Staff PIcks

Keeping your résumé up to date is a good habit to have.  When we’re not in the habit, International Update Your Résumé Month in September marks our calendars to remind us to freshen them up with all our latest skills and achievements.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, resumes became an institutional requirement when applying for a job. Resumes have taken shape in many different forms. Today, there are 4 types of basic resume’s used by potential employees—Chronological, Functional, Combination and Targeted.

Types of Résumés

Chronological resumes present work history, personal achievements, and education in chronological order. Emphasis is given to work history in a chronological resume, naming the latest employment first. Unlike Chronological resumes, Functional resumes take the focus away from work history and place focus on skills and abilities. Combination resumes put emphasis on work history, skills and abilities to allow employers to see everything equally. Targeted resumes allow applicants to customize their resume according to the position being applied for.

Choosing which resume type depends on the individual. However, a resume should always look professional and easy to read. It’s important to be consistent. Focus on the information you are trying to present to potential employers. Before presenting a resume, recheck for spelling and grammatical errors. Choosing the right action verbs to describe your skills and accomplishments might be the deciding factor in gaining employment. Be creative!

Be Prepared

Whether you climb the corporate ladder or are currently pounding the pavement, polishing your résumé with your most recent accomplishments and acquired knowledge will keep talent seekers aware of your abilities. Avoid the anxiety when opportunity knocks or the unfortunate occurs and you realize the résumé needs major updating. Recalling years of achievement is much more difficult than an annual updating.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Look at the last year’s goals and accomplishments. Make those advancements and changes to your résumé and use #UpdateYourResumeMonth to share on social month. Come to the Library and use our computers to help you update your resume.

HISTORY

Professional resumes date back to 1482 when Leonardo da Vinci made a decision to put his personal accomplishments on paper. Though written in the form of a letter, da Vinci made an attempt to secure employment for the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, as a military engineer. Da Vinci eventually left employment with the Duke of Milan and became a full-time artist. A decade after leaving Milan, da Vinci made his return to the city. Finding himself once again under the charge of Duke Sforza, this time it was to create the masterpiece now known as The Last Supper.

Computer Webcams and Headphones are now available for library patrons at Langley Public Library to use on the library computers! We also have laptops available for checkout.

This project is funded through the Oklahoma Department of Libraries with a federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA).