How to write an impressive resume (ANH TUYET 03AV3)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Firstly, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to express my great gratitude to Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Chung, the dean of the English department, and to the English teaching staff for giving me a chance and encouraging me to do this research.

Secondly, I can’t help sending my thanks to the Board of Director of Sundat Crop Science Co., Ltd., who allowed me to consult the company’s materials on resumes, always encouraged me as well as gave me much time to do my research.

In addition, I can’t forget to express my deep thanks to Mr. Le Duc Thinh, my research supervisor, for his encouragement and instructions during the past time.

Finally, I sincerely thank my close friends who helped me to find data sources and to collect the information as well as gave me spiritual support and highly appreciated advice.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: Introduction.......................................................................................................... 1

I. Statement of the problem.................................................................................................... 1

II. Purpose of the research....................................................................................................... 2

III. Limitation and delimitation................................................................................................... 2

IV. Procedures and methods of the research.............................................................................. 2

V. Organization of the research................................................................................................ 2

CHAPTER 2: Some common mistakes applicants often make in writing resumes.................. 4

I. Heading.............................................................................................................................. 5

II. Spelling and grammar.......................................................................................................... 5

III. Target................................................................................................................................ 6

IV. Organization....................................................................................................................... 7

CHAPTER 3: How to write an impressive resume.................................................................... 9

I. Compulsory and optional elements in a resume.................................................................... 10

1. Compulsory elements.......................................................................................................... 10

1.1. Contact information...................................................................................................... 10

1.2. Summary of education.................................................................................................. 12

1.3. Employment experience................................................................................................ 13

1.4. Skills and accomplishments........................................................................................... 14

2. Optional elements................................................................................................................ 15

2.1. Job objective................................................................................................................ 16

2.2. Awards and honors...................................................................................................... 17

2.3. Activities and associations............................................................................................. 17

2.4. Interests and hobbies.................................................................................................... 18

2.5. References................................................................................................................... 18

II. Choosing a suitable resume format.......................................................................................... 18

1. Chronological resume.......................................................................................................... 19

2. Functional resume............................................................................................................... 23

3. Combination resume............................................................................................................ 26

CHAPTER 4: Some tips on composing resumes........................................................................ 30

I. Preparation......................................................................................................................... 30

1. Searching information.......................................................................................................... 30

2. Consulting sample resumes.................................................................................................. 31

II. Presentation........................................................................................................................ 32

1. Use of words...................................................................................................................... 32

2. Layout................................................................................................................................ 34

3. Length................................................................................................................................. 35

III. Proofreading....................................................................................................................... 36

CHAPTER 5: Conclusion and recommendations....................................................................... 37

I. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 37

II. Recommendations............................................................................................................... 37

References...................................................................................................................................... 38

Appendix

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

I. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

To get a good job is what everyone desires. However, on today’s competitive job market, when there is a job opening, lots of application forms are sent to in many different ways. Meanwhile, recruiters just spend a few minutes glancing at them. So, how can you become the top candidates within their eyesight much depends on the first impression you convey in your resume.

It is your resume, a brochure of yourself, that makes the first important impression on recruiters. No matter how intelligent, polite, or skillful you are, if your resume does not attract the attention from recruiters, it is very difficult for you to have a chance to attend an interview and to prove your abilities. A good resume with a close layout and concise style is one of the most vital factors to help you to be called for an interview.

However, not many job seekers in reality know how to write good resumes. During the time of working as an apprentice at the recruiting department of Sundat Crop Science Co., Ltd., I read hundreds of resumes and realized that there were too many mistakes in them. Since then, I started to wonder whether my classmates in specific and the students of English Department of Lac Hong University in general would know how to write a good resume when applying for a job. After performing a survey, I found that many of them were not able to compose a good resume. This made me decide to carry out this research.

II. PURPOSES OF THE RESEARCH

In order to help solve the problem above, this research tries to figure out some common mistakes that resume composers often make, and show some useful ways to write good resumes with the hope that it would be useful to many students from Lac Hong University in specific and many other people in general when needed.

III. LIMITATION AND DELIMITATION

Because of the limited time and the scale of the research, and for the thoroughness of what is done, this research only focuses on showing some common mistakes made in resumes, and presenting some useful ways to write impressive resumes.

IV. PROCEDURES AND METHODS OF THE INVESTIGATION

In order to carry out this research, I asked some of my teachers and classmates for ideas and to help me collect data sources. Besides, I gathered 50 resumes of applicants sent to Sundat Crop Science Co., Ltd. to find out common mistakes written in them. In addition, I delivered the questionnaire with 8 questions to 50 last year English students of Lac Hong University to see whether or not they know how to write a good resume.

V. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

· Chapter 1 is the introduction.

