Career Essentials Resume Presentation

for

Chicago Jobs Council

July 9, 2014

City Colleges of Chicago serves all Chicago residents through

colleges and satellites located across the city

Friday, August 15, 2014 DRAFT - for discussion purposes 2

City Colleges of Chicago

Reinvention Vision • Drive greater degree attainment, job

placement, and career advancement • Ensure student success • Become an economic engine for the City of

Chicago City Colleges of Chicago Goals 1. Increase number of students earning

college credentials of economic value 2. Increase rate of transfer to bachelor’s

degree programs following CCC graduation

3. Drastically improve outcomes for students requiring remediation

4. Increase number and share of ABE/GED/ESL students who advance to and succeed in college-level courses

7 Colleges 6 Satellite Learning Centers 115,000 Students

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Seven colleges each focus on building skills in a high-impact sector

Transportation, Distribution, Logistics Olive-Harvey College OH

Healthcare Malcolm X College MX

Hospitality / Culinary Kennedy-King College, Washburne Culinary Institute

KK

Business, Professional Services Harold Washington College HW

Advanced Manufacturing Richard J. Daley College DA

Information Technology Wilbur Wright College WR

Education, Human & Natural Sciences Harry S Truman College TR

What is a Résumé?

A Résumé:

• Markets you to a prospective employer.

– The resume is what gets you to the next level (or not): without a good resume, you won’t get an interview!

• Is most often the first impression you will make and it is the opportunity to get your foot in the door.

• A personal statement that tells the reader about your education, work history, volunteer work, and special skills.

• Your personal brochure and should reflect the image you want to project about yourself.

• Includes your contact information (so potential employers can contact you!), your education, current and past work history, volunteer work, skills, and achievements.

• Should always be kept up-to-date; whenever you have reached a milestone, such as graduation, starting a new job, starting an educational program, or achieving a new skill.

– It’s a good idea to keep your resume on your desktop, so it’s always top-of-mind and easy to update. 4

What are the Contents of a Résumé?

• Name

• Permanent mailing address and telephone number

• Email address (must be appropriate)

• LinkedIn Profile link (optional)

• Web page address (if applicable)

Susan Smith

111 A Street

Chicago, IL 00000

123-456-7890

ssmith@gmail.com

Contact Information

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What are the Contents of a Résumé?

Need to include:

• Name of school and its location

• Degree(s) or certificates

• Major(s), Area(s) of Study

• Graduation date or expected graduation date

• Awards

Discussion:

• When should a person include high school information?

• Should a person include a college/school on their resume if they only completed a few courses?

• GPA?

Education

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Example:

Harry S Truman College, Chicago, IL

Associate of Arts, May 2013

What are the Contents of a Résumé?

• Should be measurable/testable

• Optional section; use only if there are relevant skills that you have for the company/position

• Highlight abilities and knowledge that you bring to a work environment

• Usually a sub-heading after education or objective/skills summary

• List out all computer skills, not just Microsoft Office unless proficient in all aspects

• Example:

‒ Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint

‒ Fluent in Spanish

Skills

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What are the Contents of a Résumé?

• Standard/Typical approach: Work experience listed in reverse chronological order (most recent first)

– Alternative: Depending on your work history and aspirations, it may make sense to list work experience functionally

• Functional resumes can “hide” gaps in employment

• Company name and location (city, state)

• Position held

• Dates of employment (start month and year – end month and year)

• Major responsibilities at each position – relevant to the position the person is

applying

• Major accomplishments at each position

Work Experience

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Tips

• Use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments

• Include at least 2 bullet points per job

• Choose responsibilities that you felt were most important at each job or most applicable to the job you are applying for

– Customize to be applicable for the job for which you are applying

• Include all work history to give interviewers an accurate picture of your experiences: full time, part time, work study or volunteer work

• Use quantifiable and specific examples (“Served Customers” vs. “Received and processed 200 customer calls per day”)

• Start with an action verb (statements do not have to be complete sentences)

• Avoid personal pronouns

• Distinguish between present and past tense for your current experience vs. past experiences

• Share your resume with professional in the field & with other career services/HR staff for feedback

What are the Contents of a Résumé?

Work Experience

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What is a Cover Letter?

A Cover Letter:

• Allows you to expand on your résumé and “connect the dots”

– This means you should not reiterate the points in your resume but instead elaborate on them

• Introduces you to a prospective employer even before they have read your résumé

• Tells how your background fits the job for which you are applying

• Expands on sections from your résumé that are especially relevant to the job or are worth noting

• Shows you have done your research by properly indicating how your skills can be an asset to the prospective employer

• Should be made specific to each job you submit a résume

• Allow others to proofread your cover letter.

