Career Assessment Inventory

Career Assessment Inventory
Onward Education & Training

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Career Assessment
Inventory
Creating a high impact resume. Finding the best job and
career options
Included in this packet are a career assessment, examples of resumes, resume checklist,
resume action wordlist, commonly asked interview questions, job interview prep worksheet,
phone call organizer, weekly goal worksheet and a job search log.
Career Assessment for:
________________________________________
Date:
©copyright Onward Education & Training 2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Instructions for Completing Your Career Assessment

Careful and thorough completion of your Career Assessment lays in the groundwork for success
in continuing your career or making a transition to another.
 Effective performance in interviews. Some people in search have formal interviews with a dozen
or more organizations before receiving an offer. Others receive an offer on their first interview.
Because there can be many reasons for rapid success in interviews – including good luck –
preparation is a critical factor. The time to recall, organize and practice discussion information on
your background is now, not when you are sitting in your first hard-won interview.
 Developing a high impact resume. Outstanding resumes are a brief distillation of a great deal of
information, written to support a particular professional objective and speak to a particular target
market. Because they are generally limited to two pages, what to include and what to leave out are
important questions. Your want to include all of the most compelling facts about yourself.
 Finding the best job and career options. Some people want to find new work much like their past
work. Others want very different or new kind of work. Before making a final choice, you need to be
aware of the range of options.
The first step is in attaining all of these benefits is gathering information. You are the only person
who has the necessary information. At this moment, you may not remember it all, simply
because you do not normally have reason to think about it. However, complete and well-
organized information is essential to success in your search project.
Recalling, thinking through and recording this information takes time and effort. This packet will
help you organize that effort and make it more effective.

Before you begin . . .
please take a minute to consider two questions basic to your search project.
1. How quickly do you need to find new employment?
Given your current financial situation (including any severance benefits and unemployment
benefits) and your current spending plans, how many months could you be unemployed:
And still be financially comfortable? __________ # months
Before you “felt the pinch”? __________ # months
Before your financial situation became a serious problem? __________ # months
2. Would you relocate for new employment?
[ ] Yes, I want to relocate to _______________
[ ] Yes, but not more than 50 miles from my current address
[ ] Yes, but only to _______________
[ ] No, I prefer not to relocate, but I would consider relocation if necessary to obtain
the right position
[ ] No, I will not relocate under any circumstances
[ ] It depends _______________

Ten Accomplishments
This is a classic career development exercise. Numerous variations of it have been used
successfully by thousands of career experts with millions of clients over the past 50 years.
An analysis of selected accomplishments is a useful tool in clarifying skills, interests and values.
Past achievements often indicate talents, abilities and potential and can point the way to future
achievements. Completing this exercise, therefore, can contribute to helping you make
appropriate career choices.
What do we mean by accomplishments? What we are looking for are the normal achievements
within the scope of your normal activities, both in and out of work. These could be called
achievements or successes.
For this exercise, we define achievements as things you did particularly well and are proud of
regardless of the opinion of others. These will also be instances where your motivation was high
and where you enjoyed what you were doing.
Using that definition of achievement, what are your 10 achievements that best fit this description?
If possible, include some from your early life (even childhood) as well as from your adult life. You
may use achievements at work or away from work. You may find it more useful to create a longer
list and then narrow it down to 10. Record your achievements on the following page. Do not
attempt a detailed description of them. Simply title each and mention the main thing you did and
give the overall results.
Examples:
Introduced a new product: As a marketing manager, introduced a new frozen food product line
and took it to $28 million in sales in the first year, more than double management’s projection.
Built our dream house: My husband and I designed, built and decorated our dream house. We
love it and people admire it.
Rebuilt a company: As a general manager, took profits of a software company from 4% to 32%
in two years.
Helped win the championship: Pitched six scoreless innings in Little League statewide
championship game. We won.
Reorganized the department: Inherited a department of 16 (downsized from 24). Reorganized

work and trained people so we got it all done, usually in a 40-hour week. And they liked me.
Threw a New Year’s Eve party for 50 without using a caterer: Six years later, people are still
talking about how great it was and comparing other parties to it. (So far, no other party has come
close.)

Made money in real estate: Over the past 12 years, made nearly $100,000 in my real estate
“hobby.”
Started new charities: As President of my synagogue, got about 50 new people involved in
three new charitable activities.
List Your Ten Accomplishments
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
6. _________________________________________________________________
7. _________________________________________________________________
8. _________________________________________________________________
9. _________________________________________________________________
10. __________________________________________________________________

Your Professional Objective

What kind of work are you interested in finding at this point? Please describe your ideal job,
the type of organization and the type of culture or environment you want to be in. Be as specific
as you can, using descriptions of work tasks, type of work, what an organization does. Use job
titles if possible.
My Ideal Job would be:
Describe the type of organization:
Describe the culture or work environment you would like to be in:

Homework Assignment 1 : Search the internet for job descriptions that are of interest to
you. List them below:
1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________________
Homework Assignment 2 : Go to www.salary.com, type in your zip code and the job titles
that are of interest to educate yourself on realistic wages/compensation. For each job
description listed above, enter the compensation range.
1. Compensation range: $________ to $ __________
Based on this information, what would be your desired compensation?
Desired compensation: $________________

Your Long-Term Objective

Where do you want to go? Where do you want to be in 5, 10 or 15 years? Imagine yourself
looking back. What is it that you want to see? Please list as clearly as you can at this point in
your life your long-term objectives:
15 years:
10 years:
5 years:
Adverse Factors
What are the adverse factors – or possible barriers – to attaining any of the long-term
objectives you just listed? Please be completely honest and list anything that might interfere
with your getting what you want.

Employment History
The following pages are a complete employment overview. Questions on these topics are
always asked in employment interviews and applications. The listing will help in planning what to
include and what to leave out of your resume, as well as what to cover in an interview, and how
best to cover it.
Please treat military service as a job or series of jobs. Extensive or prolonged volunteer work
should be described as work experience, especially if you were not gainfully employed at the
time. Part-time and summer jobs should be included. All of this will not end up on a resume, but
it is important to an assessment.

Employment History : Position # 1 (most recent)
Organization: _____________________________________________________
Dates with organization: from _________________________to______________________
Job Title: _____________________________________________________
Dates in this title: from _________________________to______________________
Title of person you reported to (not the name): ______________________________________
Compensation: $ _______________________ (label base salary, bonus and commissions)
Your Responsibilities
Describe your responsibilities in this job, starting with the general functional area (i.e. legal,
marketing, finance, operations). Exactly what did you do? List the duties of the job in order of
importance – not as they appeared in the job description, but as they actually were. What results
were you expected to produce? What resources did you have (people reporting to you, budgets,
facilities)? What committees or task forces were you involved with? What skills did you develop
for yourself? What quantifiable results did you obtain (e.g. accomplished sales, quotas of 110%
over quota). The grid is only an organizational aid, feel free to write outside the box!
Skills
Functional Area Duties Results Resources Committees
Developed

Your Performance
List all concrete evidence of satisfactory (or better) performance. Include salary increases,
promotions, bonuses, performance ratings, goals exceeded, etc.

Your Likes and Dislikes
Likes
What did you like most about this job?
Please list at least three, even if you liked nothing very much.
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
Dislikes
What did you like least about this job?
Please list at least three, even if you liked everything a great deal.
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________

Your Achievements (part 1)
Organizational View: Please list below at least six of your most important achievements in this
job from the organization’s point of view, not yours. List them in order of importance, starting with
the most important. If you have more than six to choose from, select a variety, representing
abilities in different areas.
Most Important
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________________________
Least Important

Your Point of View: Please list below your six most important achievements in this job from your
point of view. List them in order of importance, starting with the most important.
List your achievements even if you were not entirely satisfied with what you achieved. Small
routine achievements are often just as important as large dramatic ones. If you have more than
six to choose from, select a variety, representing abilities in different areas.
Most Important
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________________________
Least Important

Your Reasons for Leaving this Job
Why did you leave? If you were involuntarily terminated, say so and be frank about what you
believe were the real reasons. Do not simply reply the “official” story. What did you learn or
accomplish because you left?