· Chapter 2 points out some most frequently-made mistakes in resumes.

· Chapter 3 presents some useful ways to write impressive resumes.

· Chapter 4 shows some tips which may make resumes more effective.

· Finally, chapter 5 is the conclusion and recommendations.

CHAPTER 2

SOME COMMON MISTAKES APPLICANTS OFTEN MAKE

IN WRITING RESUMES

The resume is a critical document for presenting yourself. It is a chance for you to make the first impression on employers. When applying for a job, your first impression is often the most important factor. A well-prepared and polished resume is an excellent means to get you noticed among the other applicants competing for the same opening. Therefore, your resume must be perfect and have few or no mistakes.

The purpose of your resume is to get a chance to attend an interview, not to get a job; however, as Richard Bolles (2000) stated:

To get hired, you must get an interview. The resume is only as good as your writing ability makes it. If the resume is poorly written, it will of course behave like a fun house mirror, which distorts dramatically what you are really like. [Richard Bolles 2000, cited in Vicky Smith]

In fact companies will look down on resumes with too many errors in them, believing that a mistake in such an important document shows poor attention to detail. Because, according to many employers, if you make a lot of mistakes on your resume, you will probably make a lot more mistakes on the job.

After considering 50 resumes of job-hunters submitted to Sundat Crop Science Co., Ltd., I find the following common mistakes which resume writers should know in order to avoid.

I. Heading

It is the most frequent mistake on a resume. 95% of the resumes in my survey is used “Curriculum Vitae” or “Resume” as the heading. We often see this heading on available printed resume or Vietnamese resume forms, but it is inappropriate for resumes in English. Because, without this heading, potential employers can understand what it is as reading.

Instead, the heading of your resume should be your full name in capitals and your information for contact. This will be illustrated in sample resumes below.

II. Spelling and grammar

Spelling and grammar mistakes are very common in resumes. Almost all applicants in my survey made these errors. In addition, in my questionnaire, 56% of the students said that spelling and grammar were their most frequent errors. Sometimes you do not think it is important, but according to Mr. Paul, the Deputy General Director of Sundat Company and as a hiring manager, there is nothing to make him as bored as reading resumes with lots of silly spelling and grammar errors. He has no interest and inspiration to keep reading such resumes.

Truly, employers do not want to spend much time studying to understand what is written in your resumes. As Nicole Tara(www.helium.com/tm/453449/shredded-hundreds-applications-didnt) advised:

If I have to read a sentence 3 times to understand it, there is definitively something wrong with it. You do not have to use complicated sentences, just stay true to yourself. But make sure, it does not make grammatical sense and the reader does not cringe whilst reading the resume.

Almost all grammar mistakes are about verb tenses. When mentioning your employment experience, you must put them in past tense for your last jobs and present tense for your current one.

For example:

Do not write: Riverside Coffee Shop, summer 2000. Serve customers with a positive attitude.

It must be: Riverside Coffee Shop, summer 2000. Served customers with a positive attitude.

Or you can write: Riverside Coffee Shop, 4/2007-Present. Serve customers with a positive attitude

The best way to limit these grammar and spelling errors to the lowest rate is to check your resume again and again or have someone else who is good at English check your resume before submitting it to the company. In addition, you can use the spelling and grammar checking program on computers; however, its effect is not so high.

III. Target

According to Sue Campbell(www.1st-writer.com/seven.htm), “A resume without a target or a goal is like a map without identifying markers or a hope of a destination”. However, there are many job hunters who mistakenly think that the potential employer's responsibility is to determine what role or position a job hunter will best fill.

In fact, it is you, job-seekers, that know in which position you can make the greatest contribution, and back up this assessment with proof through relevant history, experience and achievements.

One way to sharpen your focus is through an objective statement or summary of skills and accomplishments so that employers can easily assess everything that follows and see a clear match between you and a particular job’s requirements.

IV. Organization

Your resume is a way of advertising yourself to prospective employers. It should be used to present you in the best possible light by emphasizing the strong points. Information on a resume should be listed in orders of importance to the readers. If your resume is difficult to read or the key information is buried, it is more likely to be cast aside. However, many applicants in my survey wrote education section before experience one while the job’s requirement is experience which they have a lot.

Therefore, it is advisable to organize your resume content well so that you can catch the potential employer’s interest and maintain that interest as long as possible. You should consider whether your education or your experience is more important and which should therefore be listed first.

Education should be emphasized if you are freshly out of school and have little work experience; otherwise, put it at the end. Moreover, in fields such as science and higher education, in which education remains a more important selling point than experience, education tends to be listed first consistently. Generally, in whatever situation, you should prioritize credentials and DO NOT save the best for the last.

