Step Two: Building a Resume

What is a Resume?

A resume is a written document that lists and details your work experience, education, and special skills.

Your resume will be an important tool in applying for your first job. A resume tells an employer about your work experience, education, and skills. Having a clear, concise, and complete resume will give you an advantage in the job market.

Below are some of the key items to include on your resume:

• Heading
  • Full name
  • Home address
  • Phone number (with area code)
  • Email address (make sure it is professional, example: John.Doe@gmail.com and not crazyguy224@gmail.com)
• Education
  • Name of your school and it’s city and state
  • Years you’ve attended
  • Highest grade completed or diploma or degree awarded
  • Grade Point Average (only if you think it will help)
• Work Experience
  • If you already have some work experience or have worked on your own (babysitting, etc.) you should list those positions with dates of employment.
  • Briefly describe your job duties and major accomplishments.
  • If you don’t have any prior work experience just leave this section off.
• Activities and Community Service
  • You may be involved in sports, band, scouts, or other activities—list those experiences along with any accomplishments.
  • Do you spend time volunteering?
  • List extracurricular activities and volunteer (unpaid) work experience here.
• Skills
  • Are you fluent in another language? Are you CPR certified? List any special skills or talents you have here.
  • Even if it isn’t specifically related to the job it can help.
• References
  • Be ready to provide references if requested.
  • Good referenced could be a former employer, a teacher, or anyone who could describe your abilities.
  • Make sure you have your reference's current contact information and let them know the prospective employer may be calling.

Make sure your spelling and grammar are correct!