Part 1.

1. Discussion.

a) Do you think there is any difference between a resume and curriculum vitae?

b) How many pages do you think a resume should contain?

2. Read the text and make your own vocabulary on the subject. Resume

A resume is an essential element in any job search because it is a catalog of what you have to offer to prospective employers. It tells them who you are, what you know, what you can do, what you have done, and what your job objectives are. It may be the basis for the questions you are asked in the interview, and it can help your prospective employer evaluate the interview, as an organized reminder of what you covered orally.

The starting point in preparing a resume is a thorough analysis of your experience, education and training, professional and personal skills, and personal traits. List the major points for each category.

You can start with your experience.

Experience. Note all your employment – full-time, part-time, vacation jobs, and free-lance work – and analyze each job on the basis of the following list of questions:

1. What was the job title?

2. What did you do (in reasonable detail)?

3. What experience did you gain that you can apply to another job?

4. Why were you hired for the job?

5. What special skills did you learn on that job?

6. Were you promoted or given a job with more responsibility?

7. Why did you leave it?

8. When did you start and when did you leave the job?

9. Would your former employer give you a reference?

10. What special traits were required of you on the job (initiative, leadership, ability to work with details, ability to work with people, imagination, ability to organize, and so on).

Education. If you have little work experience, the education category is of primary importance. For the applicant with extensive work experience, education is still quite important, even though it is now secondary to work experience. List the following information about your education:

1. Colleges attended and the inclusive dates.

2. Degrees and the dates they were awarded.

3. Major and minor subjects.

4. Courses taken or skills acquired that might be important to the job you are applying for.

5. Internships, work-study programs, co-op positions.

6. Extracurricular activities.

7. Scholarships and awards.

8. Special training courses (academic or industrial).

Resumes should be brief – preferably one page and include the following information:

1. Your name, address, and phone number.

2. Your immediate and long-range job objectives.

3. Your professional training.

4. Your professional experience, including the firms where have worked, and your responsibilities.

5. Your special skills.

6. Pertinent personal information.

7. References (optional).

Underline and capitalize the heads to make them stand out on the page. Whether you list education or experience first depends on which is stronger in your background. If you are a recent graduate, list education first; if you have substantial job experience, list your most recent experience first, your next most recent experience second, and so on.

The Heading. Center your name in all capital letters at the top of the page. Follow it with your address and telephone number, also usually centered.

Employment Objective. State both your immediate and long-range employment objectives.

Education. List the college or colleges you attended, the dates you attended each one, any degree or degrees received, your major field of study, and any academic honors you earned. First-time applicants frequently give the name of their high school, its location (city, state), and the dates they attended.

Employment Experience. List all your full-time jobs, from the most recent to the earliest that is appropriate. If you have had little full-time work experience, list your part-time and temporary jobs, too. Give the details of your employment, including the jobs title, dates of employment, and the name and address of your employer. Provide a concise description of your duties only for those jobs whose duties were similar to those of the job you are seeking; otherwise, give only a job title and a brief description. Specify any promotions or pay increases you received. Do not, however, list your present salary. (Salary depends on your experience and your potential value to an employer.) If you have been with one company for a number of years, highlight your accomplishments during that time. List military service as a job. Give the dates you served, your duty specialty, and rank at discharge. Discuss the duties only if they relate to the job you are applying for.