CHAPTER 3

HOW TO WRITE AN IMPRESSIVE RESUME

A resume is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experience, so employers can see at a glance how you can contribute to the employer’s workplace. Your resume will be like a snapshot of who you are. At times it will be the only thing that represents you amongst a room full of strangers who are looking for a reason not to schedule you an interview as much as they are looking for a reason to schedule you an interview.

A resume is often the first point of contact you have with potential employers, and the information you provide can often be the make or break of your application. A resume is used to highlight your accomplishments to the employers so that they can assess whether you are an appropriate person for the position they have advertised.

So do you know how to write a resume? 80% of those who participated in my survey answered “Yes” to this question in my questionnaire. But can they write a good resume? As Ling-Xin Chen (http://www.engl-pw.umd.edu/ForStudents/Top%20Ten%20Reasons.htm) said:

Of course, ‘I know how to write a resume’, you think. ‘That is what I thought, too. But it turned out that I know how to write one, but I did not know the way of writing an effective one’.

In fact, knowing how to write a resume is far different from knowing how to write a good resume. Following are some useful ways which help write a good resume

I. Compulsory and optional elements in a resume

In a competitive marketplace, the only reason an employer hires new people is to utilize their abilities to make money, save money and/or improve productivity. If your resume does not represent you as a problem solver who clearly understands you are hired to impact the bottom line, it will not generate interviews for you.

A resume is not an autobiography, but a concise sales brochure meant to start the conversation. More often than not, a company’s first impression on you comes in the form of a resume, a simple piece of paper that includes your entire work and educational history, and other personal details. A concise resume but enough necessary information can attract readers’ impression on you at the first seconds of reading.

1. Compulsory elements

A good resume needs having the following compulsory elements.

1.1. Contact information

Contact information is a vital and indispensable factor in a resume. It is useless if the employers cannot contact you even though you have ability, a lot of experience or a series of qualifications. Therefore, your contact information must be accurate, current and legible.

Your contact information, which is considered as the heading of a resume, should be placed at the top of a resume so that the employers can easily get it without having to search through your resume for it.

The contact information includes all methods of getting in touch with you.

· Full name: Your full name should be put at the very top of the resume in a relatively large, readable font. Also, you can highlight it by bolding, underlining or capitalizing for the whole name.

· Address: Your address should be right below your name. If possible, you should include both permanent and current addresses. If you are still on campus, you might need to provide your school address. However, if you do so, it is beneficial to list what dates each address is available. In brief, it is always a good idea to make it as easy as possible for potential employers to reach you.

· Phone number: You can write both your cell phone and home phone so that the employers can call you in case of necessity.

· Email address: Email is becoming a more common way for the potential employers to contact you. If they cannot contact you by phone, email is the best way to do this. However, be careful when providing an email address. It is unwise to use so hot or romantic addresses such as anh_da_trot_yeu_em@yahoo.com or tinh_em_dai_duong@yahoo.com. Such addresses can make a bad impression on the employers, and they suppose you are not a serious person. As Fisher (www.jobweb.com/resources/library/interviews_Resumes/get-Results-Th_298_1.htm) advised:

The email address included on your resume should be professional. Do not include anything silly, and make sure it does not contain too many numbers and letters, as these addresses can be mistyped.

Thus, a simple way is to add your name on it. Your name is Nguyen Duc Nam, for example, you can create one as namnguyen@yahoo.com. It is easy to remember and express your profession.

In case of any changed contact information, it is crucial that you notify the potential employers. For instance, if you change your email address, it is a good idea to inform any employer who has your resume on file. You can resend your new resume with the current information and a note explaining that your contact information has been changed.

1.2. Summary of education

The education information is especially important for recent graduates and undergraduates. Borland explained:

For students who have not had a great deal of experience through volunteering or activities, the education section is even more important. Students can include academic awards, or they can include other classes they took if they are relevant to the position they are seeking.

(www.jobweb.com/resources/library/Interviews-Resumes/Get_Results_Th_298_1.htm)

You can list all relevant training, certifications, and education in reverse chronological order in your resume. Start with the most recent and work backward. For each school you have attended, list the school’s name and location, diploma, certificate or degree earned, specialty, along with the year of completion in the field of the study.

For example:

Lac Hong University-Bien Hoa, Dong Nai

B.A, 2007

Major: English

If you have not yet earned one of your degrees, use the word ‘expected’ before your graduation date. If you, for instance, have been studying at the course 2005-2009 of Lac Hong University, you can write: expected 2009.

Moreover, you can enclose your Grade Point Average (GPA) if it is impressive or you believe it would help you. However, it is not necessary to add your high school degree if you have already had a university degree unless it is really relevant to the position you are applying for or can highlight your strengths.

