Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for

Module 6 Professions

Preparing a Resumé
Have you ever seen a resumé? Did you know that this is the first document
that a hiring employer will look at when reviewing your application? With your
application letter attached to it, these documents are necessary to establish your
academic and career background, and for you to win an interview from a potential
employer. Writing a resumé is a skill not everyone is born with it. Fortunately, this
skill can be acquired through research. Keep in mind that acquiring the skills of
writing a job summary, skills and experience in the most appealing way could open
doors to future opportunities. It also becomes beneficial throughout your career.
Resumé is derived from the French word résumer which means “sum up.”
Basically, it contains a written summary of an applicant’s education, work
experience, accomplishments, and needed skills for the job. As part of the
application process, an applicant is required to submit a resume with a cover letter.
Since winning an interview is one specific purpose of a resume, it is important to
put effort and time in developing and maintaining an accurate and updated
resumé.
When writing a resumé, it is very necessary to choose the resume format
that best highlights your education, skills, and experience. Accordingly, hiring
employers and other staffing professionals spend less time on applicants’ resume.
Thus, the impressive content of your resume is important to pass the cut.
In Senior High School, you are expected to choose among the four exit points
which are employment, entrepreneurship, higher education, or skills development.
Whichever exits point you are most likely to choose after senior high school, it is a
requirement for you to craft a powerful resume.
In choosing a resume format, you can use the diagram below as your guide.
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

The Three Types of Resumés

The table below shows the difference among the three types of resumes.

Types What is this When do you What headings

format? use this should you use
format? with this
format?
 The  Your career  Personal
chronological history Details
resume is the shows  Career
most used. It growth and Objective
lists work developmen
experience in  Employment
t
reverse time  History
order (i.e.,  Your career
most recent objective is  Education
work very similar  Professional
experiences to your work
experience.  Associations
first) with an
emphasis on  Your  Referees
responsibilities previous
and employer
accomplishme has been
Chronologica
nts. prestigious.
l resumé
 A chronological  You’re
resume applying for
provides clear a job in a
information in highly
job titles, traditional
areas of field or
responsibility, organization
periods of
study and
employment.
The
chronological
format spells
out your job
history from
the most
recent job
backwards
with the most
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

recent job
having the
greatest
emphasis.
 The functional  You are a  Personal
resume is new Details
designed to graduate  Career
stress the with little Objective
qualifications experience.
of the job  Selected
 Your career
seeker with Achievements
objective is
less emphasis or
very
on specific Accomplishme
different
employers and nts
from your
dates. Some (Relevant to
experience.
functional the
Functional
resumes don’t  Your work
Resume include a work history is position)
history. spotty and  Business
However, not patchy.
 Experience
including a  You have
work history been absent (Include work
may create from the job experience –
large market for paid
questions in an any length
and unpaid,
employer’s mind, of time.
so it is a good placements,
idea to include it. cooperative
positions, etc)
 Professional
Associations
 Education
 Referees
 A combination  You want to  Personal
of give the Details
chronological employer a  Career
and functional snapshot of Objective
formats in one your
resume. relevant  Education
skills but  Employment
 The most
also want to
popular  History
show you
resume
have a work  Skills
format.
history.
 Used to  Professional
 You have
modernize  Associations
limited work
chronological
experience  Extracurricular
resumes. and
in the field
tailor your  Activities/
you are
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

skills to the applying for, Interests

job. but work
Combination  Referees
experience
or Hybrid
in other
Resume
fields.
 You are
applying for
a job in a
highly
traditional
field (e.g.,
law,
accounting)
or the
employer
has
requested a
chronologica
l format, but
you have a
patchy or
limited work
history.
 You are a
mature-age
student with
extensive
work history
but are
looking to
move into a
new
industry. You
want to
show you
have a work
history but
also
highlight
relevant
skills.
(Source:
https://latrobe.careerhub.com.au/resources/careermodules/module1/unit4/
unit04_03.html)
Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

After learning and choosing among different resume formats, you need to put
sections in correct order. Remember that sections that must be included in
your resume will heavily depend on your chosen format.

