RESUMES Why are they important?

What is a Resume? A personal data sheet. Short summary of important facts about you. Will determine whether or not you get the interview.

9 Key Elements of the Resume Personal Information (The Heading) Objective Education Work Experience Volunteer Work / Community Service Awards Extra-Curricular Activities Special Skills References

The Heading Includes: Full Name Complete Address Telephone Number E-mail Address

The Heading John Smith 123 Main St. Shepherdsville, KY 40165 (502) 555-1234 First.last@stu.jefferson.kyschools.us

Objective One sentence only Tailor your resume for the position What you can do for the company? State the EXACT job title you seek

Objective “Dependable and motivated high school student seeking part-time position as Office Administrative Assistant to gain further knowledge in the areas of business and management.”

Objective “To obtain a position as a sales associate that utilized my key communication and team work skills.

Education Reverse order of education Most recent first. Name of school, location, dates attended

Work Experience Brainstorm! No work experience looks bad Everyone has done something No work experience looks bad List in reverse chronological order Most recent first Position, Location, Dates, Job Duties

Work Experience Write your job responsibilities and duties in a professional tone. Use ACTION verbs! If you are currently at a position, you will use present-tense action verbs. If you are no longer at a position, you will use past-tense action verbs.

Work Experience Example Actual Job Duty: Carry groceries to car for old people Wording on Resume: “Assist customers with loading merchandise in vehicle”

Work Experience Example Actual Job Duty: Check-out customers Wording on Resume: Completed customer transactions.

Volunteer Work / Community Service Any unpaid work/duties you have done YMCA Church School (teams, clubs) Helping with the family business

Volunteer Experience Example Volunteer Work: Pick-up trash at Church Wording on Resume: Gathered and removed litter from grounds.

Awards What have you won? Young Authors Essay contest Field Day Attendance Honor Roll

Awards You will list your awards in reverse chronological order.

Extra-Curricular Activities Inform of your accomplishments. This is where you can shine! Show leadership (officer in club) Involvement in school and the community List in reverse chronological order

Special Skills Other things at which you are good: Experienced in Word, PowerPoint, Photoshop, etc. Good communication skills CPR certified Anything that pertains to this job

References People that know your skills and abilities People that will speak highly of you Teachers (past/present) Principals or Counselors (past/present) Coaches (past/present) Employers or supervisors (volunteer work)

Accuracy of Information Plain and simple: DO NOT LIE! George O’Leary Lying on a Resume

Layout One page in length. Bold or Underline section headings. Use either Times New Roman or Arial type font. Traditional is usually more acceptable and professional than fads.

Length of Resume Use only one page. The only time you would want to add an additional page would be if you had extensive work experience or information that relates to your career.

Personal Information Employers, by law, cannot be concerned with personal characteristics such as weight, sex, or age. Do not worry about this information. NEVER attach a photograph to your resume. Employers are interested in the skills you possess and the contributions you can make to their organization.

Grammar and Spelling Typos and poor grammar are signs of carelessness and lack of professionalism. Make sure you have someone else proofread it. NO cross-outs or handwritten parts.

Printing the Resume Use good quality paper. White, ivory, or off-white. Each copy of your resume should be crisp and clean; no bent corners, ink smudges, blurs, marks, or ink streaks.

Leave Out Availability Reason for leaving References Salary Weaknesses This will be asked in an interview. References They will be expected later. Use a separate sheet of paper. Salary Weaknesses