Purposive Communication

Designing the
Curriculum Vitae/Résumé
 Designing the Curriculum Vitae/Résumé

❑ CV or Résumé describes your education,

competence, and experience.
❑ It defines what kind of applicant you are for the job.
❑ It determines if you are the right person for the job.
❑ It should demonstrate to any prospective employer
why they should hire you above any of the other
skilled candidates who have presented themselves
for employment.
 Basic Rules of CV Writing

✔ Write with the recruiter or human resource manager in mind. Assume

that you are the recruiter. Think about what he needs to know about you.
Consider the job description.
✔ Present your CV or resumé to inform them well about what they need to
know. Show it in a way that it reveals very professional and credible
information.
✔ A well-written CV or resumé limits the chance of not selecting you. It
easily puts you in the shortlist.
✔ CV or resumés are the most important documents needed in job
screening. They provide the highlights of your qualifications, work
experiences, competence, professional and educational history.
✔ In some academic institutions, the CV or resumé is the standard for job
applications. The objective of both CV and resumé remain. However, the
appearance of the document is noticeably different.
Tips for Creating a Professional Resume
1 Select the Best Resume Type

Depending on your personal

circumstances:
✔chronological
✔functional
✔combination
✔targeted
Chronological Resume

A chronological resume is
one of the most common
resume formats and
there's a good reason for
it: Employers tend to
prefer it because it's
straightforward and easy
to scan.
 CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME
A chronological resume lists your work history in order of date, with the most
recent position at the top. It might include a resume objective or career summary
before the list of work experiences.

Education, certifications, and special skills follow work experience in this style of
resume.

Note: It’s important to get the facts straight when you’re listing your work
experience so that the employer won’t think that you’re lying on your resume
should they decide to do a background check. Make sure that the dates, job titles,
salary history (if included), etc. are accurate before you submit your resume and
application.
The Benefits of a Chronological Resume

The chronological resume is one of the most commonly

used styles, and its familiarity alone makes the information
easier to absorb. Ideally, it shows the progression of a
career clearly.

It can be easier to compile, too, since its orientation toward

dates helps you to nail down the details of your own job
history.
When to Use a Chronological Resume

As it emphasizes work history, the chronological

resume is most effective for candidates with solid
experience in the field. By showcasing your work
history front and center, you immediately show the
employer that you have related experience and skills.
When Not to Use a Chronological Resume

When you’re just beginning your career

When you’re changing careers
When you have gaps in your work history
When you’ve frequently changed jobs
FUNCTIONAL RESUME

A functional resume
focuses on skills and
experience rather than on
your chronological work
history. It's typically used
by job seekers who are
changing careers or who
have gaps in their
employment history.
 FUNCTIONAL RESUME

A functional resume showcases an applicant's skills. It may start with a summary of

qualifications followed by a list of a candidate's skills and examples of using those skills.

For example, you might list "Leadership" as a skill, then follow that with examples of when
you've shown leadership. For example, you might say, "Managed the sales department of
five staff members. Increased sales by 25% in six months."

This is different from a traditional, chronological resume that displays a timeline of your
work experience with brief explanations of each job. As a result, the focus is shifted from
job titles and the amount of time that has passed to the actual skills you possess.

NOTE: Another resume option is a combination resume, which uses a chronological

format but highlights the skills you showed in each position.
HOW FUNCTIONAL RESUME WORKS
A functional resume draws attention away from items that a hiring
manager might find problematic. It de-emphasizes gaps in your work
history or the fact that you're making a significant career change.

A functional resume is less commonly used than a chronological

resume, which recruiters and interviewers generally prefer. If you
don't have a reason for using a functional resume, opt for a
chronological one.1 Additionally, some applicant tracking software
programs reject resumes without a chronological work history.
 Writing a Functional Resume

1. Start with a resume summary

2. Organize by theme
3. Use keywords
4. Mention relevant projects
5. Include your employment history
6. Write a strong cover letter
COMBINATION RESUME

When you use a

Combination Resume, you
can showcase the skills you
have that are relevant to the
job for which you’re
applying, while also
providing the work history
that employers have
requested.
WHEN TO USE A COMBINATION RESUME