Employment History : Position # 2
Organization: _____________________________________________________
Job Title: _____________________________________________________
Skills
Developed

Your Performance

Likes
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
Dislikes
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________

Most Important
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________________________
Least Important

Most Important
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________________________
Least Important


Employment History : Position # 3
Organization: _____________________________________________________
Job Title: _____________________________________________________
Skills
Developed

Your Performance

Likes
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
Dislikes
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________

Most Important
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________________________
Least Important

Most Important
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________________________
Least Important


Your Employers
Employer # 1: Information on employers – especially recent ones – is sometimes asked at

interviews. Even when not asked, it can be a useful addition. This page and the following two
pages are designed to collect basic employer information.
Organization: _____________________________________________________
1. Industry or sector:
2. Main competitors:
3. What does the organization do? (products or services):
4. Size of organization (# employees, annual revenue, budgets, # of units, etc.):

5. Size and mission of your department or unit:
6. If the organization as a whole did well during your employment, list any indications of how
well (e.g. % profit increase, growth, comments by expert outsiders):
7. If the organization is part of a larger one (e.g. a parent company or larger agency), provide
the name of the larger organization and any additional information (industry, competitors,
organization’s products/services, size).
8. Describe climate and/or culture. How were things done? How were people treated? What
were the expectations?

Your Employers

Organization: _____________________________________________________


Your Employers

Organization: _____________________________________________________


Education
Please start with your most recent formal education and work back to the secondary level.
Institution Attendance Dates Major or Concentration GPA or Rank
Please list your extracurricular activities at each of the above institutions.

Additional Training
Please list training programs of any kind you have completed, other than the formal
education listed previously.
Principle Course
Course Name Instructor Dates
Content
Please list any certifications or licenses (of any kind) you have obtained, other than the
formal education listed previously.

Business and Professional Activities
Please list memberships in business or professional associations. Mention any offices you held
or committees you served on. Include here (or attach) a list of publications, patents or copyrights.
List the business or professional publications you read regularly.

Non-work Activities
List all religious, community, political and organized social activities. Include the names of
any organizations you are (or were) a member of, and any offices you hold (or held) in any of
them. Note whether they are past or present affiliations.
Organization Office Held Affiliations
[ ] Present [ ] Past
List all of your current and past recreational activities. Note whether they are past or present
affiliations.
Activity Affiliations

Languages
Please list any languages (other than English) that you speak, read, or write. Include your level
of proficiency for each.
Language Level Proficiency

[ ] Read [ ] Expert [ ] Intermediate [ ] Novice
[ ] Write [ ] Expert [ ] Intermediate [ ] Novice
[ ] Speak [ ] Expert [ ] Intermediate [ ] Novice

Your Professional or Managerial Assets and Liabilities
A professional is someone who works with a clearly defined body of expertise. Marketing,
accounting, sales, information technology, human resources and management are all examples.
What are your areas of expertise?
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
A manager is someone who knows how to get things done – someone who develops
strategy, establishes plans, uses control procedures, organizes people and resources and
coordinates an overall effort. List examples, even if you have never held the title of manager, of
when you performed as a manager.
1. __________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________

Based on what you know about yourself or what others have said of you, what are some of
your assets and liabilities as a manager or non-management professional? Please discuss
them in the space provided below.
Career Progress Analysis
Are you satisfied with your career progress? If not, why not? Career satisfaction can be
more than an achieved level. Dissatisfaction can be of many kinds. If you are not satisfied with
your career progress to date, explain in what way you are dissatisfied. Please relate your
dissatisfaction to the particular circumstances of its occurrence and give an account of its causes.
If you are satisfied, are there areas you feel you need improvement or steps you need to take to
get to the next level?

Possible References
List references you might consider contacting as part of the employment process.
Please complete the entire list of 12 even though you may not need all of them. You will decide
later which ones you actually want to use, and you may use different references in different
situations. Extra references often turn out to be useful in other ways.
Include both work and personal references, and list their relationship to you (e.g. former boss, co-
worker, personal friend, former teacher). List current organizations and title for every reference,
even for personal friends.
Name Organization/Title Relationship

Self Assessment Summary
Summarize the results of the information you have documented so far. This information will help
define the kind of environment that suits you best, and will also help you brainstorm some possible
job targets. Finally, it can be used as a checklist against job possibilities. When you are about to
receive a job offer, use this list to help you analyze it objectively.
1. What I need in my relationship with bosses:
2. Job satisfiers/dissatifiers
Satisfiers:
Dissatisfiers:
3. Most important work related values:

4. Special Interests:
5. The threads running through the Ten Stories analysis:
Main Accomplishments
Key motivators
Enjoyed most; Did best:
My role:

The environment:
The subject matter:
6. Using the Skills Summary in Appendix A, list the top ten specialized skills:
1. __________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________________________
6. __________________________________________________________________________
7. __________________________________________________________________________
8. __________________________________________________________________________
9. __________________________________________________________________________
10. __________________________________________________________________________

7. From the Long Term Career Objectives:
Where I see myself in the long run:
What I need to get there:
8. My basic personality and the kinds of work cultures it will fit:

Skills Summary
The numbers across the top represent each of your 10 accomplishment stories. Start with story #1
and check off all of your specialized skills that appear in this story. When you’ve checked off the
skills for all ten-accomplishment stories, total them.
Accomplishment # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 SUM Accomplishment # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 SUM
Administration Operation Mgmt.

Advising/Consulting Org. Design/Devel.
Analytical Skills Ownership
Artistic Ability Perceptiveness
Budgetary Skills Perseverance
Client Relations Persuasiveness
Communication Planning
Community Rel. Policy-Making
Contract Neg. Practicality
Control Presentation Skills
Coordination Problem-Solving
Creativity Procedures Design
Decisiveness Production
Design Program Concept
Development Program Design
Financial Skills Project Mgmt.
Foresight Promotion
Frugality Public Relations
Fund Raising Public Speaking
Human Relations Quality Assessment
Information Mgmt. Research
Imagination Resourcefulness
Individualism Sales Ability
Initiative Service
Inventiveness Showmanship
Leadership Speaking Skills
Liaison Staff Dev./Mgmt.
Logic Strategic Planning
Management Stress Tolerance
Marketing Systems
Mathematical Skills Teamwork
Mechanical Skills Tenacity
Motivational Skills Training
Negotiation Travel
Observation Troubleshooting
Organization Writing
Other Talents Other Talents
** When you have identified the Top Ten Specialized Skills, according to which had the most check
marks, list these on the Self Assessment Summary question # 6 **

The Resume – 3 ways to sum yourself up
"Give me a moment of your busy day! Listen to me, I've got something to say!”
That's what your resume must scream-in a suitably professional manner, of course. Not in the
manner of the would-be retail-clothing executive who had his resume "hand-delivered" attached to the
hand and arm of a store window mannequin.
As it happened, that was only the first surprise in store for the personnel director who received the
delivery: The envelope was hand-decorated in gothic script; the cover letter inside was equally
decorative (and illegible); the resume writer had glued the four-page resume to fabric, and stitched
the whole mess together like a child's book. The crowning glory, however, was yet to come: All the
punctuation marks-commas, colons, periods, and the like - were small rhinestone settings. Yes, it got
noticed, but its success had to depend entirely on the recipient's sense of humor-which in this case
was most noticeable for its absence.
Here's the point: trying to do something out of the ordinary with any aspect of your resume is risky
business indeed. For every interview door it opens, at least two more may be slammed shut.
The best (and most businesslike) bet is to present a logically displayed, eye-appealing resume that
will get read That means grabbing the reader right away on that first page. And that's one big reason
for short, power-packed resumes.
We all have different backgrounds. Some of us have worked for one company only, some of us have
worked for eleven companies in as many years. Some of us have changed careers once or twice,
some of us have maintained a predictable career path. For some, diversity broadens our potential,
and for some concentration deepens it. We each require different vehicles to put our work history in
the most exciting fight. The goals, though, are constant:
To show off achievements, attributes, and cumulation of expertise to the best advantage; to minimize
any possible weaknesses.
Resume experts acknowledge just three essential styles for presenting your credentials to a potential
employer: Chronological, Functional, and Combination (Chrono-Functional). Your particular
circumstances will determine the right format for you. Just three styles, you say? You will see resume
books with up to fifteen varieties of resume style. Such volumes are, alas, merely filling up space; in
the final analysis, each additional style such books mention is a tiny variation on the above three.

