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There are a variety of types of resumes, some of which are typical only to their professions and to no others. However, the great majority of resumes can be divided into three groups. Some people who move from job to job every several years keep two of these types of resumes ready to send:

Sometimes a cover letter of substance, called an "application letter," must accompany your resume. Yet another type of presentation similar in nature is the "personal statement" that often is required for admission to academic programs. Before we examine each of these five types of application materials individually, here are some basic pointers that apply to all three.

LENGTH: Most resumes should not be more than 1-2 pages in length. In unusual cases, however, especially if there is a large body of relevant information to present, a longer resume might be appropriate. However, the longer a resume is, the more graphically simple it should be made--so that it is easy to scan quickly for major headings and subheadings. Application letters usually should be limited to one page. Personal Statements usually are limited to 300-500 words.

PRINTING: Your resume, application letter, and personal statement are your suit of clothes that you wear on paper when you present them to a potential employer or academic program. They should be professionally printed using a laser or ink-jet printer on 20 to 30-lb. cotton bond paper. The paper should be a very clean, attractive white, or it may an off-white shade, usually very light cream, tan, or gray. You should almost never use unusual print styles or colors: doing so is considered tactless and inappropriate.

Try to have your application letter, if one is required, printed on the same type of paper using the same type style as your resume. If your resume is professionally printed but you type your own application letter at home, ask for extra blank sheets of paper when you have your resume printed, and use these blanks at home for application letters.

EDITING: Resumes and application letters are the poetry of the business world, and personal statements the poetry of academic applications: every word should be as perfect as you can get it. Ask for help from friends or a professional unless you're an English major. Your resume should be edited perfectly for spelling, grammatical usage, punctuation, and typing. Many companies and schools receive dozens or even hundreds of applications for any one position, and resumes must be culled quickly: the fastest and one of the first ways to get yours rejected is to have editing errors in it.

Writing a resume is a relatively simple but time-consuming process. You need only collect data--information--about yourself. However, you should do so thoroughly and arrange it in an attractive graphic format.

Many resumes start with a title such as "RESUME OF JANE R. SMITH" and add the writer's address and phone number directly under it. Less common is to start with a title only, and to put the address and phone number at the very end of the reusme. Many resumes also open--after the title--with a statement of the applicant's job objective (your short- or long-term employment goal) and/or present position. An application letter usually opens with a statement of interest in the job position.

Many job resumes (but not all) have a final section called "Personal Background"--a short paragraph at the end describing a little of your personal history such as whether or not you have a family, where you live, where you have traveled, and what you do for a hobby or leisure time. Often, too, the very last sentence of a resume will offer a references statement: for example, "References available on request" or "Letters of Recommendation Attached" or "...will arrive separately."

Many resumes, especially if they are short, have subtitles in a column on the left and descriptions in a larger column on the left. This kind of resume is the easiest to read--for the eye to scan--because of all the graphic space:

However, other resumes, especially if they are long, place subtitles--underlines or in bold--on a line above the description of them. This allows for the placement of more information on each line under the subtitle. This kind of subtitling can make a resume more difficult to read, so be sure to employ sufficient graphic space:

Next are the three types of resumes most commonly found in the marketplace: chronological, functional, and targeted.

The chronological resume offers a history of your work experience, most recent first. This resume is the most common type. It is simple to read, often is used in the earlier years of one's career, and is perhaps the most desired resume in lower-level jobs, smaller companies, and more traditional employers. Your resume often will include traditional categories such as Work Experience, Education, Military Service, and Personal Background. Only include those categories that apply specifically to you.

The functional resume offers functional categories of expertise without regard to a time order. The most important categories should appear closer to the beginning. This kind of resume is not as common as the chronological resume. It is useful, however, if you have an unusually long resume or if there are significant gaps of time, work, or education in your professional life. Your resume might include some of the traditional categories above and perhaps additional categories such as "Additional Training," "Management Experience," "Communications Experience," "Technological" or "Computer Experience," or others that state major functional categories.

The targeted resume offers a job objective and only your qualifications that apply to it. It "targets" a specific job position and your background just for that position. It is the least common of the three types described in this chapter, and this kind of resume may surprise or confuse an employer unless he or she is used to seeing such a resume. The categories you choose are for only those parts of your work history which apply directly to the job for which you are applying or your stated job objective. Categories may include any of the examples mentioned in the descriptions of the other two types of resumes, above. An additional category some people add to a targeted resume is one called "Other Work and Education" or something like that: a section in which you describe parts of your work history that are not directly related to your specific job objective.

It also is wise to prepare carefully in written form for your interview. There is, of course, the normal set of guidelines--dress appropriately; prepare to be calm, collected, and yet clearly interested; get rid of most or all body jewelry and weird hair styles; clean well ahead of time; etc., etc. However, one very helpful preparation that few people know about is to write a list of questions ahead of time that you might be asked, then to answer them in writing yourself.

Making your own list of questions and answers not only prepares you for how to answer; it also shows your potential employer that you are well prepared, thoughtful, and quick-witted. In addition, preparing ahead of time in this way can give you quite a bit more confidence. What kinds of questions should you ask and then answer? Here is a rough guide:

You may never have to answer many of these questions, but it is best to be fully prepared.

