Your occupational inventory can be regarded as a personal biography that places emphasis on your employment history. The information on your work sheet or occupational inventory includes your name and address, your education, the positions you have held in the past, the job you now hold and what you would like to do in the future.
It will serve you in the same way that an account work sheet serves an accountant, who has before himself a concentrated resume of the figures he needs to prepare a balance sheet and other financial statements.
If your occupational work sheet is well organized, you can easily prepare your resume, or write a well-expressed letter about your work experience.
Perhaps you are one of those who consider the preparation of an occupational work sheet a waste of time. You may be right-if you change jobs once or twice in your lifetime and are currently employed in a job where you are happy and which you do not intend to leave. Otherwise, to be ready for any opportunity that may come along at any time, you must have your occupational inventory prepared and easily available. Regardless of the kind of job, you are going to be asked for some specific information-and this is what your occupational inventory contains and what it is for.
Sample of a Typical Occupational
Inventory
The occupational inventory that follows contains all the sections you will need. It is a sample of an actual occupational inventory. Remember that in preparing your final resume you do not have to include all the facts included in your work sheet. It is important that you include only what is directly pertinent to your field of interest, but state this clearly so that you will be understood. Following is a list that is intended to provide all possible entries for the preparation of your work sheet or occupational inventory:
(1) Name and Address
Start by writing your name and address on one side of the sheet, and your telephone number on the other. Leave one blank line between your name and your address, allowing your name to stand out. You may type this flush left on the sheet, or indented somewhat.
(2) Personal Data
The general tendency is to give personal data on one line after the name and address. Some personnel and employment managers find that this rather standard information (marital status, height, weight, health) limits their knowledge of you. Many prefer more extensive facts at the end of the resume, while others pass over this data because they attach more importance to your experience, education and abilities. Where to place this is optional and the choice is yours; however, we recommend that you use the end of the resume.
(3) Summary of Experience
In about fifty words, summarize the duties and responsibilities in the different positions you have held up to the present. Show what kind of worker you are. Be brief and to the point. Save the time of the person who will read your resume.
(4) Occupational Objective
This should be a clearly worded statement of the field in which you want to work. It is most important that you express yourself exactly here, or else you might find yourself in a position that fits your qualifications but does not use your abilities completely. This statement should also tell the reader of your resume that you are not looking for just anything that might come along. Your overall objective should be stated in general terms, but the specific points you wish to make should be worded precisely.
(5) Experience Record (Highlights)
(a) Give the names and addresses of companies for which you worked, in reverse chronological order.
(b) In the left-hand margin, list the length of time you worked in each place.
(c) Give the titles of your positions, if any. Underline these and write a general description of each company.
(d) In listing your former positions, give as much information as possible. For the final draft of your resume you can extract the more pertinent information.
(6) Summer and Part-Time Employment
If you have held a part-time or summer job that added to your experience and ability in the field of your interest, include this important information. State the name of the company, the year(s), and the work you performed.
(7) Education
Clearly detailed information about your education is most useful and important. Begin with your most advanced degree; if you have a master's, name the field of the degree, the school, its ad dress, the year, your major subject and any pertinent facts connected with attaining the degree, especially the titles and publication dates, if any, of your thesis or dissertation.
(8) Military Service
Whether in time of peace or war, your military standing must be stated; this is a point almost always questioned by employment or personnel managers. Also, if your specialty in the service is directly connected to your present field of endeavor, give the facts about that work.
(9) Professional Licenses
If you work in a field that requires licenses from either local, state or federal authorities, state the kind(s) you have.
(10) Professional Affiliations
Information about memberships in professional societies, including college fraternities, should be presented here. State any special function, duty, title or administrative post you may hold (or have held), and whether you are an active, honorary or professional member.
(11) Literary Accomplishments
State the titles, publishers and dates of printing of all articles, papers, theses or books you have written. Some employers like their employees to have what is called literary "visibility."
(12) Early Background
Employers generally want this information be cause it is part of the story of the whole person. This section tells the prospective employer part of your history as a child, and some of the forces that shaped you, especially environment, early education and first after-school jobs.
(13) Personal Interests
Here is where you list the hobbies, pastimes and interests that you enjoy and practice in your free time. Emphasize those directly connected with your field of interest. Also include any clubs or societies to which you belong that are related to your hobby. Questions on personal interests are found on virtually all application blanks and included in most interviews.
(14) Outside Activities
This should include the names of all political, social, church, civic and community organizations in which you participate actively. This information also tells the employment or personnel manager something about you outside of your work history.
(15) Knowledge of Foreign Languages
Many companies extending their interests abroad through exports, foreign investments and over seas branches have an increasing demand for employees who speak languages other than En glish fluently. List those languages you can speak well, but do not assume that high school and college courses make a complete education. Either you know a language fluently, or you do not. Personnel interviewers will almost certainly have you take a test in the foreign tongue, and a failure in this test is held against you. Therefore, honesty is the best policy.
(16) Clerical Skills
Any skill you have in various clerical duties should be entered here. You can never know when such knowledge will influence a final decision in your favor. While some employers are not interested in your ability with clerical tasks, there are just as many who are.
(17) Personal Data
This is the same entry that is generally placed near the beginning of the resume, but which we recommend at the end.
Date of birth (optional) Height Marital status (optional) Weight Health willing to relocate? Date of last physical will travel?