While a résumé is a summary of credentials, a cover letter is a marketing tool

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What is a Cover Letter?

Introductory Paragraph

• Identify position for which you are applying.

• State how you learned of the position.

• State why you are interested in the position or organization.

Middle Paragraph

• Summarize why you are a strong candidate for the position.

• Discuss how your skills and/or experience relate to the job requirements.

• Highlight one or two of your accomplishments or abilities.

• Detail positive characteristics and past experiences that will benefit the organization.

Closing Paragraph

• Thank the person for considering your résumé.

• Reiterate interest in the position and organization.

• Summarize why you would be a good fit for the position and organization.

• Offer to provide additional information.

Cover Letter Structure

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CCC wishes you much Success!

Career Planning & Placement

Aaron Wissmann

ED Career Service

awissmann@ccc.edu

312-553-3381

“Success always comes when preparation meets

opportunity”

-Henry Hartman

Use this checklist to make sure your resume is ready!

Did you use 1 inch margins?

Are headings in a logical order? (e.g. 1st Objective, 2nd Education, 3rd Employment)

Is your name at the top of the page and in bold?

Do you have a professional email address? (e.g. janedoe@yahoo.com)

Can you receive mail at the address you have listed on your resume?

Does your phone number work? Have a professional voicemail? (No caller tunes/ring backs)

Is your resume an appropriate length? (Ideally 1 page)

Did you use a mono-type font? (e.g. Times New Roman, Ariel, or Courier)

Have you removed all template indicators? (e.g. Delete all brackets)

Does your objective clearly state what you are seeking and/or what you will bring to the position?

Did you include at least the following headings: Education, Experience?

Have you removed unnecessary sections? (e.g. Personal Statements, Interest, References etc.)

Did you start with the most recent school and employer?

Are your statements punctuated consistently (e.g. Period, No Period)?

Do all descriptions begin with action verbs? (e.g. Managed scheduling, Communicated daily)

Are verb tenses in the present tense for current jobs? In the past tense for past jobs?

Are the statements and headings evenly spaced?

Do your statements demonstrate major accomplishments as well as routine tasks/duties?

Do your accomplishments demonstrate the use of key skills (time management, organization, initiative etc.) and

adequately cover your responsibilities at work?

Are all of your bullets and dates aligned?

Are your job responsibilities in bullet format?

Is your resume completely free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors?

Is your font size between 10-12pts?

Is formatting consistent throughout the resume? (e.g. bold, font, bullet sizes, heading styles)

Did you use varying action verbs? Now have others check it again for you!

Visit your Career Planning & Placement Office for a resume review or more assistance.

Resume Checklist

A resume is a marketing document used to communicate to potential employers your experience and strengths. An effective resume clearly and concisely helps employers understand why you are qualified for the job.

Read the job description carefully o What are the qualifications? What tasks or skills are repeated or highlighted?

Research the company for which you are applying o What seems most important to their culture or mission?

Reflect on the experiences you have had and match these experiences with the opportunity

Your resume should be customized for each opportunity and usually limited to one page

Required Resume Sections:

Contact Information: Includes your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Make sure your email address and voicemail message are appropriate for professional correspondence.

Education: Includes the name of the college/s you attended, the city, and state; the name of the degree you have earned or are working on; and the date of completion or expected graduation date May also add a "Relevant Coursework" section if appropriate and related

Experience: This category may include paid employment, volunteerism, internships, military service, athletics, etc. Organize your experiences to highlight your strongest qualifications first. You may use headings such as "Professional Experience" or "Volunteer Experience" etc. Include the name of the organization, position title, dates

Optional Resume Sections:

Skills: If adding a skills section, make sure these are “hard” skills. For example: Fluent in Polish Awards and Recognition: Highlight academic, military, occupational accomplishments and include date Objective: An objective is beneficial in situations such as a career fair, but is not required. If added make sure it

communicates what position you are applying for a why you specifically want the position.

Bullet Points: Use bullet points with “Action Verbs” and quantifiable results to describe your experiences and skills

Effective Bullet Point: Less Effective Bullet Point: Communicated to 100+ customers per day via

phone to increase sales by 10% Made phone calls

Make sure verb tense is accurate. Current positions should be in present tense (example: Collect) and past positions should be in past tense (example: Collected)

Check spelling and grammar Use one standard font Avoid colors and photos Avoid personal pronouns (I, my etc.) Keep spacing consistent Don’t exaggerate or lie

Visit your Career Planning & Placement Office for a resume review or assistance.

Resume Tips