Career Services - Western Illinois University

Resumés & Interviewing

Potential Resumé Headings

Identifying Information

Your Full Name in capital letters
Current Address (and/or campus address)
City-State-Zip Code
Phone Number - E-mail Address - Home Page (if applicable)

Example

JANE M. SMITH
Campus Address: 123 Main Street, #3 - Macomb, Illinois 61455
Permanent Address: 22 Pine Lane - Lake Snobatorium Shores, Illinois 60600
Cell: (309) 111-1111 Home: (847) 333-3333
JM-Smith@hotmail.com

Career Objective

If you are going to include this type of information, try and be a specific as you can.
Sometimes this information is best saved for a letter of inquiry (cover letter).

Example

An Account Representative in the Advertising Industry

Education

The Degree - The Major - Month and Year - (if the date is a few semesters away, write the "projected graduation date")
The Name of the University - City and State
Emphasis: (if applicable) - Minor:
GPA: (overall 3.0 or above) and always provide the scale (3.0 is a general rule and not chiseled in stone)

Example

Bachelor of Arts in Communication - May 2009
Western Illinois University - Macomb, Illinois
Minors: Management and Spanish
Overall GPA: 3.3/4.0 - Major GPA: 3.7/4.0

Experience

This section may be divided into two separate headings, Professional Experience and Additional Experience.
The reason for breaking up your experience is to "target" any career related job experience that you have acquired.
After the heading, begin by listing your jobs in reverse chronological order, most recent and work back.
Describe what you accomplished. What were you doing? Why were you doing it? What were the outcomes?
Try not to list your job responsibilities.
Follow this formula: "Action = Results".

Professional Experience

(Experience that you have which pertains to the type(s) of position/job that you are applying for.)

Example

Intern - The Consulting Group - Chicago Illinois - Summer 2008

Assisted with the administration of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to assess employee's personality types and how they correlate with job performance.

(Note: This job is written in past tense because the person is no longer employed there)

Additional Experience

(This is experience that you acquired during your university years. These jobs are important because they are full of transferable skills and establish a credible work history.)

Example

Sales Associate - The Clothing Store - Chicago, Illinois - 2003 to present (part time and seasonal full time)

Assist customers with locating and selecting merchandise in addition to providing options and fashion accessories.

(Note: This job is written in the present tense because the person still works there when not attending school)

Affiliations

Fraternities, Sororities, Student, Civic, and Professional Organizations

Example

Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity - 2005 to 2009
Chapter President: Successfully guided a 50 man organization in all aspects of leadership, philanthropy, and community/campus service.

Skills

Computers, Foreign Languages, and Personal Attributes are the two most popular but there are many more.

Example

Computers: Microsoft Office (all programs)
Languages: Fluent in Spanish (reading and writing), Conversational French
Personal: Superior communication (oral, written, interpersonal) skills

Project Experience

In and out of class group assignments, team experiences, etc.
This shows that you know how to take theory and put it into practice.

Example

Training and Development:

Designed an HRD intervention to improve employee performance at a local grocery store. Conducted an in-depth analysis of the problem by performing a Needs Assessment using Organizational/Task/Person Analysis.

Community Service

Volunteer Work. (NOTE: Sometimes this experience may be with your "Affiliations".)

Example

Relay-For-Life: Assisted in raising over $2,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Honors

Scholarships, Awards, Dean's List, etc.

Intercollegiate Athletics

The name of the team and any sort of awards or recognition.

Example

Western Illinois University Football - NCAA IAA - 2005 to 2009
Gateway Conference "Player of the Week" - 6 times
Full Scholarship Recipient

References

Employers conducting background check's, are becoming more leery of "letters of reference".
Seek out those individuals that will give you an "excellent" reference. Current & former employers and current & former teachers, etc.
Create a separate page to list your references, providing the references name, title, place of business, phone number and e-mail address. You should try to have 3 to 4 different references.

Example

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
FOR JOHN M. SMITH

Ms. Victoria Langer - Vice President
The Consulting Group
222 East Chestnut Street
Chicago, Illinois 66666
(312) 123-4567
vl@tcg.com

Dr. Jane Johnson - Faculty Member
The Department of Communications
111 Salee Hall
Western Illinois University
Macon, Illinois 61455
(309) 555-2222
J-Johnson@wiu.edu

Mr. Donald V. Corleone - Store Manager
Corleone Cement and Asphalt
10010 South Western Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 66666
(312) 444-4444
hitman@yo.com