11

Identify the unique features of and requirements

in composing professional correspondence :
a.Resume
EN11/12RWS-IVhj-13.1
LESSON – RESUME

1. INTRODUCTION

LET US KNOW
What is CV ( Curriculum Vitae), Resume?
CV ( Curriculum Vitae ) stands for a professional resume. It is a structured document that
contains basic facts about your education, qualifications and relevant work experience.
Curriculum Vitae ( in practice usually only the abbreviation cv is used) is a term used more
in European countries; the US, Canada and Australia use the term Resume.

LET US REVIEW
In our previous lesson, we discussed about business
correspondence. What are the different forms of business correspondence?

LET US STUDY
RESUME
A resume is a formal document that a job applicant creates to
maximize his or her qualifications for a position. A resume is usually accompanied by a
customized cover letter in which the applicant expresses interest in a specific job or
company and draws attention to the most relevant specifics on the resume.
TYPES OF RESUME
a. Chronological Resume- It lists each job you held in order starting with the most recent.
This type works well for the person with several years of relevant experience. It
highlights stable employment record. The advantage of chronological resume is that
employers like to see job titles, level of responsibility and dates of your work history.

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b. Functional resume- focuses on the skills and strengths significant to employers. It lets
you highlight particular strengths and transferable skills which may not be noticeable
when outlined in chronological order.

c. Combination Resume- It balances the flexibility and strength of the chronological and
functional resumes. It indicates strong employment record with increasing mobility. It
shows how the skills you have used in the past to apply in the job you are selecting.

d. Targeted resume- It highly focused resume intended for a specific job. It is very concise
direct and easy to read.

PARTS OF A RESUME

HEADING/IDENTIFICATION: Include your full, legal name, permanent address and phone
number, with the area code, cell phone number, and e-mail address.

JOB OBJECTIVE: A job objective should state what you want to do, the position you are
interested in and should be employer-focused. Modify your objective to fit each employer
and position you target

SUMMARY or PROFILE: (optional) a summary includes three or four bulleted statements

highlighting your skills, enticing the reader to look at the rest of the resume. It supports
the objective. Quantify the statements whenever possible.

EDUCATION: List all your relevant education, training, and certifications. List degrees(s)
awarded, school(s) attended, dates of attendance or year of graduation/completion and
your program/major. List your education in chronological order, starting with your most
recent first. Include your grade point average if it is a B or better.

QUALIFICATIONS or SKILLS: Provide a concise list of your qualifications, skills, and

accomplishments that are requirements for the position you are seeking. Use action
statements to describe these and quantify whenever possible. List in order of importance.
It is not necessary to identify the employment situation where these qualifications were
obtained. Include computer software/hardware skills, technical skills, percent of increase in
production, sales, etc.

AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS/HONORS: You can use this as a separate category or place

this information under the Education heading. This area should highlight formal
recognitions, professional and academic awards.

WORK EXPERIENCE: Include the name of the employer, geographic location (city and
state only), position title, dates of employment, a brief statement of duties and your major
contributions and accomplishments. Include military experience, internships/cooperative
and volunteer experience. List these in reverse chronological order - the most recent first.

ACTIVITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS: Include participation in professional associations,

student government, clubs, or community activities. Include the name of the organization
and any leadership roles you held.

REFERENCES: Indicate that these are available upon request. Prepare a list of references
on a separate piece of paper. Include the person’s name, job title, phone number, name,
and address of the organization. DO NOT PUT YOUR REFERENCES ON YOUR RESUME.

How do we write Resume?

A. Tailor your resume to the specific position you’re applying for.

You’re basically selling yourself on that piece of paper, so mold the information
to reflect what your potential employer is looking for in an ideal job candidate. This
is different defending on your industry. Miriam Salpeter advises in U.S. News &
World Report that candidates should study the company’s web site and “ look for
repeated words or phrases, taglines, and hints about their philosophical
approaches.” Then, “ mirror some of their language and values in your resume.”
B. Put your name and contact info at the top.
This sounds simple, but Peter S. Herzog, author of the book “ How To Prolong
Your Job Search: A Humorous Guide to the Pitfalls of Resume Writing,” says that
applicants will try putting this important information on the side or bottom.This is
how it should be done:
1. Put your name in bold face and/ or regular caps.
2.Include your full address and home, work ( optional ) and/or cell phone numbers
and your email address but do not bold these.
C. Decide if you want to include an objective.
We’ve heard experts go both ways on this, so you need to decide for yourself
if you want to include an objective. Peri Hansen, a principal with a recruiting firm,
tells Penelope Patsuris at Forbes that an objective is “ the fastest way to pigeon-
hole yourself” and if you” specify’ Asset Manager’ you may not even considered for
‘Financial Planner.” On the other hand, Alex Douzet, CEO of The Ladders, tell us
that everyone should include an objective and compare it to a “ –second elevator
pitch” where you should “ explain who you are and what you’re looking for.” The
bottom line is to only include an objective if it’s not generic.

