Reviewing the Steps of Resume Development
Overview
This asynchronous e-learning course will introduce the learner to effective resume formatting and design. By the end of the lesson, the learner will be able to:
- Recognize the elements of a well-designed resume
- Categorize resume components under appropriate headings
- Use design principles to format a resume
- Evaluate a completed resume for flaws
Lesson Overview & Knowledge Check
One of the biggest career skill everyone needs to know is how to write a resume. First, watch this video:
This learning system will introduce you to effective resume formatting and design. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to recognize the elements of a well-designed resume, categorize resume components, use design principles to format a resume, and evaluate a completed resume for flaws. After the lesson, you can apply what you learn to creating your own resume!
But first, let's see what you know about resumes already!
Resume Basics PowerPoint
View the following PowerPoint from St. Cloud University Career Center. Think about what you should include in your resume. What should you leave out?
Organizing a Resume
Organizing your resume content is another vital step in designing a compelling resume.
Looking, again, at this well-designed example, you can see that the author divided the resume into five sections:
- Education
- Experience
- Projects
- Technology
- Skills
Each section includes specific and relevant examples, taken from the authors professional experience. Most examples are bullet points.
In the "Experience" and "Projects" sections, the author wrote the examples as statements, highlighting measurable deliverables. For example, under the second heading in "Experience" the author illustrates a specific skill they used while working as a Community Health Researcher: "Created data visualization that illustrated the disparity between community health awareness and access to medical services."
Review the resume on this page with attention to what the author included in each section.
You will practice organizing resume content on the next page!
Practice Organizing a Resume
Let's practice organizing a resume!
Below you will see three sample headings and five sample content blocks. Where would each content block go in a well-designed resume?
Sample headings
Education
Experience
Skills
Sample content
General Manager, Costco, 2010-Present
- Managed a budget of $50,000
- Enhanced spending processes and loss prevention
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Illinois, 1995
Political Science
Biochemistry Lab Manager, University of Chicago, 2005-2007
- Supervised staff team of 20 part time lab technicians
Adobe Creative Suite Software
Data Analytics Certificate, DePaul University, 2015
Answers: Practice Organizing a Resume
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Illinois, 1995
Political Science
Data Analytics Certificate, DePaul University, 2015
Note: While "data analytics" would fall under the skills heading, the "Data Analytics Certificate" is best placed under education.
Experience
General Manager, Costco, 2010-Present
- Managed a budget of $50,000
- Enhanced spending processes and loss prevention
Biochemistry Lab Manager, University of Chicago, 2005-2007
- Supervised staff team of 20 part time lab technicians
Note: The "Biochemistry Lab Manager" entry is an example of work experience, even though it took place at a university, and may have occured in the same time period that the author was a student.
Skills
Adobe Creative Suite Software
Review & Proofreading
Your resume is not done until you proofread it!
After you generate content, organize sections, and apply design principles, you must double-check your work. A seemingly small typo can get your resume thrown of a recruiter's pool.
Before sending your resume in to a job, review it at least twice. These reviews can be done by you, or, ideally, with support from a trusted friend or colleague.
The first review of your final resume should focus on structure and format. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is the resume scan-able?
- Are the sections clearly organized?
- Did I make good use of fonts, layout, and white space?
- Are the examples under each heading appropriate illustrations of my accomplishments?
- Does the spacing and allignment flow?
The second review should solely focus on spelling and grammar. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is every word spelled correctly?
- Are the statements clear and written as fragments (rather than full sentences)?
- Do all of the tenses align?
Let a peer review your resume. He/She will often catch subtle errors you may not see. If you can not find a peer, the make certain you read it from the end to the beginning. This will help you catch simple errords.
Recap & Knowledge Check
Let's recap what we learned!
A well-designed resume uses three key features to enhance readablity:
- Scan-Ability
- Formatting and Visual "Chunking"
- Information Architecture
Organize your resume content into appropriate heading and sections. This will help recruiters understand your experiences when scanning your resume.
Remember to review and proofread your final resume before submitting it. Ask trusted friends or colleagues to help with this review.
Incorporating features and tips into your resume will make your resume easy to follow and help you stand out to recruiters!
Knowledge Check
Thank you for participating in this review! The final step is to complete a knowledge check survey, similar to what you did at the beginning of the course. Once you complete the survey, you will be done with the course. Click on the link below to check your knowledge.