This format often offers the best of both worlds for job
seekers who might prefer to present their resume in a
functional format, emphasizing their skills and
qualifications, but who have been instructed by the
employer to include a work history. For those who wish
to avoid a traditional chronological resume—either
because of unrelated jobs or employment gaps— this
format is a good compromise.
 What to Include in a Combination Resume
The combination resume is typically sectioned into two parts:
The first part is similar to a functional resume in that it highlights skills,
achievements, and qualifications.
The second part depicts the timeline of one’s work experience.
The layout first captures the attention of the employer or recruiter by highlighting the
key skills and capabilities of the applicant in a “qualifications summary,” and then
supports this introductory section with an account of prior work experience.
The qualifications summary is also a good place to include resume keywords that will
help your resume get past its initial review by an automated applicant tracking
system and in front of the human eye of a hiring manager.
It can be especially effective, in this format, to divide the descriptions of your work
experience into “Related Work Experience” and “Additional Professional Experience”
sections. This allows you to focus your reader’s attention on your most relevant
experience while at the same time providing a complete work history.
TARGETED RESUME

A Targeted Resume focuses

on a specific job opening. The
targeted resume is written to
highlight the skills and
experiences relevant to a
particular position. When
sending targeted resumes,
the resume will be edited or
rewritten for each job to which
the candidate applies.
Tips for Targeting Your Resume

Edit the Summary or Profile: You don't necessarily need to rewrite your
entire resume to make it targeted for a particular position. Sometimes a few small
updates in key sections of your resume can have a powerful impact on defining
your strengths. The first step is to review the job description carefully so that you
can be sure the position is a good match for you, and know which qualities and
skills to emphasize on your resume. The easiest way to target your resume
(without rewriting the whole resume) is to include a Resume Summary of
Qualifications, a Profile, or Career Highlights section at the top of your resume.
Review the job description and then review your resume. Take the experience,
credentials, and education that best match the job posting and include them in the
Summary of Qualifications section at the top of your resume. Then list your
experience in reverse chronological order, just like you would on a traditional
resume.

Write a Custom Resume: Another option for customizing your resume is to

edit your resume, so your skills and experience are as close a match as possible to
the job description or job ad requirements. Take the keywords used in the job
posting and work them into your resume.
2 Choose a Simple Font
Your resume should be easy to read. You want the hiring manager to
easily read and absorb your work history and accomplishments.
Therefore, use a legible font (such as Times New Roman, Arial, or
Calibri). Make sure the font is not too big or too small (choose a size
between 10 and 12).

Avoid dense blocks of text and use standard margins. Use white- or
cream-colored paper if you are sending a physical resume; colored paper
can be very distracting.
3 Keep Your Formatting Consistent
Professional resumes need to have consistent formatting. For instance, if
you use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements at
one position, be sure to use bullet points in all other positions as well.

Also, make certain that the bullet points are formatted the same way
throughout. For example, don't use circle bullet points in one section, and
diamond bullet points in another section. Be consistent with font, font size,
and style (such as the use of bold and italics).
4 Keep it Focused
t's important not to include extraneous information. More isn’t necessarily
better. Your resume should focus on the skills and attributes that qualify
you for the job. It will be helpful to leave out anything that won’t help you
get the job you want.

A resume shouldn’t be several pages long for the average job seeker, a
one-page resume is probably enough, or two pages at most.
5 Give It a Makeover

It's always a good idea to periodically refresh your

resume. Be sure you have included all your latest
achievements, and your employment and educational
history are current. Updating your resume will
increase your chances of getting it noticed by the
hiring manager.
6 Use Resume Examples and Templates

Use a resume example or template to help you write

your resume. An example can help you decide what
information to include. Templates can help you format
your resume. However, whenever you use a resume
example or template, be sure to customize your
resume, so it reflects your skills and abilities, and the
jobs you are applying for. A simple copy/paste isn’t
enough.
7 Carefully Edit Your Resume

Spelling and grammar errors can make an applicant

seem inattentive to details. Review proofing guidelines
to ensure that your resume is consistent and error-free.
Then check it again. And, if you can, find someone else
to look at it too, because it’s so easy to miss your own
typos.
8 Get Resume Help

Writing a resume is hard work and it's important to get

help, or at least have your resume reviewed before you
send it to employers. Consider using a career
counselor or other professional resume service to help
you make sure your resume is professional and
polished. Having a friend or family member check for
typos and formatting errors is another option to make
sure it's perfect.
Sources:

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-create-a-professional-resume-2
063237
 TASK:
Curriculum Vitae should be limited to your area of specialization. The content could either be for
experienced managers or for those who newly-graduated from an engineering course.
Pages: Minimum: 2 pages
Maximum : 3 pages
Paper size: Letter size bond paper (8.5 × 11in.)
Parts of Curriculum Vitae
1. Career Objective
2. Work Experience
3. Educational Program
4. Skills
5. Awards & Recognition
6. Seminars & Trainings attended
7. Affiliation & Membership
8. Personal Information
9. Character references
 Rubric for Grading:

Courteousness -20 points

Correctness - 20 points
Completeness - 20 points
Conciseness - 20 points
Clearness - 20 points
TOTAL - 100 points