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The
purpose of a resume is to disclose your accomplishments and qualifications to the
admissions committee. Think of your resume as a promotional brochure about you. You need
to show the committee what you have accomplished and where your experience lies. Your
strategy should be to emphasize the experience and skills that a particular school is
looking for. Your resume is also an example of your communication and organizational
skills.
Selecting
the right format
There
are several acceptable formats for a resume. Based on the amount of your work experience,
you can use one of the following formats:
Chronological:
This is
the most common resume style for people with significant work experience. In the
Chronological format, the emphasis is placed on employment experience. The applicant's job
history is presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent jobs placed at
the top of the list.
Functional:
In this
non-linear format, your skills and achievements are emphasized. Your employment history is
summarized and linked to your skills and achievements. Your skills and previous relevant
experience (including educational experience) are presented at the beginning of your
resume. The Functional resume can be particularly effective if you've held a number of
similar positions; it will allow you to highlight your skills rather than itemize what
might be a redundant looking job history.
Combination:
The
Combination resume is simply a Functional resume with a brief employment history added.
Educational qualifications are listed first, skills and accomplishments are still listed
next; the employment history follows. You need to reveal where you worked, when you
worked, and what your job position was. Emphasize your talents and show how you used them
at the job.
School
Specific:
Some
schools specify the format for the resume. In most cases, you will be asked to
include all part-time and full time work experiences, research and project activities,
extracurricular interests and community/civil activities.
Resume
writing tips:
Keep
it concise
Resumes
should be one page, if possible, and two if absolutely necessary to describe relevant work
experience.
Make
your words count.
Your use
of language is extremely important; you need to sell yourself to a committee quickly and
efficiently.
Avoid
large paragraphs (over six or seven lines).
Use
action verbs such as "developed," "managed," and "designed"
to emphasize your accomplishments.
Don't
use declarative sentences like "I developed the..." or "I assisted
in..."; leave out the "I."
Avoid
passive constructions, such as "was responsible for managing." It's not only
more efficient to say "Managed," it's stronger and more active.
Make
the most of your experience
The
admissions committee is looking for future business managers and leaders. They need
to know what you have accomplished to have an idea of what you can add to the program.
Don't
be vague. Describe things that can be measured objectively. Telling someone that you
"improved warehouse efficiency" doesn't say much. Telling them that you
"cut requisition costs by 20%, saving the company $3800 for the fiscal year"
does. Employers will feel more comfortable hiring you if they can verify your
accomplishments.
Be
honest. There is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating
or falsifying it.
Don't
neglect appearance
Your
resume is the first impression you'll make on the committee, and a successful resume
depends on more than what you say; how you say it counts as well.
Check
your resume for proper grammar and correct spelling - evidence of good communication
skills and attention to detail. Nothing can ruin your chances of getting an admission more
than submitting a resume filled with (easily preventable) mistakes.
Make
your resume easy on the eyes. Use normal margins (1" on the top and bottom,
1.25" on the sides) and don't cram your text onto the page. Allow for some breathing
room between the different sections. Avoid unusual or exotic font styles; use simple fonts
with a professional look.
Eliminate
superfluous details
Unnecessary
details can take up a lot of valuable space on your resume.
Don't
mention personal characteristics such as age, height, and marital status on your
resume. This information is either irrelevant or is taken care of in other parts of
the application. List your hobbies and interests and extracurricular activities if
these are not covered elsewhere.
Resume Editing
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Editing
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