Summary of Qualifications
If your work experience has been varied and spread out over a number of years, consider the use of a Summary of Qualifications category. By providing a summary, you give the employer an overall picture of your qualification before he or she reads further for details. This section allows creative job seekers to present their personal traits in a positive manner. One example of a Summary of Qualifications is:
Have the ability to carry out programs under established policies and command the respect of staff. Problem solving, leadership, and communication skills are some of the qualities developed from my experience as an administrator, a supervisor, a teacher, and a customer relations representative.
The employment history comes after the job objective and/or the Summary of Qualifications, unless you believe that education is your most qualifying feature for the job. This is often true for associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree candidates applying for entry level positions. It is also true for the fields of teaching, engineering, law, and the likes. As your education becomes less immediate with time, it also diminishes as a factor in your current qualifications.
Employment history can be listed in several ways, depending on the style of resume you choose. If you elect to use the chronological format, list employment in reverse chronological order (your present or most recent job first). The important point is to emphasize that your skills and experience will be valuable to the employer. Most employers want dates of employment. Even if you use a functional or analytical résumé, you should indicate length of experience. This does not necessarily mean using dates; for example, say "two years' experience selling...."
The employment history section of your résumé is the section that can be dealt with most creatively. Think of it as writing an advertising piece or yourself. This category allows you the option of creating a dynamic résumé that expresses the skills you possess. It should paint a portrait of yourself for the employer.
The total employment history should reflect your skills and make a positive impact on the employer. To achieve this, you must use action verbs and skills verbs. In résumés, these two kinds of verbs are often used to begin sentences. Some examples of descriptions of past work experiences follow; the action verbs are highlighted.
Organized, computed, and maintained confidential sales compensation records.
Participated in feasibility study and planning of computerized commission accounting system.
Performed all functions necessary for the preparation of manual and computer-processed payables.
Developed improved mailing system for company accounts.
Reduced manufacturing workforce by 15 percent while exceeding average production volume by more than 29 percent.
Cut the outage time of several important communications circuits in half, which resulted in a savings of over $22,000 over the two-year period.
Incorporate as many action verbs as possible (but don't go overboard). They are dynamic and forceful and tend to make an impression on the reader and portray you in a positive light.
The education section usually follows the employment history section unless you are recently out of school, in which case it precedes the employment history. If you have little or no practical experience, your academic credentials probably will be your strongest asset; in this case, place them directly after the objective statement. As you gain experience, your academic credentials become less important and are usually placed near the end of the résumé. An exception to this rule is when the academic background is required for the job as in the case of law or medicine.
Begin with your highest level of educational achievement. In this way, a doctorate will be followed by a master's degree, then a bachelor's. If you have not completed a college degree, list what you can. For example, if you have completed 25 units toward your associate of arts degree, state it, but do not add that you did not graduate. Rather, state that your objective is to work toward a higher degree, if that is the case. Drop references to high school if you have attended college or have received some type of specialized training.
Your evidence of having completed formal education is a degree, diploma, or certificate. This is not the place to be creative; list your degree as it was awarded by the institution. If you hold an A.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., or Ph.D., you can use abbreviations since everyone knows what they represent. For degrees that many people are not familiar with, such as B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Arts), it is better to spell out the degree.
Give the name of the institution or organization where the learning occurred. Avoid abbreviations, and be certain to include the entire name. For example, University of Texas at El Paso.
It is generally not necessary to include the city and state where your college is located if it is obvious from the title.
Include the date of degree, diploma, or certificate. If the degree is not recent (within last five years) place the date at the end of the paragraph or omit it. You want to accent what you learned rather than when you learned it. This is especially true for those who think their age might have negative impact on the employer.
You should include your major field of study if it applies directly to the job objective. If the major or minor field of study is not directly applicable, you may want to omit it to prevent your getting screened out by human resource professionals. If you have an exceptionally high grade point average (3.5 or better), you may want to mention it. If you graduated Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude, you should include this information (use italic type or underlining with these titles, as shown here). For example:
B.S., Cum Laude, Mechanical Engineering Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, May 1992.
Finally if you worked your way through college, state it. For example:
Earned 75 percent of college expenses.
It is generally best to separate education from training. Include this section when you wish to focus on special courses and seminars or other forms of continuing education. Seminars include those sponsored by your employer and those you have attended away from your employment. Training also includes college courses taken to improve your job performance. For example, this would be a good place to mention that you are computer literate and substantiate that claim with relevant coursework:
Powerful Business Writing Skills, National Seminar, Inc. (8 hours) 1993
List only those memberships that directly relate to your career objective. By including associations and memberships you demonstrate that you are keeping up to date in your profession. For persons making a career change, a listing of professional memberships demonstrates that you are serious about your intent. Persons returning to work after an absence of years may want to take this opportunity to expand on any community involvement, such as PTA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and fundraising campaigns. Focus on involvement's that demonstrate skills that would be useful in the position for which you are applying.
For example:
Chairperson, City of Culver City's 50th Birthday Celebration. Selected 25 civic leaders as members of planning committee representing city hall, schools, businesses, and senior citizens. Organized dinner and entertainment arrangements for 500 people.
Include this information if you feel it will be a selling point to the potential employer, particularly if you are training and/or duties related to the job for which you are applying. Provide branch of service, inclusive of dates of service, and rank at time of discharge. Briefly state relevant duties and responsibilities, or simply state you received an Honorable Discharge.
List only those credentials that are pertinent to the career objective; for example: possession of special teaching credentials or statements of having passed professional examinations such as the Bar Exam or C.P.A. exam.
State any foreign languages you know, level of proficiency, and any translating experiences you may have had.
Career changers, recent college graduates, and women reentering the workforce can benefit from including a special accomplishments section. The section can also be labeled achievements, activities, project awards, volunteer experiences, or other related facts. For example:
1991 - Won "East vs. West" sales contest through motivation of my sales force.
Because most employers prefer to seek out their own sources for references, it is not necessary to devote space to listing them on a résumé. Simply stating "References will be furnished upon request" should be sufficient.
Do not include your salary history or mention your salary requirements on the résumé. Including such information is a lose-lose proposition. Naming a salary requirement that is too high may eliminate you from consideration; naming a low figure may indicate to the employers that you will work for less than they otherwise would have offered. Wait until the interview stage to discuss salary requirements.
Leave out any references to age, race, religion, sex, and national origin. Government legislation forbids discrimination in these areas and employers do not want to get involved in any legal problems. Omit any reference to your health and to your physical description unless your appearance is directly relevant to the job such as an actor or model. Photographs have no place on the résumé except for actors, models, or other entertainment personalities.
Remember, your résumé sums up your accomplishments. Therefore, keep it as streamlined as possible. It is redundant to use a heading such as RÉSUMÉ, FACT SHEET, or CURRICULUM VITAE. It is also unnecessary to say anything about your availability for employment or the reason you left your last job, as these are topics covered during the interview.