Basics of Resume Preparation

Prof. Varun Kumar MBA Dept., SDBCT

Have you ever thought to ask yourself

What margin I have left in my CV?
What should be the contents of a CV? Have I proof read my Resume? What is the difference between Bio-data/ CV/ Resume?

Did I run a spell check before sending my Resume?

Did I write a personalized Cover Letter for XYZ?

Topics to be Covered in Todays Session:

Bio-Data Curriculum Vitae (CV) Resume Cover Letter

Bio-Data :

Bio-Data is a commonly used psychology term for

biographical data. Bio-Data surveys are in the form of multiple choice questions. In India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, a bio-data is essentially a resume plus physical attributes, such as height, weight, hair/skin/eye colour, and a photo.

Bio-Data : (contd..)

It has absolutely nothing to do with job related aspects

of a person's life, much less his career goals. A Biodata is essentially the shortest of the three (Bio-data, CV, Resume). Old fashionate Now used for Matrimonial Purpose

Curriculum Vitae (CV) :

CV is short for Curriculum Vitae which is an ancient Latin word and means "running of life" or "course of life" .. means more of a quick glimpse of your professional credentials, ..... A curriculum vitae is a list of one's professional and educational history and tends to focus on one area of expertise.

Curriculum Vitae (CV) : (contd..)

It's commonly used by authors, researchers, speakers, professors and other experts in a particular field. A CV -- curriculum vitae -- is used by academics and lists their education, career history, papers they've published, committees they've served on, classes they've taught, research they're conducting, etc. It's usually very long -- 15-50 pages.

Resume : (REZ-u-may)

Resume is a French word meaning "summary". A resume is ideally a summary of one's education,
skills and employment when applying for a new job. A resume does not list out all details of a profile, but only some specific skills customized to the target job profile. It is usually 1 or 2 pages long. A resume is usually written in the third person to give it an objective and formal tone.

Resume : (contd..)
Structure: A good resume would start with a : Brief Profile of the candidate, Summary of Qualifications, followed by Industry Expertise and then Professional Experience in reverse chronological order. Focus is on the most recent experiences (with responsibilities and accomplishments), and previous experiences are only presented as a summary. This would be followed by Education details and/or Professional Affiliations and/or Voluntary Initiatives. A resume includes a work and salary history, educational history and job objective.

Resume : (contd..)
Salient Features:

Present your work history in an order. Do not be monotonous. Avoid too much white space. Use a readable font. Use proper spacing. Use margins to give your resume a neat look. Avoid using a table with multiple columns. Dont include graphics, background images or pictures in your resume. Be concise. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors in your resume.

Resume : (contd..)
The Right Resume Format FONTS Keep your font plain and easy to read. You may vary the font size in Heading and Body Once you have selected one font type, use this font type across the resume including the cover letter. Do not vary your fonts. Always use a black font and again avoid using varied colours or any kind of graphic embellishments. As far as possible avoid italics, shadow or shading effects. Also do not use condensed or expanded spacing between the letters FORMATTING Use left margin justification i.e. keep all text in the main body left-aligned. Use single line spacing between the lines. Use straight lines to break sections and also to give an outline to the resume, if you wish to. Simple bullet points under each category head give a neat format. For a hard copy print on plain white or cream paper. A resume should ideally be two pages in length, and a cover letter strictly one page. REGULAR STRUCTURE ORGANISING CONTACT DETAILS Make sure the email ID you provide is a professional sounding one and not something like hotguy@xyz.com

Cover Letter :
A cover letter expresses interest and qualifications for a particular position Personal but professional Tailored to position/company Explains how you fit with organization and how you will help them Expands main points from your resume Sells qualifications to the prospective employer Cover letters do more than introduce your resume, though.

Cover Letter : (contd..)

Salient Features: One page in length. Enough white space and clutter-free look. All content should be left aligned. The type of fonts used and font size should be the same as in the resume Also the name and contact details of candidate should be designed in the same format as the resume. Candidates address MUST be there on the top or at the bottom, after the name. General formula is on top for hardcopy and at the end of the letter in a soft copy.

Incorrect Format of Resume used by Fresher :

Correct Format of Resume to be Used by a Fresher:

Correct Format of Resume to be used by a Fresher :

Correct Format of Resume to be used by a Fresher :

Fresher Experience 0 to 1 year

Problems identified: 1. Contact details taking too much space on top. 2. Abstract objective - Absence of tags / functional areas to specify career focus. 3. Paragraph format is making content look too verbose 4. Low readability, the key points of work experience are not getting highlighted. 5. Lengthy format(2 pages) Solutions Offered: 1. Retained only the relevant contact details and improved layout. 2. Completely revamped objective statement with appropriate tags and industry preference. 3. New section created to give a complete overview of the candidacy since a Recruiter may only skim through applications. 4. Revised layout for Internship and Part-time experience sections to enhance aesthetics and readability. 5. Condensed some data to fit in 1 page (an industry standard).

Format of Cover Letter: