In this section, we’ll begin our examination of resume writing.A resume is a brief, written account of your experience and qualifications.In Europe, and among certain academic circles, a resume is sometimes referred to as a CV, or curriculum vitae. There is no difference between a resume and a CV.Often, a resume is submitted along with another document, for example a cover letter or application. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll look at a few common types of resumes. Let’s begin with the most common type of resume, which is the professional resume. In this context, when we refer to a professional resume, we’re referring to a resume which is designed to get you a job interview. This is the type of resume which most people are familiar with, and which most people have to write at some point in life. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about how long your resume should be. In a nutshell, keep it on the short side. Although there is some debate regarding whether or not a resume absolutely has to be one page or less, most employment professionals agree that it’s a good idea to craft your resume so that it packs a punch. Most of the time, you should be able to include sufficient information about yourself and still keep your resume at about a page long. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll discuss how to format your resume. It is not just the content of your resume which gives prospective employers information about you—the formatting of your resume also tells employers about your understanding of standard practices, your ability to do things in a consistent manner, and your eye for detail. If hundreds of people apply for the same position, an employer may eliminate candidates simply because their resumes are improperly formatted. TeachUcomp offers a comprehensive course in Microsoft Word, so look for that if you want more specific information about document formatting. For now, let’s take a look at the basics of proper resume formatting. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about some different file formats that you need to be familiar with in order to submit your resume electronically. If you are reentering the job market after several years, it may be a bit confusing to see employers asking that you send your resume as one file type versus another. The first thing to keep in mind, when applying for jobs electronically, is that you should always follow the employer’s application directions exactly. Most companies now use applicant tracking software, or ATS, to extract and synthesize data from resumes. If you submit an improper file format, your resume might never be seen. For this reason, it’s very important to pay attention to which file format each job application requires. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this section, we’ll look at many different sections that can make up a resume, and talk about how to select the section headings which are most appropriate for your resume. By understanding the function of each section, you can be sure to include the correct information in each. Throughout this chapter, we’ll follow an imaginary job-hunter named Mary Cessna as she creates the various sections of her resume in order to develop a master resume. By following the same process that Mary follows, you can create your own master resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll take a look at resume headers. The resume header is the first part of the resume. The function of the header is to provide the potential employer with your basic contact information. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about the part of your resume commonly known as the Objective section. This section is also sometimes called the Summary section or the Profile section, and it is the section that immediately follows your resume’s header. The function of this section of the resume is to communicate employment goals. Although it is not necessary to have an objective listed on your resume, developing a summary statement can help you to define your employment goals to yourself, even if you don’t end up including the objective on the resume you send. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about the part of the resume commonly known as the Experience section. This is the part of the resume which lists prior job experience. Generally speaking, this part of your resume should only include work for which you were paid. If you are new to the job market, or seeking employment after a very long time at one job, this can be a very daunting part of the resume to write. The first thing to think about, when writing this section of your resume, is what type of formatting you will use in this section—chronological, functional, or mixed. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll look at the Education section of the resume. Obviously, the purpose of this section of your resume is to communicate your educational history to your potential employer. When writing your educational history, make sure to include the following information: The school you attended; the dates you attended; the certification or degree you attained; and any special awards or honors you received. It is also appropriate to include any professional certifications or training that you have received within the Education section of your resume—including courses from TeachUcomp! Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll examine the Skills section of a resume. This section of your resume can have two very distinct purposes. First, the Skills section of your resume is where you communicate the specific talents you have which are most relevant to the job for which you are applying. Second, in the case where you are submitting your resume electronically, the Skills section is an area of your resume that you can fill with appropriate keywords. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll examine the Involvement section of a resume. This is the area of the resume where you list your regular volunteer work. The purpose of the Involvement section of your resume is to communicate to your potential employer how you “give back.” Employers love to see volunteer work listed on a resume—it demonstrates that you are able to work as part of a team, it shows that you are community-minded, and volunteer work expresses that you have a strong moral character. All of these things reflect very favorably on a job candidate. If you do not do regular volunteer work, leave this section out of your resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll examine the Research section of a resume. The purpose of the Research section, predictably, is to communicate your research history and experience. Although a Research section is more commonly included as part of an academic resume, you may include this section when applying for a teaching position, lab position, or any number of technical jobs. You should already know, based upon your field, whether or not you should include a Research section as part of your resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll examine the Awards section of the resume. This section is also sometimes referred to as the Honors section of a resume. The purpose of this section of your resume is to communicate your special accomplishments and honors to a potential employer. This section is often included as part of a resume when the job candidate has recently graduated from college and doesn’t yet have much work experience. