Resume Writing for Pre-Professional Students Presented by:

Brittany M. Wampler Coordinator, Pre-Professional Health Programs [email protected] 218 Main Classroom Building www.csuohio.edu/sciences/preprof

What are we going to do? • Provide general information about resumes • Information on how to best articulate your own experiences • Resources both online and at CSU

First, what do professional schools want? • Skills • Communication • Empathy • Integrity • Reliability • Teamwork • Social Skills

• Service-oriented • Cultural Competence • Ethical decision making • Positivity …Everything!

Why is Resume Writing so difficult?

Common Resume Concerns • I don’t have to write one often, so I don’t know where to begin. • I know there are particular ways to do it, but no one ever taught me. • I don’t know how to make my resume stand out. • I don’t know how to describe what I’ve done.

There’s no right way to do it, but there are a lot of wrong ways to write a resume!

Resume Basics • Every resume will look different • One/Two page limit for your first resume • High school experiences: yes or no? • Professional Document is a representation of you as a professional • No room for spelling and grammar errors

Headings • Headings should catch someone’s attention • Your name should be centered in a larger font size. • Other important information: Complete address (everything spelled out), e-mail, phone number. • If you have two addresses (permanent & school) you can include both so you can be contacted over breaks. If you have only one, center it under your name.

Different font for name and information!

ASHLEY SNYDER CAMPUS ADDRESS PERMANENT ADDRESS 134 South Hall 3550 West Market Street Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Akron, Ohio 44300 (330) 672-3234 (330) 898-2547 (Until May 20, 2015) [email protected] __________________________________________________________________________________________________

JAMIE PEER 4335 Summit Street · Lakewood, Ohio 44107 (330) 678-4629 · [email protected]

Different use of font and spacing! Notice, no mention of “email” or “phone.”

Education • Remember, only put your college education! • GPA on resume? • Putting your education on your resume is very specific! Follow the rules!

Education EDUCATION Bachelor of Science, May 2016 Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio Majors: Biology and Chemistry Minor: Psychology Cumulative GPA: 3.68 Additional Coursework in Biology: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Immunology, Human Gross Anatomy, Histology

Optional to add coursework.

What comes next? • You can choose to order your resume as you like. You want to have the most relevant experiences at the top. • Examples of other topics to include: Pre-Professional Experience Leadership Experience Volunteer Activities Shadowing Experience Research Experience Skill Areas

Headings Pre-Professional Experience

All of these state the same information, but consider using the ones that draw your attention!

Pre-Professional Experience PRE-PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Pre-Professional Experience

Organizing within Headings Making the eye move – Utilizing bold, italics, smaller fonts, etc.

• How do I organize: – – – –

Job/Leadership Position Company/Organization Dates worked/involved Location

Experience Headings University Hospitals of Cleveland, Twinsburg, Ohio July 2013-Present Emergency Department Paramedic – Worked directly with physicians, physician assistants, and nurses – Implemented patient care in a team environment – Assessed nature and extent of illness/injury and patient's history

Bullets • Use detail and talk about numbers… How frequently? How many? How often?

• No Abbreviations/Acronyms • Do not repeat experiences/bullets • Use action words!!!!! • Never exaggerate or be untrue about your abilities and experiences

Action Verbs • Why are action verbs so important? • Adding variety is the spice of life! – Do not use an action verb more than once in your resume. – Utilize action verbs that highlight a variety of skill sets • http://www.tbrnet.com/resumes/actionverbs.php3?w

YOUR TURN! Turn these statements around and make them shine… • Volunteered at Cleveland Clinic, Lakewood Hospital • Tutored kids in Principles of Biology I and II • Shadowed three doctors • Served as a research assistant in a Chemistry faculty lab

• Managed caseload of 600+ students varying in pre-medical, dental, pharmacy, and veterinary programs by tracking appointments, notes, and serving as the sole support service for the path to professional programs • Oversaw management of the Individualized Pre-Professional Post Baccalaureate Program of 70-80 students • Created 10+ workshops on various topics to aid pre-professional students on their path as well as created a campus advertising campaign and evaluation structure • Partnered with Honors and Scholars, Athletics, and the College of Sciences and Health Professions to ensure that students were receiving accurate information for their advisors

Shadowing Information • Include Hospital Name and Information • Location • Physician/Dentist/Pharmacist You shadowed • Specialty • Dates/Total Hours

Shadowing Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Main Campus, Cleveland, Ohio Dr. Amy Rak, Internal Medicine June-August 2014 (48 hours total)

Research Information • Include PI, Faculty Information • Overview of purpose, key findings, techniques learned • Your role and contributions

Research Experience Research Assistant, Cleveland State University Department of Chemistry, Cleveland, Ohio May- December 2014 • Served as a research assistant analyzing the molecular process of cell death and proliferation control during the genotoxic stress response • Measured cell responses during chemotherapy treatments

Publications/Presentations • Use correct citation for the field • List in reverse chronological order (most recent first) • Include relevant publications, conference presentations, poster presentations, and items accepted for publication

Leadership Experience • Include role in organization and responsibilities unique to your role • Include skills obtained, projects led • Accomplishments while in the position

Cover Letters

Cover Letter Headings • Headings should catch someone’s attention • The heading of a cover letter is the beginning of a professional letter. • Other important information: Complete address, e-mail, phone number.

