Transcript Slide 1

MCFAM – Minnesota Center for Financial & Actuarial
Mathematics
Resumes
For Industry
Presenter: Laurie A. Derechin
Executive Director - MCFAM
WHAT IS A
?
• A personal summary of your academic and professional experience and
qualifications.
• Includes your education, work experience, activities, honors, skills
• Tailored to the position, employer or industry of interest
• Marketing tool to gain an interview
GENERAL GUIDELINES
• Length: One page for bachelor’s level; Two for Masters or Ph.D.
• O.5” – 1.0” margins (recommend 0.5” on all 4 sides)
• Font: 10-12 point font (Times New Roman, Ariel, Garamond)
• Don’t use resume templates, tables, columns or other graphics
• Single Spacing
• 100% factual – don’t lie
• Proofread!
GETTING STARTED
 Write down all experiences – work, volunteer, leadership, internship,
extra-curricular, projects, awards, etc. (MASTER RESUME)
 Organize resume into categories
 Define target audience (job, internship, graduate school, etc.) and write
down related skills/qualifications.
 For Examples: Career & Job Search Guide, Resume Binder in CCSE
COMMON RESUME SECTIONS
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Name and Contact Information
Objective
Education
Professional Experience
Research Experience
Teaching Experience
Activities
Skills/Certifications
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Honors and Awards
Volunteer Experience
Leadership Experience
Professional Memberships
Projects
Publications
Presentations
Patents
OBJECTIVES
 What type of position are you seeking and in what
field?
 Be concise
 What skills can you bring to the position?
 Example: To obtain a summer internship in Risk
Analysis, utilizing my _______________ (skills in the
description that you possess).
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
Expected May 2012
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, College of Science and Engineering, Minneapolis, MN
Emphasis – Actuarial Science
GPA: 3.981
• High school information (1st and 2nd Year students only)
• Study abroad
• Honors/Awards (or separate heading if more than 2)
Master of Science in Financial Mathematics
Expected May 2011
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, College of Science and Engineering, Minneapolis, MN
Emphasis: Finance
GPA: 3.750
Relevant Coursework: Fundamental Structures of Algebra; Introduction to Numerical Analysis;
Introduction to Analysis I, II; Combinatorics A (in progress)
EXPERIENCE
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Title “Experience” headings based on industry of interest
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Research Experience, Industry Experience, Actuary Experience
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Include: company name and location, job title, dates, and duties, responsibilities
(contributions) and accomplishments.
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Make this section easy to read by using indents and bullets
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Use action verbs to highlight your experience (do not use personal pronouns (i.e. I, My, We)
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List your “Experiences” in reverse chronological order – most recent first
3M Co., Maplewood, Minnesota
Tech Aide
May 2009 – Sept. 2009
• Detailed description of your specific duties and responsibilities, as well as the skills used to accomplish these
tasks (how you contributed)
PROJECTS
• Include Project Title
• Include Dates Involved
• Provide a detailed description of the project, what your roles were and the
technical skills used
Financial Mathematics Winter Workshop
Fall 2009
Detailed description of your project, what your roles were, and the skills used to accomplish these
tasks
USE ACTIVE LANGUAGE
• Use concrete words to describe
your experience with strong
action verbs.
• Use present tense to
discuss current activities
and past tense for previous. (or all
in past—be consistent)
• Be as specific as possible
in descriptions
• Use field terminology
Vague:
• Worked as a Sales Associate.
Specific:
• Interact sensitively and tactfully
with hundreds of customers each
day.
• Visualize and create imaginative
window and in-store product
displays for over 100 clients
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
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COMMUNICATION
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PROBLEM SOLVING
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CREATIVITY
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LEADERSHIP
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SUPERVISORY/MANAGEMENT
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RESEARCH/QUANTITATIVE
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ORGANIZATION/PLANNING
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TECHNICAL
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TEAMWORK
SKILLS & ACTIVITIES
• Skills section with technical/lab skills/field specific skills
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Technical: C, C++, Java, Mathematica, MS Excel
Applied Mathematics: Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Risk Management/Analysis
• Activities demonstrate your leadership ability, communication skills,
and time management ability
• Focus on structured activities rather than hobbies (extra-curricular
activities, leadership, etc.)
