3.5. Résumé

The résumé plugin allows you to create an online résumé / curriculum vitae. You can either publish the entire résumé or individual components of it in your portfolio.

3.5.1. Introduction

In the introduction you can write a Cover Letter and also provide some Personal Information.

3.5.1.1. Write your cover letter

It is advisable that you write your cover letter in a word processor. That will allow you to spellcheck your writing. Alternatively, a site administrator could install the spellchecker for the editor.

However, you should do the formatting in the editor window and not your word processor to avoid unwelcome formatting changes.

Click the Save button right below the editor window when you are happy with your cover letter to save it to Mahara for future use.

Note

If you write your cover letter or any other text in Microsoft Word, please use the Paste from Word button to strip out most of the formatting code that Word puts into a document but can interfere online.

3.5.1.2. Provide personal information

None of the fields under Personal Information are required. You can choose to include as much or as little information as you wish. Most fields are free form fields.

Note

Mahara is being used around the world. Therefore, some information here or later on in the résumé do not apply to you. If you do not need them, you do not have to fill in the fields.

• Date of birth: Either choose your date of birth from the calendar or enter it in the format YYYY/MM/DD, e.g. 1978/01/30 when you want to say that you were born on 30 January 1978.
• Place of birth: Enter your place of birth. You can also enter the country you were born in.
• Citizenship: Fill it in as it is shown in your passport.
• Visa status: As employment laws vary between countries, you may wish to include your work or travel visa status within your résumé where relevant.
• Gender: Select the one that applies to you.
• Marital status: Provide it if it is relevant.

Click on Save when you want to keep that information.

3.5.2. Education & Employment

This part of the résumé allows you to create a record of your academic and professional qualifications as well as your work experience.

The process of creating an entry for your education history and your employment history is similar. Therefore, the process is explained only once.

1. Click the Add button to start a new entry.
2. Fill in all the fields that are marked in red and with an *. These fields are required to have a minimum of information.
3. Fill in the other fields if they are relevant for you.
4. Click the Save button right below the “Qualification Description” to save your entry.
5. Click the Add button to add more items.

Note

You can enter the dates any which way you wish. It is not a calendar date field because different résumés require different date formats.

Interpreting the Education History table

1. Use the up and down arrows to change the order of the individual items in your history.
2. The start date is displayed as you entered it.
3. The end date is displayed as you entered it.
4. Your qualification along with the institution is shown.
5. Use the Edit and Delete buttons to edit the individual records or delete them respectively.

Note

It is important to save each new entry using the Save button at the end of the form.

Entries are displayed in a tabular format. Change an entry by clicking the Edit button . When you are finished, save your changes to return to this page. Click the Delete button to remove entries.

If you have provided a description for your qualification, click your qualification’s name to view or hide this information.

3.5.3. Achievements

In Achievements you can collect information on:

• certifications, accreditations and awards, e.g. Chartered Accountant, Registered Nurse, Award for Best Actress
• books and publications
• professional membership, e.g. in the American Philosophical Society

The process of adding, editing and moving entries is similar to the process for Education & Employment.

1. Click the Add button to start a new entry.
2. Fill in all the fields that are marked in red and with an *. These fields are required to have a minimum of information.
3. Fill in the other fields if they are relevant for you.
4. Click the Save button right below the “Description” to save your entry.
5. Click the Add button to add more items.
6. Use the up and down arrows to change the order of the individual items in your history.
7. Click the Delete button to remove an entry from your list.

Achievements provided in the Résumé

Note

Click the title of your certification, accredidation, award, book or professional membership to see its full description.

3.5.4. Goals

The Goals area is divided into three sections:

• Personal goals
• Academic goals
• Career goals

Goals added here may be included in your portfolio pages.

Personal or career goals are often provided in résumés so that employers can understand how a particular role might suit your ambitions.

You can also use the academic goals section to describe achievements you are seeking in your programme of study.

Write your goal description into the appropriate box and click on the Save button once you are done editing. You can come back at any time and edit your goals.

Writing down goals for use in portfolio pages

3.5.5. Skills

The Skills area is divided into three sections:

• Personal skills
• Academic skills
• Work skills

Skills added here may be included in your portfolio pages.

Employers are always interested in what skills you can bring to a role. You can also use this section to display the attributes that you would bring to a collaborative community or working group.

Write your skills descriptions into the appropriate box and click on the Save button once you are done editing. You can come back at any time and edit your goals.

Example of work skills

3.5.6. Interests

The Interests section allows you to list your personal and / or professional interests. This might include your hobbies, sporting activities, volunteer work, areas of research and expertise etc. Listing your Interests will help employers form a better picture of who you are and what you would bring to their organisation.

Write your interests into the editor window and click on the Save button once you are done editing. You can come back at any time and edit your interests.

Example of interests for a résumé