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THE EVIDENCE
SECTION - HOW TO PRESENT YOUR WORK HISTORY, EDUCATION, ETC.
Most resumes are not much more than a collection of "evidence,"
various facts about your past. By evidence, we mean all the mandatory
information you must include on your resume: work history with
descriptions, dates, education, affiliations, list of software mastered,
etc. If you put this toward the top of your resume, anyone reading it
will feel like they are reading an income tax form. Let's face it, this
stuff is boring no matter how extraordinary you are. All this evidence
is best placed in the second half of the resume. Put the hot stuff in
the beginning, and all this less exciting information afterward.
We divided the resume into a "hot" assertions section, and a more
staid "evidence" section for the sake of communicating that a great
resume is not information but advertising. A great resume is all one big
assertions section. In other words, every single word, even the basic
facts about your history, are crafted to have the desired effect, to get
them to pick up the phone and call you. The decisions you make on what
information to emphasize and what to de-emphasize should be based on
considering every word of your resume to be an important part of the
assertions section. The evidence includes some or all of the following:
EXPERIENCE
List jobs in reverse chronological order. Don't go into detail on the
jobs early in your career; focus on the most recent and/or relevant
jobs. (Summarize a number of the earliest jobs in one line or very short
paragraph, or list only the bare facts with no position description.)
Decide which is, overall, more impressive - your job titles or the names
of the firms you worked for - then consistently begin with the more
impressive of the two, perhaps using boldface type.
You may want to describe the firm in a phrase in parentheses if this
will impress the reader. Put dates in italics at the end of the job, to
de-emphasize them; don't include months, unless the job was held less
than a year. Include military service, internships, and major volunteer
roles if desired; because the section is labeled "Experience." It does
not mean that you were paid.
Other headings: "Professional History," "Professional
Experience"--not "Employment" or "Work History," both of which sound
more lower-level.
EDUCATION
List education in reverse chronological order, degrees or licenses
first, followed by certificates and advanced training. Set degrees apart
so they are easily seen. Put in boldface whatever will be most
impressive. Don't include any details about college except your major
and distinctions or awards you have won, unless you are still in college
or just recently graduated. Include grade-point average only if over
3.4. List selected course work if this will help convince the reader of
your qualifications for the targeted job.
Do include advanced training, but be selective with the information,
summarizing the information and including only what will be impressive
for the reader.
No degree received yet? If you are working on an uncompleted degree,
include the degree and afterwards, in parentheses, the expected date of
completion: B.S. (expected 200_).
If you didn't finish college, start with a phrase describing the
field studied, then the school, then the dates (the fact that there was
no degree may be missed).
Other headings might be "Education and Training," "Education and
Licenses," "Legal Education / Undergraduate Education" (for attorneys).
AWARDS
If the only awards received were in school, put these under the
Education section. Mention what the award was for if you can (or just
"for outstanding accomplishment" or "outstanding performance"). This
section is almost a must, if you have received awards. If you have
received commendations or praise from some very senior source, you could
call this section, "Awards and Commendations." In that case, go ahead
and quote the source.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Include only those that are current, relevant and impressive. Include
leadership roles if appropriate. This is a good section for
communicating your status as a member of a minority targeted for special
consideration by employers, or for showing your membership in an
association that would enhance your appeal as a prospective employee.
This section can be combined with "Civic / Community Leadership" as
"Professional and Community Memberships."
CIVIC / COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
This is good to include if the leadership roles or accomplishments
are related to the job target and can show skills acquired, for example,
a loan officer hoping to become a financial investment counselor who was
Financial Manager of a community organization charged with investing its
funds. Any Board of Directors membership or "chairmanship" would be good
to include. Be careful with political affiliations, as they could be a
plus or minus with an employer or company.
PUBLICATIONS
Include only if published. Summarize if there are many.
COMMENTS FROM SUPERVISORS
Include only if very exceptional. Heavily edit for key phrases.
PERSONAL INTERESTS
Advantages: Personal
interests can indicate a skill or area or knowledge that is related to
the goal, such as photography for someone in public relations, or
carpentry and wood-working for someone in construction management. This
section can show well-roundedness, good physical health, or knowledge of
a subject related to the goal. It can also create common ground or spark
conversation in an interview.
Disadvantages: Personal
interests are usually irrelevant to the job goal and purpose of the
resume, and they may be meaningless or an interview turn-off ("TV and
Reading," "Fund raising for the Hell's Angels").
You probably should not include a personal interests section. Your
reason for including it is most likely that you want to tell them about
you. But, as you know, this is an ad. If this section would powerfully
move the employer to understand why you would be the best candidate,
include it; otherwise, forget about it.
May also be called "Interests and Hobbies," or just "Interests."
REFERENCES
You may put "References available upon request" at the end of your
resume, if you wish. This is a standard close (centered at bottom in
italics), but is not necessary: It is usually assumed. Do not include
actual names of references. You can bring a separate sheet of references
to the interview, to be given to the employer upon request.
POSSIBLE REASONS TO HAVE A RESUME
RESUME LOOKS LIKE
THE
EVIDENCE SECTION - HOW TO PRESENT YOUR WORK HISTORY, EDUCATION, ETC
Evaluate Your Resume
POWERWORDS
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