Cover Letter Headings Option I:

Option II:

Your full address (no name)

Resume Heading

Date

Date

Company Address (with the persons name that you are sending the letter)

Company Address (with the persons name that you are sending the letter)

Dear Mr./Mrs./Dr. person,

Dear Mr./Mrs./Dr. person,

BRITTANY M. WAMPLER

45 Main Street • Cleveland, Ohio 44115 [email protected] • 216-687-9321

March 29, 2015 Dr. Meredith Bond Dean, College of Science & Health Professions Cleveland State University Cleveland, Ohio 44115 Dear Dr. Bond,

Introduction Paragraph • The introduction should be about you and a pitch to your experience and education. • You should include: – How you found out about the position – What you like about the company – Why YOU are a good fit for the job

• What you know about the company and how that aligns with your goals (philosophy, values, goals)

My name is Brittany Wampler and I am a first year student at Cleveland State University majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. I hope to one day go to medical school and have started gaining experience in a variety of areas to build my resume. I am writing today to share my resume with you in the hopes that I may connect with you to shadow your practice.

Paragraphs Two and Three

• Describe your experiences in more detail.

– What do you have to offer the employer? – What concrete examples and you provide relating your past experiences to the job? • Provide numbers where possible. • Tell a story.

• One paragraph about you and your experiences, the next about the job and how your experiences match what they are looking for in the position.

I am very interested in your work as a pediatrician and would love to talk with you further about your educational background and experience at Ohio State University College of Medicine. I’ve been looking into a variety of primary care areas and pediatrics has always been an interest of mine. The opportunity to observe your work would be a great addition to my experience. In terms of availability, I have a flexible schedule on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In addition, there are several breaks in our academic schedule that would permit me to observe for an extended period of time.

Throughout my first year of college, I have gained experience through volunteering with Colleges Against Cancer and joining the American Medical Student Association. I’ve completed some observation hours in the past through a high school shadowing experience as well. I am also in my first semester of General Chemistry and Biology, which are certainly providing me with a variety of challenges for the semester!

Conclusion Paragraph • Highlight personality traits or skills that you feel are important to mention. • Write about the next steps (“I will follow up within…” or “I look forward to hearing from your about the next steps in the process…”) • Thank the employer for consideration. • Reiterate contact information.

Thank you in advance for your reply. I hope that through this email you have been able to grasp my passion for medicine as well as pediatrics. You can feel free to email or call me at your convenience and I hope that we will be able to connect in the future. I have also included a copy of my resume for you. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely, Brittany Wampler

Overall Tips and Tricks • Use concise language that is simple to understand and comprehend. • Use the same font and font size as your resume. • Find ways for your personality and professionalism to show through the letter. • Make sure that you mention special qualifications that you possess that will make you an excellent candidate. • This is not a reiteration of what can be found in your resume. You must go beyond the resume.

Overall Tips and Tricks continued • Use professional language. • Check and re-check for spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. • Illustrate with examples. • Use action-oriented verbs and language. • If you know someone at the company, this is a good opportunity to mention it.

Power Phrases • Use of phrases that advertise your abilities or your confidence are key. – I am confident that I can make a contribution….because…. – I look forward to talking with you and will call your office… – With my educational background, skills…I feel confident about my abilities to… – I would like the opportunity to further discuss my qualifications for this position.

Resources • Action Verbs by Skill Set: http://www.quintcareers.com/action_skills.html

• Cover Letter Help: http://career.asc.ohio-state.edu/cs_workshops.htm

• JHU Resume Presentation: http://web.jhu.edu/prepro/Forms/Resumes_premed.p df

• Career Center: http://csuw3.csuohio.edu/offices/career/

Pre-Professional Health Programs Services • Resume Editing • Cover Letter Editing • Personal Statement Editing • Secondary Application Editing • 48 BUSINESS Hours in Advance Rule

THANK YOU!

Brittany M. Wampler Coordinator, Pre-Professional Health Programs [email protected] 218 Main Classroom Building www.csuohio.edu/sciences/preprof