Write your best Resume draft and post it to the Assignments Portal. Consider all the guidance in the textbook. Take advantage of other so
Write your best Resume draft and post it to the Assignments Portal. Consider all the guidance in the textbook. Take advantage of other source material. Post a Microsoft Word file with the following naming convention lastnameFirstinitial_CRJU4169ResumeAssignment_yyyymmdd.
WRITING WITHIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
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Preparing for
the
Job Market
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Objectives
- The purpose of a resume
- How to write a chronological resume
- How to write a cover letter
- How to draft a professional email
- How to identify negative elements employers look for in a social media profile
- How to create a professional social media profile on LinkedIn
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You Only Get One Chance to Make a Good First Impression …
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Your resume is the first impression you will make on a potential employer. Therefore, it is critical that it be well-organized, free of errors, and succinct! Remember, employers typically receive dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes for a job opening, so they do not have a lot of time to spend reviewing each one.
Applicants who submit resumes with spelling and grammar errors are typically the first to get rejected because prospective employers assume that they will make similar mistakes at work.
NOTE! Contrary to what some applicants believe, the purpose of a resume is NOT to get a job! The purpose is to get an interview so that you can discuss, in person, your qualifications for the job.
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Writing a Chronological Resume
List most recent accomplishments first
Specific sections:
- Education
- Related Experience
- Employment History
- Certifications and Technological Skills
- Academic and Professional Honors
- Community and Professional Engagement
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While there are a number of different formats for resumes, in this lecture you will learn how to write a chronological resume. In it, you will present your most recent accomplishments first and end with your oldest accomplishments. You will also organize it into specific sections: “Education,” “Related Experience,” “Employment History,” “Certifications and Technological Skills,” “Academic and Professional Honors,” and “Community and Professional Engagement.”
If you do not have experience in a category, exclude it.
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Appearance is Everything!
- Use a traditional font that is easy to read (e.g., Arial, Times New Roman)
- With the exception of your name, use the same font size throughout (10 to 14 font)
- Use heavy bond paper
- Use a neutral color paper
- Limit to one or two pages
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Font – Select a font that is easy to read; do not use a “pretty” font (e.g., script, fancy) in an attempt to make your resume “stand out.” Doing so does not impress the employer and detracts from the professionalism of your resume.
Font size – With the exception of the font size you use for your name, use the same font size (10 to 14) throughout the resume. A font size that is too small is difficult for the employer to read. Similarly, do not select a font size that is too large. Make your name one font size larger than the font size you select for the rest of your resume.
Paper weight – Use a heavy bond paper for your resume. A good weight paper to use is one that is slightly heavier than paper typically used for printing documents, but that is not too stiff (like cardboard). You can find single sheets of resume paper at most craft stores or you can buy a box of resume paper at office supply stores.
Neutral color – Select a neutral color for your resume paper, such as linen or off-white. Do not use a “pretty” color in an attempt to make your resume stand out.
Length – Limit your resume to one or two pages. An employer does not have time to read a long, elaborate resume. Remember, the purpose of your resume is to get an interview! At the interview, you will have the opportunity to discuss in detail all of your qualifications and experiences.
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A Few Basic Rules About Content
- Present all information in a succinct and professional manner
- Include only the information that presents you as a strong candidate for the position
- Write your resume so that it is “geared” towards the position for which you are applying
- Include any information about your age, marital status, or anything that is irrelevant to your procuring the job
- Include your desired salary
- Make any handwritten corrections after you print out the final copy
DO!
DO NOT!
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Remember! The content of your resume must be well written and presented in a succinct and professional manner.
Be selective – Include only the information that you feel makes you a strong candidate and that you feel would impress the employer. For example, if you are applying for a managerial position, include information about any supervisory or administrative duties you have held in a job, as well as information about leadership positions you had in college or in the community.
Be specific – Gear your resume towards the job for which you are applying. If you have experience in more than one field, emphasize your experience that is related to the position you are seeking.
What you should NOT include in your resume:
Irrelevant demographic data (e.g., age, race, marital status)
Salary requirements – If the employer wants to know this information, he or she can discuss it with you during your interview.
Handwritten corrections – If you find any errors while proofreading your resume after you have printed it out, correct them and print out a new copy. If you discover an error and do not have time to correct the mistake, leave it as it is – correcting the error in ink will only draw attention to it.
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Getting Started
First, write a list of the sections you will include in your resume:
- Education
- Employment
- Certifications and Technological Skills
- Academic and Professional Honors
- Community and Professional Engagement
Next, write the information you want to include in each section
See Handout #1, “Sample Resume”
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The first step in writing your resume is to make a list of the sections you will include in it. After you complete the list, write all of the information you want to include within each section.
Education – List the academic institutions you have attended since graduating from high school (including trade schools, community colleges, and four-year colleges), regardless of whether you graduated from the institution. For each school, write the name, location (city and state), and year(s) you attended.
If you attended a school for less than a year, write the months and year that you attended it.
If you are in the process of receiving a degree from a school, write your expected graduation date. If you have received a degree from any of the schools, write the name of the degree and your discipline of study (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Criminology), and the date on which you received it.