• Include your title if appropriate
• Include dates of involvement
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Active Member, Financial Mathematics Student Association
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Member, Intramural Soccer, Softball and Ultimate Frisbee
2009-Present
2008-Present
What NOT to Include on a Resume
Lies & Exaggerations:
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Employers typically conduct background checks, so everything on your resume is fair game for discussion in an
interview; Do not lie about or round your GPA. The U of M posts GPAs to three decimal places (Ex. 3.128)
Personal Information:
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Age, gender, political affiliation, race, marital status, sexual orientation, ID number, test scores, course grades,
pictures
Supervisor Contact Information
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Contact information related to experiences may be included on a reference sheet, and only after asking permission
Salary History/Requests
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Disclosing this information may make salary negotiation more difficult and may rule you out of the candidate pool;
More appropriate to discuss during an interview
Hobbies/Interests
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Keep everything on your resume professional– hobbies are personal information
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However, if it is unique or related, it may come in handy. Ex. Mechanical engineering student listing auto repair
Personal Pronouns
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Example: I, I’m, My, Our, We, etc.; Begin statements with power verbs and do not write sentences
“References Available Upon Request”
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Use a separate page for references provided during an interview. Employers assume you have them
VISUAL APPEAL
• Headings should stand out and be different from other text
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Ex. Bold, ALL CAPS
• The most important information should be toward the top
― You don’t have to include everything
• Balance of text and white space on page
― Easy to read, professional, focused
• Clean, consistent format and punctuation
• Print resume on resume-based paper (stay conservative with color choice)
How To Read Job Postings
Credit Analyst 6 – Quantitative Analyst US Bank
Job Description
• Design, develop, test and document mathematical models; Apply
knowledge and understanding of quantitative methods, modeling
methodologies, database and SAS statistics; Develop validate and
track probability of default & loss severity models; Prepare reports
re: the estimation process, accuracy of estimate default rates, loss
severity rates & expected losses;
Qualifications
• Master's degree (Stats., Math, Econ, or related) and 2 yrs of
experience
• Must have 2 yrs. of work exp. w/ statistics & quantitative methods
and 18 mos. work exp. w/ credit analysis, modeling, and database
& SAS software.
Target Cover Letter to Key Requirements
February 15, 2011
Dear Mr. ____/Hiring Manger,
I was pleased to hear about the Quantitative Analyst position at US Bank which I saw on your website.
After reviewing the requirements, I think I am a strong fit for the position.
Your job description requires a Master Degree in Statistics, Math or Economics, 2 years of experience
in financial modeling, database and SAS statistics analysis, probability of default and loss severity
models as well as 18 months in credit analysis and SAS software. Here are some of the ways my
background fits your needs:
• I will be graduating with a Master in Financial Mathematics this spring
• I have had 2 years of experience as an associate risk analyst at Wells Fargo Bank
• My assignments focused on credit analysis & loss forecasts using large data sets & SAS software.
I am extremely interested in this position and believe I am well suited for the job and look forward to
hearing back from you about an interview so we can further explore how I could contribute to the
success of your department
Thanks for your time and consideration,
Jon Smith
Bullet Point How You Match
Requirements
Try to always outline the key skills you
have that match what they are looking
for in bullet format because they will
take 30 seconds to read your letter
Career Advancement Resources
MCFAM
112 Vincent Hall
For Career Development, Job/Internship Search Strategy,
Interview Preparation
Set Up Appointment with Laurie Derechin via email:
[email protected]
Career Advancement Resources
Career Center for Science & Engineering
50 Lind Hall
If you don’t already have a resume,
Get resume/cover letter reviewed here before appt. with Laurie
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Quick Stop Counseling: Monday-Friday, 11:30-1:00
612-624-4090
www.ccse.umn.edu; [email protected]