VBTC Job Seeking Guide - Resumé - Parts of your Resumé

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Job Placement > VBTC Job Seeking Guide > Résumé > Matching your Résumé to the open Job

Each resume you submit to a potential employer should be specifically tailored to the open job. In other words, each time you submit your resume, you want to make sure that your résumé EMPHASIZES what you think a particular employer needs from an applicant.

For example, if you were applying for a position as a machinist, you would want to emphasize your experience and knowledge of machine tool experience, even though you might have spent more time in the Plastics program than you did in the Machine Tool program. On the other hand, if you were applying for a position as a plastics material handler, you would want to emphasize your experience and knowledge of plastics manufacturing, even though you might have spent more time in the Machine Tool program than you did in the Plastics program.

Making the Connection

You can make the connection between your past experience, training, and character and the open job by concentrating on two categories:

The Work History Match

Most important responsibilities
Points of pride and achievement
Work preferences (to work alone or with others)
Most complex projects/assignments
Most challenging project/assignment
Number and type of people supervised
Levels of interpersonal interaction

The Educational Match

Is the educational level appropriate?
Does the education pattern fit with the work pattern?
Does the activities section make you look like a good candidate?
Has the company employed other students in the past?
Good ones that you could associate yourself with?

Three more Positive "Patterns"

How long at each prior job?
Why did you leave?
Did you stay at a position for too long? (Instead of steadily moving up the ladder)

Promotions and Transfers

Did position changes show that the company thought well of you?
Did the changes help make your background well rounded?
Could any of the changes be interpreted as demotions or problem transfers?

Transitions

What is the nature of your progression in the job market? Are you moving upwards or downwards?
Are there any significant (looooooong) work gaps?
Could this be interpreted in a negative way?