The Chronological Resume
This is the most common and readily accepted form of presentation. It's what most of us think of
when we think of resumes - a chronological listing of job tides and responsibilities. It starts with the
current or most recent employment, then works backward to your first job (or ten years into the past--
whichever comes first).
This format is good for demonstrating your growth in a single profession. It is suitable for anyone with
practical work experience who hasn't suffered too many job changes or prolonged periods of
unemployment. It is not suitable if you are just out of school or if you are changing careers. The
format would then draw attention to your weaknesses (i.e., your lack of specific experience in a field)
rather than your strengths.
The exact content of every resume naturally varies depending on individual circumstances. A
chronological resume usually incorporates six basic components.
♦ Contact Information
♦ A job Objective
♦ A Career Objective
♦ A Career Summary
♦ Education
♦ A Description of Work History
This last item is the distinguishing characteristic of the chronological resume, because it ties your job
responsibilities and achievements to specific employers, job tides, and dates.
There are also some optional categories determined by the space available to you and the unique
aspect of your background.

The Functional Resume
This format focuses on the professional skills you have developed over the years, rather than on
when, where, or how you acquired them. It de-emphasizes dates, sometimes to the point of
exclusion. By the same token, job titles and employers play a minor part with this type of resume. The
attention is always focused on the skill rather than the context or time of its acquisition. It is a case
not so much of what you say, but of how you say it.
This functional format is suited to a number of different personal circumstances, specifically those of:
♦ Mature professionals with a storehouse of expertise and jobs

♦ Entry-level types whose track records do not justify a chronological resume
♦ Career changers who want to focus on skins rather than credentials
♦ People whose careers have been stagnant or in ebb, who want to give focus to the skills
that can get a career under way again, rather than on the history in which it was becalmed in
the first place
♦ Military personnel embarking on a civilian career
♦ Those returning to the workplace after a long absence
♦ People closer to retirement than to the onset of their careers
The functional resume does present a major challenge for the writer. Because it focuses so strongly
on skills and ability to contribute in a particular direction, you must have an employment objective
clearly in mind. When this is achieved, such a resume can be very effective. Without this focus,
however, or if you are looking for "a job, any job, " this format loses its direction and tends to drift
without purpose.
Though a functional resume is a bit more free form than a chronological one, there are certain
essentials that make it work. In addition to contact information and a job and/or career objective,
these include the elements that follow.
• A Functional Summary. Different skills are needed for different jobs, so the functional
summary is where you make the tough decisions to determine what goes in and what stays out.
Consider the case of an executive sales secretary bored with her job but challenged by the
excitement and money the sales force is enjoying. She will want to emphasize those abilities that
lead to success in sales, such as written and verbal communication skills, and time management.
On the other hand, she will almost certainly leave out references to her typing and shorthand
abilities, because these skills don't contribute to her new goals.
• Dates. Strictly speaking, a functional resume needn't give dates. Up until a couple of years
ago, you could still sometimes get away with omitting them. That is no longer the case. Today, a
resume without dates waves a big red flag at every employer in the land. So, what if your
employment history doesn't have all the stability it might? The functional resume is perfect for
you, because dates can be de-emphasized by their placement. You put them at the end of the
resume, or perhaps on a second page, for example, in a small block type; and you use year dates
omitting the details of day, week, and month. The idea is to force the reader's attention to your
skills, not your history.
• Education. The inclusion of education and other optional categories is determined by the
space available to you and the unique aspects of your background.

The Combination Chrono-Functional Resume
For the upwardly mobile professional with a track record, this is becoming the resume of choice. It
has all the flexibility and strength that come from combining both the chronological and functional
formats. If you have a performance record, and are on a career track and want to pursue it, then this
is the strongest resume tool available. This format, in addition to contact information and a job
objective, incorporates a number of identifying factors, outlined below.
♦ A Career Summary. The combination resume, more often than not, has some kind of career
summary. Here you spotlight a professional with a clear sense of self, a past of solid
contributions, and a clear focus on future career growth. The career summary, as you might
expect, will include a power-packed description of skills, achievements, and personal traits that
fairly scream "Success!"
♦ A Description of Functional Skills. This is where the combination of styles comes into play.
Following the summary, the combination resume starts out like functional resume and highlights
achievements in different categories relevant to the job/career goals, without any reference to
employers.
♦ A Chronological History. Then it switches to the chronological approach and names

companies, dates, titles, duties, and responsibilities. This section can also include further
evidence of achievements or special contributions.
♦ Education. Then come the optional categories determined by the space available to you and
the unique aspects of your background.
One of these styles is perfect for you. Pick one!

Scannable Resume
Leading businesses and organizations are using electronic applicant tracking. Resumes are
scanned into the computer as an image. Then artificial intelligence "reads" the text and extracts
important information about you such as your name, address, phone number, work history, years
of experience, education and skills. Internal applicant tracking systems have become an integral
part of the way employers do business. Many employers will state in the job ad to send a
scannable resume. Many mid-sized to large employers are using this system; and smaller
employers are buying time on systems operated by commercial firms. Be alert for this information
in the ad and don't hesitate to inquire if a scannable resume is needed.
Recruiters and managers access a resume database in many ways, searching for your resume
specifically or searching for applicants with specific experience. When searching for specific
experience, they'll search for key words, usually nouns such as "writer", "BA", "marketing", "C++",
"Society of Technical Communications", "Spanish" (language fluency), "San Diego", etc. So make
sure you describe your experience with concrete words rather than vague descriptions.
NOTE:
The computer system will extract words and information from your statements; you can write your
resume as usual.
To read more about this topic, please access http://career.utk.edu/alumni/skills/resscan.asp.

Chronological
Jane Swift
9 Central Avenue
Quincy, MA 02169
(617) 555-1212
SUMMARY: Ten years of increasing responsibilities in the employment services industry.

Concentration in the high technology markets.
EXPERIENCE; Howard Systems International, Inc. 1995-Present

Management Consulting Firm
Personnel Manager
Responsible for recruiting and managing consulting staff of five. Set up office and
organized the recruitment, selection, and hiring of consultants. Recruited all levels of
MIS staff from financial to manufacturing markets.
Additional responsibilities.
 Coordinated with outside advertising agencies.
 Developed P.R. with industry periodicals - placement with over 20 magazines and
newsletters.
 Developed effective referral programs -- referrals increased 32%.
EXPERIENCE: Technical Aid Corporation 1988-1995

National Consulting Firm. MICROITEMPS Division
Division Manager 1993-1995
Area Manager 1990-1993
Branch Manager 1988-1990
As Division Manager, opened additional West Coast offices. Staffed and trained all
offices with appropriate personnel. Created and implemented all divisional operational
policies responsible for P & L. Sales increased to $20 million dollars, from $0 in 1984.
 Achieved and maintained 30% annual growth over 7-year period.
 Maintained sales staff turnover at 14%.
As Area Manager, opened additional offices, hiring staff, setting up office policies, and
training sales and recruiting personnel.
Additional responsibilities:
 Supervised offices in two states.
 Developed business relationships with accounts - 75% of clients were regular
customers.
 Client base increased 28% per year.
 Generated over $200.000 worth of tree trade-journal publicity
As Branch Manager, hired to establish the new MICRO/TEMPS operation. Recruited

and managed consultants. Hired internal staff. Sold service to clients.
EDUCATION: Boston University

B.S. Public Relations, 1987.

Functional
Jane Swift
9 Central Avenue
Quincy, MA 02169
(617) 555-1212
OBJECTIVE: A position in Employment Services where my management, sales, and recruiting

talents can be effectively utilized to improve operations and contribute to company
profits.
SUMMARY: Over ten years of Human Resources ex i experience. Extensive responsibility for
multiple branch offices and an internal staff of 40+ employees and 250 consultants.
SALES: Sold high-technology consulting services with consistently profitable margins

throughout the United States. Grew sales from $0 to over $20 million a year. Created
training programs and trained salespeople in six metropolitan markets.
RECRUITING: Developed recruiting sourcing methods for multiple branch offices. Recruited over
25,000 internal and external consultants in the high-technology professions.
MANAGEMENT: Managed up to 40 people in sales, customer service, recruiting, and administration.

Turnover maintained below 14% in a "turnover business."
FINANCIAL: Prepared quarterly and yearly forecasts. Presented, reviewed, and defended these
forecasts to the Board of Directors. Responsible for P & L of $20 million sales
operation.
PRODUCTION: Responsible for opening multiple offices and accountable for growth and profitability.
100% success and maintained 30% growth over seven-year period in 10 offices.
WORK
EXPERIENCE:
1995 to Present HOWARD SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, Boston, MA

National Consulting Firm Personnel Manager
1988-1995 TECHNICAL AID CORPORATION, Needham, MA
National Consulting & Search Firm Division Manager
EDUCATION: BS, 1987, Boston University
REFERENCES: Available upon request.

