0. 12th grade Learning Communities
Resume Writing
12th grade Learning Communities

1. Why it’s time to update or write your resume
Many other scholarships ask for resumes.
A resume is needed for almost every job application.
It’s a good habit to update your resume at least once a year to add your new experience.

2. North Alumni Scholarships
The other scholarships you should DEFINETELY apply to are the North Alumni Scholarships – see paper application
You can apply to up to 4
Each scholarship has it’s own eligibility requirements so be sure to read through and see which ones you are eligible for.
You must write an essay – see if your personal statement that you wrote in your English class might be a place you can start.
You must write a paragraph for each scholarship explaining why you are eligible.
You must create a resume.

3. What do you want your resume to communicate?
It’s an opportunity to represent yourself to those that don’t know you at all.
Quickly summarizes your skills and experience.
Communicates professionalism.

4. Example of a Strong Resume
Read the handout “Sample Resume for High School Students”
Notice the way the resume is formatted in sections.
The headings let us know what activity or job the student had, and how long he or she was involved in that activity.
The bullet points begin with an ACTIVE VERB and describe what the student accomplished and the skills he/she learned.
See second page for a list of active verbs – when you can’t think of a way to phrase your responsibilities, check this list!

5. Example of a Weak Resume
Read over the “weak resume example”
Discuss - what’s wrong with this resume?

6. What’s wrong with this resume?
Contact info – there’s no address or phone number at the top – how will this person be contacted for an interview?
The bullet points tell us very little about Ed’s responsibility. He could use active verbs to make the language more powerful.
The formatting is inconsistent – the font style and size changes.
There’s spelling and grammatical errors that make the resume looked rushed and unprofessional.
The references should not be family members.

7. Strengthen the resume
In pairs or small groups, use active verbs to rewrite the statements on the weak resume and share out a more effective way to describe his experience.
(Assign each group or pair one bullet point statement to rewrite.)
Then, share out with the group!

8. Examples of possible ways to rewrite…
Yes Mentoring
Tutored younger students in Algebra 1. All three raised their grades and successfully passed the class.
Developed strong mentoring relationships, encouraging students to build their confidence.
Student Council
Oversaw prom planning committee, securing a venue and DJ.
Coordinated ticket sales and developed social media marketing plan. Ticket sales increased by 30%.

9. Final Reminders Use active verbs to strengthen your word choice.
Add in specific examples of your accomplishments.
Proofread, proofread, proofread!
Check for punctuation and spelling.
Check for format and style consistency.
Ask teacher or friend to help you edit.