... MAIN MENU ... 1. CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME -- Select this option if you want to create or edit a chronological-type resume. A chronological-type resume emphasizes career growth and past employers. Best used when your job target ties in directly to your past work experience, or you had a prestigous last employer. 2. TARGETED RESUME -- Select this option to create or edit a targeted-type resume. A targeted-type resume allows you to custom-tailor your resume to a specific job. De-emphasizes past work experience. Best when you are concentrating on a specific job, or have had very little past work experience. 3. VIEW A RESUME -- Select this option to preview your resume before printing. 4. PRINT RESUME -- Select this option to print completed resume to printer or to disk file. If sending to printer, make sure you have first selected the type of printer you will be using (Option #6). 5. UTILITIES -- The three utility options are: A) MODIFY SCREEN POSITIONS -- This is a very usefull utility that allows you to change the order of Past Employers, Education, Capabilities, and Achievements. You may insert a blank screen/ field, delete an existing screen/field, or swap positions of existing screens/fields. While there are many possible uses for this utility, it is most beneficial in updating your resume after changing jobs. B) SELECT DELIMINATOR CHARACTER -- This allows you to select the type of character that is used to mark the beginning of each new job duty, achievment, and ability on your printed resume. The default and preferred character is þ. However, some printers are unable to print this character. If your printer will not print þ, then select deliminator character *. Before doing this, you might want to check your printer manual. Some printers are capable of printing different character sets. To print þ, your printer must be using the IBM character set. C) SHELL TO DOS -- Allows you to perform DOS functions such as copying and erasing files without having to exit Resume Master. Type EXIT to return to Resume Master. 6. SELECT PRINTER -- LASER -- Select to print on a HP compatible laser printer IBM/EPSON -- Select for dot-matrix printers that are IBM or Epson compatible. GENERIC -- If your resume is printed with strange characters or you get unexpected results after using the LASER or IBM/EPSON printer mode, select the GENERIC print mode. You will not get underlining or "highlighted" text, so use only as a last resort. L = LOAD FILE -- Load an existing file. S = SAVE FILE -- Save file you are currently working on. N = NEW FILE -- Clear current resume and begin a new one. E = EXIT -- Exit RESUME MASTER = HELP -- Press the F1 key to initiate on-screen help. On-screen help is available throughout RESUME MASTER. ... PERSONAL INFORMATION ... This screen should be self-explanatory. Simply fill in the input boxes as presented. NOTE: If an item does not apply, or you do not want it listed on your resume, then simply leave it blank and it will not print. DO NOT enter things like N/A or None. For example, if you do not want to be contacted at work, leave the input box "Work Phone:" blank. ... JOB TARGET ... Enter the position that you are applying for -- such as Assistant Manager. NOTE: In place of a specific job target, you may use a general statement like, "Data Processing Position". This approach should at least get your resume to the right department. If you do not have any particular job or department in mind, a statement like, "Position Commensurate With My Experience And Abilities", will suffice or simply leave it blank and it will not print. ... EMPLOYMENT ... This screen should be self-explanatory. Simply fill in the input boxes on the screen. NOTE: If you have not had three past employers, then leave blank any sections that do not apply and they will not print. ALWAYS list at least one employer, even if it is for babysitting, yardwork, community service, etc. On CHRONOLOGICAL resumes, a "þ" marks the start of each job duty. There are 4 job duties for each employer. Each job duty can be up to 2 lines long. On any job duty that is only one line long, skip the second line and go to the next job duty. ... ACHIEVMENTS ... List up to 8 of your past achievments. If you cannot think of 8 achievments, then leave the rest blank. An easy way to determine what could be listed as an achievement is to pretend to start the sentence with the phrase "I HAVE ..." and see if it makes sence. EXAMPLES: (I HAVE) Managed a staff of 12 employees. (I HAVE) Designed residential buildings. NOTE: A "þ" marks the start of each achievment. You may list up to 8 achievments. Each achievment can be up to 2 lines long. On any achievment that is only one line long, skip the second line and go to the next achievment. ... CAPABILITIES ... List up to 8 of your Capabilities. If you cannot think of 8 Capabilities, then leave the rest blank. An easy way to determine what could be listed as an capability is to pretend to start the sentence with the phrase "I AM ..." or "I CAN ..." and see if it makes sence. EXAMPLES: (I AM) Able to work independently. (I CAN) Program in several different languages including COBAL and "C". NOTE: A "þ" marks the start of each capability. You may list up to 8 Capabilities. Each capability can be up to 2 lines long. On any capability that is only one line long, skip the second line and go to the next capability. ... EDUCATION ... LAST YEAR ATTENDED: Year graduated or last year attended. MAJOR: If you had no major, leave blank. DEGREE: If you received no degree, leave blank. NOTE: If you did not attend 3 schools, leave remaining sections blank. MODIFY SCREEN POSITIONS -- This is a very usefull utility that allows you to change the order of Past Employers, Education, Capabilities, and