Combination
Jane Swift
9 Central Avenue
Quincy, MA 92169
(617) 555-1212
OBJECTIVE : Employment Services Management
SUMMARY: Ten years of increasing responsibilities in the employment services marketplace.

Concentration in the high-technology markets.
SALES: Sold high technology consulting services with consistently profitable margins
throughout the United States. Grew sales from $0 to over $20 million a year.
PRODUCTION: Responsible for opening multiple offices and accountable for growth and profitability
100% success and maintained 30% growth over seven-year period in 10 offices.
MANAGEMENT: Managed up to 40 people in sales, customers service, recruiting. and administration.

Turnover maintained below 14% in a "turnover business." Hired branch managers
and sales and recruiting staff throughout the United States.
FINANCIAL: Prepared quarterly and yearly forecasts. Presented, reviewed, and defended these
forecasts to the Board of Directors. Responsible for P & L of $20 million sales
operation.
MARKETING Performed numerous market studies for multiple branch opening. Resolved feasibility
of combining two different sales offices. Study resulted in savings of over $5,000 per
month in operating expenses.
EXPERIENCE Howard Systems International, Inc. 1995-Present,

Management Consulting Firm
Personnel Manager
Responsible for recruiting and managing consulting staff of five. Set up office and organized the
recruitment, selection, and hiring of consultants. Recruited all levels of MIS staff from
financial to manufacturing markets.
 developed P.R. with industry periodicals-placement with over 20 magazines and
newsletters.
 developed effective referral programs-referrals increased 320%.

Jane Swift p. 2 of 2
Technical Aid Corporation 1988-1995

National Consulting Firm. MICRO/TEMPS Division
Division Manager 1993-1995
Area Manager 1990-1993
Branch Manager 1988-1990
As Division Manager, opened additional West Coast offices. Staffed and trained all
offices with appropriate personnel. Created and implemented all divisional
operational policies. Responsibilities for P & L Sales increased to S20 million dollars,
from $0 to 1984.
 Achieved and maintained 30% annual growth over seven-year period.

 Maintained sales staff turnover at 14%.
As Area Manager, opened additional offices. hiring staff. setting up office policies,
and training sales and recruiting personnel.
 Supervised offices in two states.

 Developed business relationships with accounts - 75% of clients were regular
customers.
 Client base increased 28% per year.
 Generated over $200,000 worth of tree trade journal publicity.
As Branch Manager, hired to establish the new MICRO/TEIVIPS operation. Recruited

and managed consultants. Hired internal staff. Sold service to clients.
EDUCATION: B.S., 1987, Boston University

James R. Smith
123 Any Street Drive
Some Town, State USA-ZIP
Phone/FAX/E-mail
Objective
Create a strong brief opening objective using tools in Resume Checklist and Action Word List.
Career Summary
Create a brief summary of experience throughout your career.
Professional Summary
Since 1996 Company Name, Corporate Location Any town, USA

Title, Department
Create a brief summary of responsibilities and highlight specifics with bullet information below.
• Use bullets to concisely convey measurable achievement, or defined activity
• Avoid using terms such as “responsibilities included” or “responsible for” and select words from the
Action Word List.
• Generate a positive image of your activities, responsibilities and achievements.
1994 - 1996 Company Name, Corporate Location Any town, USA

Title, Department
Action Word List.
1990 - 1994 Company Name, Corporate Location Any town, USA

• Title, Department
Action Word List.
Education
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
Degree and Courses Studied
University, London
Degree and Courses Studied

Professional & Community Affiliations

Name of Affiliation, Title held within the group
Name of Affiliation, Title held within the group
Name
Address
Phone
QUALIFICATIONS
Extensive experience providing high quality customer service, including:

• Applying strong communications skills and analytical abilities to identify and resolve customer
problems, and providing efficient troubleshooting support over the phone.
• Training new employees and customers in the use of complex systems.
• Consistently demonstrating thoroughness, efficiency, accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to learn new systems and procedures with a genuine desire to learn new skills.
• Utilizing IBM mainframes and PC’s as well as Macintosh computers and applications.
• Working well independently and as a team member; skilled at establishing rapport with individuals
at all organizational levels with diverse backgrounds.
EXPERIENCE
WATANABEE CORPORATION, Salisbury, SD 1975 – Present
Customer Service Representative

Assist more than 300 agents in processing their business on the corporate mainframe system.
Provide support over the telephone, utilizing communication skills to identify, troubleshoot and resolve
problems. Schedule conference calls. Verify agency user ID’s for security purposes.
Business Systems Specialist

Identifies and resolved customer problems. Assisted in training of staff and customers in effective use of
new products. Supported staff and customers with concerns regarding multiple systems. Participated in
quality and ensure system accuracy. Worked well with co-workers and supervisors.
Assistant Underwriter
Provided Customer Service support to agents and insureds, in person, in writing and over the phone.
Underwrote all Personal Lines coverages. Utilized knowledge of State regulations and Underwriting
guidelines with authority to $600,000. Maintained detailed and accurate records.
Rater Coder
Provided premium quotes for Underwriters and agents. Performed data entry for Homeowners and PAK
II policies. Prepared and rated policies. Trained new employees in area operations. Provided
information to Agents and Insureds. Generated ideas that increased area efficiency.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING
High School Diploma
Stress Management
Basic DOS Classes
Career & Life Planning
Microsoft Windows Class
Service Excellence Class

Writing an Objective
An Objective is generally used when a Job seeker has limited experience or is changing
careers. The point of an Objective is to create a specific psychological response in the mind
of the reader. The objective has two purposes:
1. The Objective tells an employer what position you are seeking. The objective refers just to the
very next immediate step you hope will be on your career path.
2. It indicates whether or not you are clear about what opportunities are available with a particular
employer. If you are unclear about what position you are seeking, and/or what positions an
employer has available, it may be preferable to omit the objective.
Career changers or entry-level job seekers will want the employer to immediately focus on
where they are going, rather than where they have been. If you are looking for another job in
your present field, it is more important to stress your qualities, achievements and abilities first.
For example, the objective "To utilize my skills in a challenging position that will afford
advancement and professional growth" tells the employer nothing unique about the
candidate.
Is there anyone for whom this objective would not be appropriate? Rather than include an
objective, which is empty "fluff", make the effort to write an objective that conveys useful
information about you, and demonstrates that you know what they are looking for.
If you choose to include an objective, here are some guidelines, which can help you. An
objective can contain up to four parts. An objective does not have to contain all four parts; just
include as many parts as you know. It is best to have completed an Assessment first, which
will provide the skills, qualities, abilities and achievements, needed to complete the Objective
Statement.
First is the "level" of the position. Examples of position levels would be "internship", "co-op",
"part-time", "fulltime", "entry level", "experienced", "supervisory" and "executive". If you know
what level of position you are seeking, select one of the above terms, or create one of your
own. For some folks, position level is not an important piece of an objective, and can be left
off.
Part two is the skills you hope to use in that position. Refer to the Assessment Skills Inventory
to help you identify what skills you like and/or have experience using. For example, you may
be seeking "A position in consulting, software design, development and support". For some
individuals, the skills are the only piece of the objective they know. An objective including only
the skills you want to use is respectable because it still conveys information that the employer
will want.
Part three is the position function, also sometimes called position title. If you are responding
to a job posting, the position function can often be found in the employer's Ad text. Examples
of functions are "chemist", “administrative assistant", "process engineer", "accountant",
"project manager", "consultant" and "grant writer". For those with broad skill sets, many
position titles may apply. Find out what a specific employer calls this function within their
organization during your informational interview or from an acquaintance who works in that
field. You may also choose to invent a title that is broad enough to encompass your unique
vision.
Finally, part four is the field or industry, in which you hope to work. Examples of fields or
industries include "telecommunications", "higher education", "banking", "pharmaceuticals",
"social services", "event planning" and "resort/travel industry". Your particular position may
well be found in a variety of fields or industries. For example, accountants work in all of the
above industries. If your career vision is not field or industry specific, you may wish to omit

this part of the objective. Integrating all four parts into a cohesive whole is easy. The
following objective contains all four parts. See if you can identify them.
"A full-time engineering position in the computer industry, utilizing my ability to work as a
team member and contribute to marketing, support, design and testing of products and
services."
Final Note:
Employers expect that an applicant will customize his/her objective to each employer and
each position for which a resume is submitted. The text of your resume may also need to be
modified, in both structure and content, to support the various objectives.

