13.1 RESUMES
A resume is the single document that provides what the applicant believes the most relevant information in presenting to the reader a positive image of himself or herself.It is an important tool in job hunting，applying for a university to study at，putting in for a grant，requesting for a membership at a club，etc.
Unlike a business report which sets to record facts favorable and unfavorable alike with a purpose to offer some insights in decision making or solution formulating，a resume is written primarily for the purpose of convincing the reader by creating a positive image of the resume writer.A successful resume always means an interview or an opportunity which will lead to a success in the benefit the writer is pursuing.
Resumes are normally used together with letters of application，application forms，and letters of recommendation.They can also be used alone as unattached files，with further information or other document sent upon request.
13.1.1 The Layout of Resumes
A resume normally consists of six types of information as is shown in the following list：
●Who is the writer of the resume？
●Where does he/she live？
●How to contact the resume writer？
●What is the objective of the resume？
●What are the qualifications of the resume writer？
●What kind of educational background does the writer have？
●What kind of degree has the writer received？
●What kind of experience does the writer have？
●What kind of honor has the writer of the resume been awarded？
●Does the writer have any references？
●What kind of hobbies or interests the writer may have？
The ways information is organized in resumes are extremely flexible.The six types of information mentioned above should be positioned as shown in the following examples.
Format 1
Format 2
Format 3
Format 4
Format 1 is an extensive format of resume in which the information is listed one by one in a detailed manner.Format 2 is an intensive format of resume in which the personal information is classified into some general parts.In Format 3，the example is written in the chronological order.In Format 4，the information is organized according to the function of different types of information.
The identifying information like name，mail address，telephone number，fax，and also e-mail address constitutes the heading part of a resume.The name of the applicant occupying a single line can be put in the middle at the top of the page in bold letters serving as a title both to attract the reader and to distinguish the resume from resumes written by other applicants.
The objective of a resume refers to the intention of the applicant.It is the job the applicant is seeking for，the university where the applicant wants to pursue his studies，the organization or club where the applicant wants to be a member，the scholarship or grant the applicant is applying for，etc.
Qualifications are mostly special abilities the applicant has.Information relegated under this part includes one's language proficiency，computer skills，communication capabilities，team spirit，etc.They are just part of what qualifies the applicant for the benefit they are applying for.
The part of education generally contains information about schools where the applicant has received his degrees.The highest degree usually goes first.Basic information about the applicant's education background includes the names of schools，degrees，majors，and any minors if available.Other items to be included are one's experience of further education without degree at home or abroad，and awards or honors achieved in academic field.
The applicant's working experience or other career-related experience constitutes the experience section of a resume.Information about the applicant's working periods，working sites，positions and working achievements should be presented in the reversed chronological order to show the reader what kind of jobs the applicant is capable of and how well the applicant can do these jobs.
References always come last.It customarily contains a single line to show the availability of references，instead of the letters of recommendation proper.
Of course，other types of information can also be included in a resume when necessary.Personal data like interests，hobbies，and social activities often lead to an unexpected result，for they can sometimes arouse a sense of resonance in the reader which means a more favorable response is to be made.
13.1.2 The Planning of Resumes
Resumes follow a direct organization plan in which every piece of information should be presented in a straightforward and direct manner.The steps in organizing a direct-plan resume are：identifying the information to be included in the resume，grouping the information into functional groups，planning the order of the useful data or evidence，and stating the information in a positive response-triggering manner.
Being a document to encourage the receiver to offer the writer an opportunity，the resume should include in it positive information that will convince the receiver of the writer's qualifications.
When planning a resume，the writer should also choose a format or a style that best suits his/her needs.
13.1.3 The Tone of Resumes
Written to stimulate a positive reply，resumes should be conveyed in a persuasive manner.The tone of resumes can range from objective and emotional to subjective.Objectivity conveyed in the message will ensure the receiver that you are presenting your personal data in a faithful and factual manner.Forceful but positive feelings underlying the message will convey your sincerity and confidence in working the resume.(https://www.daowen.com)
The writer's tone is a result of word choice and is determined by the purpose and goal of a resume.The number of adjectives or adverbs used in conveying positive information will enhance the persuasiveness of any resume.
13.1.4 Presentation of Resumes
Together with letters of application，resumes play an indispensable role in the applicant's pursuit of desirable education，promising jobs，interesting hobbies，and colorful social activities.An effective resume often promises a better future in every aspect of personal development.A successful resume always follows some principles as listed below：
（1）Catching the Eyes of the Recipient
A piece of recruiting advertisement often brings hundreds of responses resembling each other in forms，contents，and styles.It is a boring job to read resumes that do not differentiate.A resume written in an individualized manner will infallibly catch the recipient's eyes and draw more attention from the recipient.
The individualization of a resume can be realized by adopting special manners of organizing the components that constitute the resume.For instance，the applicant can organize different types of information in relation to their importance.In addition，the applicant can use different fonts and different sizes of letters to draw the recipient's attention to what they care most.
（2）Catering to the Recipient's Requirements
A resume that is most successful in holding the recipient's attention is one that offers consistently what the recipient cares most.A resume that caters to the recipient's requirement will make them believe that what they are reading is not a waste of time.
（3）Showing Rather than Telling
Wrought to persuade the recipient into making a favorable response to the advantage of the applicant，a resume should try to avoid me-centered mentality.
Instead of using the personal pronoun“I”to tell personal information of various types in complete sentences，the resume writer can resort to noun phrases and verb phrases to show his qualifications and experience.
As phrases get right to the point，the resume writer is able to highlight what counts in his resume，which will in turn enable the reader to find out the attractive qualities of the resume writer.
（4）Using Informative Language
The language of resumes should be informative and factual，instead of being emphatic.The purpose of a resume is to convince the reader by facts rather than by cordial and persuasive language.
（5）Being Concise
Being written in phrases rather than complete sentences，the language of resumes should be concise and simple.It will enable the intended reader of them to catch the selling points of the resume writer within seconds.
13.1.5 Effective Resume Checklist
The following is a list of points to check when you write a resume.
●Is your objective clear？
●Have you included all the information that qualifies you for the objective？
●Have you included in your resume references which will make your personal data more reliable？
●Have you made your resume persuasive enough？
●Have you included in your resume information about your hobbies or interests that will arouse resonance in the intended reader of your resume？
●Have you adopted some highlighting techniques to ensure the accessibility of your resume？
●Have you used correct tone？
●Have you checked spelling，grammar and punctuation？
13.1.6 Sample Resumes
Sample 13.1（1）:A Resume Written to Apply for a Grant
This resume is written in an intensive format.
Sample 13.1（2）:A Resume Applying for the Position of Translator or Interpreter
This is a resume written in the chronological order.
Sample 13.1（3）:A Resume Applying for the Position of Manager Assistant
This is a functional resume.