Achievements. You may insert a blank screen/ field, delete an existing screen/field, or swap positions of existing screens/fields. While there are many possible uses for this utility, it is most beneficial in updating your resume after changing jobs. For example, let's say you are currently working for ABC Automotive. You create a resume, and as ABC Automotive is your current employer, it is the first employer listed under the Experience or Work History section of your resume. Listed as your second- most recent employer is Bud's Transmission -- Johnson Brakes is listed as your third-most recent employer. You send out several resumes and are soon hired by Wilson Car Care. You soon decide that this is not the job for you and you decide to update your resume and seek employment elsewhere. However, your resume shows ABC Automotive as your current employer. Your resume should be changed to reflect the new order of your past employers -- Wilson Car Care, ABC Automotive, and Bud's Transmission. As Johnson Brakes is now fourth on the list, it should no longer be listed on your resume. Normally, you would have to fill out new screens for all your past employers to reflect these changes. However, this utility provides a quick alternative. Simply insert a blank screen (using the ENTER key) at position one. ABC Automotive will be automatically moved to down position 2, and Bud's Transmission will be moved down to position 3. Simply fill in the information for Wilson Car Care on the now empty screen for Current/Most Recent Employer and you're all set. It works the same way for the schools you attended listed under the Education section. ... LOAD FILE ... The Load File Screen allows you to load an existing data file to edit. Data files are the files that contain the information that will be printed on your resume, such as your name, address, past employers, etc. Each data file will allow you to create one chronological-type resume and one targeted- type resume. RESUME MASTER allows you to create and work with as many data files as you want. The File Input Screen consists of four parts: Filename: -- Enter the name of the file you wish to edit. All data files must end in ".DAT". A directory listing is provided in the middle of the File Input Screen that lists all RESUME MASTER data files that exist at the current path. < Accept > -- After you have entered the name of the file you want to edit, TAB over to "< Accept >" (it will begin blinking) and press ENTER to confirm your selection. The data file will then be opened and you will be returned to the main menu. Path: -- This is the location that the selected data file will be retrieved from. The path consists of the drive (A:,B:,C:,or D:) and may also contain one or more directories (E.G. C:\RMASTER\DATAFILES). The Directory Listing lists all data files that exist at this path. If you want to retrieve an existing data file that is located at a different path, simply change the path setting and press the ENTER key. The Directory Listing will then be updated to reflect the data files, if any, that exist at the new path. Directory Listing -- The Directory Listing list all data files, if any, that exist at the current path. These files are listed between the two horizontal lines on the File Input Screen. ----------------------------------------------------------- You may specify the data file you want load or create at the command line. To load/create a data file at the command line, simply enter the filename after the word RESUME. For example, at the DOS prompt, enter RESUME MYFILE.DAT. The RESUME MASTER program will load and the file MYFILE.DAT will be created, or if it already exists, it will be opened for editing. If you want to create a data file or open an existing data file at a different path than where the RESUME MASTER program is located, be sure and preceed the filename with the desired path. For example, if the RESUME MASTER program is on a disk on drive A:, but you want to create a data file called MYFILE.DAT on the disk in drive B:, then at the DOS prompt, enter RESUME B:\MYFILE.DAT. ... SAVE FILE ... The Save File Screen allows you to save the resume you are currently working on to disk. The File Input Screen consists of four parts: Filename: -- Enter the name of the file you wish the resume to be saved under. You may save your resume under a different filename if desired. For example, if you are currently working with file "MINE.DAT", and want to make some changes but still leave the original file intact, then load file "MINE.DAT", make your changes, and save it under a different filename, such as "MINE2.DAT". All data files must end in ".DAT". A directory listing is provided in the middle of the File Input Screen that lists all RESUME MASTER data files that exist at the current path. < Accept > -- After you have entered the name of the file you want your resume saved under, TAB over to "< Accept >" (it will begin blinking) and press ENTER to confirm your selection. If the file already exists, you will be prompted whether or not to overwrite it. The resume will then be saved and you will be returned to the main menu. Path: -- This is the location that the selected data file will be stored. The path consists of the drive (A:,B:,C:,or D:) and may also contain one or more directories (E.G. C:\RMASTER\DATAFILES). The Directory Listing lists all data files that exist at this path. If you want to save a data file and you want it stored at a different path, then first change the path setting to the desired path then enter the filename to save the file under. Directory Listing -- The Directory Listing list all data files, if any, that exist at the current path. These files are listed between the two horizontal lines on the File Input Screen.