1.3. Employment experience

This is also a very important factor that the employers will pay their special attention to, as they can look for evidence that you can do the job. Your previous experience can provide this evidence.

Employment experience should be listed in reverse chronological order which means from the most recent one to the least. It includes five small parts:

Date of employment: It is the date of starting working and leaving. If you worked in the company less than one year, it is wise to write only the year. For example: 2/1996-5/2000 or 2000

Company name: If you have worked at a company for many years or many different positions, it is unnecessary to repeat the company name at all.

Company address: It is the place where the company is located.

Job title: It is the name of the position you held such as accountant, manager assistant or receptionist.

Responsibilities: Responsibilities are below the title of each position. You do not need to list all what you did, but just main duties, accomplishments and what is relevant to the position you are applying for. You should not use phrases beginning with action verbs to describe them instead of full sentences.

For example:

You write: “Answered the phones”

Instead of: “I am responsible for answering the phones” or “I answered the phones”.

Moreover, it is advisable to use bullet format to list your duties, but these bullets must be in a parallel form.

1.4. Skills and accomplishments

Skills and accomplishments are not less important elements to advertise you. You need to persuade the employers that if they buy this product, they will get these benefits. The hirers also look at these skills to decide whether you can do any contribution to the organization. You can list your special skills with bullets which can make you stand out from the crowd such as about computer, foreign language or others.

For example:

· Awarded certificates for a good student for 4 academic years.

· Very fluent in English, Chinese and/or Japanese

· Proficient in Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet and/or so on.

Moreover, you need to list all important achievements you obtained in your jobs, your study and so on.

For example:

· Promoted from a manager assistant within one year of joining company.

· Negotiated with and contracted 10 big overseas companies within 2 years.

· Managed one more thousand workers.

2. Optional elements

In addition to the compulsory elements, you can add other optional factors to make yourself more valuable compared with other applicants. The following elements can be added.

2.1. Job objective

It is placed immediately below your contact information. This job objective, a summary or lead statement for the rest of your resume, focuses on what you can do; states how you can help the employers; identifies where and how you might fit in the organization; and tells the employers that you have definite goals.

The job objective is optional. However, it should be included because it provides the readers with a quick preview of what they will find in your resume. As Jannette Beamon (1999) said: “I like to see an objective in a resume because it shows focus” [cited in Jolivia Crosby]. However, be sure that your objective is specific and to the point. According to Hogwash (2002), “A specific objective in your resume is kind to the readers. The specific objective in your resume allows the readers to interpret everything that follows. It gives them a blueprint, a shortcut for understanding what your resume is trying to sell” [Hogwash 2002, cited in John Gates].

Avoid using too generic job objective such as ‘to utilize my skills in a professional environment for the mutual benefit of myself and employer’. These are common words that applicants should not mention in their resumes. Ian Napier (http://www.careerone.com.au/jobs/job-search/get-that-job/improve-your-resume) unpleasantly said: “I hate that line. Where is this sentence coming from? It is stating the obvious fact and tells me nothing”.

The job objective may be one word, a job title, a phrase, a sentence fragment, or a sentence including the job title or career area. The simplest resume objective may be just the name of the position or job area. If your objective is a phrase or a statement, you can implement this format:

A xxx position in an organization where yyy and zzz would be needed (or, in an organization seeking yyy and zzz).

(Xxx is the name of the position you are applying for.

Yyy and zzz are the most compelling qualities; abilities or achievements that will really make you stand out above the crowd of applicants)

(www.rockportinstitute.com/resume_02.html)

2.2. Awards and honors

Have you ever won any award from some impressing contests? You should include this section only if your answer is “Yes”; otherwise, it should be omitted to save space for more important information.

2.3. Activities and associations

Activities can be an excellent source of additional experience. Alicia Mallaney said, “A lot of students in high school or college do not have much concrete work experience, they should list their involvement in school or extracurricular activities. Employers look for those kinds of things because they show initiative.”

Activities might include participation in organizations, associations, student unions, clubs, or community activities, especially those related to the position you are applying for or those that demonstrate your hard work and leadership skills.

2.4. Interests and hobbies

These elements should be included only if you have room on your resume for it, and just list things really related to the position you are applying for. For example, if you apply for the position as a teacher for children, that you love children or know how to sing and play organ will be your very strong points. Otherwise, you do not list things just to fill spaces; it could be a strike against you.

2.5. References

You can list references or not. According to Hansen (www.quintcareers.com/resume_samples.html), your resume should include references if having room because this section signals the end of your resume. However, just the statement ‘available upon request’ or ‘provided on request’ is enough.

