CEL 2106

COMMUNICATION FOR PROFESSIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

SEMESTER 2, 2019/20

MATERIAL 2 (WEEK 2-3):

WRITING AN
EFFECTIVE
RESUME
Introduction

Preparing a resume is an essential part of applying for a job.

Discussion
A. What is a resume?
B. Why is resume important in applying for a job?
C. What are the contents of a resume?

Resume VS. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Activity 1

Sample Resume

Muhammad Ruzaini Hazmie Bin Razali

Junior Architect

A strong believer in the ability of the architecture and research

combined with design thinking for strengthening our societies and
having a positive effect on the world. Only together can we build a
better future, therefore my communication and team-working skills.

E-mail: ruzaini.hazmie@gmail.com Telephone No.: 0123456789

Address: Lot 842-1 Batu 7 ½, Date of Birth: 26 September 1992
Kampung Paya Rumput, Melaka

WORK EXPERIENCE SKILLS

Intern Architect
Presentation & Public
Empayar Perunding Sdn. Bhd. Excellent
Speaking
February 2016 – June 2016
Achievements/Tasks:
Active Listening Excellent
- Developed and executed online, social
media and print marketing strategies Perseverance Excellent
for the new projects.
- Participated in all phases of the design and Teamwork Excellent
construction processes on 6 major
projects nationally and internationally. Written & Oral
Good
- Produced drawings and layouts and Communication
assisted the clients throughout the
projects. Clients had a satisfaction rate of
over 95%.

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- Created 3D models, renderings and
video animations. EDUCATION
 Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Faculty of Design and Architecture
Universiti Putra Malaysia TECHNICAL (IT) SKILLS

September 2012 – June 2016

Graphics
Hand Drafting, Sketching, Autodesk AutoCAD,
PERSONAL PROJECT ArgGIS, Adobe Creative Cloud Suite

NOTBLOX Affordable Housing Project: Bim & 3D Modeling

Assembling Sustainable Communities with Sketchup Pro, SU Podium, Autodesk Revit
Insulating Concrete Forms (December
2015) Platforms
Windows & OSX Operating systems,
REFERENCE Microsoft Office, Google Drive/Docs
Assoc. Prof. Nor Mohammad Dasuki Bin Other
Marzuki Basic Web Development, Model
Tel.: 03-8901234 Building, Darkroom Techniques
E-mail: dasukimarzuki@upm.edu.my
LANGUAGES
Malay Excellent
English Excellent

Sample Curriculum Vitae (CV)

MOHAMMAD KHAIRUL BIN RAZAK

No. 36, Jalan Setia 3, Taman Desa Cemerlang, 81800 Johor Bahru, Johor
Tel. No.: 019-1234678
khairulrazak@yahoo.com

EDUCATION
Ph.D., History, University of Center City, 2018
• Dissertation: “Traveling West: A History of the Railroad, 1850-1900”
• Dissertation Advisors: William James (first reader), Tatiana Ayole (second reader)

M.A., History, University of Center City, 2015

• Dissertation: “The Golden Spike: The Role of the Railroads in the Industrial Revolution”
• Dissertation Advisor: John Murray

Bachelor of East Asian Studies, Universiti Malaya, 2010

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Best Dissertation Award, University of Center City, 2018
Received award for best dissertation in the humanities. Three awards are given each year to
Ph.D. graduates in humanities, physical sciences, and social & behavioral sciences.
• James Doe Award, University of Center City, 2017
Given to the graduate student who earned the highest GPA in their school.
• Dean’s List, Universiti Malaya, 2007-2010

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PUBLICATIONS
• "The Role of the Railroad in the Development of Philadelphia, 1840-1860.” Journal of American
History and Technology. Vol. 71, no. 8 (Spring 2018): 88-101.
• “Book Review: Michael Weston’s Travels through Philadelphia.” Philadelphia History Journal.
Vol. 71, no 2 (Fall 2017): 121-123.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Instructor, University of Center City, 2016-2018

• Asian History, 1865-Present
• History of Technology

Teaching Assistant, University of Center City, 2014-2016

1.World History
2.Popular Culture in Asia

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
• “The Rise of the Easton Railroad Company.” History of America Conference. Philadelphia, PA,
2018.
• “The Railroad in American Literature.” American Railroad History Conference. Trenton, NJ, 2017.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
• President, University of Center City Graduate Student Association
Conference Organizer, Graduate History Conference, University of Center City

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
• American Historians Organization
• Organization of American Technology

Languages
• Malay: Native Language
• English: Fluent, Advanced Reading and Writing
• Mandarin: Novice Speaker

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Based on the sample resume and CV above, discuss the differences between resume
and CV with your partner. Fill in the table below.

