The Purpose of a Resume

R.B Riverbat

Austin, TX | 512-555-1234 | rb.riverbat@email.com

School Mascot

Enthusiastic and dedicated school mascot with experience in entertaining crowds and promoting school spirit. Adept at performing choreographed routines, interacting with fans, and maintaining a positive and energetic attitude. Possesses excellent nonverbal communication skills and the ability to work well in a team. Seeking a position as a school mascot to bring excitement and energy to school events.

Experience

Austin Community College

School Mascot | January 2021 - May 2022

• Entertained and engaged with diverse crowds of students, faculty, and community members at various events, such as open houses, orientations, and graduation ceremonies.

• Collaborated with student groups and staff to coordinate and enhance mascot appearances at events.

• Developed and performed new routines and skits to engage and entertain audiences.

• Managed multiple appearances and events simultaneously while maintaining high energy and enthusiasm.

• Coordinated with event organizers to ensure mascot appearances were appropriate and on schedule.

• Conducted outreach efforts to engage with the community and promote the college at external events and parades.

• Maintained and repaired mascot costume and equipment as needed to ensure high-quality performances.

Volunteer Experience

Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity

Austin, TX

June 2021 - Present

• Participate in building homes for low-income families by assisting with framing, drywall, roofing, and other construction tasks

• Collaborate with other volunteers and site leaders to complete projects safely and efficiently

• Assist with fundraising efforts by promoting Habitat for Humanity events and soliciting donations from community members

• Attend Habitat for Humanity meetings and events to stay informed about upcoming projects and opportunities to volunteer

• Serve as a positive representative of Habitat for Humanity by interacting with community members and promoting the organization's mission

Education

Associate of Arts in Communications, Austin Community College

Graduated May 2022

Relevant Coursework: 

• Introduction to Public Speaking

• Interpersonal Communication

• Performance Studies

• Introduction to Theater

• Fundamentals of Marketing

Completing your resume with a summary of qualifications, or career summary will personalize your resume. Reviewing resumes can become tedious, so beginning yours with a description of your unique career path and the skills you have attained is a great way to spark the reader’s interest and encourage them to consider you for the interview process.

You can also include career and personal achievements, work styles, and personality traits (also called “soft skills”) that are consistent with the position for which you are applying.

Your summary can be short and catchy or longer with more information. Here are examples of both.

• Production assistant for nationally broadcast television series

• Five years of case management experience

• Experienced marketing executive

• Certified workforce development professional

• Seasoned sales professional

• Award-winning sports writer

Expanded Career Summaries

Dynamic entrepreneur who utilizes creativity, leadership, and teamwork to design and execute solutions that create customer value. Effective communicator with the ability to create marketing materials that convey value for both clients and end users.

Experienced professional with planning and organizational skills that balance work, team support and ad hoc responsibilities in a timely and professional manner.

Business development executive with experience in technical sales, sales management, team leadership, and business growth and expansion. Proven ability to generate sales and revenue.

Work Experience/Professional History

This section is an opportunity to showcase the value you’ve brought to former employers. Here, you should list all of your most relevant work experiences, beginning with your most recent job and  focus on your experiences from the last 10 to 15 years. For example, if you’ve been working as a marketing professional for 11 years, you can leave off jobs from earlier in your life that may not be relevant to the position you’re currently seeking.

Alternatively, if you have little to no job experience, you should list what employment you have had, even if it does not seem completely relevant or related. Potential employers can use that experience to get an idea of what kind of worker you might be, as some of the valuable soft skills you learned at an unrelated job are likely transferable to a new job and industry. You can also list experiences you might have had in clubs or volunteer organizations here, especially if you held office or had many responsibilities.

Your employment history should include the name of the employer, your job title, dates of employment, and a few bullet points with your strongest, most relevant accomplishments. Lead with strong action verbs and follow with an accomplishment rather than a task. Employers are interested in what you’ve achieved, not just tasks you’ve done. When possible, use numbers to measure your success.

An example of an employment section could be as follows:

Welder May. 2013 – May 2018

Jones Construction Company      Austin, TX

• Uso de herramientas de soldadura SMAW, GTAW y GMAW para proyectos de construcción

• Assisted safety manager with OSHA-required regulation checks, reducing time spent on checks by 10%

• Managed small team of welders for advanced projects on multi-million dollar contracts

Keep your bulleted list short and focus only on the most valuable achievements.

List of relevant technical, hard, and soft skills

Your skills section should include relevant technical or hard skills and soft skills. 

You can include any tools you’ve mastered or certifications you’ve obtained as well.

The skills you include should be relevant to the job that interests you. For example, you may have excellent hard skills in different areas, but all of those skills may not be applicable for the job. If you are a skilled violinist, that may not be a good skill to put on your resume when applying for a job in construction.

You can learn what skills potential employers are looking for by reading the job description. As you read through job posts, write down keywords that match your skills and include them in your skills section as appropriate.