Regardless of whether you mention references in your resume, you will need to create a separate reference sheet to provide when being requested and to carry with you to interviews. The reference lists the name, title, office address, and phone number of only two or three people who know your abilities. And before offering them as referees, of course, make sure these people have agreed to recommend you.

II. Choosing a suitable resume format

Some people think of a resume as their life on a page, but how could anyone put everything important about herself on a single piece of paper (or two)? It depends so much on the way you represent and organize the information in your resume. It is also important to know what style of resume you need.

There are three main resume formats including chronological, functional, and combination format, which are structured into sections. The difference in resume formats is where skills, accomplishments, employment experience, and education are placed in the resume body.

So which format is appropriate for you? Which can highlight your strengths? The quick answer to this question is ‘it depends’. According to Bryan M. Kopp (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResumeW/what.html), it depends on your strengths, your individual career goals as well as the professional goals of the hiring companies in your area or field of interest. In general, it is you who can determine the shape and content of your resume.

1. Chronological resume format

This resume type is the most common. It organizes your experience around the jobs you have held. Experience section is the focus of this resume format and placed immediately below the job objective section. Work skills and accomplishments are not listed separately, but they are described under each job. This makes it easier for the potential employers to understand what you did in what job.

According to Radall S. Hansen(www.quintcareers.com/resume_samples.html), a standard chronological resume may be your best choice if most or all of your experience has been in one field; you have no large employment gaps; and you plan to stay in that same field. In fact, it is the most accepted format among hiring authorities, and it is the most suitable when:

· You want to apply for a position in the same previous field.

· You have a steady and consistent employment history with no major gaps in employment and have not changed career tracks recently.

· Your job titles have been impressive, or you have been recently employed at well-known companies.

· Your major accomplishments have been achieved in your most recent positions.

· You are seeking a career in a field where this format is expected.

(http://www.distinctiveweb.com)

In case, you have had jobs that are not related to the position, consider dividing your experience into two categories: professional experience and other experience. You describe the professional thoroughly, and briefly mention the others. If you have had many jobs, you do not probably need to mention the oldest or least important ones.

Below is a sample of a chronological resume.

TRAN THI THUY TRANG

17/3b Team 9, Block 2, Buu Long Ward

Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province

Tel: 0937037265

Email: thuytrang1980@yahoo.com

JOB OBJECTIVE: A position as a Secretarial Administrative Personnel

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

· 5/2005-7/2007: Epic Designer VN Co., Ltd. - Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Province

Secretarial Administrative Personnel

o Filed applications, greeted applicants, and answered phones

o Assisted with administration and graded applicants tests and completed all paperwork.

o Gained experience in light invoicing, file setting, typing and data entry.

· 1/2004-5/2005: Unipax VN Co., Ltd. – Amata Industrial Zone, Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Province

Personal Secretary for Manager

o Composed and prepared correspondences

o Kept notes of committee meetings

· 2/2002-12/2003: Bultel Company – Tan Hiep, Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Province

Receptionist

o Greeted visitors, customers and applicants as well as answered their questions.

o Answered phones and delivered documents inside and outside the company.

· 2001: Lac Hong University-Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province.

Librarian

o Arranged files and books, and entered data in computer system.

EDUCATION

· University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Ho Chi Minh City

o B.A., 2002

o Major: English

· Certificate in Administration and Secretary Course of Economics University, 2004.

· Level B in Computer

INTERESTS AND HOBBIES: Communicating with many people.

REFERENCES: Provided on request.

2. Functional resume format

The functional resume type focuses on skills and accomplishments. It helps the readers see clearly what you can do for them, rather than have to read through the job description. It helps target the resume into a new direction or field, by lifting up from all past jobs, the key skills and qualifications to help prove that you will be successful in this new direction or field. In a functional resume, your experience is explained under the heading of skills and accomplishments, while job titles, companies’ names and dates are separately listed.

The functional resume is especially preferred by new graduates or undergraduates with little relevant experience when entering the job market. In this case, the education section should be listed before skills and accomplishments, and experience. As Bryan Kempton (1999) said:

I often recommend the functional format to students who have not had positions that relate directly to the job they want. By organizing their experience around skills, they can connect less relevant jobs to the career qualifications they need. For instance, a job waiting tables can be combined with other examples to show organizational or customer service skills.

[Bryan Kempton 1999, cited in Olivia Crosby]

However, many hiring authorities do not like this format, as they generally believe that the functional resume is used to hide some deficiency in your career history. Despite this, the functional format can be very effective when:

· Most of your achievements and accomplishments occurred in a past position.

· You have recently graduated from high school or college.

· You have been out of the job market for some time and are trying to re-enter.

· You are an older worker and want to de-emphasize age.

· You have held a variety of unconnected positions.

· You are changing career directions.

· You are returning to previous line of work.

