2. Objective
• Determine DO’s and DON’TS of resume writing
• Determine what it should look like
• What to watch out for
• Various issues for minorities
• Build each section of your resume
3. The Job Search is a Sales Process
Goal: SALEYOURSELF
• You are the product
• Employer is the buyer
• Purchase is your paycheck
• Your resume is the marketing brochure
4. Characteristics of a Successful Resume
• Relevant skills
• Action words
• Easy to read
• Visually powerful
• No Gimmicks/Jargon
• Don’t use “I” or “me”
• Easy to read format
• Language is grammatically
correct
• Formal Style (no extravagant
colors or fonts)
• Spelling or grammar errors
• Neat, clean, and professional
looking
• 1-2 pages
• 1” margins at sides and bottom
5. How long should it be?
•Out of college less than 5 years: 1 page
•In the workforce 5-20 years: 1-2 pages
•Federal Employment: More than 2 pages
6. Resume Faux PaX
Typos and Grammar
Slips
•“Proven ability to track
down and correct erors”
•“A perfectionist and rarely
if ever forget etails”
7. Buzzwords/Jargon
Dependent on industry
•Leadership (If applying for management position, this is a
given. Show by quantifying leadership activities)
•Teamwork (what did you do in team that is valuable)
•Knowledge of (ex. Public Admin consistently changes)
•Acronyms (NCOIC? No. Manager?Yes.)
8. Make it Simple
• Easy formats will download and scan easily
• Send “test” copies to colleagues and friends. Ask
for feedback
• Send resume as aWord doc from a PC (simple for
everyone) NO MACS
9. Equal Opportunity Issues
• Use every “unfair” advantage whenever you can
• Most organizations want diversity (men, women, veterans,
minorities, etc)
• USA jobs (5-10 point preference?)
• Take advantage of footholds
• ex. “Are you looking for an energetic female public
admin?”
• Volunteer on the African American Planning
Commission (AAPC)
10. Watch out … Recruiter pet peeves vary
• Phone message
Professional away message
Don’t let it be full
• Spelling and grammar errors
• Unprofessional phone
conversation
• Bad interview skills
11. Electronically Scanned Resumes
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software
• Words relevant to job applying for
• Resume Search Optimization (RSO)
• Key words
• Use words they use in job description, knowledge,
skills, and abilities (KSA’s)
• Boolean Operators (AND, OR, and NOT)
12. Job Specific Keywords
• Use EXACT words from job description
• Skills and accomplishments that matter
• Key words distributed evenly through resume
• Buzzwords and Jargon (specific to different industries)
• Use Industry-specific terminology (policy
implementation, workflow prioritization, etc)
13. Be FINDABLE
• Design your resume to meet the needs of the web and
job board search engines.
• Recruiters search the web, job boards, social media (like
LinkedIn), employer applicant tracking systems, and even
their own email accounts.
• So, be FINDABLE!!!
14. Basic Checklist
• Emphasize important titles
Experiment with fonts & styles; bold, italic,
and underlines.
No more than 2 or 3 different sizes.
• Information is logically recorded.
• Use Action Verbs for accomplishments & results.
15. What Information Should
be in a Resume?
Section 1: Personal Information
Section 2: Objective Statement
Section 3: Key Skills & Abilities
Section 4: Employment History
Section 5: Education
Section 6: Professional Accomplishments
Section 7: Professional Organizations/ Volunteer Experience
16. Personal Information
Section 1
•Name
•Address: City, state you wish to work (ex. Denver Metro Area)
•Phone numbers
•Email address – permanent / personal /professional
• NO. Sexylady69@Hotmail.com
• NO. Mudalcoholtrucks@yahoo.com
• YES. Firstname.lastname@gmail.com
•LinkedIn URL
•Are you open to relocation?
17. Resume Objectives
• Tailor your objective to the job
• Personal branding statement
• 30 sec elevator speech
• Objective statements can help you transition
• Great place for key words
• Cover letter insurance
Section 2
18. NO-GOS
•Recently graduated from The Ohio State
University and looking to work for a successful
company with great pay.
•Looking for an entry level position where I can
utilize my strengths, with room for advancement.
•Looking for a position that allows me to fully
utilize my skills and attributes and provides
professional advancement opportunities.
19. Sample Resume Objectives
Strong and Powerful
•Network Administrator with 5+ years’ experience in wiring
and routing. Able to effectively troubleshoot and evaluate network
systems. With a BS degree in Computer Information Systems
and maintaining CompTIA Sec+ and CCNA certifications.
Proficient in communications and customer service allowing the
delivery of high level success rate for the customers and the team.
20. Sample Resume Objective (cont.)
Target a Specific Company
•Seeking a position as a Network Administrator with ABC
Networks, Inc. Utilizing 10+ years of wiring and routing
experience and WAN/LAN connectivity. Having an
extensive background in Windows / Linux based
environments.
