The Maywood Public Library District  

Writing Resumes

Using Microsoft Word:

 A Brief Guide

Job Resources at the Maywood Library

The Job Center can be found on the third floor of the Maywood Library in the Reference Department.  Several resources are
located there which can aid you in developing your resume.  Some of them include:

Same–Day Resume: Write an Effective Resume in an Hour by Michael J. Farr
650.14/FAR

Electronic Resumes and Online Networking by Rebecca Smith
650.14/SMI

Federal Resume Guidebook: Write a Winning Federal Resume to Get in, Get Promoted, and Survive in a Government
Job by Kathryn K. Troutman
650.142/TRO

Teen Dream Jobs by Nora Coon
331.702/COO

Creating Your High School Resume by Kathryn K. Troutman
650.142/TRO

Resumes for Re-Entering the Job Market by the VGM Professional Resume series
650.14/RES

Blue Collar Resumes by Steven Provenzano
650.14/PRO

Developing a Professional VITA or Resume by Carl McDaniels
650.14/MCD

Real Resumes for Retailing, Modeling, Fashion and Beauty Jobs edited by Anne McKinney
650.14/REA

Real Resume for Manufacturing Jobs edited by Anne Mckinney
650.14/REA

Creating Resumes with Microsoft Word

Getting Started

First, the best advice that you can possibly receive is to take a look at some of the examples of different resumes found in
some of the resume books provided at your library.  Resumes are not simply written, they are designed. 

Of course, if you do not have the time to do that, Microsoft Word, one of the programs found on the public computers on
the first and third floors, provides a few useful templates for designing resumes that can be used while seeking employment.

1. First, look on the desktop (the original computer screen with all of the icons on it) and find a blue and white icon with
a big blue “W” in the center of it.  This is the Microsoft Word icon. 

2. Double-click on the Microsoft Word icon using the LEFT button of your mouse.

3. On the right hand side of the Word document toward the middle is a heading that says “Open.”  Under this heading is
a hypertext link that says “Create a new document.”  Click on this hyperlink.

4. Now click on the link that says “my computer.”

5. Click on the tab that says “Other Documents.”

6. Double click on “Professional resume.”  There are other resume templates that you may use, but “Professional resume”
is one of the more popular ones, especially since it places your name, address, and phone number at the very top of
your resume.

Adding the Details 

What you should now see is an example of a resume by Microsoft Word.  Of course, the person being described here is
not you, so you will have to change it.

1. Look at the very first set of words.  It should say, “Click here and type your address.”  Left click there once, then
type in your address.  Do the same for the phrase, “Put phone, fax, and e-mail here.” The only other time you will
make your changes in this manner is when you are typing in your “Objective.”

2. Now point the mouse arrow on the left side of the name.  Hold the left key down and drag the mouse to the right at the
same time.  This is called “highlighting.”  Now type in your name.  When you begin to type, the previous name will be
erased.

3. Enter the rest of the information the same way you entered your name.

4. If you decide that you want to change your lettering style, go to “Edit” and choose “Select All.”  Go to the small window
that is one window to the left of the “B I U” icons on the top.  Click on the downward arrow of that icon and then click
on the font that you want to use.  The best font is generally considered to be “Times New Roman.”

5. Now SAVE YOUR WORK ON A DISC. To do this, left click on “File” found at the top left of your document, choose
“Save as,” change the “Save in” selection to the “3 ½ Floppy” drive using the drop down arrow (floppies are available at
the Reference desk or the Computer Center desk), give your resume a name, and hit “Save.”  Be sure to save your work
every 10 minutes.  There are a thousand ways you can lose your work if you do not save it, such as through a power
outage or your computer screen freezing at a bad time.

Useful Resume Websites

While creating your own resume using Microsoft Word is highly advised, you can also create a resume using the following
websites:

Monster
http://www.monster.com

Hot Jobs.
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com 

Bullets and Numbers

You may decide that you need to add more bullets than the ones provided, or that using numbers is more fashionable.  To
do this:

1. Set the cursor (the flashing vertical line that designates where your typed words will appear) at the very end of your last
typed bullet.

2. Hit the [ENTER] key on your keyboard one time.

3. A new bullet will now appear.

4. If you decide that you want to use numbers instead of bullets, highlight all of the words Microsoft has provided for you in
that section (not the entire document) and hit the [DELETE] key on your keyboard.  The highlighting will not reach the
bullets, but they will be deleted.

5. If the top bullet remains, simply use the [BACKSPACE] key to remove it.

6. At the top of your Microsoft Word document lying slightly to the right of “B I U” is an icon made of three lines labeled “1.,
2., 3.”  Left click on that icon.

7. You may notice that the number “1” that appeared is slightly off.  Hit the [BACKSPACE] button one time.

8. Now that it is lined up, type in what you want your potential employer to know and hit [ENTER] to form the next number
at the end of each sentence or statement. 

Some Final Tips

1. Try to make your resume 1 page in length.

2. Former jobs that are related to the position(s) for  which you are applying for should be placed in bold and/or underlined. 
This can be done by highlighting the word(s) and left clicking on the B or U icons at the top center of your Microsoft Word
document.  

3. Get to the point.  Lengthy resumes may be skipped by the Human Resources Department.

4. Make sure your name, address, phone number, and e-mail are clearly present.  If you do not have an e-mail account, get one. 
They are free.

5. Do not put your entire resume in bold, and avoid using fancy words. Make your resume as easy to read as possible.

1. After completing your resume, go to “File,” choose “Save As,” make sure that your document is being saved onto your  “3 ½
Floppy” (not “My Documents”), and hit “Save.”

2. Go into your e-mail account and click on “Inbox,” which is found on the left hand side.

3. Click on “Compose,” and enter your own entire e-mail address in the “To” address bar.

4. Type “Resume” in your “Subject” bar and “Please see attachment” in the message box.

5. Click on “Attach Files,” choose the first “Browse” icon, use the drop down menu next to “Look in” to select “3 ½ Floppy,”
and double click on your resume document.

6. Click on “Attach Files” again, wait, and then click on “Continue to Message.”

7. You should now see your resume’s name in small letters under the “Subject” bar.  Hit “Send.”

8. To retrieve your e-mailed resume, click on “Check Mail,” then  click on the blue hypertext of your message in the “Subject”
column. Click on “Scan and save to computer” at the bottom, choose “Download Attachment,” and hit “Open.”  Your
resume should now appear.

Consumer Information