(http://www.distinctiveweb.com)

The following is a sample of a functional resume.

DO MAI NHAT VU

412A1 Nguyen Van Troi Apartment

Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province

Tel: 0979993958

Email: nhatvu@yahoo.com

JOB OBJECTIVE: Marketing and Sales Personnel.

EDUCATION

· Lac Hong University – Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province.

o B.A., 2006

o Major: English

o GPA: 8.0

· Certificate in Business Management Course by Economics University, 2006.

· Level B in Computer

· Level B in Chinese

SKILLS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

· Be fluent in English and Chinese

· Be proficient in Microsoft Office, Internet, PowerPoint.

· Be active, enthusiastic, and high-motivated in customer service.

· Interpreted for and guided athletes to the place they needed.

· Supervised 5 Sales Representatives.

· Increased double sales turnover compared with fixed quota.

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

o Unilever VN Company - Cu Chi, Ho Chi Minh City

Marketing and Sales Personnel, summer 2006

o Volunteer for 2006 Asian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, 9-2006

HONORS AND AWARDS

o Certificate for a good student for 4 academic years.

o Certificate for a volunteer by Asian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation

REFERENCES: Available upon request

3. Combination resume format

This format combines the best of the chronological format and the best of the functional format. Below the job objective section is a summary of many different skills, abilities, and accomplishments (functional section). Then, this is followed by an employment history section, written in chronological format, which supports the statements made in your summary.

However, this format is not preferred by potential employers because it tends to be a longer resume, and accomplishments and skills can be repetitious in both the “functional” section and the “chronological” job descriptions. Regardless of whether it is preferred or not, the combination format can be very effective when:

· You have a steady and progressive employment history.

· You are applying for a position for which the chronological resume is expected but you also want to highlight qualifications from earlier positions.

· You are writing a chronological resume and need an effective way to match your skills to the job requirements.

(http://www.distinctiveweb.com)

Here is a sample of a combination resume.

NGUYEN THI MY HANH

15/1 Buu Long Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province

Tel: 0908480300

Email: hanhnguyen@yahoo.com

CAREER OBJECTIVE: A position in the organization where customer service, managerial, and people skills would be need.

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:

INTERPERSONAL AND TEAMWORK SKILLS

Entrusted to process confidential employee records such as salary changes, vacation reports, and performance appraisals.
Interacted with a wide variety of personalities while scheduling meetings/appointments and making travel arrangements for executives.

CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SALES SKILLS

Interacted with clients and utilized excellent organizational skills to arrange and coordinate special events that include weddings, receptions, and holiday parties, as well as everyday lunch and dinner planning.
Delivered excellent customer service while functioning as food server and beverage server.
Oversaw daily sales operations at the club.

MANAGERIAL AND SUPERVISORY SKILLS

Proved multi-tasking abilities by scheduling and supervising staff, consisting of kitchen workers, bartenders, and food servers while functioning as assistant manager at the club.
Served as right hand to lead managers of Entertainment Company in a personal assistant capacity.

Quantitative skills

Completed and submitted invoices and process for payments.
Handled expense reports with account summaries.
Consistently entrusted with large sums of money.
Maintained inventory control.
Managed petty cash, payroll, inventory, accounts receivable, and payable.

computer skills

Be proficient in using personal computer skills in such programs as Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
Created and distributed a variety of reports using Access and Excel.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Santa Company – Ho Chi Minh City, 1/2004 -Present.

Personal Assistant

o Interact with clients, arranged and coordinated special events

o Schedule meetings/appointments and made travel arrangements for executives.

Pigeon Coffee Shop – Ho Chi Minh City, 2003.

Waitress

o Served customers with drink and snack

Ulwa Co., Ltd. – Long Binh Ward, Dong Nai Province, 7/2000-12/2002.

Office Manager

o Completed and submitted invoices and process for payments.

o Handled expense reports with account summaries.

o Managed cash, payroll, inventory, accounts.

Song Pho Club – Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province, 4/1999-5/2000.

Clubhouse Assistant Manager

o Scheduled and supervised staff, consisting of kitchen workers, bartenders, and food servers

o Oversaw daily sales operations.

EDUCATION:

Ø University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Ho Chi Minh City

B.A., 2000

Major: English

Ø College of Economics and Foreign Trade – Ho Chi Minh City

B.A., 1998

Major: Public Relations

Ø Certificate in Business Management Course by Economics University.

Ø Level B in Computer

CHAPTER 4

SOME TIPS ON COMPOSING RESUMES

If you want a chance at a job today’s fast paced, dynamic job market, then you ought to use your resume as a marketing tool. The product you are selling is yourself, and the customers, who have unique needs and interests, need to be sold on the fact that what you have to be able to meet the needs of the position. Resumes are the best way to market your skills and your talents to the recruiters, so it is wise to invest time and effort in it during job-searching process.