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D. The length of your resume should reflect years of experience.
This might be difficult if you’ve had a lot of experience and you’re proud of all
of it. But this doesn’t mean it’s necessarily relevant. Cut it down. If you’re in your
twenties, your resume should only be one page- there’s not enough experience to
justify a second one, Report. However, if you’ve had more than 10 years of
experience, you can add a second page, Douzet tells us.
E. Create your own CV template.
The pre-made resume templates offered on word processing programs like
Microsoft Word just scream” template,” as a guide, but create your own final copy.
Furthermore, you should always stick to a format that’s appropriate in your
industry. Simone Fortunini was an online marketing manager when he decided to
create a resume in the form of an interactive web site resembling a Google
Analytics page. Fortunini tells that since his work experience stems from online
marketing and advertising campaigns, Google Analytics is a basic tool that those in
his industry work with, and he wanted to create a resume illustrating his
understanding in online marketing, graphic design abilities and HTML skills.
F. Use plenty of white space to draw the reader’s eye to specific items.
Don’t include so much information that it gets distracting, “ Make it pleasing to
the eye, and balanced with bullets, italics and bold font,” Roxanne Peplow , career
advisor at Computer Systems Institute, tells us, “ Have your name stand out in
bigger and bold letters…bullet point your accomplishments. Too many words on a
page are exhausting to read.”
G. Use the right keywords.
Peplow says that “ you must put some of the keywords from the job posting
into your resume, or it will probably never be seen by human eyes,” This is
because a lot of companies use online recruitment tools to sift through resumes,
writes Lauren Weber in The Wall Street Journal. Barbara Safani of Career Solvers
suggests using Linked In’s skills section to find the keywords that would most likely
be used in a company’s search query database. To do this, click on the “ More” tab
in your Linked In Profile and enter a type of skill or description into the search box.
This will result in a list of related skills popping up, which you can use as keywords
on your resume.
H. Only include relevant work experience.
Keep your resume focused don’t include every single job you’ve ever had. Eve
Tahmincioglu at MSNBC writes;” In this economy, there’s a good chance a long-
term job seeker has a part-time job ( or jobs) under his or her belt just to make
ends meet. But that doesn’t mean you should include every burger flipping, or
retail- selling job you’ve had. Putting too many of those jobs on your resume,
especially if they have nothing to do with the job you want, can hurt your chances
of landing a new position.” “ Resumes are a summary of the most important data,”
Debra Feldman, a job search expert, tells Tahmincioglu. “ In my opinion, a part-
time job just to pay the bills would not fall into that category,” Peplow tells us that
even if you have minimal work experience, this doesn’t mean that you have
nothing to offer. Highlight your transferable skills, which are the ones that you can
use from one job to the next- regardless of the position.
I. Use bullet points to list responsibilities and accomplishments.
Under each job or experience you’ve had, list your responsibilities and
accomplishments in no more than 3-5 bullet points, writes Jasper Anson in Ask
Men. And don’t use full sentences. Liz Wolgemuth at U.S. News & World Report
writes: “ [ Compare] the process to flipping through a jumbo-size magazine.
Readers don’t spend a lot of time on each page. Full sentences are, quite simply,
too time consuming in today’s hiring world.”
J. Put a number to your accomplishments.
Your resume is for experience and accomplishments only. It’s not the place for
subjective traits, like “ great leadership skills” or “ creative innovator says Alison
Green in U.S. News & World Report. You should always try to quantify your
accomplishments.
K. Keep information about your education as short as possible.
Include only relevant education information: the name of your college, your
degree, and the year you graduated. Susan Adams writes in Forbes that
experienced workers should include their education at the end of their resumes. If
you’re a new graduate, you should consider including a list of course work that’s
relevant to the position you’re applying for. And don’t even think about listing your
high school education and activities unless you’re under 20 and “ have no
education and training beyond high school,” according to Tracy Burns- Martin’s
book “ Before and After Resumes.”
L. Don’t list your hobbies.
Hiring managers only care about what you can do for the company, so if you
can’t connect your hobbies to the job you’re applying for then leave them off your
resume. If your extracurricular activities are relevant, you can include them at the
bottom.
M. Use a chronological resume format.

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 The chronological resume which is really reverse- chronological is the format
most often used. On the other hand, a functional resume doesn’t include a
chronological job history, but instead focuses on skills and abilities.
N. Don’t reveal everything.
The goal of the resume is to get you an interview with the company.
Therefore, you shouldn’t reveal everything about yourself in the resume – just
enough to get the hiring manager’s attention.

The Do’s and Dont’s in Writing a Resume

Do’s
1. Use 10-12 point font depending on length
2. Use a simple, standard font
3. Use proper margins. 1 inch is fine
4. Use a professional/executive summary to pinpoint skills and objectives

Don’t
1. Use a lot of colors or overuse italics
2. Use more than three pages or fill less than 1 page.
3. Submit the same resume for every job. Tailor it to the specific requirements
needed.
4. Submit a resume without a cover letter.
5. Lie, embellish or put anything else deceiving in a resume.

