Resume Project

Preliminary Research

· Determined as exactly as possible what the employer wants?

· Learned enough about the job and employer to tailor your résumé to them?

· Created a keyword list?

Name and Contact Information

· Enables employers to reach you by mail, phone, and e-mail?

Objective

· Tailored to the specific job you want?

· Emphasizes what you will give rather than what you would like to get?

Education

· Tells your school, major, and date of graduation?

· Provides additional information that shows you are well-qualified for the job you want: academic honors and scholarships, specialized courses and projects, etc.?

· Uses headings such as “Honors” and “Related Courses” to highlight your qualifications?

Work Experience

· Identifies each employer’s name and city, plus your employment dates?

· Provides specific details about your previous jobs that highlight your qualifications: accomplishments, knowledge gained, equipment and programs used, responsibilities, etc.?

Activities

· Describes your extracurricular and community activities in a way that shows you are qualified, responsible, and pleasant?

Interests

· Mentions personal interests that will help the reader see you as a well-rounded and interesting person?

References

· Lists people who will be impressive to your readers?

· Includes a mix of references who can speak about your performance in different contexts?

· Includes title, business address, phone, and email address for each reference?

· Includes only people who’ve given permission to be listed?

· Omits personal references (family, friends, etc.)?

Prose

· Presents the most impressive information first?

· Expresses the action in verbs, not nouns?

· Uses strong verbs?

· Uses parallel constructions?

· Omits irrelevant information?

· Uses correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation?

Visual Design

· Looks neat and attractive?

· Highlights the facts that will be most impressive to employers?

· Uses headings, layout, and other design features to help readers to find specific facts quickly?

Ethics

· Lists only experiences, accomplishments, degrees, and job titles you’ve actually had?

· Avoids taking sole credit for things you did with a team?

· Avoids statements intended to mislead?

From Paul V. Anderson’s Technical Communication: A Reader-Centered Approach