CREATING A RESUME

What is a resume?  Also known as a CV (Curriculum Vitae" which is Latin for "course of life“)  One page summary of your skills, education, and experience (Naviance will print two pages, so for this assignment, two pages is fine.)  Acts like an advertisement for you. It gets you the interview. Once you’re at the interview, it is up to you to get the job. (This is just like how an ad gets a customer in the store but it is up to the product and retailer to make the sale.)

How long do employers look at a resume?  Less than 30 seconds  3 minutes  1 minute

How long do employers look at a resume?  Less than 30 seconds  Employers often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position. They don’t have time to pour over every word on each one. This increases the importance of the smallest details. (In other words, spell everything correctly and use proper grammar!)

Some colleges may request a resume but probably not, so why are you creating one?  Guidance – to identify scholarships  Opportunities YOU find you may require one - scholarships, sports programs, or honors programs  Teachers (and guidance counselors) for recommendation  Easier to add more accomplishments to a started resume than create one from scratch.

Assignment Requirements  Heading – your personal information (formal name, address, way to contact you)  Objective – an explanation of the job/scholarship/admission you are seeking. You will change this for every position/scholarship/admission to which you apply. Always tailor your resume to suit the position.  Skills/Summary – some people use this to include talents not included elsewhere on the resume. For you this is required, but in the future you may decide to leave this part out depending on the purpose of the resume.

Assignment Requirements Continued  Education – As a young person, your education is your most important asset. Put it first on your resume.  Volunteer Experience – Have you volunteered? If so, include the organization, location, dates of volunteerism, and what you did while there.  Work Experience – Do you have work experience? If so, include the employers, location, dates of employment, and job title. Make sure your job title is accurate. (Office employee is very different from office manager. Assistant manager is different from assistant to the manger.) Note that job titles are NOT capitalized.

Assignment Requirements Continued  Extracurricular Activities – Employers (and colleges!) like to see people who have been involved in school or community activities (prom committee, Race for the Cure, drama club, etc). Include the years you participated. Include all of your activities, not only those that are connected to high school.  Awards - honor roll, scholarships, team accomplishments  References – make sure these are accurate, and make sure the people that will serve as your reference KNOW they are listed. (Note that if a job is listed on your resume, an employer may call any of these places; however, you should forewarn those you are placing on your resume.)

Objective samples (use active verbs)  To obtain part-time employment with a veterinary hospital to better understand animals and their owners in preparation for veterinary school  To obtain summer employment working with the elderly to meet patient needs and understand the assisted living community in preparation for nursing school  To utilize my soccer and basketball background to obtain a summer position working with elementary-age children in a day camp setting where I can use my skills planning and executing fun and educational lessons about teamwork and sportsmanship  To utilize my passion for healthcare and the sciences to obtain a nursing degree from a four year university  To obtain a two year degree in automotive engineering from a hands-on technical college

References  Make sure those you are using as a reference know that you plan to include them. Make sure to ASK if this is acceptable.  (By the way… those applying to college, you should ask your potential college references by the end of this year.)  Ask in person. Ask someone who knows you well.  Be sure to follow up again in September and put those names into Naviance. Most teachers and guidance counselors will not show you what has been written.  Give a written thank you after the reference is complete.  Follow up when you get an acceptances and make decisions!