Baruch Resume Writing Guide PDF

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Baruch Resume Writing Guide...

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Resume /Cover Letter Essentials Table of Contents Resume Content Essentials…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......

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Resume Sections…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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Resume for Electronic Screening Process………………………………………………………………………………………………...

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Examples of Specific Undergraduate Activities and Academic Experience…………………………………………………

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Transferable Skills………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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Creating Strong Resume Statements………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Action Verbs…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

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Sample Resume Layout…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

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Sample Resumes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Reference List…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Cover Letter Essentials……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Cover Letter General Layout……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Cover Letter Sample – Letter of Application……………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Cover Letter Sample – Letter of Inquiry…………………………………………………………………………………………………...

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Post-Interview Thank You Letter Sample Format……………………………………………………………………………………..

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Post-Interview Thank You Letter Sample…………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Post-Interview Thank You Email Sample………………………………………………………………………………………………….

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Resume Content Essenti ntial als Your resume is your first impression to an employer. The resume must convince the employer within a matter of seconds that you are a qualified candidate for the position and should be interviewed. Therefore, it is necessary that you put significant effort into creating a resume that is clear, concise, consistent and relevant to the position or industry.

Resume Sty tyles les: Chronol hronologic ogic ogical al and Func uncti ti tional onal The chronological resume is the most widely used format. Its defining feature is the listing of work experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent work experiences listed first. Most employers prefer this format. Functional resumes omit work experience and instead list various abilities and accomplishments under functional headings. This style of resume is typically used for individuals who have been in a career for a number of years and desire a career change.

General Resum esume e Tips: 

Resumes must be one page, unless you have significant work experience (10+ years).

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Font size should be between 10 and 12 point and margins can be ½ inch to 1 inch - adjusted as needed to make your information neatly fill one page.

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Bol Boldi di din ng is used minimally and consistently, to emphasize what is most important.

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Students in more conservative fields including finance, accounting, CIS should have a more formal resume style, and students in more creative fields such as graphic design, arts, music can design more creative resumes (refer to examples).

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Each bullet has 3 parts: an action verb, a specific task that is quantified, and a specific outcome or result.

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Include the most important and relevant information to demonstrate relevant or transferable skills and provide examples of these skills in your bullet points.

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List your experiences in reverse chronological order by end date in each section (List only past and current experiences, not future plans).

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Within each experience, list your most relevant bullet points for the position that you are applying for.

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Always be truthful about your accomplishments and background.

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Use heavy bond paper in a professional color (white, ivory, or beige) if you are mailing your resume or attending a job or internship fair. (Free paper is located on the 6th Floor Computer Lab in the Library Building).

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To revise your resume, attend a resume workshop at the Starr Career Development Center or make a one-onone appointment with a counselor through Starr Search.

Did you know? According to the recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the average time spent by recruiters looking at a resume is between 5 to 7 seconds. 76% of resumes are discarded for an unprofessional email address, or spelling errors and/or poor formatting.

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Resume Sections All resu sume me mess should includ include e the following sec ections: tions:

Co Contac ntac ntactt Information

Include your full name, current street address, email address (preferably your Baruch email address or another professional email address), and phone number. You can also include any relevant URLs from LinkedIn, Twitter or a link to your website.

Dat Dates es and Locati Locations ons Edu Educa ca cation tion

Include specific months, years and locations for all experiences. Include school, location, degree, date of graduation or expected date of graduation, major, minor, and GPA (if over 3.0). If you are a first-year undergraduate or sophomore, you can list your high school, but it should be removed once you are a junior. Also include previous undergraduate institutions, community colleges, dual-degree programs, and study abroad.

Experience

Include paid and unpaid work, internships, volunteer jobs, and military service relevant to the job to which you’re applying. List organizations, locations, dates, your title, and a brief description. Start descriptions with action verbs that emphasize your skills, and use short, concrete, and results- oriented phrases to describe your work. Within this section all experiences should be listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent positions listed first. Divide your experience into multiple sections if applicable, such as Research Experience, Marketing Experience, Administrative Experience, Internship Experience, or any other similar heading in order to place your most important position first.

Ski Skills lls

List computer skills, foreign languages, technical skills, certifications, training, and research skills as appropriate.

Optional Sections: Honors

List honors or scholarships you have received (limit to a few of the most recent or prestigious). This can also be included in “Education,” rather than listed in a separate section.

Acade Academic mic Projects

Describe relevant projects that you have done in class. Include the project name and a few bullet points that describe some of your tasks.

Lea Leadersh dersh dership ip Exp Exper er erien ien ience ce

Employers often look for evidence of leadership. List any involvement you have had that demonstrates leadership qualities. You can also put these in the “Experience” category if you worked extensively with the club & organization and can describe your role in depth.

Rel Relev ev evant ant Cou Cours rs rsewor ewor ework k

List up to six completed courses that are directly related to the job you are seeking. This is helpful for positions not directly related to your field of study or if you’ve taken non-major courses that are more relevant to the job.

