Career Development Guide - Western Michigan University
Career Development Guide - Western Michigan University
Career Development Guide - Western Michigan University
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RESUME WRITING<br />
12<br />
Communicating Your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities<br />
Focus on Skills<br />
When writing your resume you should focus on the transferable skills you used to complete your work.<br />
This is particularly helpful when your responsibilities are not directly related to your future career. An<br />
example of this would be working as a server with career aspirations of being a teacher. In this case it is<br />
helpful to an employer to understand the skills you used to do your work, because that means you could<br />
use those skills in the work they need you to do.<br />
� Effective skill statements:<br />
� start with an action verb<br />
� tell the reader what you did and how you did it<br />
� Examples of skill statements:<br />
� Utilized knowledge of current products and pricing in order to assist customers and<br />
guarantee return business for the company<br />
� Maintained termination files of temporary employees in a database using attention to detail<br />
and accuracy<br />
� Utilized professionalism and excellent communication skills when interacting with customers<br />
on a daily basis<br />
� Employed problem solving and sound judgment resolving conflicts among 10-15 year old<br />
campers<br />
� Managed multiple projects simultaneously using time management and organization<br />
� Utilized Microsoft Excel and Access to track client appointments and confidential meeting<br />
notes<br />
Desirable Skills in the Workplace<br />
What should you include on your resume to communicate your job skills?<br />
On your resume, balance two to five statements within the three areas below. Blend the three when<br />
possible. Example: What problem did you solve using your job-specific knowledge?<br />
Communication Skills & Human Critical Thinking Skills Technical Skills for Job<br />
Relation Skills<br />
Specific Knowledge<br />
� Leadership<br />
� Data Collection & Analysis � Computer Skills<br />
� Customer Service<br />
� Problem-Solving<br />
� Identify job or industry-<br />
� Listening<br />
� Sound Judgment<br />
specific knowledge,<br />
� Rapport Building<br />
� Time Management<br />
skills, and vocabulary<br />
� Public Speaking<br />
� Organization<br />
� What has your major or<br />
� Meeting Management<br />
� Priority-Setting<br />
field of work experience<br />
� Conflict Management<br />
� Project Management<br />
prepared you to do?<br />
� Writing Skills<br />
� Decision-Making<br />
� Coaching/Training<br />
� Goal Setting<br />
� Teamwork/Team Building � Creativity/Innovation<br />
Adapted from Performance-Based <strong>Development</strong> System; Developed by Dorothy DelBueno, R.N., Ph.D
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