Your skills section might look something like this:

Technical skills: Welding • Electrical Systems • Modern safety equipment • Knowledge of major OSHA safety regulations • OSHA Certification • SMAW Welding Tools

Additional skills: Willingness to learn • Attentive • Organized

• Effective communicator • Safety-conscious

Volunteer Work (Optional)

You can include a volunteer experience section to convey your leadership, communication skills, etc. List the name of the organization, the dates of your volunteer work, and your achievements.

Resumes are an essential part of any job application process, providing potential employers with a snapshot of your experience, education, and skills. There are various types of resumes that cater to different needs and situations. This section will explore five common types of resumes, outlining their characteristics and use cases, to help you determine the best fit for your job search.

1. Chronological Resume

A chronological resume is the most popular and widely accepted resume format. It focuses on listing your work experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job at the top. This type of resume is best suited for job seekers with a steady work history and a clear career progression. Employers appreciate chronological resumes because they provide a clear view of your professional growth and demonstrate your commitment to your field.

2. Functional Resume

A functional resume emphasizes your skills and qualifications over your work history. Instead of listing your jobs in chronological order, this format groups your skills into relevant categories, such as leadership, communication, or technical expertise. Functional resumes are ideal for job seekers with gaps in their employment history, career changers, or those who have held multiple jobs in a short period. This format allows you to showcase your transferable skills and minimize any potential red flags in your work history.

3. Combination Resume

A combination resume, as the name suggests, combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats. This type of resume starts with a summary of your qualifications, followed by a section that highlights your skills, and then presents your work experience in reverse chronological order. The combination resume is well-suited for job seekers with a mix of relevant experience and skills but may not have a straightforward career progression. It allows you to demonstrate your expertise and accomplishments while providing a clear picture of your work history.

4. Targeted Resume

A targeted resume is tailored specifically for a particular job opening or company. This format requires you to carefully analyze the job description and employer's requirements, adjusting your resume to highlight your most relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments. While creating a targeted resume can be time-consuming, it can be highly effective in demonstrating your suitability for a specific position, increasing your chances of landing an interview.

5. Visual Resume

A visual resume incorporates design elements, such as color, icons, charts, and infographics, to make your resume more visually appealing and engaging. This format is particularly useful for creative professionals, such as graphic designers, marketers, or content creators, as it showcases their design skills and helps them stand out from the competition. However, it is crucial to ensure that the design elements do not overshadow the content and that the resume remains easy to read and understand for potential employers.

In conclusion, the choice of resume format depends on your individual career history, skills, and the position you are applying for. It is essential to select a format that best highlights your strengths and achievements, while effectively communicating your suitability for the job. Always remember to keep your resume concise, well-structured, and focused on the needs of your potential employer.

The purpose of a good resume is to grab the attention of the recruiter and provide evidence that you are the best fit for the position. Formatting is one of the easiest but trickiest ways to make your resume stand out. Depending on your personal background and the job you are looking for, formatting requirements can change. However, if done right, it can be the most effective strategy during the screening phase. 

It’s important to pay attention to your file type and name. When you want your format and style to remain consistent, save and send it as a PDF. If a company requests a Word document, be sure to follow their instructions. It can be smart to send both, just in case. When naming your file, keep it short and professional. Usually, your name, the job title, and date would suffice.  

If you’re copying and pasting your resume content into an online website, be sure to check the formatting. Is it appropriately spaced and sized? Did all content get copied correctly? Take one last look before submitting.

Formatting Tips

• Appropriate margins are preferred in the range of .075 - 1 inch

• Professional, readable font, which includes sans serif fonts (or fonts without tails), e.g. Georgia, Calibri, Garamond etc.

• The font size should be 10 to 12 points

• Bold, underlining, and increased font size for headings are all acceptable. Do not insert lines in the document, as ATS systems will not be able to read them and it can confuse the content 

• Do not put information in the header section of Word. This will not be read by ATS systems

• Use bullet points where necessary, but don’t overdo it. Write a short paragraph if you have 2 or fewer bullet points

• Get reviewed by your professional network and ask others for feedback

Step 2: Develop Resume Bullet Point Statements

Bullet point statements are one to two lines that articulate your accomplishments, skills, and knowledge. They typically begin with an action verb and do not contain personal pronouns. Bullet point statements provide an example of you using or mastering a skill. You will write many bullet point statement drafts in order to create one that fits each targeted resume. To get started, ask yourself the three questions below:

Problem (Situation): Identify a problem at work 

Action: Discuss how you addressed the problem 

Results: What was the outcome of that action

Accomplishment statements should:

• Emphasize transferable skills you have developed

• Shine light on positive outcomes

• Provide specific details

• Tell a brief, descriptive story

Traditionally, resumes were used to describe each and every facet of our professional and educational experience. Job applicants worked on master resumes to highlight their entire professional journey to impress their potential employers. However, in modern times, job applicants have started customizing their resumes to address the employers’ needs. By targeting resumes to the job listings, job applicants show relevant details about the job in question. In this manner, resumes are more convincing and able to get the job done with fewer words. Essentially a target resume strives to do the following things:

• Market relevant skills and experiences specific to the job

• Provide job applicants’ fit to the listed position

• Incorporate keywords from the job posting to make the document more compelling

• Highlights accomplishments and strengths