Resume Summary
The "summary" or "summary of qualifications" consists of several concise statements that

focus the reader's attention on the most important qualities, achievements and abilities you
have to offer. Those qualities should be the most compelling demonstrations of why they
should hire you instead of the other candidates. It gives you a brief opportunity to telegraph a
few of your most sterling qualities. It is your one and only chance to attract and hold their
attention, to get across what is most important, and to entice the employer to keep reading.
This is the spiciest part of the resume. This may be the only section fully read by the
employer, so it should be very strong and convincing.
The summary is the one place to include professional characteristics (extremely energetic, a
gift for solving complex problems in a fast-paced environment, a natural salesman,
exceptional interpersonal skills, committed to excellence, etc.), which may be helpful in
winning the interview. Gear every word in the summary to your targeted goal.
It can be expressed in one short paragraph or in bullet format. Experts recommend you limit
this to approximately six sentences or bullet statements.
The Summary statement is especially useful when making a career change and you want to
immediately call an employer's attention to all the skills you have, not just those obvious in a
job description.
The process of thinking through your summary statement starts with your Assessment, which
leads to the summary of Skills. This is where you must think about your abilities, skills,
likes/dislikes, achievements, character and vision. This process forces you to clarify the
sales pitch you are presenting to the employer through the resume and ultimately in the
interview. The bottom line is that you want the employer to see you in the position that is
open and possibly in other positions that may be available in the future. No matter what, the
steps are the same:

Steps to Write a Summary
1. Determine what skills and qualities your prospective employer wants. What would make
the ideal candidate?
2. Search your background to see where you have demonstrated skills and qualities that
would apply.
3. Write a summary at the top of your resume to position yourself.
4. Use the same summary to sell yourself in an interview
How to Write a Summary
Go back to your Summary of the Assessment and the lists that answer the question, what
would make someone the ideal candidate? Look for the qualities the employer will care about
most. Then look at what you wrote about why you are the perfect person to fill their need.
Pick the stuff that best demonstrates why they should hire you.
The most common ingredients of a well-written summary are as follows. Of course, you would
not use all these ingredients in one "Summary." Use the ones that highlight you best:
1. A short phrase describing your profession

2. Followed by a statement of broad or specialized expertise Followed by two or
three additional statements related to any of the following:
• Breadth or depth of skills
• Unique mix of skills
• Range of environments in which you have experience
3. A special or well-documented accomplishment
4. A history of awards, promotions, or superior performance commendations
5. One or more professional or appropriate personal characteristics
6. A sentence describing professional objective or interest.
Notice that the examples below show how to include your objective in the "summary" section.
If you are making a career change, your summary section should show how what you have
done in the past prepares you to do what you seek to do in the future. If you are entry level,
new to the job, your "summary" will be based more on ability than experience.
Over 10 years as an organizational catalyst/training design consultant with a track record of

producing extraordinary results for more than 20 national and community based
organizations. A commitment to human development and community service. Energetic self-
starter with excellent analytical, organizational, and creative skills.
Financial Management Executive with nearly ten years of experience in banking and
international trade, finance, investments and economic policy. Innovative in structuring credit
enhancement for corporate and municipal financing. Skilled negotiator with strong
management, sales and marketing background. Areas of expertise include (a bulleted list
would follow this paragraph.)
Health Care Professional experienced in management, program development and policy

making in the United States as well as in several developing countries. Expertise in
emergency medical services. A talent for analyzing problems, developing and simplifying
procedures, and finding innovative solutions. Proven ability to motivate and work effectively
with persons from other cultures and all walks of life. Skilled in working within a foreign
environment with limited resources.

Highly motivated, creative and versatile real estate executive with seven years of experience
in property acquisition, development and construction, as well as the management of large
apartment complexes. Especially skilled at building effective, productive working relationships
with clients and staff. Excellent management, negotiation and public relations skills. Seeking
a challenging management position in the real estate field that offers extensive contact with
the public.
Sample Summary Statements
SUMMARY: Significant hands-on experience as a leveraged capital executive. Successfully

analyze business operations, risks and financial performance; and competitive
strategy in financing structure.
Highly successful in deal origination in the $25-100MM middle market and portfolio
management including strategic positioning of refinancing and workouts.
SUMMARY: Administrative Assistant with more than twenty years experience in the
pharmaceutical and banking industries. A self-starter with exceptional computer skills
in
• Desktop Publishing
• Data Management Systems
• Graphics
Commended on performance review for consistent work excellence.
SUMMARY: Two and a half years of diversified administrative experience in the Health Care
industry. Demonstrated effectiveness handling complex projects, developing strong
internal and external customer relations, and responding to department needs on
short notice.
SUMMARY: Unique Telecommunications and MIS background. Demonstrated excellence using

technical skills to build internal and external customer satisfaction. Record of
"no-downtime" over a three-year period while solely supporting 1,100 employees.
Nicknamed by management as "Steady Dave."
SUMMARY: Senior marketing executive with 12 years experience in cosmetics and packaged
goods industry in the U.S. and France. Unique combination of analytical and strategic
approach with creative ability and intuition for business moves. Track record of
developing and implementing successful strategies and programs resulting in
opening new market segments.
SUMMARY: Extensive experience in credit policy and risk management. Establishing guidelines
and reaching decisions quickly in a transaction-oriented atmosphere. Proven
experience managing credit approval in five departments experiencing difficulties,
reducing loan losses by an average of 50%.
SUMMARY: Financial executive with expertise in managing staff and operations including internal
controls, policies and procedures. Consistently able to implement cost efficiencies
and streamline operations, even during acquisitions and divestitures.
SUMMARY: Eight years experience as a Senior Computer Operator and Inventory Reconciliation
Specialist with one of the largest cable manufacturers in the United States.
Developed inventory control system, formatting information, entering data, and
performing on-line computer functions that resulted in a saving of $60,000.

SUMMARY: Extensive Transportation Management experience responsible for $50 million in rail
costs. Demonstrated effectiveness in:
• negotiating rail transportation contract rates that ensured competitive
advantage in U.S. flour markets.
• streamlining transportation operations and payment systems to reduce costs.
• building internal and external customer loyalty through personal integrity and
extensive knowledge of transportation operations.
Examples
Expertise:
An administrator with 15 years in sales and marketing. Extensive background in

business operations including developing computer systems for new markets.
How much do you know?
Heavy experience in all phases of marketing and sales of electronic Equipment.
Expertise
An experienced sales and marketing executive with success in generating profitable

business projections and plans for the Computer software industry.
How does the world see him/her?
Recommended by industry consultants as a ' go getter' In getting things done.

Strengths
Recommended for meeting schedules and complying with standards Such as:
• HVAC systems
• Fire sprinkler systems
• Drainage systems
How does the world see you?
An efficient manager trained in all facets of construction and Supervision of all types of
building structures including physical Plant maintenance.
Full Summary
Extensive management experience in human relations dealing with fast paced, rapidly
expanding companies. Expertise includes employment law, recruiting, employee and
labor relations and Affirmative action. Analytical decision-maker with excellent
problem-solving skills. Recognized For ability to develop employee’s professional growth
and increase their productivity
Accomplishments
If you stated in your objective or summary that you have a track record of success, then you should
be able to prove it. In other words, its your time to step up to the plate and deliver. The managers are
looking for potential winners and this is your opportunity to prove to them that you can deliver.
Examples of weak and strong accomplishments
Weak Initiated process that reduced production costs at manufacturing plant saving company
money.
Strong Initiated process that produced production costs at manufacturing plant saving $8500
annually.
Weak Repaired outdated boiler system from the 1930s that saved company costly new heating
systems.
Strong Repaired outdated boiler system from the 1930s that saved company $40,000 for new
heating system.
Weak Strategically planned and marketed state-of -art recording studio that generates. yearly
revenues and has successfully competed for market share.
Strong Strategically planned and marketed state-of-the-art-recording studio that generates $350,000
in yearly revenue and has successfully competed for 30% of market share.
Weak Developed process for re-engineering 200 person division that cut costs.
Strong Developed process for re-engineering 200 person division that saved $ 5.2 million annually.
Mistakes to Avoid
(1) SALARY--- Do not mention past or desired salaries.

