Notes from a “How to Create a Resume” Workshop by Grant Byington, writer extraordinaire
- Headhunter=coaches on what to do ‘bout jobs
Have RELIABLE contact information (correctly-spelled name, reliable telephone number, etc.) - Resume=contact information
- Contains:
- Name that you want to be called
- Experience
- Recognition and awards= attention grabbers
- (have all achievements and experience remembered and know what happened. Only list achievements and experience you know how to talk about)
- Be sincere, authentic, and straightforward
- SELL YOURSELF
- Resume gets you in the room, is with you at the table and stays in the room after you leave.
- Does NOT contain:
- A page of goals in the workplace (i.e. how much you want to get paid) A page of fabrications (i.e. Lying about awards and work experience)
- A page of contact information for references
- Do not contain a reference sheet if the workplace doesn’t require it
- If they do require a reference sheet, then print and have one on a separate piece of paper, titled, “Reference Sheet”, not on the resume.
- Do NOT lie in the interview
- Have 2 different resumes
- Chronological resume- lists thing according to work history (by date, most recent first)
- Functional resume-highlights of work history arranged in a way that appeals to the person hiring (i.e. have a functional resume for being an actor. The work experiences that relate to being an actor should be at the beginning)
- Curriculum vitae- Education and what you’ve learned, the classes taken, the certificate or awards in any special interests. History of school and classes.
- Have a “presence” in the community in which you are trying to find a job
- 80% of the people who get jobs get it through the “side door”
- Side door of a company=somebody knows you. You’ve got connections.
- “Somebody knows someone who has an aunt who knows the boss.”
- Put yourself out there. Be out there, be present and authentic.
- You can develop a persona that is your “writing self”, separate from actual self.
- Make the resume ONE SHEET OF PAPER, front and back.
- For acting resumes- don’t have more than 10 characters/plays
- “References available upon request”, have a list of references.
- Choose one font, white paper, black ink, prominent name and contact information
Check out Grant Byington and his blog: http://www.grantbyington.com/
Free and Featherbrained 