The Seven Essential Sections of a Resume

1. Heading
 The resume heading contains basic information about the applicant. This
includes the applicant’s complete name, current address, contact details
such as phone number, cellphone number or e-mail address. The heading
can be written in the center or on the left-side.
Example:
Napoleon G. Santos
2505 Patac, Sto. Tomas, La Union
Phone: (02) 123 4567
Mobile: (+63) 912 345 6213
e-mail: [email protected]

2. Objectives
 The resume objectives or career objectives reflect the career goals and
intention for the job application of an applicant. These objectives must be
specific and direct so that the employer can easily know what to expect
from you.
Example:
Seeking an entry level in the bar waiter position with a focus on
serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, up selling the drinks, and
taking order from guests.
3. Professional Summary
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

 Also referred to as ‘career summary’ or ‘career profile’, the professional

summary showcases your valuable and recent job experience, including
your soft skills.
Example:
Good communicator, a flexible and reliable Service Crew with two
years’ experience in providing customer service, preparing food, and
maintaining cleanliness of the store.
4. Expertise and Achievement
 Also referred to as ‘professional skills or ‘qualification’ of the applicant,
expertise and achievement includes personal and technical skills including
the certifications and recognition received.
Example:
 Order-taking skills
 Awarded as best service crew dated January 2015.
 Excellent in persuading customers to try new food products.
5. Work Experience
 Also referred to as "employment history," "relevant experience", or "work
history," work experience includes all the applicant’s previous
employment related to the job he/she is applying for. In case an applicant
doesn’t have any work experience yet, it is required to write first his/her
educational background, and the optional part which is the Training and
Seminar Attended.
Example:
Service Crew
JoeyBee Inc.
(June 2014 to July 2016)
6. Educational Background
 Also labeled as Academic Qualification, the educational background
section contains the applicant’s degree together with his/her major,
minor, or field of concentration, school and year attended.
Example:
Bachelor of Hotel and Restaurant Management
Polytechnic College of Luzon
2010 – 2014

7. References
 This section in a resume provides contact and background information on
professional references. These references will provide employers with
information about you and your work. Ideally, this includes two to three
references at the bottom of your resume.
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

Tips for Effective Resume Writing

1. Use consistent spacing throughout, and evenly sized margins on all sides if
possible.
2. Stick with traditional formatting: white page, black text, readable font.
3. Choose a non-decorative font such as Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri,
Helvetica, or Georgia.
4. Ideally, your font size should be no larger than 12 and no smaller than 10.5.
5. One-inch resume margins are standard and especially useful for job
applicants without much experience.
6. Use action verbs to describe your experience: (e.g., “developed”,
“increased”, “solved”, etc.).
7. Briefly discuss your responsibilities and include statistics that will help the
employer with the order of magnitude.
8. Only include significant accomplishments if, in fact, they are important;
otherwise, you risk “cheapening” your qualifications.
9. Do not exaggerate the importance of your achievements.
10. Omit personal information such as age, marital status, height, weight,
gender, and religious affiliation.
11. Minimize jargon and abbreviations and be concise.
12. Always submit or mail a cover letter with your resume.

Writing Application Letters

Senior High School is said to be the preparation for the different career exits
such as the higher education and employment. Thus, entering a new career as a
high school graduate requires you to possess the skills needed on responding to
written communications. Having the ability to write a letter will increase your
chances of landing your dream job, or maybe admitted to the university that offers
the course and major you want to take up.
College Admission Letter, also referred to as the “letter of intent,” is a
requirement letter for admission in a college or university. Usually, it is a one-page
letter which concisely discusses your intention for attending the college program.
Employment Application Letter, also referred to as the "job application
letter" or "cover letter", is a one-page letter attached to the resume when applying
for jobs. The purpose of writing the employment application letter is to highlight
the applicant’s experiences and personal qualities for him to be considered for an
interview schedule, as well as with the available job position.
It must be put in mind that before sending your application letter, it should
be positively and professionally written, and free from any errors. Any mistake or
inconsistency may create a negative impression on you as an applicant.
Parts of a Professional Letter
1. Heading.
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

