full. Be factual and never exaggerate your responsibilities. When you are finished, be sure to check your résumé for any spelling or grammatical errors. You may wish to have another person review your résumé for clarity and to make sure it is free of errors. Even one mistake can cost you an interview because it shows inattention to detail.

Remember, this is a presentation résumé and that you are selling yourself. Use plain, heavyweight light paper, preferably in white, light gray, or light beige. Dot-matrix or ink jet printing are simply not acceptable—use laser printing and never send a photocopy.

Never send a résumé without a cover letter.

To be effective, your résumé should:

• Present your credentials concisely and factually
• Focus on your education, accomplishments, strengths, employment history and goals
• Be brief, easy to read, and grammatically well-constructed

Types of résumés

There are a number of different résumé formats, as outlined below. However, before we get ahead of ourselves, consider that you want to present your information in such a way that you highlight skills and accomplishments that relate to the position to which you're applying. It's important that this information appear first in your résumé; if left to the end, this key information will likely be missed. When it appears toward the top of a résumé, however, this vital information is almost guaranteed to be read and to impact the reader in a positive way. What's more, it may also compensate for a lack of a specific credential, lack of directly related experience, or limited/no experience.

While you may choose one of the résumé formats below, you may instead choose to adapt them to suit your own individual needs. Remember, however, that regardless of the format you choose, your résumé should always contain:

• your name
• your address
• your telephone number(s)—if possible, include a number at which messages can be left
• experience, both paid and volunteer
  Unsure whether to list volunteer exprience on your résumé? This is a wonderful opportunity to highlight leadership and interpersonal skills. Read more.
• education
• accomplishments, skills, achievements

Your résumé can also include:

• your email address and/or the URL of your personal web site
• career objective
• highlights of your background
• other assets
• community/professional affiliations or memberships
• leisure interests/extra-curricular activities

Chronological résumés

Chronological résumés document work experience and education in chronological order, with the most recent dates listed first. Chronological résumés are typically used by candidates applying for jobs in "traditional" organizations and by those staying in their current field. When preparing your chronological résumé, you will organize your information into a number of key categories, including:

• Work Experience (in reverse chronological order)
• Education
• Professional Affiliations
• Awards

Functionall résumés
Functional résumés are used to highlight particular skills in 3 or 4 skills categories (e.g. communication, leadership, management) under which you describe related "functions" you've performed. By describing previous job functions and by highlighting skills and accomplishments as demonstrated through specific work achievements, you imply you have the skills required to perform the job for which you're applying.

Skills don't necessarily have to be presented in the order in which they were demonstrated. Instead, they should be listed in order of importance as they relate to the position for which you're applying. As with a chronological résumé, you will want to organize your information into categories:

• Technical Abilities/Skills
• Employment History
• Education
• Professional Affiliations

A functional résumé is best suited to job seekers with little or no experience or to those who have been out of the workforce for some time and are looking to re-enter the job market. It is also well suited to those individuals who are changing careers. Because employers want to see where and when you have worked, think carefully about choosing this format for your résumé.

Combination résumés

More and more, candidates are using résumés that combine the features of chronological and functional résumés. Combination chronological/functional résumés highlight special accomplishments while presenting employment history in chronological order. This format also seems to be growing in popularity among employment offices. When preparing a combination résumé, you'll need to organize your information into the following categories:

• Professional Objectives
• Education
• Honors/Accomplishments
• Work Experience
• Summary

Targeted résumés

Targeted résumés focus on a particular position for which you're applying. A targeted résumé highlights skills you have that match those sought by employers in your field. It also emphasizes the most relevant aspects of your background so as to pique employers' interest. Provided you consider your target and present your information with employers' needs in mind, a targeted résumé is the most effective in today's competitive job market.

As mentioned, targeted résumés are best when you have a clear idea of your job goal. Since targeted résumés focus on one career field, they are not recommended if you are exploring multiple career tracks and don't have the time to develop more than one résumé. The information in your targeted résumé will be organized into:

• Job Target
• Capabilities
• Achievements
• Work Experience
• Education

It isn't necessary to write a different résumé for each application you make; the same résumé will work for similar types of work.

Remember that a successful résumé includes more than a list of duties performed in past jobs. It also includes achievements, accomplishments and any information that reflects positively on you.

Electronic résumés

Electronic résumés are intended to be read by a computer, rather than by a human recruiter. While the same principles that govern the preparation of other types of business résumés still apply, you should remember than an electronic résumé differs from a presentation résumé, since commonly, it is sent by e-mail or fax. Be sure to read more about electronic résumés, also in this section, to learn more about how to develop an effective electronic — or scannable — résumé.

Curriculum Vitae

A curriculum vitae is used when you are applying for an academic position, such as an instructional position in a college or university, for example. While the business résumé styles outlined should be concise and easy-to-read, brevity does not necessarily apply when preparing a curriculum vitae. When preparing your curriculum vitae—or CV—be sure to include:

• All published works, including any papers you have presented
• Professional seminars or presentations you have delivered
• Professional achievements
• Awards
• Detail about your educational studies

Which résumé format is best for me?

Type of résumé	Should be used when...	Should be avoided when...
Chronological	Job history reflects growth Prior employment has been with a prestigious employer and you want to emphasize that work experience When a prior job title may be considered impressive to the reader	Job history is irregular You are changing careers You have changed employment often You have little employment history
Functional	You want to change careers You are returning to the job market after a long absence Your career growth has not been good You believe extended work experience is not needed or desired for the job for which you are making application	You're applying to traditional fields such as teaching or government It's important to demonstrate continuous growth
Targeted	You have a very clear job goal You are applying to a specific position	You have an unclear job goal You are exploring multiple career tracks and don't have time to build more than one résumé