Resume Guide

SUNY Westchester Community College • Career Services Resume/Cover Letter Guidelines 2022-2024 3 R ESUME G UIDELINES… I NTRODUCTION Why a Well Written Resume Matters An effective resume is a custom designed marketing tool that results in an interview . It is primarily an advertisement of your strengths for a particular position and tells a prospective employer that you have what it takes to be successful in this newposition. Your resume is about your future: your abilities and experiences that aremost relevant to the position youwant . Awell-developed resume captures the attention of a prospective employer within 10-20 seconds! That’s how long it takes a reader to formulate a first impression – and that’s how long you have to create an impact! It is highly unlikely that you will get a job offer from a resume, but you will not get an interview without one, and a poorly designed resume may keep you from getting an interview and ultimately the job. What is a Resume? In essence, your resume is your own personal marketing brochure . It is a reflection of you as a potential “product”. It includes a descriptive summary of your background, concisely written and attractively presented. It should clearly communicate a sense of purpose, professionalism and honesty. It should focus the reader on your strongest points and career goals as well as provide evidence that your background and experience are relevant for the new position. Getting Started Think about your strengths, achievements, skills, work and/or volunteer experience, education, activities and interests. A systematic assessment of what you do well and enjoy doing, will help you develop a job objective and present your qualifications to an employer. Keep in mind that your strengths and abilities are what “sell” you. Additionally, be absolutely clear about the needs and requirements of the position, industry and career area you are targeting. What would make someone a perfect candidate for the position? What skills and abilities should they have? What would make someone stand out from other candidates? These are very important questions to resolve as part of developing an effective resume. It will help you align your skills with the needs of the employer so you will most likely be invited for an interview. G OOD L UCK! We strongly suggest that you have a career counselor review your resume draft. You can make an individual appointment by calling or visiting Career Services, Student Center Building, Room 290, (914) 606-6760.