The Traditional Print Resume
Slide 11-7
Selecting the background facts is the place to begin. While the resume does not need to include all you have ever
done, you should include the most signiticant items.
Arranging the facts into groups shows the employer your ability to organize and be logical. Most people group their
facts into Education, Experience, Personal Qualities, and sometimes References.
Constructing the headings helps the reader know what follows. Your resume needs a main heading as well as
subheads. Subheads should be parallel in form. Also, they should be consistent in placement and in size and style of
type.
Including contact information is critical. Not only does the potential employer need to be able to reach you, but the
easier you can make it the be-er. Today, most people include address and telephone numbers (cell or land line),
fax, numbers, and email addresses. However, some applicants are limiting contact information for privacy reasons
to an email address or phone number. Sometimes students will have more than one address or phone number (a
campus address and a home address; a home phone number and a cell phone number). Though it is acceptable to
put both numbers on a resume, the student really only needs the address or number where the employer can
reach him or her. This is a good time to remind students to make sure their outgoing messages are appropriate and
professional for potential employers who call.
Including a statement of objective helps the potential employer understand what kind of work you want to do.
However, authorities disagree on both whether or not one is essential and what should be included in it. Generally,
we recommend including the objective, as it is helpful for leEng your audience know where to direct your resume,
especially if the audience is a human resources specialist who sees many resumes for many di3erent positions. In
fact, some employers may look specifically to an objective for a job number, job title, or other relevant information.
To write a good objective, avoid Iowery, excessive language and stick to something simple that includes the type of
position (e.g., full-time, part-time, internship, volunteer), the field (e.g., management, accounting), and start date
(e.g., beginning immediately, Summer 2013). Some people will write an objective directly to a specific company
and specific job (e.g., A Summer 2014 marketing analytics internship with Target Corporation, job code #2546).
Slide 11-8
Presenting the information depends highly on the requirements of the position. As with any business document, a
resume must be audience centered. Present yourself in the best possible light. Think about the job requirements
and then tailor your resume to show how you meet the reader’s need. Consider the resume an advertisement for
you.