(2) REASONS FOR CHANGES IN YOUR EMPLOYMENT--- Be prepared to answer especially
during the interview.
(3) DATES --- Do not list dates as to your education. Its quite obvious why because the employer
or manager can determine how old you are.
(4) JOB OBJECTIVE --- It maybe optional on your resume. However, if you submit a cover letter
that may suffice. Remember that the cover letter must be very brief and to the point.
(5) PERSONAL INFORMATION --- Omit any personal data such as height, weight, hobbies, age,
religion and etc. No "Is" "
(6) REFERENCES --- Do not include "references available on request" on your resume. It is not
necessary.
(7) EDUCATION --- Never lie about your education especially about your degrees earned.
(8) SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS ---- It must be included on your resume.
(9) FORMAT --- Very important for your resume presentation. No long flowing sentences --- Make
it brief ... for example "Managed $14million budget" or "Taught four individual computer
courses".
(10) JOB HOPPING --- Include only jobs that last one year or better ---- 3 months or even 6 months
may hurt you.
(11) OVERQUALIFIED --- This is a sensitive situation. However, you should target your resume to
meet the actual needs of the job. Be prepared to take less salary if you wish to remain in the
same area. Another fact is that 85% of all positions are never advertised. The odds are
extremely high when using the internet or the classified.
(12) COVER LETTER --- Most employers would like to see evidence of your writing ability. So be
careful in your composition and ask some one to review it. Remember your writing and style
could make an impression. No long cover letters .... the shorter the better.
(13) NO NEGATIVES--- For example ... my company went bankrupt.

(14) PERFECT RESUME FORMULA:
1. STRONG ACTIONS=RESULTS
2. ONE PAGE (if it is possible)
3. PROFESSIONAL LAYOUT
4. EASY TO READ
5. QUANTITY SKILLS AND ACTIONS
Resume Component Check List
Resume Lead-in (objective or profile)
 Does it use business language that is action oriented?
 You need to have a specific job title that you are seeking (resumes must be tailored to each recipient,
particularly if you are sending a resume for a specific position).
 Show your most prominent strengths.
 Indicate the type of responsibility that you can hold.
 Show how your contributions will specifically benefit the employer.
Professional Qualifications
 Does this section highlight each of your major strengths?
 Are all the qualifications/achievements related to the career objective?
 Is there appropriate usage of key action words that connote your sense of urgency?
 Have you described each in such a way that the reader clearly understands the benefits of your
achievements?
Experience
 For each job listed, have you listed the Job title, Function and Employer’s name?
 Have you updated the language of your resume to include updated jargon that is widely used in your
targeted industry?
 Will the reader understand the level of responsibility that you had from reading the information?
 Does this section talk about accomplishments and not about responsibility? Do you try to quantify
your accomplishments?
 Don’t be timid about listing non-paid accomplishments that you may have achieved for an
organization.
Education
 Does the section begin with the highest academic achievement and work?
 Did you include other training (even if it is non-academic) that might be relevant?
 Have you listed credits that might be irrelevant?

Professional Organizations and Community Activities
 List only those items that have specific relevance to your career objective.
 Does it list any organizations that don’t present a professional image?
 Does it highlight organizations that will give your prospective employer an advantage with your
contacts and business relationships?
 Does it refrain from personal information?
Overall
 Does the resume look great? Have you highlighted or boldfaced titles, subtitles and other important
information?
 Is there enough white space – does the text flow for ‘easy reading’?
 Has the resume been checked by you and at least two others for spelling, punctuation, syntax and
grammar? Have you checked it at least 10 times?
 Does the body of the resume complement the career objective?
 Does the resume focus on what the employer wants to see?
 Does the resume use the word “I” – it shouldn’t.
 Don’t include references on the resume.
 Would you consider this resume to be an excellent sales tool for your performance and past
accomplishments?
When you are ready . . .

Print it as needed on a laser printer if you have one. Avoid paper colors other than white or ivory. Modify
the resume for a position that you are keenly interested to personalize your specific advantages.

Tips and Techniques
• It’s All She Wrote: A resume should never be longer than two pages. It’s your job to get noticed not
the interviewers to find out what matters on your resume.
• Industrial Strength: If you have worked for Blue Ribbon companies use a resume format that
highlights employers. If you had interesting assignments, then highlight experience with resume
format.
• Power Statement: Replace job objectives with a power statement that describes your area of
expertise (e.g. “Organizational Design Specialist” not “Human Resources Generalist”), demonstrate
what you do (e.g. “align HR systems with organization strategy “not” design and develop...”) and how
you do it (e.g. “value-added consultant style”)
Resume Impact Checklist : How Good is Your Resume?
1. Positioning:
• If I spend just 10 seconds glancing at my resume, what are the ideas/words that pop out?
(specific job titles, my degree, specific company names):
• This is how I am “positioned” by my resume. Is this how I want to be positioned for this target
area? Or is this positioning a handicap for the area I am targeting?
2. Level:
• What level do I appear to be at? Is it easy for the reader to guess in 10 seconds what my
level is? (For example, if I say I “install computer systems,” I could be making anywhere from
$15,000 a year to $200,000 a year.)
3. Summary Statement:
• If I have no summary statement, I am being positioned by the most recent job on my resume.
Is that how I want to be positioned?
• If I have a summery, does the very first line position me for the kind of job I want next?
a) Does a statement that elaborates follow this first statement?
b) Do statements that prove how good I am or differentiate me from my likely competitors follow this
statement?
c) Have I included a statement or two that give the reader an indication of my personality or my
approach to my job?

4. Accomplishments:
• Within each job, did I merely list historically what I had done, or did I state my
accomplishments with an eye to what would interest the reader in my target area?
• Are the accomplishments easy to read?

a) Bulleted rather than long paragraphs.
b) No extraneous words.
c) Action oriented.
d) Measurable and specific.
e) Relevant. Would be of interest to the readers in my target area. Either the accomplishment is
something they would want me to do for them, or shows the breath of my experience.
5. Overall Appearance:
• Is there plenty of white space? Or is the information squeezed so I can get it on one or two
pages?
• Is it laid out nicely so it can serve as my marketing brochure?
6. Miscellaneous:
• Length: is the resume as short as it can be while still being readable?

• Writing style: can the reader understand the point I am trying to make in each statement?
• Clarity: am I just hoping the reader will draw the right conclusion from what I’ve said? Or do I
take the trouble to state things so clearly that there is no doubt that the reader will come away
with the right message?
• Completeness: is all-important information included? Have all dates been accounted for?
• Typos: is my resume error-free?

