I was asked to speak to a youth group about how to write an effective resume. The kids are junior and seniors in high school preparing to embark on the adventures of their bright futures. Hopefully that means gaining employment.
As I was preparing my presentation – I realized I did not have this basic information on this blog so of course I am about to share this information so you can share with your family and friends who are getting their resumes together as they seek gainful employment.
What is a resume?
Otherwise known as curriculum vitae, professional profile, biography is….
- A summary of someone’s work experience and education history
- A summary of somebody’s educational and work experience, for the information of possible future employers.
Standard resume format
- Your name and contact information (email address and telephone number is sufficient)
- Summary of skills
- Education history (i.e. high school, GED, college, post-graduate, etc.)
- Major, minor and GPA if 3.0 or higher
- Employment history (chronological order from most recent to previous) – with title of position held, company name, dates
- Special training and certification information
- References available upon request
Resume Do’s
- Highlight your academic achievements
- Keep the format simple
- List all of your work history in high school and college
- Add a complete list of internships – even if unpaid
- Definitely list out any extra-curricular activities and community service
- Try to put everything on a single page
Resume Don’ts
- Don’t make things up or inflate your accomplishments – they will find out
- Avoid first person
- Avoid listing nicknames
- Avoid risque sounding email addresses ([email protected]). Establish a professional email address for your resume and job search instead
- Leave off personal information (i.e. marital status, photo of you, date of birth, height, weight, etc.)
- Grammatical and spelling errors (proofread)
- Spell it out, do not use abbreviations
There ya have it. These are some basic resume requirements. As you progress in your career and gain more experience these will continue to change. Good luck on your job search!!
What resume basics and tips should be included?