If you graduated with honors or with any other distinction (e.g., cum laude), include that information. However, do NOT include your GPA!
Employment – List the jobs you have held since you graduated from high school, including both part- and full-time jobs and internships (paid and unpaid). If you have been out of high school for more than 10 years, list only the jobs you have held in the past 10 years. For each job, write the name of the business, the city and state where it is located, the dates you were employed (month and year you started to when you ended), your job title (if you did not have an official title, create one that best describes what you did), and your primary job duties.
Certifications and Technological Skills – List the certifications or special training you have received (e.g., First Aid or CPR certification, firearms training), and any technological (e.g., computer-related) skills you have that are related to the job you are seeking. When you list your computer skills, list only those that would require additional training (e.g., SPSS). Do not include “common” skills that most people have (or should have), such as proficiency in Word. If you have any foreign language training, you should also include that information in this section.
Academic and Professional Honors – List all academic and professional honors you have received since you graduated from high school. Examples would include school awards or community awards.
Community and Professional Engagement – List all activities that reflect your contribution to your community and profession. Examples of activities you would include are volunteer jobs (e.g., American Red Cross blood drive), memberships in national and local professional organizations (e.g., Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences), and memberships in any school clubs that are related to your discipline.
You must follow certain rules to ensure that your resume is presented professionally. To help you understand how to present a professional-looking resume, in the next part of the lecture, we will discuss Handout #1, “Sample Resume.”
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General Formatting Rules
- Capitalize and bold headings for each major section (e.g., OBJECTIVE, EDUCATION)
- Set dates relating to education and work experience apart from the written content
- Write short bulleted phrases for information included within each category; no periods at the end of the phrases
- Double-space between categories and between each entry in a category
- Single-space lists under each entry
- Set page break so it does not disrupt flow of the content
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Dates – The dates relating to education and work experience are positioned along the right-hand margin, so it is easy for the employer to see the dates relating to those categories. The only exception to this rule is when you list the date you received a diploma. In that instance, list the year you received your diploma immediately following the type of degree you earned.
Succinct phrasing – All of the information included within each category is presented in short phrases. Use bullets when listing any information under a specific entry. Do not include periods after any information you present in a bulleted format.
Spacing – Double-space the resume between the categories and between each entry in a category. However, single-space each entry. Sometimes you may find that information in a section must be split between pages. If this is the case, do not split the information within an entry between the pages. Instead, tab down so the entire entry is on the second page.
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Resume Sections
- Type your name in bold, in one font size larger than the font size you use in the rest of your resume
- Provide the telephone number where you can most easily be reached
- Use a professional email address
- Sets the tone for your resume
- The purpose is to allow you to briefly tell the employer what you will bring to the job
- Do not write in full sentences; limit it to three to four lines
- Incorporate into your objective the attributes or qualifications listed in the job position advertisement
Identifying Information
Objective
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For this part of the lecture, read through the sample resume and discuss each section with the students.
Identifying information – Include the full address of your current residence and the best telephone number to reach you. You can include more than one telephone number, but if you do, write an initial next to each to indicate its location (e.g., “H” for home, “C” for cell, “W” for work). If you have a preference for which number you would like them to use to call you, write “preferred” next to that number. Include a professional email address; do not make it “cute” or “clever.”
Objective – When you write your objective, think about the position you are applying for and what skills you have that would strengthen your qualifications for that position. To help you write your objective, refer back to the job position advertisement to see what type of qualities or skills are listed as either required or desirable. Then, use those adjectives to describe yourself.
Do not use full sentences when writing the objective!
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- Include all post-secondary education information, starting with the most recent
- For each degree earned, include the title of the degree and the specific discipline
- Write the full name of the school, and the city and state where it is located
- If you are in the process of earning a degree, include the date you expect to graduate
- If you graduated with honors from a school, include that information
- Write the degree and discipline in italics, followed by a comma
- List the year the degree was awarded in italics immediately following the comma
- If the degree has not yet been awarded, tab close to the right-hand margin and, in regular font, list the month and year you expect it to be awarded
- Abbreviate the state where the school is located using the postal abbreviation
- Present any honors in a bulleted format, on a separate line below the school’s location; use regular font
Education
Formatting Rules
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Content:
Note! If you attended a school but did not graduate from it, write the name of the school, city and state where it is located, and the years you attended it. If you were there for less than one year, include the months and year you attended.
Note! Always include the complete information on the school’s location (city and state). Do not assume that the name of the institution will suffice; there are many cities that share the same name (e.g., Baltimore, MD; Baltimore, OH; Baltimore, VT).
If you graduated with honors (e.g., cum laude), include that information; however, do not include your GPA.
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- Start with your most recent job
- Include all full-time and part-time jobs, as well as internships (paid and unpaid)
- List only work experience in fields related to the job you are seeking
- List the name of the company or agency, city and state where it is located, your job title, and the dates of your employment
- Write short phrases that state your most important job duties in an objective and succinct manner
- Type the name of the company in capital letters, the city in lowercase letters, and the state abbreviation in uppercase letters
- Type your dates of employment along the right-hand margins (month and year); use regular font
- Type your job title in bold
- Bullet the job duties: Write verbs in present tense for your current job, write verbs in past tense for your past jobs
- Provide two to five job duties per entry; do not write “etc.”