I. Preparation

1. Searching information

In preparing your resume, the more you know about the position you are targeting, the better you represent your information. As Kerin Borland (http://www.jobweb.com/resources/library/Interviews__Resumes/Get_Results__Th_298_1.htm) suggested that we need to know our audience, and from that understanding, we can create a resume that will be of interest to our audience.

Truly, like every sales document, your resume needs to be kept in meeting your readers’ requirements. Conduct as much research as possible to understand what employers in your field are looking for from a candidate. How much weight is given to education as well work experience? What specific skills or key words will they always want to see? Which of your career achievements are most applicable to the position? Show your resume to others in your field as often as possible to gather responses, and make adjustments. Because the more you understand the needs of the people reading your resume, the more possible you will be to achieve your goal of turning that resume into an interview.

To do this, you should examine the job description, and research not only the hiring organization, but also the industry in which it operates. Examine the organization’s web site and take note of the words and “lingo” used. Read its recent press releases to update recent news generated by the organization for public consumption. Finally, search Internet on the organization to get insight from an outsider’s vantage point. Employers are looking for candidates who have the skills and experience that match the needs of job openings. Hence, use what you have learned during your research to help make this connection. One way to make a connection is to speak the same language.

2. Consulting sample resumes

To know the way of resume writing, you can look at sample resumes through internet websites such as http://ResumeWriting.net, or http://www.quintcareers.com/resume samples.html.

Moreover, almost computers have been installed a software of resumes. You can check on this source to imitate: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033.

II. Presentation

1. Use of words

In a resume, you need to prove yourself to be positive and confident: neither too aggressive, nor overly modest. Because employers tend to glance at and skim resumes, rather than read them from top to bottom. To make things stand out, therefore, you should use short sentences and bulleted lists with action verbs for each statement beginning to itemize key accomplishments, experience and facts. Below is a list of such action verbs:

A: accompanied, accomplished, achieved, acquired, acted, activated, adapted, added, adjusted, administered, admitted, adopted, advanced, advertised, advised, aided, affected, allocated, altered, amended, analyzed, answered, anticipated, appointed, appraised, approved, arranged, asked, assembled, assigned, assessed, assisted, attained, attracted, authorized, awarded

B: bargained, borrowed, bought, broadened, budgeted, built

C: calculated, capitalized, captured, carried out, challenged, chaired, changed, checked, chose, clarified, classified, cleared, called, collaborated, collected, combined, communicated, compared, completed, composed, conceived, concluded, conducted, conferred, constructed, consulted, contracted, contributed, controlled, convinced, coordinated, corrected, corresponded, counseled, counted, created, cultivated

D: decided, defined, delivered, demonstrated, described, designed, determined, developed devoted, directed, discovered, displayed, distinguished, distributed, documented, doubled

E: earned, edited, effected, elected, eliminated, employed, enabled, encouraged, enforced, engineered, enhanced, enlarged, enriched, entered, entertained, established, estimated, evaluated, examined, exceeded, exchanged, executed, expanded, explained, extended

F: facilitated, familiarized, fashioned, figured, financed, focused, forecasted, formed, found, founded, fulfilled, furnished

G: gained, gathered, gave, governed, graded, greeted, grouped, guided.

H: handled, headed, hired

I: identified, illustrated, implemented, improved, increased, influenced, informed, innovated, inspected, inspired, installed, instructed, insured, interpreted, interviewed, introduced, invented, invested, investigated, invited, issued

J: joined, judged
L: lectured, led, lightened, located

M: maintained, managed, marketed, maximized, measured, merchandised, met, minimized, modernized, modified, monitored, motivated, moved, multiplied

N:named, narrated, negotiated, noticed

O: observed, obtained, offered, operated, orchestrated, ordered, organized, oversaw

P: paid, participated, passed, performed, permitted, persuaded, planned, prepared, presented, preserved, prevented, priced, printed, produced, programmed, projected, promoted, proposed, proved, provided, published, purchased

Q: quantified, quoted

R: raised, ranked, rated, reacted, read, received, recommended, recorded, recovered, recruited, redesigned, referred, reinforced, rejected, related, renegotiated, reorganized, replaced, repaired, reported, represented, requested, researched, resolved, responded, restored, restructured, resulted, reversed, reviewed, rewarded

S: safeguarded, saved, scheduled, selected, sent, separated, served, shortened, showed, signed, simplified, sold, solved, specified, spoke, spread, standardized, stimulated, strengthened, stressed, structured, studied, submitted, suggested, summarized, supervised, supplied, supported, surveyed, synthesized, systematized

T: targeted, taught, terminated, tested, tightened, took, traded, trained, transferred, transformed, translated, transported, traveled, treated

U: undertook, unified, united, updated, upgraded, used, utilized

V: validated, valued, viewed, visited

W:weighed, welcomed, widened, witnessed, won, worked, wrote

(http://www.resume-help.org/resume_action_words.htm)

Besides, to draw attention from the potential employers and to look professional, your resume should be at the third person. It means that you should not be the narrator by using pronoun “I” or “me” to identify yourself.

