Get some tips and tricks on creating an effective, winning resume!

1. How to get YOUR résumé into the hands
of the decision makers!
Sponsored in part by the Workforce Development Agency, State of Michigan, Michigan Works!, through your local Workforce
Development Board and Muskegon County Board of Commissioners. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals
with disabilities EEO/ADA/Employer/Programs - TTY# - 711.

2. Consider this….
When you apply for a job
that seems like a
PERFECT FIT,
chances are…

3. …plenty of other
people think the
job sounds great
too!

4. • 200 resumes 1 interview
• Scanned NOT READ!

5. Your résumé must quickly
create interest
and entice an
employer into
wanting to
know more
about YOU!

6. What is a Résumé
and what is its
Purpose?

8. …or is it?
It’s all about
YOU

9. A well written résumé
stirs the interest
of an employer by
speaking to
their needs!

10. • Does the applicant’s
skills and experience
match our needs?
• Will they fit in with our
corporate culture?
• How long will it take
them to contribute to the
bottom line?
Here’s what they’re looking for:

11. PROVEN FORMULA
USED IN ADVERTISING
The AIDA Formula:
1. Get Attention
2.Capture Interest
3.Create Desire
4.Call to Action

12.  Attract the reader’s
attention
 Create a picture of high
potential and results
 Differentiate you from the
competition
Like a great
advertisement, your
resume should:

14. Put yourself in the
shoes of the person
doing the hiring.
It’s the first and most important step
in writing a résumé that MARKETS
YOU rather than just describes your
work history.

15.  Irrelevant information
 Failure to convey
accomplishments
 Misspellings, poor
grammar, excess
wordiness
 Poor layout and
appearance
 Incorrect punctuation
 Overly boastful or
obviously dishonest

16.  Lengthy phrases,
sentences, paragraphs
 Poorly typed and/or
reproduced
 Critical categories
missing
 Difficult to understand
 Text fails to support
objective or objective
statement is not clear
 Excessive use of
jargon and acronyms

17. The 3 most common résumé
formats:
•Chronological
•Functional
•Combination
Which would work best for you?

18. CHRONOLOGICAL
Recent experience
first followed by
previous jobs

19. FUNCTIONAL
Highlights skills
and
accomplishments—
takes focus away
from employment
history

20. COMBINATION
Combines
Chronological and
Functional formats

21. Résumé Writing 101
 Header—this should always appear
at the top of your résumé.
 Include: Name, Address, Phone Numbers, and
appropriate E-mail Address.
 Optional Info: Personal blog or web page, LinkedIn
address
 If you have a 2nd page, copy and paste your
information there

22.  Objective – Highlights your career
goal, the key skills that qualify you,
and the benefit you bring to the
company.
HINT: Decide on 2-3 qualities or abilities
that would make YOU a stand out.
Résumé Writing 101

23. Your Objective in Three Easy Steps
Choose one option from each section. Fill in the blanks. Put them together and you have a solid objective that helps
make your case. Edit as needed.
Opening
 Seeking a position as a/an __[specific job title]__
 To obtain a position as a/an __[specific job title__
 Seeking a/an (pick one) entry level, management, upper management
position as a __[specific job title]__ in __[industry]__
Type of Organization
 with an organization that values _________
 in a thriving business that can benefit from __[name 2-3 strengths/skills]__
Relevant Experience
 using ___ years of progressive experience in the __[industry]__ field
 using a solid ___ year education in __[major]__, along with ___ years’ of
experience in the __________ industry
 using the expertise and skills gained during ___ years in the __________
industry
Now write out your new objective!

24.  Focus on how you would benefit the
employer, not on how the employer would
benefit you.
 Don’t be vague.
 Keep it concise and targeted.
 More than one career goal? Create a
different résumé for each objective.

25. Your objective is all about what you can do
for the employer—NEVER about what they
can do for you!
THIS IS IMPORTANT!

26.  Profile /Summary of Qualifications
 Nothing is more convincing than a specific,
concise explanation of your key
contributions to your employers.
 Incorporate or highlight key achievements
 Use #s, $s, %s—how well, how much
 Hint: What are the things you are most
proud of? Don’t generalize!
Résumé Writing 101

27.  Example:
Certified Nurse Aide:
• 12 years’ experience as a C.N.A. in home health
care, hospital, and nursing home settings
• Outstanding interpersonal communication skills
• Extremely knowledgeable of federal and state
healthcare regulations
• Passionate about serving others
Résumé Writing 101

28.  Core Competencies—highlighting core skills
(optional section)
Project Management  Strategic Planning  E-Marketing
Customer Service  Budgeting  Public Relations
Don’t be afraid to toot
your own horn!
Résumé Writing 101

29.  Career Experience
 Use bulleted action phrases
 Power pack with action verbs
 Be specific
 Use keywords effectively-know your audience
 Generally go back 10-15 years
- If you have relevant experience, you may go
back farther
 Education
 Only use dates if they work for you
 Remember professional development
seminars, workshops, associations
Résumé Writing 101

30. Résumé Writing 101
 Give it a Professional Look:
 Make it visually enticing
 Leave white space
 Use a font size no smaller than 10 point
 Use uniformity with capital letters, bullets, boldface,
italics, etc.
 Limit length to 1-2 pages
 Proofread—absolutely no typographical errors!
Résumé Writing 101

31. Other Helpful Hints to Give
Your Résumé a Boost:
1. Keep your statements to 1 or 2 sentences.
2. Don’t use pronouns (I, me, my, we, her, him, them, they)
3. Write professionally—avoid jargon or slang
4. Stay balanced! Too much information will bog down
the reader and remove the mystery
5. Use good quality paper.

32. Other Helpful Hints to Give
Your Résumé a Boost:
6. Be honest! Don’t use false information or exaggerations!
7. Keep it current: Revise – Revise – Revise!
8. Don’t list family, hobbies, personal interests/activities
unless relevant
9. Proofread (Yes…I mentioned it before!)
A résumé should be a continuous
work in progress!

33. The old adage,
“If you shoot at everything,
you’ll hit nothing” is so true.

34. Target Marketing Your Résumé:
An Absolute MUST!
 Create more than one resume if you
have varied experience
 Tailor your resume to each
employer/job
 Use keywords from the job description

35. The résumé has
one specific
purpose: to win
an interview.
If it doesn’t, it isn’t
an effective résumé.

36. A great résumé tells the
employer: If you buy this
product, you will get
these specific results,
direct benefits.

37. It convinces the employer
that you have what it takes
to be successful in this
new position or career.

38. It inspires the
employer to
pick up the
phone and ask
YOU to come in
for an interview.

39. Effective résumés
take work…
but the payoff
is worth it!

40. great FUTURE!
REMEMBER:
Creating a
great résumé
is an opportunity to
create a

41. LIKE WHAT YOU SAW?
We hope you found this information helpful. Check us
out at www.miworksmo.org.
 Give any questions/comments/concerns
 See our workshop schedule
 Learn more about Michigan Works! Muskegon-Oceana