Act Activ iv iviti iti ities es

Include clubs, athletics, professional and community organizations, and list any leadership positions held. If you have the space, you might describe your responsibilities using action verbs.

Inter Inter teres es ests ts

Include this section if you have unique or impressive interests and be specific. Categories such as “reading” and “travel” are too general and common.

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Vol Volun un unte te teer er Work

Include volunteer opportunities and roles you have had in your community or for your favorite cause. Volunteer opportunities are a great way to share a distinctive skill set or interest.

Ot Other her Sect ction ion ionss

When appropriate, include sections for certifications or licensures, professional affiliations, and publications.

Personal Pers Web Websit sit site e

Include a link to your blog or portfolio if it is professional and includes pertinent information that an employer would find helpful in evaluating you as a candidate.

What NOT to incl nclu ude (for job obss in the U U..S)

International Student Tips!

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Personal information such as age, marital status, number of children, pictures (these may be required in some countries), or inappropriate email addresses.

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Objective statements, such as “Seeking a position in the finance industry.” Instead, use your cover letter to emphasize the position you are applying for and how your background relates.

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Repetition of words such as “responsibilities” and “duties included” before each description.

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Avoid personal pronouns ("I, my, his, her, them, their, your, mine") and abbreviations ("corp., etc.")

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List of references or “References Available Upon Request.” Instead, prepare a separate document and bring this list of references with you to interviews or submit the separate references document when requested.

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Typos or inconsistencies. Ensure that the resume has no spelling or grammatical errors and that all punctuation is consistent.

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Social Security number, passport number or other identification numbers.

Boosting Your Res esum ume for the Electronic Sc Screening reening Process Many large organizations rely on applicant tracking systems (ATS) to help pre-filter resumes. The systems work by scanning resumes for contextual keywords and key phrases based on the job description, mathematically scoring the resume for relevance, and sending only the most qualified ones through for hiring managers to review. Here are a few tips on how to ensure that your resume is not eliminated by ATS software: 

Keep Form Format at Simp implle: Avoid headers, footers, templates, borders, lines, symbols (bullet points are fine), shading, fancy fonts and font colors other than black.

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Use Common Head eadings ings ings:: Use common headings such as Education, Experience and Skills. Use section heading like Professional Experience instead of Finance Related Experience. Some of these unfamiliar headings like Affiliations, Publications, or Memberships can be difficult for ATS to scan.

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Ta Tailo ilo ilorr Your Resum esume e wit with h Ke Keywor ywor ywords ds ds:: Include verb phrases and skills written in the job description throughout your resume and online application. Keywords are graded both by how frequently they appear and the extent to which they are used in context. Note that these systems are smart enough to recognize the difference between random strings of words and words used in context.

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Avoid typo typos: s: Edit your resume carefully! Your resume should never contain typos.

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Include both acronym and the spe spell ll lled ed-out terms: Use both acronym and the spelled-out form of any given title, certification, or organization, so you’re set regardless of which format the ATS is looking for. For example: Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

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Comp Compllete aall ll fields in o online nline aapplica pplica pplications: tions: Even those fields that are not required. Employers may use those fields as filters and, if left blank, your application may not make it through the system.

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EXAMPLES of Speci pecifi fic Unde derg rg rgradua radua raduate te Activ ctivities ities and Acad cadem em emic ic E Expe xpe xperie rie rience nce DO NOT COPY THESE EXAMPLES—Use them as A GUIDE in crafting your own description highlighting your unique accomplishments. Dual Degree Pro rograms grams When representing these programs on your resume, we provide the following format as an example. EDUCATION Dual Bachelor’s Degree Program: Baruch College/CUNY, Zicklin School of Business Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance, GPA: 3.3/4.0

Southwestern University of Finance and Economics Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance and Economics

New York, NY Expected June 2018 Chengdu, China Expected June 2018

Honors Program EDUCATION

Macaulay Honors College at Baruch College/CUNY Bachelor of Arts, Corporate Communication, GPA: 3.5/4.0

Baruch College/CUNY, Zicklin School of Business Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting, Zicklin Honors Program, GPA: 3.68/4.00

New York, NY Expected June 2018 New York, NY Expected June 2018

Bach Bachelor elor elor’s/ ’s/ ’s/Mas Mas Master ter ter’s ’s CPA Progr ograms ams in Account ccountin in ing g For students who enrolled in the combined MSA/BBA program, you may use the following format. Education New York, NY Baruch College/CUNY, Zicklin School of Business Master of Science, Accountancy, with CPA 150 Credits Expected June 2018 Bachelor of Business Administration, Accountancy, GPA: 3.5/4.0 Expected June 2017 If you are not officially admitted/enrolled in the program, here is an example of how to list your CPA Eligibility. New York, NY Bachelor of Business Administration, Accountancy, GPA: 3.5/4.0 Expected June 2017 CPA 150 Credits Eligible, Expected June 2018