Sources; Jose, L. and Larioque, R. PhD (2016) Reading and Writing Skills (For Senior High
School) 707 Tiaga cor. Kasipagan Sts. Barangka Drive, Mandaluyong Citya

Tallayo, M. AND Viloria D. (2016) Senior High K-12 Compliant Reading and Writing Skills .
369, Culianin Plaridel Bulacan. St. ANDREW Publishing House.
 LET US PRACTICE

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Ms. Camilla Salvador wanted to have a part time job as an Online English tutor at Acadsoc. She
highlighted on her resume her over two decades of working experience as an educator. She first
listed in her resume her current job as a College Instructor at Bulacan State University, followed by
her previous work experiences at St. Mary’s Academy and De la Salle University as a Junior High
School Teacher.

What type of resume did she prepare?

a. Functional Resume
b. Chronological Resume
c. Targeted Resume
d. Combination Resume

2. Jeremiah Santillan, A fresh college graduate applied at Convergy’s as a Customer Service

Representative. He had no working experience that’s why he highlighted in his resume his skills
and strengths that he thinks will be beneficial for the job position he is applying for.

What kind of resume did he submit?

a. Combination Resume
b. Targeted Resume
c. Chronological Resume
d. Functional Resume

3. Vida Dela Cuesta wants to apply at an accounting firm in Pasay City. She included in
her resume her skills and trainings related to the position she is applying for. She also
made a chronological listing of her previous work experiences.

What type of resume did she write?

a. Combination Resume
b. Targeted Resume
c. Chronological Resume
d. Functional Resume

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4. Emma Sanchez applied as a book editor in a publishing company. She emphasized in
her resume her Master’s degree in English and her internship as an editor during her
college years. She also included in her resume the writing contests that she won.

What type of resume did Emma make?

a. Combination Resume
b. Targeted Resume
c. Chronological Resume
d. Functional Resume

LET US REMEMBER

A resume is a one page summary of your skills, education, and experience.

The resume acts like an advertisement for a company trying to sell something. The
resume is your advertisement. Just as a sneaker company spends countless hours
( and millions of dollars) designing their latest advertising campaign, you too must
spend a good deal of time creating, proofreading, editing, and perfecting your
resume. A resume is one of the most important pieces of writing you will ever
create. A solid resume is the key that will open the door to good jobs.

LET US APPRECIATE
Write T if the statement is correct. If False, change the underlined word to
make the sentence correct.

________________ 1. The length of your resume should reflect years of educational

background.

________________ 2. Tailor your resume on the various positions you’re applying for.
________________ 3. Put your name on bold face and irregular caps.
 ________________ 4. Include your full address and home, work (optional) and/or cell phone
numbers and your email address.

________________ 5. Combination resume balances the strength of a targeted and

functional resume.

________________ 6. Functional resume highlights stable employment record.

________________ 7. Chronological resume highlights particular strengths and transferable

skills.

________________ 8. A resume is usually accompanied by a position paper in which the

applicant expresses in specific jobs or company.

_______________ 9. Chronological resume works well for person’s with several years of
relevant experience.

_____________ 10. Create your computer-generated CV. Template.

EVALUATION
Based on the given situation, make your own resume.
Situation :
You are a graduating high school student. Your school principal
recommended you for summer internship on the course that you want to take in
college.

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 Weight
Criteria Exceptional Admirable Acceptable Attempted

Personal 15%  Bolded and  Easily read  Clear  Unclear

Information easily read  Name  Incomplete  Missing
 Legal name  Address name name
 Complete  Phone number  Incomplete  Missing
address address address
 Complete Phone  Incomplete  Missing
number phone number phone
number

Headings 40%  Each heading  Most heading  Unnecessary  Incomp

serves a serve a headings or
lete
purpose for purpose for lacking
headin
type of resume type of resume necessary
 Pertinent  Includes headings gs
information fits pertinent  Gaps in  Lacking
job objective or information pertinent pertine
personal under each information
nt
statement heading  Information in
informa
 Information  Information in random order
listed in reverse some order  Basic tion
chronological  Descriptions descriptions  Inform
order fairly well  Some criteria ation
 Well written written meets stated lack
description  Most criteria objectives
dates
 Criteria meets stated
submitted objectives  Incomp
meets stated lete
objective descrip
tions
 Criteria
not
relevan
t to the
stated
objecti
ves
References 15%  Submits  Notes that List references on No note on list of
separate references are resume references
reference sheet available
and notes on
the resume
that references

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 are available
Appearance 30%  Typed; format  Typed; format  Typed; poor  Typed:
correct acceptable format poor
 Thorough and  One page  Crowded one format
on one page  Easily read font page  More
 Professional  Few grammar  Difficult to than one
font usage, read font page
 Correct mechanics,  Several  Difficult
grammar, spelling errors grammar to read
usage,  Adequately usage,  Obvious
mechanics, organized mechanics grammar
spelling spelling errors usage,
 Well organized  Poorly mechani
organized cs or
spelling
errors
 Lack
organiza
tion

Prepared by:

SUSANA T. FAJARDO
Teacher II
Marcelo H. Del Pilar National High School