Features Resume Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Purpose Provide a summary of your education,
work history, credentials, and other
accomplishments and skills. Resume
usually is competency-based.
Content
Short, less words
CV usually are submitted for jobs in
academia, scientific research, and
medical fields, are credential-based,
providing a comprehensive (and often
lengthy) listing of one’s education,
certifications, research
Long, use more words

Pack as much as possible to Not so pack as it can be as long

Layout as it can.
make it short.

Types of Resume

Activity 2

Complete the table below with types of resume and their functions.

Types of Resume Functions

• Focus on work experiences

• Arrangement of the experiences in reverse-chronological order
Chronological
• Starting with the most recent position at the top
• Most traditional resume format

• Focuses on skills
• Gives a quick view of your abilities and training
Functional
• Displays key skills needed for the new position
 • A mix between a chronological resume and a functional resume
• At the top of the resume is a list of one’s skills and qualifications
Combination
• Below this is one’s chronological work history

Discussion

What is the most suitable type of resume to be used by fresh graduates? Justify
your answer.

Activity 3

Complete the table below by providing the purpose of each component in a resume.

Resume Component Purpose

- To provide personal information about applicants to

Contact information
perspective employers – name, e-mail, address etc.
-To enhance our resume by convincing employers that we
know what we want to do and that we have the skills needed
Career objective for the job.

-To highlight the employers what we have done in the working

Work experience field.

Educational background -To indicate that the job seeker is worth investing in.

-To depict that the job seeker is not just focus on academic
Extracurricular activities only and can do multitask at one time.
 -To show what we have and can do to the employers that
Skills match the job requirements.

-To have some people that we have worked with before to

References recommend ourselves.

Writing Career Objective

Activity 4

Answer the following questions.

1. What are the criteria of a good career objective?

- Have strong trait, state skills
- State the position name, the company and value that we will add for the
employer
- Keep it short

2. Does a career objective have to be tailored according to the job position in the
advertisement?
Yes, to make sure we tally with the requirements.

3. Read career objectives below carefully and discuss whether they are properly
written or not. Justify your answers and share your response with the class.

No. Career Objective Yes/No

(a) A position as a research assistant allowing me to
No
use my knowledge and skills in fieldwork and
laboratory.
(b) Sales professional with 4+ years’ experience in Yes
lead generation and lead qualification, proven
customer service, and communication skills to

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 effectively fill the Sales Associate role in your
company.
(c) My five years of sales, marketing and
Yes
management experience will add value to
operations.
(d) To apply knowledge and skills with an
No
established organisation.

Sample Job Advertisement

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 3. Based on the criteria you listed in question 1, write a career objective according to
the job advertisement above. Ask your instructor for feedback.

A highly passionate, hardworking English teacher with a focus on British literature and two
years of teaching in a private school setting seeks a permanent teaching position at CEFL
Kuching.

Work Experience

Activity 5

Choose two jobs related to your field of study. Fill in the table below. Describe its duties
and responsibilities.

Period of Working Position Duties/Responsibilities

2019 - Present Mechanical Engineer Manage daily maintenance, preventive

maintenance, troubleshooting of the
machineries

2019 - Present Design Engineer Assist project planing & design.

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Discussion

Which sections of a resume should be highlighted? Justify your answers.

Language Focus: Action Verb

Activity 6

1. Is the usage of action verb helpful in resume writing? If so, how does it help to
improve your resume?
It help to explain accurate terms in resume so that it can be easily understand by the person who is processing

the resume.

2. List 10 action verbs that are related to your field of study.

1. Monitor 6. Maintain

2. Plan 7. Train

3. Design 8. Compute

4. Weld 9. Operate

5. Survey 10. Conduct

3. Take note that tenses of action verb used in a resume describe the period of your
work experience. Complete the table below. You may use the verbs you listed
above.

Simple Past Present Participle

Verb
(2016-2017) (2019-Present)

1. Monitor Monitored Monitoring

2. Plan Planned Planning

3. Design Designed Designing

4. Weld Welded Welding

5. Survey Surveyed Surveying

6. Maintain Maintained Maintaining

7. Train Trained Training

8. Compute Computed Computing

9. Operate Operated Operating

10. Conduct Conducted Conducting

 4. Based on Activity 5, rewrite the duties/responsibilities using appropriate action
verbs.

Period of Duties/Responsibilities +
Position Duties/Responsibilities
Working Action Verb

2019 - Mechanical Manage daily maintenance, Manage

Present Engineer preventive maintenance,
troubleshooting of the
machineries

2019 - Design Assist project planing & Assist

Present Engineer design

Essential Skills at Workplace

Discussion

Should skills section in a resume be tailored to job advertisements?