 The sender's address usually is included in letterhead. If you are not using
letterhead, include the sender's address at the top of the letter one line
above the date. Do not write the sender's name or title, as it is included in
the letter's closing. Include only the street address, city, and zip code.
2. Date.
 The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written. However,
if your letter is completed over a number of days, use the date it was
finished in the date line.
3. Inside Address.
 It contains the name of the college or university admission head, his job
title (if applicable) and the address of the university. It is the address of
the receiver. Skip a line between the heading, date, and inside address.
4. Salutation.
 It is the line that begins with the word "Dear..." Place a colon (:) at the end
of the salutation. Use Mr. for men and Ms. for women. Try to obtain a
name to which you can address your letter. If the name has not been
obtained, address it as “Sir/Madam”.
5. Body.
 The body is the main part of the letter which includes the course you are
interested in, reason for choosing the university, description of academic
interest, the basis for them to consider your application, and plans, if any.
Last part will be your request to consider your application for admission
and information on how to contact you.
6. Complimentary Close.
 It is a polite way of finishing the letter. Remember that it always ends with
comma (,).
7. Signature.
 This is the last part of the letter. Write your name on the first line and your
title (if applicable) on the second line. Then sign directly above the typed
name.

Letter Formats
 The format, including the content and tone of the employment application
letter, depends on the applicant’s preference. Employment application
letter or cover letter has three different formats: full block, modified block,
and semi-block format. The content in a cover letter is all the same and
will vary on the format or on the placement of each part.
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

1. Full Block Format.

 This is the most common layout used in writing cover letter. In this format,
all parts are justified to the left.
2. Modified Block Format
 Modified block is a type of format where applicant’s address,
complimentary close, signature and sender’s identification is shifted to the
right side. Note that the first sentence in the body or in each paragraph is
not indented.
3. Semi-Block Format
 The least used format is the semi-block. It is almost the same as the
modified block format; however, the difference is that the first sentence in
each paragraph is indented.

Sample College Admission Letter (Full Block)

Sample Employment Application Letter (Full Block)

 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

Forms of Office Correspondence

In the world of education, business, and communication, letters play a very
essential role. Through writing letters, we can communicate our ideas and
emotions to our family, friends and other people. In education, it helps students to
get details about the course offered, requirements for admission, tuition fees, and
the like. While in the business sector, it is essential in communicating business
information to customers or suppliers—a letter of complaint can be one of those. In
short, a major role is played by writing letters in our lives and it takes a good and
exciting deal to learn the process of writing the various forms of office
correspondence.
Office correspondence, also known as the ‘business correspondence,’ is a
written exchange of internal and external communication to support all business
processes. It has three major forms including business letter, business memo,
and business e-mail that may be used for internal and external communication.
Internal correspondence means that there is communication or agreement
between departments or branches of the same company, while external
correspondence means that the communication is between the company and
another organization or firm. The purpose of the correspondence is to
communicate the information in a clear and professional way. (Source:
Quipper.com)

Three Major Forms of Office Correspondence

A. Business Letter
 is the traditional way of communicating information from one company to
another or used in external correspondence. The format can either be
full block, modified block, and semi-block. The format used in writing
a business letter depends on the requirements set by the company.
 Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions

 Different types of letters are sales letter, order letter, complaint

letter, inquiry letter, adjustment letter, acknowledgement letter,
follow-up letter, acknowledgement letter, cover letter, letter of
recommendation and letter of resignation.

B. Business Memorandum or Memo

 is a written communication strictly between the company’s offices to
another or used in internal correspondence. The difference
between a memo and a letter is that the memo has its title line and
series number. The employees tend to read if the title line is related to
their job description. It is also used to implement internal guidelines of
procedures that the employees must follow.

C. Business E-mail
 is an office correspondence that can either be internal or external.
There is no required format in writing e-mail correspondence, but it is
expected that the writer maintains a professional tone. Note that the
header of the letter is written on the blank fields including the ‘from’
and ‘to’ fields. ‘From’ contains e-mail from the sender while the field
‘to’ contains the email of the recipient.
Reading and Writing Skills Purposeful Writing for
Module 6 Professions