•Seeking a Desktop SupportTechnician position with ABC
Technologies. Maintaining CompTIA A+, Network+, and
Security+ certifications forTier II employment
opportunities and DoD 8570 compliance. Offering hardware
and software installation skills and customer service to
ensure the company’s success.
21. Key Skills
Section 3
Should reflect requirements of job
Be Specific (keep out broad words like Leadership,Teamwork)
Pick skills that make your different from your competition
• PMP/ITIL • CNA • TS/SCI
• Lean Six Sigma • Client/Server Technology • Product Development
(SDLC/Agile)
• VMware • Business Analyst (CBAP) • Software Engineering
22. Employment History
Section 4
Three things any company cares about
1.How can you make them money?
2.How can you save them money?
3.How can you save them time?
Quantifying these answers creates VALUE especially
for career changers
23. Employment History (cont.)
• Revenue brought in.
• Rankings compared to
colleagues
• Direct Reports to you
• Production. Number parts
produced in a month.
• Degree of Accuracy
• Size of Budget you
managed
• NUMBER OF PROJECTS
COMPLETED
• SCHEDULE. HOW
OFTEN YOU COME IN
ON TIME & UNDER
BUDGET
• HOW MUCH YOU
DECREASED
TURNOVER RATE
• HOW MANY NEW
PROCEDURES YOU
IMPLEMENTED
Quantify Accomplishments in #, $, and %
26. ActionVerbs
Financial Skills Creative Skills Helping Skills
administered conceptualized assessed
allocated created assisted
analyzed designed clarified
appraised developed coached
audited directed counseled
balanced established demonstrated
budgeted fashioned diagnosed
calculated founded educated
computed illustrated expedited
developed instituted facilitated
forecasted integrated familiarized
managed introduced guided
marketed invented referred
planned originated rehabilitated
projected performed represented
researched planned
revitalized
shaped
27. Employment History (cont.)
XYZTechnologies, Inc. 2004-2016
IT Project Manger
•Managed aWater Event MonitorTrigger System research,
engineering, and product release project using government
obtained research data and software development worth over
$120M.
•Coordinated and managed an annual budget of over $50M
supporting operations and maintenance of over 290 systems
positioned globally
28. Employment History (cont.)
Quantifying & ActionVerbs Explored
• Improved the needs of 30 clients by providing $295k
worth of IT training programs and increased their
employability through DoD 8570 compliance
• Managed a technical team of 9 to support wiring and
routing needs for a fortune 500 networking company”
• Coordinated training protocols for a networking
program that supported an over 5000 member
database platform.”
29. Employment History Issues
Fill in employment gap
• List reasons why
company went under, laid off, moved, project
completed, fired?
• My objectives did not match with companies
any longer
• Make this brief, don’t need to explain in
interview
• Explanations may or may not be necessary
30. EducationSection 5
•Most recent degree first
•Type of degree
•Major and date
•GPA- only if recent graduate, only above 3.0
•Professional Development courses
•Certificate Programs
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LeaderQuest Holdings, Inc. 08/2016
Certificate: CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, PMP
Colorado Technical University, Colorado Springs, CO 12/2014
Bachelors of Information Systems & Technology
31. Professional Accomplishments
Section 6
You are selling yourself. Provide information that makes
you valuable toTHAT position
•Publications
•Research
•Presentations
•Lectures
•Courses
•Seminars
•Relevant Dates
•Hobbies (that relate to potential job)
32. Professional Organizations
Section 7
A strong professional organization presence related to industry.
•Great place for keywords!!!
• Use organizations affiliated with LinkedIn profile
Information Systems Security Association 09/2015- Present
Volunteer
The information security professionals and practitioners group provides
educational forums, publications, and peer interaction opportunities
that enhance the knowledge, skill and professional growth of its
members
34. Getting Experience
Job Shadowing
•When transitioning into a new industry
•Great material for
• Interview
• 30/60/90 day plan
• Adds value through experience
•Elevates you as a candidate
• Initiative enthusiasm and drive
•Education
35. Getting Involved
Networking
•Join Community Networking Groups
• Northern Colorado Springs Business Alliance
• Mt. Carmel Center of Excellence
Peer Navigators- Veteran & Military Spouse Networking Opportunities
• Prep Connect 360-Veteran centric & highly professional group
• National Association of ProfessionalWomen
• IT & PMP Groups
ISSA, PMI, ColoradoTechnology Association, Eagle InformationTechnology Group
•VolunteerWork
•Social Organizations
Develop job skills here
Adds value
36. Your Resume is Critical
•It’s the first thing a hiring manager
sees
•It deserves your time and best effort
Good luck!
37. CONTACT INFORMATION
Kimberly Archer
Regional Employer Relations Manager
LeaderQuest
Office: 719-309-1420
karcher@leaderquest.net
www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-archer
33
Upcoming classes and events
LeaderQuest: www.leaderquestonline.com
*Connect to our LinkedIn: LeaderQuest Technical
Professionals Group for job recs and upcoming
events