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll examine the Publications section of a resume. The purpose of this section is to list your published work for a potential employer. This section is very common in resumes related to specific careers—for example, those who work in the legal field or medical field may want to include a Publications section. You should know, based on your field of expertise, whether or not you need to include a Publications section in your resume. If you have been published professionally, you should probably include this section. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll discuss the Activities section of a resume. This is sometimes known as the Interests Section, or the Hobbies Section of the resume. Similar to the Awards section of the resume, an Activities section is often included when the job applicant is a recent college graduate who has less-than-extensive work experience. The purposes of the Activities section are to “beef up” an otherwise sparse resume, to communicate something about your outside interests to a potential employer, and to express skills that you have developed while participating in activities which may be relevant to the job. The Activities section is another great place to insert appropriate keywords into your resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about the Work Status section of a resume. The purpose of this section is to express your eligibility to work in the United States. It is usually only appropriate to include a Work Status section in your resume if your eligibility to work might be an issue—for example, if you were born outside of the United States, or have been living abroad for many years, or if most of your education or employment history took place in another country. When an employer sees a lot of things on your resume that took place abroad, he or she will be likely to wonder about your eligibility to work. You can address these concerns directly by including a Work Status section in your resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll examine how to tailor your resume for each job application. Adapting your resume specifically each time you send it out can benefit you in a number of ways. Most importantly, tailoring your resume demonstrates respect for your potential employer, and shows that you are taking the process seriously—that will immediately set yourself apart from the many people who simply send out the same generic resume with each application. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this section, we’ll take a closer look at keywords—how they are used by employers to screen electronically-submitted resumes, and how you can use them effectively to give your resume more impact. Let’s start with a description of Applicant Tracking Software, or ATS. When we refer to ATS, we’re talking about automated computer programs that employers are using to extract, sort, and rank data from resumes. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about how doing research as part of each job application can help you to identify which keywords to include in your resume. Before you can effectively incorporate keywords into your resume, you have to figure out which keywords to use. There are several very good ways to identify keywords for your resume—and the best place to start is with the actual job listing, or advertisement. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about how to incorporate keywords and key phrases into your resume once you’ve identified them. Generally speaking, you want to include somewhere between 25-30 keywords in your resume. The best way to incorporate keywords into your resume is really very basic: Print out a copy of your resume, as well as a copy of your keywords and key phrases, and look at them side by side. This may seem like a simple tactic, but doing this is the easiest way to see where key phrases can be inserted into your resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this section, we’ll look at a few more things to prepare as you develop your resume. Let’s start by talking about how to write a cover letter. A cover letter, though not always necessary, is another way to show a prospective employer that you respect his or her position, and that you are taking your job search seriously. A cover letter, if submitted electronically, is another chance to use relevant keywords to increase your chances of getting an interview. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about some ways to develop great personal references before you put your resume together. Let’s start by looking at some good people to consider when developing references: Former bosses, co-workers, customers, vendors, college professors, landlords, managers of your volunteer work, and colleagues all make great professional references. It’s a good idea to have at least three really impressive references prepared when you go on a job interview—the more varied the three people are, the better! Spend some time brainstorming—write down anyone and everyone who you think would be a good reference, and then narrow the list down to a few people who will give you glowing recommendations. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this lecture, we’ll talk about a few more things that you should do as “final touches” when you’re putting together your resume. Let’s start by looking at your email address. As we mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to have a “clean” email address that you use for your employment hunt. Because your contact information is included in your resume’s header, your email address will be one of the first things that a prospective employer sees when looking at your resume. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In this section, we’ll go over the Review questions included with this course.

In this lecture, we’ll look at Review Questions 6-10.

In this lecture, we’ll go over Review Questions 11-15.

In this section, we’ll conclude our discussion about preparing your resume. In this lecture, we will take a look at other resources that may be helpful when seeking employment. Learn this and more during this lecture.

This concludes the video portion of TeachUcomp Inc.’s Mastering Your Resume Made Easy. Please take some time to review the video lectures—it may be helpful to replay the lessons which contained a lot of information or complicated concepts.

This contains a detailed outline of course topics and study guide materials.

This is the course transcript and be can printed and used to take notes during the video lectures.