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My Best Resume
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2. Your Resume is a Selling Tool
Your resume outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to their organization 2

3. It has to Sell You in 30 Seconds or Less
It takes 30 seconds or less for an employer to decide whether your resume ends up in the “consider file” or the “reject file”
While you may have all the requirements for a particular job, if the employer does not quickly come to the conclusion that you “have what it takes,” then your resume failed 3

4. Tailor Your Resume to Each Job
The most effective resumes are clearly focused on specific jobs and address the employer’s stated requirements for that job
The more you know about the qualifications and duties required for the job—and organize your resume around these—the easier it is for the employer to see you have what it takes to do the job 4

5. Know Your Audience
The more you know about the employer and the position, the more you can tailor your resume to fit the job
You will need information to write a good resume. Not just information about jobs you’ve held in the past but also information about THIS job in order to put on your resume the most relevant accomplishments, skills, and experience 5

6. California CareerZone Resume Builder
Name and Contact Information
Objective
Work Experience
Education History
Military Service
Skills
Awards
Certifications 6

7. Name and Contact Information
Name
Address
Reliable telephone number
For any telephone number given out in a job search, the voic message must be professional sounding because this may be the potential employers first impression of you
address
The address you use in your job search must be professional looking because this may be the potential employers first impression of you 7

8. Objective The more specific you can be with an objective the better
A one-size-fits-all approach will not impress potential employers
Clearly state the type of job you are hoping to get
Use the job titles the potential employers use, if appropriate 8

9. Work Experience
List formal jobs and names of employers from wherever you have worked
Include informal jobs you have had such as gardening, babysitting, and even lemonade stand sales
Include any internships or job shadowing you have completed 9

10. Education History
Begin with the most recent information and work backward
High school students can list your high school and current GPA
Students in a California Partnership Academy or career pathway program should include the name of the Academy or pathway 10

11. Military Service
List Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps if applicable or choose “Do Not Add Military Service” 11

12. Skills, Awards, Certifications
Include recognition for achievements in and out of school:
School certificates (such as honor roll), sports awards, etc.
Certification earned in career technical education course, etc.
Volunteer, community recognition 12

13. References
As you build your resume, begin creating a list of people you can use as references
Get permission from individuals you plan to use as references
Avoid using family members 13

14. Resume Types Different jobs need different types of resumes:
Standard–1 page
Expanded–more than 1 page
Portfolio–a body of work
Multimedia–video, PowerPoint, or other online presentation format 14

15. Resume Format What kind of format does each resume need to be:
Targeted–customized to the prospective job
Chronological–list work history in chronological order
Functional–focus on your skills and experience first
Combination–focus on your skills and list employment in chronological order 15

16. Think About
Looking at a lot of different resumes to get an idea of how varied they can be
Checking to see if the company you are applying to (or the industry it is in) has a preferred resume style
Having others proofread your resume—any mistakes and the prospective employer will stop reading and put your resume in the “reject file” 16