Handout 2

Resume Samples, Job Description, Biographical Information

DUE Thursday, January 25

This week you'll begin to compile materials for the resume packet. The packet is not due this week, but parts of it are, as follows:

1. A job description that you will drive the composition of your resume and cover letter
2. Some sample resumes for analysis and comparison
3. A table with biographical information

I will look over your materials to be sure you're on track. You can keep working on the biographical information for another couple of weeks.

Step 1: Online Information. Browse the following site for information about jobs and resumes. Read around a bit--there's lots of information on job hunts out there--some of it is good and some isn't.

http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/resumes/building.shtml

Step 2: Resumes. Select several resumes and print them out. You'll use these to analyze content and design features before building your own resume. Look for models and features that you would emulate AND models that you would not. Look for the following and be prepared to discuss what you find:

• Kinds of information presented
• Order in which the information is presented
• Quality of information
• Visual appeal (next week we'll examine design principles more fully).

Use the following site to find examples of resumes.

http://www.eresumes.com/gallery_rezcat.html

Step 4: Scannable and ASCII resumes--read about them. The resume assignment includes an ASCII version of your resume.

http://www.damngood.com/jobseekers/ScanGuide.html --- scannable

http://www.eresumes.com/gallery_rezcat.html --- link off this page to ASCII

Step 5: Job Hunt. Find a position that you can reasonably apply for, even if you think it's a stretch. Print out the description.

Note: Do your searching from a campus location, as you'll need speed to do these searches. When you read job descriptions, make note of the skills needed, e.g., writing, presentation, MS Office, working with others, ability to work on several projects simultaneously. Listing the specifics enables you to tailor your cover letter and resume to a specific situation. You will NOT be graded on your qualifications but rather on your ability to shape what qualifications you do have to the writing situation, that is, to the employer's vision of his or her future employee.

Use the following key words alone or in combination, and keep parameters broad in order to pull up a good range of appropriate jobs. For example, if you don't find a position in New Mexico, go nationwide; if you don't find contract work, ask for permanent work or "all." Note other keywords that the site or individual job descriptions use and make use of them.

technical

writing

science

legal

copyeditor

publisher

editor

proofreader

publishing

web development

graphics design

document design

research

internship

Local Internships

National Dababases:

www.hotjobs.com

www.monster.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wl/home.shtml

http://www.jobsmart.org/

careercc.com

On Campus Jobs:

www.unm.edu

Click on Jobs

Step 6: Biographical Information. Create a table for cataloguing your school and work experiences. Fill in the blanks. An example follows, but you can use whatever categories you find useful; if you think of a better scheme, by all means use it. Check sample resumes to see what sorts of information the job seekers provide.

Activity	Place/dates	Duties/job description	Responsiblities /leadership	Skills used and developed	Comments
Job 1	Receptionist, Academy Veterinary Hospital	Coordinate appointments, maintain database, calculate bill, answer phone, talk to customers about their pets	Assuring customer CONFIDENCE in medical treatment Keeping ACCURATE records Handling traumatic situations **Piloted new database and trained other receptionist	Excel FoxPro Face-to-face interaction with different kinds of people Poise under fire Handling multiple tasks simultaneously	I learned to be very good at keeping people under stress calm. My employers liked this quality a lot.
Schooling I	Course: Eng xxx, Contemporary Drama UNM Fall 1999	Description of course material	Discussion, research and writing, play attendance, * coordinated my collaborative research team activities	Library research Critical analysis Collaborative writing Interviewing	I developed knowledge of theater and the arts in the local community--met local actors and am especially well grounded in 2 theories of drama
Volunteer work
clubs
sports	Rugby 1996-98 ABQ club	positions, co-captain	Coordinating practices, PR work for funding, appearances for local schools, some teaching of skills to local school kids	Physical fitness, team leadership, diplomacy and ability to energize teammates, Community service	I might emphasize community service?
internships

.