It is important for you to not only write the questions, but also your answers, for two reasons. First, writing your answers--not just answering them out loud--will lodge them in your memory much more surely; in fact, it is wise to both write them and speak them aloud. Second, if you have a set of written questions and written answers, you can review them much more easily just before your interview--when you are more likely to be nervous and forgetful.

Application letters, also sometimes known as cover letters, usually should be sent with a resume. A resume without a cover letter is like a meeting without a friendly, professional greeting. Your application letter is your way of introducing yourself to your potential employer. Not all companies require or even want it; however, when in doubt, send one. Often you can find out whether such a letter is desirable by calling a secretary or assistant to the person in charge of hiring. You may also ask this person what kinds of questions or subjects in particular should be addressed in the letter of application.

Use a business letter format. Always make a new letter with your original signature on it. You should start by addressing the letter to a specific person if at all possible. You can learn this, too, by calling the secretary or assistant of the person in charge of hiring. Also ask this person whether the hirer wants to be addressed as "Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms."

After the salutation, start your letter by stating the position for which you are applying. You may also want to summarize in brief sentence or two your overall or most important qualifications.

Then, in the body of the letter, you may do one, two, or all three of three things: (1) discuss your qualifications in a little more detail, especially hitting highlights or using explanations that clarify or add to what is in your resume (some repetition is okay, but don't write all of your application letter this way); and/or (2) in some situations, you may make an extended statement of intent about what you would hope to accomplish; and/or (3) in some situations you may also want to make your personal philosophical statement about the meaning or importance of this kind of work.

A fourth and very important element of an application letter is to tell your potential employer why you have picked him or her. In other words, what makes his or her company or place of work special to you as an individual? This is an excellent opportunity not only to show that you have done your homework and understand the differences between her company or place of work and others like it, but also--and especially--to begin establishing a positive personal relationship between you and your potential workplace, a relationship for which your potential employer can value you more highly.

Say what you need to in order to sell yourself; however, say it honestly and firmly. The more you know or can discover about your employer, the more you can target what you say in your application letter. Discussions of your qualifications, statements of intent, and/or statements of philosophy usually either dramatically improve your chance of getting hired, or dramatically narrow it. If you are going to use them at all, be forthright in doing so.

Provide a closing and signature for an application letter just as you would for any formal business letter.

A personal statement usually consists of a discussion of your own experience and ideas concerning your purpose for seeking admission to an academic program. Most applications guide the contents of your personal statement by asking specific questions. Some personal statements need only be written well enough to show that you are minimally qualified. Others, however, may become the single most important document in your application materials. Often you may access the importance of--and therefore how many hours of time you should spend on--a personal statement by calling the admissions counselor or head secretary of the program to which you are applying. If you have any doubt at all of your statement's relative importance, you probably should plan to spend many hours perfecting it.

One of the biggest mistakes many people make in their personal statements is being too general. It is okay to make general statements; however, the majority of your statement should be concerned with very specific examples, stories, and facts. Use general statements only at the very beginning and very end of paragraphs in which you are explaining yourself. Be as specific as you can (within the limits of the word- or page-count limits). Give specific examples of your experiences and beliefs: don't just tell people; show them. It is in the details that people will find you both knowledgeable and believable.

In fact, so important is this guideline of using specifics that the best personal statements often start with a specific story example that in some way summarizes or highlights the main point or points you want to demonstrate in your statement. Start, for example, with the story of how you first became deeply interested in your future profession; or perhaps with the story of how you first helped someone and enjoyed it--and realized what kinds of skills you needed to continue doing so. Use all of the five W's of journalism--who, what, where, when, and why/how--to help you fully develop your introductory story. Use several of the five senses--sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell--to help it come alive.

Then continue on by telling other stories--narrative examples using the 5 W's of journalism. They don't have to be long; in fact, good personal-statement writing is like good writing of poetry--compact, efficient, and yet very lively. A good personal statement might have three, five, or even as many as ten small story examples in it, making it a delight for the selection committee to read.

Finally, end with some kind of closing story--or perhaps the final half of your beginning story--in order to leave your readers with a strong impression. Once again, this story should someone exemplify the deeper or most central part of you that is applying to the academic program. If possible, make your final sentence or two the most stirring in your entire statement. Move your readers--the selection committee--honestly, forthrightly, and subtly. Make them enjoy accepting you.

[Note: the person who wrote this personal statement as part of her application for the University of Minnesota Medical School was accepted, even though her undergraduate GPA was slightly lower than the average for her entering class.]