Baruch College/CUNY, Zicklin School of Business

At Athle hle hlettic Invol nvolv vemen ementt Any student involved in Baruch’s athletics programs knows the level of time and dedication required to participate and also balance academics and other on- and off-campus involvement. Don’t underplay your involvement, as it demonstrates teamwork and communication skills as well as commitment to a goal. When representing these programs on your resume, consider the following examples: Leadership and Activities New York, NY Baruch College/CUNYAC, NCAA Division III Varsity Basketball Team Forward 2014–Present  Dedicate 30 hours per week to practice, conditioning, competition, and team meetings  Earned Male Athlete of the Year in 2015 and served on the Student Athletes Advisory Committee  Volunteer at community organizations including local schools, homeless shelters, and sports camps  Consistently traveled throughout the tri-state area for athletic contests and regional tournaments

Did you know? Baruch College’s Starr Career Development Center offers walk-in sessions and appointments where you can revise your resume with a professional staff member or a trained peer advisor. Schedule an appointment on Starr Search or come to VC 2-150 during walk-in hours.

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Mili Milita ta tary ry Exp Experi eri erien en ences ces The skills you developed as a service member are truly valuable and in high demand, but describing those skills to a prospective employer can be difficult. Here is an example on how you can highlight your military experience. Airborne Infantry Squad Leader in Alpha Company, 1/69th Infantry (National Guard), New York, NY 2013–2014  Managed and trained a nine person infantry unit in basic military skills in preparation for possible worldwide deployment  Instructed over 500 soldiers in media relations during unit’s annual summer training Training Room Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Ft. Richardson, AK; Combat Outpost, Afghanistan 2012–2013  Supervised a two person team in charge of personnel and communication matters in a 90 person company  Organized company’s paperwork and records ensuring that all files were properly distributed and completed Charlie Troop Air Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Combat Outpost, Afghanistan 2011–2012  Coordinated helicopter assets coming into combat outpost to resupply unit and airlift personnel to safety  Assisted helicopter crews and supervised personnel in downloading all military equipment, supplies, and passengers into and out of COP Wilderness Airborne Infantrymen, C TRP 1-40 Cavalry (Airborne), Ft. Richardson, AK; Baghdad, Iraq 2008–2011  Deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom from October 2009 to November 2010 as grenadier in a 20 person Scout Reconnaissance Platoon accomplishing an estimated 200 combat missions  Served as team leader in charge of two additional individuals while in Iraq LGBTQ E Experiences xperiences You may wonder whether to include LGBTQ-specific awards or scholarships, advocacy work, or involvement in LGBTQ student organizations. Whether or not to come out on a resume or cover letter depends on your own comfort level and interest in sharing your sexuality or gender identity with others. Many organizations value diversity, and if working for an LGBTQ-friendly organization is an important value for you, sharing LGBTQ-affiliated activities on your resume could help you in finding the right fit. However, if you are concerned about the potential for prejudice on the part of the organization or even the individual reading your resume, you may choose to omit or reframe any LGBTQ references. Please also consider whether or not the regions or countries you are targeting in your job search provide legal protections for LGBTQ individuals in the workplace. Gender, Love, and Sexuality Spectrum, Baruch College

Vice President of Events   

New York, NY Fall 2015-Present

Plan and manage movie screenings, panel discussions, LGBTQ guest speaker presentations, and other social events by partnering with other queer political activist student groups Conduct weekly general body meetings for 20 members Co-organized the LGBTQ heritage month with five student organizations to raise awareness

Sample Resume Excerpt: Reducing LGBTQ community involvement Below, the same experience from above is described in ways that focus attention on the individual's role and accomplishments. If there is concern about the organization name, abbreviations are okay. You may also choose to list it as a diversity, community or minority organization without naming it. Baruch College GLASS (a student advocacy group)

Vice President of Events   

New York, NY Fall 2015-Present

Plan and manage movie screenings, panel discussions, guest speaker presentations, and other social events by partnering with other student groups Conduct weekly general body meetings for 20 members Co-organized a month-long diversity awareness event with five student organizations

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Transferable Skills Wh What at A Are re T Tra ra rans ns nsfe fe fera ra rable ble SSki ki kills? lls? A transferable skill is a “portable skill” that you can use in different situations in life. Many skills that employers look for in candidates are transferable, and can be acquired through a wide range of college and personal experience. Where do trans transferable ferable skills come from? •

Class Participation and Projects o For example, an English major who learns clear, concise, and compelling communication skills by

giving in-class oral presentations, or a CIS major who learns database design through a class project •

Campus Clubs and Activities o For example, the student government representative who develops strong negotiation and

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Volunteer Experience o For example, participant in fundraising who gains skills in marketing and organization Part Time or Full Time Work Experience o For example, customer service representative who le...