Activity 7

1. Read the skills below carefully and discuss whether they are properly written or
not. Justify your answers and share your response with the class.

No. Skills Good/Bad

 Customer service skills.

 Interpersonal skills
(a) Good
 WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, Lotus and
Skills are listed by using
other software programmes bullet form, easy to read.
 Statistical software, such as SPSS

COMPUTER SKILLS:
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
Publisher, Access) Adobe Photoshop, Multimedia,
(b) Internet Explorer, Open Office Good
Skills are listed by group so
ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE: that it can be easily
MYOB, UBS, SAP and ACL recognized

 Possess good interpersonal skills

 Have the ability to lead and motivate
 Possess microbe isolation and Bad
(c) Skills explanation too long.
identification skills
Keep the skills in short and
 Have excellent IT skills such as Windows, easily understandable.
Excel, Powerpoint
2. Based on the sample job advertisement below, analyse the essential skills
needed for the job. Write sentences using appropriate action verbs to highlight
your skills.

Sample Job Advertisement

Fill in the table below based on the sample job advertisement above.

No. Skills Sentence (Action Verb)

Problem solving Recorded the year’s revenue and budget goals.

1.

Motivated to work as a team.

2.
Work with others

3. Communication skills Communicated in several languages, Chinese, English and

Bahasa Malaysia

4. Support Guided to manage daily accounts transaction and reporting

5. Planning Clarified in managing the work of finance.

Activity 8

Analyse the following resume and answer the question that follows.

Sample Resume

RESUME

Rose Isabella

C2-1-11, Phone No.: 012-3456789

Taman Pauh Indah, Email: freaky_gurl96@yahoo.com
Jalan Pauh Indah 1,
13700 Permatang Pauh,
Butterworth

PERSONAL PARTICULARS

Age : 24 tahun Date of Birth : 27-12-1996

Nationality : Malaysian Gender : Female
Marital Status : Bachelor I/C Number : 961227-10-5432
Instagram Followers : 1,923 followers

WORK EXPERIENCE
Jan – May 2018 Telekom Malaysia (Melaka)

CAREER OBJECTIVE
To apply accounting knowledge.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS
2018 Represent UPM for Quiz Juara Minda, organised by RTM
2018 Lead Board of Students Representative Council, UPM
2018 Participated in Kem Bina Negara Besut, Terengganu
 2017 Member, Outdoors Recreations Committee

2017 Treasure of ‘Project Anak Angkat Kubang Pasu’

2017 Facilitator of Orientation Programme (UPM / UUM)
2017 Fellow of Student Association at hostel level
2017 Fellow of Student Association at hostel level
2016 Secretary for Off-campus Students
2016 Board of Students Representative Council, UPM – KYM
2016 Participate in Kem Bina Negara Gunung Pulai, Johor
2015 Ketua Pustakawan, Sek. Men. Dato’ Mahmud Mat

COMPUTER SKILLS:
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access) Adobe Photoshop,
Multimedia, Internet Explorer, Open Office

ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE:
MYOB, UBS, SAP and ACL

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Spoken Written
English good good
Bahasa Melayu good good
French fair fair

TYPING SKILLS:

Short-hand Good 100 w.p.m

Typing Good 150 w.p.m

EXPECTED SALARY: RM 1500.00 - RM 2000.00 (NEGOTIABLE)

AVAILABILITY : IMMEDIATELY
The sample resume above contains numerous errors. Analyse and identify the errors in
the resume. Use the space provided below to list out the possible errors. Provide
correction and justification.

No. Error Correction and Justification

1. Email address - Not professional
- The applicant should use a professional
email address such as using her real name.

2. Work experience
- Too short, does not have explanations of what
she had accomplished from the working
experience.
- Lack of specifics
3. Personal information
- Leave out your age, date of birth, race, sex,
sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, and
the names and ages of your spouse and children.
While some of this information may be required in
an international CV, it should be left out of a
resume.
4. Resume title
- Do not label your resume, "resume." One look at
your resume, and the employer should know
exactly what type of document it is.
5. Expected salary

- You can discuss with the employer during an

interview or once you have been offered the job;
you do not want to establish a salary range
before you have even been offered an interview.
So, don't list your current salary or the salary you
expect to earn at a new job.

6. Career objective
- Too short
- Explain a little bit longer about your career
objective to pitch you out and make the employer
interested with your resume.
7. Typing skills
- Not necessary

8. Leadership skills
 - Provide examples and quantify measurable result
- Use of action verb
9. Availability
- Save the subject of availability for the interview.
Do not include dates of availability on your
resume.