"Success," someone once said, "is knowing you have helped one life breathe just a little more easily." This quote is very meaningful to me because it uniquely exemplifies my motivation to pursue medicine. The experience that initially sparked my interest in medicine occurred when I volunteered at the Children's Variety Hospital. There I met an eight-year-old girl receiving treatment in the Pulmonary Unit. She was sitting in a wheelchair, bloated from medication, and crying. In between sobs, she was pleading, "I want to go home. I want to go home. Please, let me go home?" I struggled to fight back tears. She had been in the hospital for almost a month, and was in a great deal of pain. Her plea seemed like such a simple request, a freedom that most people take for granted. I distracted her from her unhappiness by engaging her in games and activities. It was rewarding to have helped in some way, but I longed to do more. I wanted to be directly involved in the process of helping her overcome her illness and go home. This interaction inspired my desire to become a medical doctor. Since then, I have pursued a variety of opportunities that have enriched my experiences within the medical field and the Twin Cities community.

I volunteered with Sexual Health Awareness and Disease Education (SHADE) and the Minnesota Aids Project (MAP) because I felt I had the communication and people skills necessary to assist in disease prevention. My first hand experience with implementing and analyzing educational and behavioral intervention programs, as well as street outreach efforts, have exposed me to a variety of preventative approaches. As a sexual health educator for SHADE, I facilitated interactive presentations to students addressing issues of sexuality, HIV/STD protection, abstinence, and communication. I also conducted STD screening and HIV counseling for Minneapolis high schools. As Special Events Coordinator, I organized a weeklong effort (Safer Sex Week) to raise HIV/AIDS awareness on campus. My volunteer work with MAP included contraceptive and information dispersal, as well as recruitment targeting at risk populations for disease prevention programs. Working with people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS exposed me to the devastating effects of this disease on individuals, families, and communities. I encountered people from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and learned that concern, empathy, and a warm smile have a magical way of earning peoples' trust and making them comfortable when confiding their health concerns. My ability to connect with people and respond to their needs in a way that provided reassurance, support, and respect was extremely rewarding. I am hopeful that preventative approaches such as these have provided people with the skills necessary to protect themselves against the emotional and physical pain that accompanies an illness.

Another area of medicine that I have explored is infectious disease research. As a Biology and Physiology major, I not only gained a solid foundation in the basic sciences, but also developed strong critical thinking skills. I sought opportunities that enhanced these skills. As an undergraduate, I became involved with a directed research project and studied virulence factors of E. coli strains isolated from canine fecal samples in order to test the hypothesis that dogs may serve as a reservoir of virulent E. coli strains that cause urinary tract infections in humans. I was also employed in a laboratory where I conducted a study comparing the in vitro inhibitory activity of different types of antibiotic coated catheters against susceptible and multidrug-resistant clinical bacterial isolates. Currently, I am working full-time as a junior scientist. My projects include a study examining the pathogenicity of bacterial strains isolated from supermarket food samples. In addition, I am studying the ancestry of virulence-associated genes in E. coli strains using PCR-based fingerprinting, gene specific PCR assays, and Dot Blot Probe techniques to target 29 different pathogenic factors. My research experiences have allowed me to become proficient in the scientific mode of inquiry and to attain valuable troubleshooting and technical skills.

My other community services include volunteering as a Persian-English Translator where I have helped people communicate in settings ranging from hospitals to automotive dealerships. In addition, I have been involved with the YMCA Project Motivation program as a big buddy of an at-risk inner city child. Through these two activities, I have gained an understanding of how peoples' unique experiences have shaped their attitudes and perspectives. I realized that it is critical to take into account social and cultural influences when providing services and health care to varying population groups. During the last four years I have been employed at the New Student Programs Office at the University of Minnesota where I have held numerous positions ranging from orientating new students to hiring and training counselors to implement summer camps. These positions gave me the invaluable experience of working very closely with others in a group setting. I was put in situations working 18-hour days while living with the people I worked with and learned the importance of flexibility, open communication, and compromise. I also gained an appreciation for the unique style of group interaction and leadership of different individuals.

I believe that I am an excellent candidate for your medical program, not only because of my experiences, but also because of my high level of passion and commitment. I am highly dedicated to all of the activities and organizations with which I am involved and to the goals that I have set for myself. Throughout the last five years I have worked to support myself through school, succeeded academically, and been actively involved in my community. I am confidant that I have the physical and emotional strength and self-discipline necessary to endure rigorous demands, such as preparing for and working in a medical career because it was in extreme situations that I attained the most personal growth. Collectively my experiences have helped me perceive the human element of science. I enjoy working with people, and making a positive impact on the quality of peoples' lives gives me energy, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment. If given the opportunity, I believe I can make a significant contribution to the field of medicine.

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NEW COLOR SCHEMES
1. new gold (for highest levels) Hex={FF,B9,35}	2. new gold moved to nearby hexagon (secondary levels) Hex={FF,CC,00}	3. light match to new gold and new brown (tertiary levels) Hex={FF,C2,53}	4. lighter match to new gold and new brown (quaternary) Hex={FF,CF,75}
new brown (for top brown bars) Hex={E8,97,00}
new gold moved directly left to red-gold, and lightened (OK) (5th level?) Hex={FF,88,66}	lighter version of "...red-gold" (Ann hasn't seen it, yet.) (5th level?) Hex={FF,A3,88}	old brown (OK) Hex={FF,8F,20}	light version of old brown (OK) Hex={FF,B8,71}

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author.The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author.
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.