For example:

Instead of saying: I developed a new product that added $3 millions in sales.

It should be changed:developed new product that added $3 millions in sales.

2. Layout

A resume is an advertising document, so it requires being impressive, attractive, neat, and legible. To keep employer’s eyes reading, the presentation of your resume is as important as its content. You do not have to be a designer or perfect in word processing, but make sure your resume looks tidy rather than messy. Following are some ways to make your resume stand out:

o Margin: At least 2 centimeters wide in the top and bottom, and sides of the resume.

o Spacing: Line spacing is 1.5 or double. Besides, it should have white spaces between main parts so that your resume does not look so crowded.

o Font: Use the font size of 11-13 points and popular, non-decorative fonts including Arial for main headings and titles, and Times for descriptions.

o Others: It can be highlighted by using bold, underlining, italics, and CAPITALIZATION.

However, be careful to use these ways of emphases; otherwise, they will have contrary effects. Using such word effects must be consistent, but they should not be overused.

3. Length

There is no particular standard for the length of a resume. However, most students should use one-page resumes, and very experienced people can use two- page resumes. It is advisable to screen out irrelevant information which does not help prove that you are qualified for the job so that your resume is within no more two pages. Because long resumes are difficult for readers to digest and retain, they are often ignored.

III. Proofreading

Because of the importance of resumes in job-searching process, it is necessary to spend much time writing them and proofreading for errors carefully before sending them to recruiters. Besides, be careful to send your resume by email. Your resume can be distorted when coming to the hiring organization’s mailbox. Therefore, before e- mailing your resume to an employer, e- mail it to yourself and a friend to see how it is transmitted. By that way, you may find some formatting errors.

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

I. CONCLUSION

The role of resumes in job searching now cannot be denied, and 72% of the students in the survey agreed with the big effect of resumes. To get hired, you must get an interview and to be interviewed, you must create a good impression on employers by your resumes. That is why this research is carried out in order that it can help later resume writers compose good resumes. In the research, some common mistakes that job seekers often made in resumes were showed out to help resume composers avoid as writing. From these mistakes, this research displayed some useful ways and tips to make resumes more impressive and effective. In brief, resumes play an important part in job hunting, so it is wise to invest more time and effort into them.

II. RECOMMENDATIONS

Despite the importance of resumes in job seeking, only 28% of the last year students of Lac Hong University believe that they can write a good resume. So, I suggest that resume writing should be more carefully taught instead of being simply introduced as before. Also, from what I displayed in my research, I recommend that this booklet be considered as a reference document for students of Lac Hong University who want to improve their resume writing. In the end, due to the limited time, this research is not so profound; therefore, next bigger researches hopefully will be carried out to study more for techniques of writing resumes.

REFERENCES

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2) Career Advancement & Job Search Advice for New College Graduates online [accessed October, 2007].Get Results: The Interview – Wining Resume <http://www.jobweb.com/resources/Library/Interviews_Resumes/Get_Results_Th_298_1.htm>

3) Common Resume Mistakes online [accessed October, 2007]. <http://arizona.aiga.org/jobs/resources 1/common resume mistakes>

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6) How to Choose the Best Resume Format online [accessed October, 2007]. (http://www.distinctiveweb.com)

7) Le Thanh Tam & Le Ngoc Phuong Anh (2004). The Most Practical Resumes and Introduction Letters for Job-Hunters. Youth Publisher: HCMC

8) Occupational Outlook Quarterly online [accessed October, 2007]. Resumes, Applications, And Cover Letters. <http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic text/employ/resumes/resumes.htm>

9) Professional Writing Program Contest 2005 online [accessed October, 2007]. Top 10 to Take a Professional Writing Class. <http://www.engl-pw.umd.edu/ForStudents/Top%20Ten%20Reasons.htm>

10)Resumes Basics online [accessed October, 2007]. <http://www.1st - writer.com/ResumeBasics.htm>

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12) Rockport Institute online [accessed October, 2007]. How to Write a Masterpiece of a Resume. <http://rockportinstitue.com/resume_02.html>

13) What is a Resume? Online [accessed October, 2007]. <http://owl.English.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResumeW/what.html>

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How to write an impressive resume (ANH TUYET 03AV3)