Resume Action Word List
accelerated budgeted convinced

accepted built cooperated
accompanied calculated co-opted
accomplished caste con
accounted for cataloged coordinated
achieved caste copied
acquired cataloged copyrighted
acted caught corrected
addressed caused corresponded
adjusted chaired counseled
administered changed counted
adopted charted crafted
advanced checked created
advertised chose critiqued
advised clarified dealt
aided classified debated
allocated cleared debugged
allotted cleared up decided
alphabetized closed decreased
altered coached defined
amended collaborated delegated
amplified collected delivered
appointed combined demonstrated
appraised commended described
approved communicated designed
arbitraged compared detailed
arbitrated compensated detected
argued competed determined
arranged compiled developed
articulated completed devised
assembled composed diagnosed
assessed conceived diagrammed
assigned conceptualized digested
assisted concluded diminished
assumed condensed directed
assured conditioned disciplined
attained conducted discovered
attended conferred discussed
audited confirmed displayed
auditioned conserved distributed
authored consolidated documented
authorized constructed downsized
awarded consulted drafted
balanced contracted dramatized
bargained continued drew up
began contracted dropped
bolstered contributed earned
briefed controlled edited
broadcast converted educated
brought conveyed effected
elaborated gathered jointed
elicited gave kept
eliminated generated labored
emphasized governed launched
employed graded learned
encouraged greeted lectured
energized grossed led
enforced guided licensed
engineered handled listened
enhanced harmonized litigated
enjoyed hastened lobbied
enlarged heightened located
enlisted helped looked
ensured highlighted made
entered hiked maintained
entertained hired managed
established hosted mapped out
estimated housed marketed
evaluated hunted mastered
examined identified maximized
exceeded illustrated measured
excelled implemented mediated
executed improved memorized
exercised improvised mentored
expanded incepted met
expedited included modeled
experimented incorporated modified
explained increased monitored
exploited indicated motivated
explored individualized moved
expressed influenced named
extinguished informed narrated
extracted initiated negotiated
facilitated innovated netted
familiarized inspected observed
filed inspired obtained
financed installed offered
fixed instilled opened
focused instituted operated
forecast instructed ordered
foresaw insured organized
forged integrated originated
formulated interacted outlined
fortified interpreted overcame
forwarded intervened overhauled
fostered interviewed oversaw
found introduced paid
founded invented painted
freelanced inventoried participated
furnished investigated perceived
furthered involved performed
gained issued permitted
persuaded rendered specified
photographed renewed spoke
pinpointed renovated standardized
pioneered reorganized stated
placed repaired stopped
planed replaced straightened
planned reported streamlined
played represented strengthened
policed rescued stripped
portrayed researched structured
practiced reserved studied
predicted resized submitted
prepared resolved suggested
presented responded summarized
presided re-staffed supervised
prevailed restored supplied
prevented restructured supported
processed resulted in surmounted
produced retained surpassed
programmed returned surveyed
projected revamped systematized
promoted revealed tabulated
pronounced reviewed tackled
proofed revised targeted
proofread revitalized taught
proposed rewarded tested
proved rotated tightened
provided said took over
publicized sampled totaled
published satisfied toured
purchased saved tracked
put saw trained
qualified served transferred
quickened set transformed
ran set up translated
realized settled transmitted
received shaped traveled
recharged shared treated
recommended shipped tutored
reconciled stored up typed
recorded showed uncovered
recruited sifted underscored
rectified simplified unearthed
reduced smoothed updated
referred sold upped
registered solved utilized
regulated sorted welcomed
rehabilitated sought worked
reinforced spearheaded wrote
related specialized

Job Interview Preparation
Preparing for your interview . . .
Review all of the information you have about the position.

If you are working with a headhunter or recruiter, ask all the questions you want before you arrive.
Learn all you can about potential employer.
 Get a copy of the company’s annual report and read it.
 Visit the company’s web-site on your PC or at your public library. This will be your most up to date
view of the company.
 Be prepared to discuss the company’s competitive environment; if possible get copies of the
competition’s company material as well.
 Assess what the company’s major challenges are and how you can help them.
 Contact anyone that may have an “insider’s” view of the company to glean more about the company’s
personality.
 Read as much about the company’s products as possible.
Identify the qualifications that the company is seeking with this job hire.
 Understand the functions of the specific job.
 Attempt to speak with someone who might have a similar position.
 Be prepared to show how your background has prepared you for these specific requirements.
 Prepare illustrative stories to highlight your strengths.
 Tie these anecdotal stories to what is on your resume and how they apply to the job responsibility.
 Be prepared to discuss your management style and personal style.
 Anticipate the questions you are likely to be asked (review the most common questions checklist).
 Wear clothing in which you feel comfortable and confident.
 Ensure that you leave plenty of time to get to your appointment.
 Check your appearance.
 Bring additional copies of your resume.
 Pen and notepad (for post interview review)
During the interview
 Many questions seem like they might require simple yes or no answers. Avoid using a yes or no
response. Explain your response.
 Emphasize the positive side of a potential weakness.

 Concentrate on the complementary skills that you have that match the job requirements.
 Detail how you contributed to increase efficiency/profits.

 Use terms that show you know the field.
 Ask questions that reveal you studied up on the company.
 Demonstrate your interest by making practical suggestions.
 Speak ill of no one in an interview; especially your current or former employers.
 Avoid discussion of salary until you have established a solid base of your qualifications.
 Don’t hesitate to ask for more than you are currently making or expect to receive.
 Attempt to understand the role of other important benefits – see compensation and
benefits checklist.
 Be enthusiastic during the interview; even if the job is not a match, you may be referred to another
area if you leave a good impression.
 Glean what the negative aspects of the job/organization might be.
Ask questions that will help you determine if this is the right job:
 What are the possibilities for growth/advancement?
 Why (and where) did the person who held the job go?
 How many people would have to okay decisions made by you?
 What is the official job classification?
 What is the policy on salary review?
 What are the fringe benefits?
 Who would you report to and what is this person’s position?
 Leave extra copies of your resume with interviewer.
After the interview
 Write down everything you can remember about the interview.
 Send a follow-up letter.
 Restate what went well.

 Correct what did not go well, if possible.
 Telephone to see if any decision has been made. (Wait a week)
Tips and Techniques
• Friends at First Sight: When you are first greeted – smile, make eye contact and talk.
• Fear Knows No Friends: Your first thought should be “I am really delighted to meet you” and then
say it like you mean it.
• The Longest Mile: Use time on the walk from the reception area to compliment the company, office,
staff (i.e. receptionist). Be sincere.

• Arm and Arm: Never walk behind the interviewer unless you must. Walk together as colleagues.
Commonly Asked Interview Questions
Be prepared to answer even the most challenging questions you may be asked during an
interview. In this section we have included strategies and techniques for providing good
responses to the most commonly asked interview questions—ranging from career to sensitive
issues.
Each situation is different, so use what is here as an opportunity to practice. Think through how
you would answer the question and then check our suggestions on responding.
Questions with Suggested Responses
Your Career
Tell me about yourself. Talk about skills, traits, accomplishments and interests. Focus on what
you know this employer needs and select the most relevant material you have. Be sure this is
concise and of reasonable length.
Tell me about your last job. Discuss what you have done, stressing accomplishments, results
and benefits to the organization. This is another opportunity to point out accomplishments. In
selecting material, pick the items most relevant to the needs of the employer who asked the
questions.
Are you satisfied with your career progress? If you are not satisfied with your career
progress, the person to talk to is your career consultant, not your interviewer. This is an excellent
opportunity to discuss how the position at hand is an appropriate and logical next step for you. It
is also an opportunity to discuss what you have learned in your career in the past which may
apply to the job at hand.
Where do you see yourself in your career over the next five years? Ten years? The
interviewer is looking to see if your aspirations fit the realities of the organization. This question
can also be a way of gauging your level of ambition. Some organizations would like to hear you
say that you plan to be their president in 10 years. Others would immediately screen you out for
the same answer. If possible, suggest career paths that you know are realistic and reasonable
for the organization. You can also turn this question around, asking your interviewer: What kind
of career progress is possible, assuming that I do well in the immediate position.
Your Current (or last) Position
Why are you leaving (or did you leave) your present employer? This question is usually
asked to determine whether you have some problems or flaws that led to your leaving your last
position. You need to reassure your interviewer that there are no such problems. Your
confidence and tone are nearly as important as your words. This is a predictable question. It is
almost always asked. If your departure was performance or personality related, you need to
rehearse and make sure your references will support your explanation.
What size budget have you been responsible for managing? Answer the question, possibly
with more than one example from various positions. Ask immediately (possibly before answering)
how big is the budget you will need to manage in the position at hand.
This question could be asked to get a feeling for the scope of your previous responsibilities or the
size of your paycheck. It could also be asked because your interviewer suspects that you are not
qualified for the position at hand.

What kind of person is/was your immediate supervisor? This is an excellent opportunity to
discuss some of the things you most admire about your last supervisor or that person's
accomplishments. If you criticize your last supervisor at a job interview, you have just signaled
your willingness to criticize your next supervisor behind his or her back as well.
Furthermore, any indication of problems with your last supervisor may be taken as a sign that you
are unable to get along with supervisors. Remember, you are talking to a person who does not
know you and you do not have time to explain all the details. If you have ever had problems with
supervisors, be sure to prepare carefully for this kind of question
What responsibilities do you enjoy most in your current position? If the responsibilities are
identical to those in the job at hand, you become a better candidate. If they have nothing to do
with the job at hand, you might be seen as less of a candidate. If your last job and your next job
are significantly different, find honest ways to bridge the gap. This response is one that needs to
be thought through in advance if you are looking at jobs significantly different than your last one.
What is your current compensation? Delay discussions of compensation as long as possible.

