Crafting Your MBA-level Resume

Transcription

1 Crafting Your MBA-level Resume MBA Orientation Wednesday August 15, 2012

2 Purpose of a resume Generate job interviews Attract the recruiter in 15 seconds Create a favorable first impression Serve as a marketing tool Promote your brand image 2

3 Effective Resumes Communicate your strengths Match skills to job requirements Focus on accomplishments Appeal to an employer s W.I.I.F.M. 3

4 Ho-hum Resumes Laundry list of job duties Job history Autobiography One size fits all Term paper or thesis 4

5 Resume Strategy Think Identify your career goals; target audience Review Past experience, transferable skills; accomplishments Align Industry, employer job requirements 5

6 Map Qualifications to a T 6

7 Skills Experience Education Knowledge Accomplishments Career Assets Competencies Commitment Motivators Passion Interest Attitude Energy level Likeability Work style Social skills Communication Team orientation Dress and appearance Compatibility 7

8 Resume components Contact information Education Professional experience Skills summary Optional sections 8

9 Contact information Name (larger font, bold, all CAPS) Current address (spell out street, court) PSU/Smeal address Telephone number LinkedIn personalized URL 9

10 Education Present to past Institution, location Expected or completed degree, date Concentration(s) Scholarships or honors Associations or clubs Graduate or Teaching Assistantship 10

11 Professional Experience Reverse chronological Employer, location, dates Position/title Scope of work statement Accomplishments 11

12 Accomplishments Contributions Projects Moments of glory Deliverables Success stories Accomplishments Impact you had 12

13 Tasks vs. accomplishments Duties and responsibilities Responsible for sales in the Midwest region Managed a budget Managed inventory levels Led various projects Coordinated daily deliveries Accomplishments Transformed an underachieving region into a top producer; generating $15 million in new revenue. Negotiated a revised contract with a local vendor, reducing costs by 10% or $20,000. Implemented an inventory reduction initiative that liquidated obsolete parts and generated $50,000 in revenue. Led a process improvement team to streamline workflow, reallocate shop floor space and save five production hours daily. Reduced delivery cycle time 25% by instituting a Six Sigma initiative. 13

14 Accomplishments Always action + result Bullet pointed Use action verbs for impact Quantify results (when possible) Generally one sentence but no longer than two 14

15 Professional Experience Past 10 years Company description (optional) Full-time Consulting Internships 15

16 Portfolio of Skills What you do well Transferable Subject What you know Skills Expertise Personal Qualities What you are like 16

17 Transferable Skills Transportable from job to job; industry to industry Often natural abilities or talents Expressed in action verbs & skill nouns Data, people, things 17

18 Subject Expertise Industry or job specific Acquired through education, training or on the job experience Expressed in noun and noun phrases Often called tools of the trade 18

19 Personal Qualities Personality characteristics Self-disciplines Ways you manage yourself Often how friends describe you Expressed as adjectives 19

20 Examples: Transferable skills Subject expertise Personal qualities Analytical Account Management Detail-oriented Communication Business Development Ethical Critical thinking Forecasting Innovative Leadership Inventory Control Methodical Mentoring Labor Arbitration Outgoing Negotiating Lifecycle Management Perceptive Organization Logistics Management Professional Planning Process Engineering Resilient Problem resolution Quality Assurance Self-motivated Research Vendor Sourcing Tactful 20

21 Keyword Examples Transferable skills: communication, leadership, team building, mentoring, critical thinking Job specific skills: financial analysis, internal audits, Sarbanes-Oxley, risk assessment, GAAP Technical skills: SAP, systems architecture, programming, CAD/CAM Software: Excel, PowerPoint, Project Manager, Access, PhotoShop Personal qualities: high-energy, visionary, results-oriented, tactful, self-motivated Certifications/licenses: CPA, MCSE, Series 7, RN, Series 65 Quality programs: ISO 9000, TQM, Six Sigma, LEAN Languages: Spanish, German, Japanese, Mandarin 21

22 Penn State Smeal MBA Program Keywords Software Technical skills Education degree Subject expertise Quality programs Transferable Skills Certifications Licenses Industry jargon Job specific skills Job titles Languages Personal qualities 22

23 Optional Components Volunteer Activities or Community Service Professional Affiliations Professional Development Awards or Personal Recognition Security Clearance Languages 23

24 Appearance Guidelines Bullets not paragraphs One page Laser print Times New Roman font.75 margins 25% cotton bond paper Black font color Avoid lines & shading White or ivory paper point font size 24

25 Preparation Tips Action verbs highlight skills End bullets with periods Avoid I me my we our Spell out numbers under 10 Avoid abbreviations Avoid overuse of capitals Spell check, spell check, spell check 25

26 Master Resume Extends experience past recent 10 years Full listing of all accomplishments Resides on hard or thumb drive Copy and paste best matches 26

27 Action Plan Refine your resume Think: who do you want to appeal to? Review: have you identified your best self? Align: have you made the best match? Schedule a resume review w/ Career Services 27

28 Session Debrief What have you learned today? How will you use this knowledge? Any aha moments? Did this spark resume revisions? Did this bring skills to the surface you have taken for granted? 28

29 Questions? Penn State Smeal MBA Program