What is the purpose and role of a résumé?
I think the main purpose of a resume is to provide a company with an overview of your professional achievements and background. Your resume acts as a marketing document, whether on paper or online, and its purpose is to introduce you to potential employers, promote what it is you have to offer and entice them into wanting to know more. According to Lauri Harwood, “a resume is a brief document, typically one or two pages, that details your qualifications for a particular job or job target.”
This is especially important for graduating students. “The objective is a concise statement of your immediate employment goal (not your long-term career goal). It is the first section of the resume, immediately below the contact information on the first page. ” A job objective statement shows employers the direction you want to go, your work preferences, and serves as a focal point for employers to review and analyze your résumé. It allows employers to immediately identify the kind of position you want.
If you are looking for jobs in a number of different fields, you need to have a different job objective for each position. The profile section is a brief statement that describes you by stating your most relevant experience and qualifications. “Use a profile instead of an objective on your master resume, if you can describe your qualifications with a job title (based on your overall experience, not just your current job), use the title as the heading for this section. ” The qualifications section is a bulleted list of skills that highlights why you are the ideal candidate for the job.
This is the place to put important or interesting information that does not fit anywhere else. With the advance of technology, it is increasingly important to include a section on computer skills. This should include any of your knowledge of computer programs, hardware, software, database knowledge, or Internet functions. If you have any other notable skills, such as foreign languages, musical talents, or writing skills include these here. In the work experience section of a resume, list the jobs you have held, starting with the most recent one.
Start each one with the most important information; your job title and dates of employment. On the next line, list the name of the organization and the city and state, starting on the third line write a brief oriented description of your responsibilities. You would use the related experience section to highlight other experiences that relates to your job objective. Include activities such as memberships, awards, and leadership positions earned in professional or trade association such as honorary groups, social, service, and school organizations.
In the education section you list your education in reverse chronological order (most recent first). List the technical schools, colleges and universities you have attended, the years of attendance, and the degrees or certificates you earned. In this section, include any information about your degrees, including where and when you graduated; dates; major, minor, or concentration; certification; and academic awards and honors. Make sure you use the official names for schools, degrees and majors/minors. I think you should include your GPA if it is an asset.