You are the seller here and the interviewer is the buyer. Early discussions of price are always to
the seller's disadvantage. Once the buyer has made a firm decision to buy, price negotiations are
much easier for the seller.
Your initial strategy needs to be to convince the interviewer that you are the number one
candidate. Once you have established yourself as the number one candidate (i.e., you have an
offer), the question becomes: How much extra is this organization willing to pay to get their first
choice?
Your strongest argument is that your last job and the job at hand are different and salary
comparisons are therefore not relevant. Furthermore, you need to have more information on the
job at hand in order to get a clear understanding of what fair compensation would be. Therefore,
you need to discuss the job before discussing compensation further.

What this amounts to is changing the subject, which is exactly what you want to do. If your
interviewer will not let you get away with that, you really have no alternative but to answer. You
may, however, be able to respond with what you want to be paid rather than what you were paid.
The line is: I am looking for...
Once you have given your last salary, the general assumption is that your next one will be a slight
increase above it. If your last salary was higher than the job for which you are interviewing, this
question presents a different dilemma. Naming a higher salary is likely to get you tagged as
overqualified. The fear here is that you will accept the position at hand only as a stopgap
measure and will leave as soon as you find something better.
Your Background, Skills and Experience
How would you describe your leadership style? This question is a way of getting you to
describe your management and leadership style. It is a predictable question and people seeking
management roles should be prepared to answer it.
As with most questions, a carefully thought out honest answer is the best approach. If your
management or leadership style differs significantly from the organization's, you probably do not
want to work there.
Like many other questions this one can be turned around: What kind of leadership and
management styles predominate in this organization? What is top management's style.
What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Again, the question about your
strengths represents an opportunity to present your skills and achievements. Make them as
relevant as possible. This question is nearly always a lead-in or set-up for the next question.
"What are your weaknesses?" is a predictable and often asked question. If you name
weaknesses, which are both relevant to the job at hand and significant, you have practically
guaranteed that you will be screened out.
There are two classic answers to this question. The first is providing a weakness which from the
company's point of view is not really a weakness. An example is: My spouse says I work too
hard. Or, for a mid-level financial manager: Some people say that I am too rigid about accuracy
and deadlines. And I must admit that I am extremely fussy about both of them.
Or, for a salesperson: I have been criticized sometimes for pressing too hard to close the sale.
And I must admit I sometimes do press pretty hard.
The other classic answer is: From what I know about this position so far, I can honestly say that I
have no weaknesses which would prevent me from doing the job very well. It looks exactly like
the kind of job I want. It involves doing what I do best.

Your Educational Background
What formal education or training have you had? This question is a concern for a more
experienced person only if they do not have the level of formal education normally associated
with the job. In that case, have an answer ready.
A recent graduate needs a well-prepared presentation on the specifics of the education, which fits
with the job.
What prepares you to do this job? Did you receive any awards, honors or scholarships?
This is an opportunity for someone with little or no formal work experience to elaborate on
whatever relevant experience they do have, and to discuss their education. If you are at the entry
level, remember that most candidates do not have very much experience. Therefore, your ability
to elaborate on whatever experience you do have is a significant advantage.
Your Current Search Efforts
Have you searched for suitable positions within your present company, and if not, why
not? For employed people, searching their own organizations before considering a move is a rule
of thumb. Explain why there are no adequate possibilities.
Did you prepare your own resume? Most effective people get the best advice they can get and
then make their own decisions. You should have written and/or approved every word in your
resume.
How would you rate the position at this company with others you might be considering? A
possible answer: It is certainly one of the best. Until I've had an offer from you, I can't tell whether
it's the best. You should decline any invitations to discuss details of any of your other offers or
discussions.
Your Prospective Employer
What do you know about this company, and where did you find this information? If you
have had time to do effective preparation, the best answer is that you have significant information
about the company and that it comes from a number of different sources: directory entries,
reading company literature and talking to both current and former employees. Your research prior
to interviewing is extremely important, even if this question is never asked. If the question is
asked, you score double.
Sensitive Issues
Do you think that you might be overqualified for this position?
Overqualified is nearly always a code word for “We are not planning to pay what you have been
making.“ Therefore, we believe you are likely to find a better job than this and will quit this one as
soon as you do.

One possible approach to this question is to ask the interviewer to identify the real concerns.
Common sense suggests that they would want the most overqualified person they could possibly
get. Who would want an underqualified person? So what is the real issue?
You might ask: Are you concerned that I don't plan to stay with this company for the long term?
Then you would need to provide credible reassurance.
It is also possible that they have a misunderstanding of your past compensation.
Has your work ever been criticized? What was said?
Everyone's work is criticized from time to time. If the criticism is not overly frequent or overly
severe people usually do not remember the specifics. This could be an opportunity to talk about
your proven ability to use criticism as an opportunity to improve.
Do you object to taking psychological tests? This is usually a prelude to scheduling them. Any
objection could be taken as a sign that you expect to fail them. The good news is that it is nearly
always a sign that you are a serious candidate. Most of these tests are impossible to fake or
finesse. So, if you are interested in this company, relax and go ahead.

Phone Call Organizer
1. Contact Name
2. What materials are needed?
3. Purpose of call
4. Who referred you?
5. Beginning statement
6. Comments to create common interests; reason for your interest
7. Questions you have about the company / position / contact
8. Confirm what you agreed to and clearly understand any steps
9. Thank You

Weekly Goals and Objectives
For the Week of: ____________________________
Daily Activities
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1. 1. 1. 1. 1.
2. 2. 2. 2. 2.
3. 3. 3. 3. 3.
4. 4. 4. 4. 4.
5. 5. 5. 5. 5.
6. 6. 6. 6. 6.
7. 7. 7. 7. 7.
8. 8. 8. 8. 8.
9. 9. 9. 9. 9.
10. 10. 10. 10. 10.
Goals: Results:
Number of Meetings: ____ (network contacts) Number of Job Leads Obtained: _____ (from all sources)
Number of Telephone Calls: ____ (follow-up calls, set appointments) Number of Interviews Set: _____ (appointments made this week)
Letters: ____ (ad responses, job leads, etc.)
Job Search Log
Date Complete Company Name Contact Person Contact (Letter, Result Follow-up / Next
Phone, Interview) Steps

Career Assessment Inventory

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Career Assessment for:

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Instructions for Completing Your Career Assessment

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Before you begin . . .

1. How quickly do you need to find new employment?

And still be financially comfortable? __________ # months

Before you “felt the pinch”? __________ # months

Before your financial situation became a serious problem? __________ # months

2. Would you relocate for new employment?

[ ] Yes, I want to relocate to _______________

[ ] Yes, but not more than 50 miles from my current address

[ ] Yes, but only to _______________

[ ] No, I will not relocate under any circumstances

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Reorganized the department: Inherited a department of 16 (downsized from 24). Reorganized

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List Your Ten Accomplishments

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Your Professional Objective

My Ideal Job would be:

Describe the type of organization:

Describe the culture or work environment you would like to be in:

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1. Compensation range: $________ to $ __________

2. Compensation range: $________ to $ __________

3. Compensation range: $________ to $ __________

4. Compensation range: $________ to $ __________

5. Compensation range: $________ to $ __________

Based on this information, what would be your desired compensation?

Desired compensation: $________________

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Your Long-Term Objective

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Employment History : Position # 1 (most recent)

Dates with organization: from _________________________to______________________

Job Title: _____________________________________________________

Dates in this title: from _________________________to______________________

Title of person you reported to (not the name): ______________________________________

Compensation: $ _______________________ (label base salary, bonus and commissions)

©copyright Onward Education & Training 2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

©copyright Onward Education & Training 2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Your Likes and Dislikes

What did you like most about this job?

What did you like least about this job?

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Your Achievements (part 1)

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Your Achievements (part 2)

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Your Reasons for Leaving this Job

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Employment History : Position # 2

Dates with organization: from _________________________to______________________

Job Title: _____________________________________________________

Dates in this title: from _________________________to______________________

Title of person you reported to (not the name): ______________________________________

Compensation: $ _______________________ (label base salary, bonus and commissions)

©copyright Onward Education & Training 2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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1. Compensation range: $ to $ __

2. Compensation range: $ to $ __

3. Compensation range: $ to $ __

4. Compensation range: $ to $ __

5. Compensation range: $ to $ __

Dates with organization: from ___to

Dates in this title: from ___to

Dates with organization: from ___to

Dates in this title: from ___to

Dates with organization: from ___to

Dates in this title: from ___to

Dates with organization: from ___to

Dates with organization: from ___to

Dates with organization: from ___to