Related Experience
Formatting Rules
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Related experience: In this section, you will list the jobs you have held that are related to the job you are seeking. If you have not held any jobs that are related to the one you are seeking, you will not include this section.
Content:
List only the jobs you have held since high school graduation. If you have been out of school for more than 10 years, include only the jobs you have held within the past 10 years.
Job title – If you did not have an official job title, create one that best describes your position.
Job duties – Be selective in what you include; list a minimum of two and a maximum of five per job. When you write your duties, list those that are related to the position you are seeking. Write your duties in an objective manner; do not “sing” your own praises. If you performed your job well, it will be reflected by your references.
Never write “etc.” in your descriptions. You may know what you mean, but the prospective employer may not.
Format:
Note! When you describe your job duties at your current job, write the verbs in the present tense (e.g., “train,” “assist,” “supervise”). When you describe your job duties at a past job, write the verbs in the past tense (e.g., “trained,” “assisted,” “supervised”).
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- Start with your most recent job; include all full-time and part-time jobs, as well as internships (paid and unpaid)
- Include all work experience you have, not just the experience directly related to the job you are seeking
- List the name of the company or agency, city and state where it is located, your job title, and the dates of your employment
- Write short phrases that state your job duties in an objective and succinct manner; minimum of two duties, maximum of five
- Follow same formatting rules as those previously discussed for the “Related Experience” section
Employment History
Formatting Rules
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In this section, you will include all jobs you have held that are not related to the job you are seeking. If all of the jobs you have held are related to the job you are seeking, you will not include this section. Again, limit this section to those jobs you have held since high school, or within the past 10 years if you graduated from high school more than 10 years ago.
Content:
NOTE! Although this section of your resume contains your work experience in an unrelated field, if possible, write your job duties so that they reflect a skill or attribute that relates to the position you are seeking. For example, if you worked as a sales person at Home Depot and you are applying for a position with a law enforcement agency, you should highlight your interpersonal communication skills and your ability to think on your feet (two attributes vital to being an effective police officer). To do this, you could write:
- Assisted customers with project-related questions
- Resolved customer disputes over former purchases
It is possible that you may have held some jobs that were related to the position you are seeking, and some jobs that were not related to it. In that case, some work experience would be listed in the “Related Experience” section, some would be listed in the “Employment History” section, and the correct chronological order would be split between the two. That is fine! Just make sure that you present your work history chronologically within each category.
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- List all certifications you have earned and training programs you have completed
- List all computer skills in which you are proficient
- For each entry, list the name of the certification or the training program, the agency that awarded the certification or offered the training, and the date you completed it (month, year)
- If you are proficient in a foreign language, list it and specify your level of proficiency (e.g., able to read and write; able to read only; able to write only)
- Present each entry in a bulleted format
- Type each entry in regular font
- List all certifications, then all training programs, then all relevant computer skills
Certifications and Technological Skills
Formatting Rules
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Content:
When you list your computer skills, list only the ones that required additional training, such as statistical packages (e.g. SPSS, GIS, CrimeStat) or specialized databases (e.g., LexisNexis, NCIC). Do not list computer skills that most employers assume candidates would have (e.g. Word, PowerPoint).
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- List all academic and professional honors you have received since you graduated from high school
- List the entries in chronological order; list the most recent honor first
- List the name of the honor, followed by a dash and then the name of the institution or agency that awarded the honor
- Type each entry in regular font
- Beneath the name of the honor, use a bullet and list the relevant date(s) starting with the most recent one
Academic and Professional Honors
Formatting Rules
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- List community service activities and memberships in professional and school organizations
- List the entries in chronological order; present the most recent first
- The format of the entries in this section is similar to that used in the academic and professional honors section
- First, list the name of the organization or school in regular font
- On the next line, insert a bullet and write the position you held, in italics
- Following the name of the position, type the relevant dates in regular font
Community and Professional
Engagement
Formatting Rules
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List only those activities and memberships you have participated in within the past 10 years.
In this section, in addition to community activities and professional organization memberships, include your participation in any school clubs or organizations that focus on developing leadership and professional skills. Some examples may include a position in the student government or membership in a discipline-specific club (e.g., Criminal Justice Student Association).
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References
- At the end of the resume include the statement “References available upon request”
- Follow these guidelines when selecting references:
- Ask a prospective reference if he or she will act as a reference for you
- Provide an updated copy of your resume to your prospective references
- If possible, choose a reference who is (or has been) employed in the field in which you are seeking a job
- If you ask a professor to act as a reference, ask only those professors you had within the past two years
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Be sure to provide an updated copy of your resume to a prospective reference so he or she can review your accomplishments before speaking to a potential employer
It is fine to ask a professor for a reference, but make sure you choose one in whose class you did well!
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