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RESUME HINTS
Can't think of
anything to write down
about what you do in your job?
ANSWER 20 OR 30 OF THESE QUESTIONS.
We guarantee that you will come up with some new ideas about your job
responsibilities and skills.
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What experience, skills, aptitudes, or
traits do you have, or think you might have, that could be of some use to some
employer?
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What skills have you developed, at least to
some degree, that you have never used at work?
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Do others, at work or elsewhere, come to
you for any particular kind of help? What kind?
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Do you have military experience (include
Coast Guard and merchant marine)? Branch, grade, Specialty? Active duty,
reserves, national guard? Discharge? Duties? Accomplishments? Medals,
citations, commendations? Promotions ahead of schedule? You can treat military
experience either here, as general background, or list each position as an
employer in the Resume Questionnaire. Don't forget, military training can be
particularly useful in private industry if it is relevant to your objective.
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Have you ever published an article, report,
or anything, even as a volunteer, even in your company professional
association newsletter?
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Have you ever given a talk, speech, or
presentation, or provided training to anyone at work or elsewhere? Give the
specifics.
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Computer literacy and related skills: What
platforms can you use (PC, Apple, Atari, etc.)? Which one are you most
comfortable with? What operating systems are you familiar with (DOS; Windows
3.x, NT, or 95; OS/2; Unix; Apple; other)? If you program, which languages do
you know, and what is your level of ability or experience in: What programs,
or kinds of programs, have you designed or helped design or debug? What
Internet research tools are you familiar with? What programs are you familiar
with (word processors; spread sheets; data bases; groupware or PIM's, such as
Lotus Notes, Groupwise, Ecco; graphics, desk-top publishing, etc.); office
suites (Suite; Microsoft Office; Word Perfect Office); LAN or WAN system
software? (If you know the latest version, mention it, as in "Lotus Notes v.
4." If you're not familiar with the latest version, give only program's name.)
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What foreign languages do you know at least
somewhat, and what is your level of skill in each. I.e. native speaker;
fluent; moderate; phrase-book; write easily for professional purposes?
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What planning or analytical tools are you
familiar with (critical path? PERT; quality function deployment; etc.) ?
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What experience have you had as a manager
of or participant in TQM? CQI? Business process reengineering (which version:
general structure/function analysis or computer systems analysis)?
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Do you have any special travel experience,
domestic or foreign? If you studied, lived, or worked in a foreign country,
how long were you there? Did you live in an American enclave?
Responsibilities,
Activities:
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How many people did you supervise? Orient?
Hire? Train?
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How large a budget did you manage?
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Who do you report to?
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What was the highest level in the company
that you reported to or communicated with directly?
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Did you coordinate anything?
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Serve as liaison between groups or key
individuals?
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Mediate between groups or individuals?
Resolve any conflicts? Serve as mentor to anyone?
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Did you do, or participate in, strategic
planning?
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Did you set or evaluate or participate in
the setting or evaluation of policy?
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Did you evaluate any individual or group
performance, or any task or project research?
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How did you relate to the product or
service?
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Did you communicate with customers? How?
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Were you on any proposal teams, in-house or
with a customer or subcontractor? Did the proposal succeed?
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What was your function on the team, or your
contribution to winning? Your team's percentage of wins?
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Did you communicate with suppliers or
subcontractors? How?
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Did you purchase services or supplies for
the office, unit, department?
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Ever serve as a troubleshooter? In what
area?
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Did you back up someone? Who?
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Did you do any surveys or other research or
studies? Determine requirements?
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Prepare recommendations?
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Design or manage any processes, systems, or
projects?
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Organize any events, conferences, meetings?
How many?
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Did you administer anything?
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Consult for anyone, inside or outside the
organization?
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Did you gain experience in any special use
software?
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Foreign languages?
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Analytical or evaluative procedures?
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Equipment or hardware?
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What kind of writing did you do, for
yourself or someone else (e-mail, correspondence, memos, reports, concept
papers, plans, proposals, office newsletter, etc.)? What did you write about?
Did you write any that was delivered to a customer as a product, or part of
one?
Achievements,
Accomplishments:
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How much reduction in costs or increase in
profits did you contribute to?
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What did you do?
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Did you add any smoothness, quality, or
economy of operation that noticeably improved the way things were before you
assumed responsibility?
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Any concrete or specific signs of the gain
you achieved?
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Did you propose, suggest, or initiate any
programs, changes, or improvements that were implemented at least partly
because of your initiative?
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What positive results occurred?
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What did you do as a volunteer, beyond the
regular duties of your position?
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Whether you were paid for it or not, what
were you particularly good at that made a difference in how the office (job,
project, assignment) progressed from day to day?
Awards, Recognition:
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Were you praised, recognized, or given a
pat on the back for anything-a particular assignment, a method of working, a
trait of character? How? By whom?
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Were you promoted ahead of schedule?
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Selected for any special responsibilities
or programs?
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