1. How to write an

2. What makes you stand out?
Your resume is an important marketing tool. Be positive, confident, and focus on your best qualities.
List 3 qualities you think employers would like.
What makes you stand out?

3. A resume is a record of your work history, education, and skills.
It should promote you and your skills.
Customize it
Use keywords from job ads
What is a resume?

4. Most employers will spend 30 seconds or less looking at your resume.
The top third is the most important part.
What is the 30 second rule?
This is what we will focus on now.

5. What’s in the top third?
Refer to handout – resume worksheet.

6. Name
Address
Phone number
Use a professional address
LinkedIn address
Contact Information

7. Professional Summary A short statement of who you are as an employee.
Customize it for each employer.
Emphasize the value that you bring to the employer
Should include
Your experience and skills that qualify you
The setting in which you are experienced or intend to work
Highlights of your job history or career
See page 55 for an example

8. Sample Professional Summary
Certified nursing assistant with five years of in-home and nursing home experience. Good work history and accurate record keeper. Known for high client satisfaction reports and accurate record keeping. Worked with 20 in-home clients and 250 patients at two different nursing homes.
From WorkWise-Choosing a Job, New Readers Press, page 55.
Sample Professional Summary
Pairs identify the following
Your experience and skills that qualify you
The setting in which you are experienced or intend to work
Highlights of your job history or career

9. Major skills, qualities, or special knowledge that would be important for the job you are applying for.
Examples:
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint
Technical skills (give details)
Fluent in English and Spanish
Job related personal abilities
Organized
Work well in a team environment
Ability to analyze data
Core Qualifications
See page 56 for a sample. Also look at page 63 to show Core Qualification in a resume.
Do not need to include all of your qualifications, just 4-6 that would be most important to the employer.

10. Use action verbs Work History
Pay special attention to duties and accomplishments
Use action verbs
Work History
See page 62 for a list of action verbs and an example. Also use handout from readwritethink.
See page 63 for a completed resume example

11. Activity - Identify Keywords in a Job Ad, page 67; optional activity: the students will find ads related to their career choice and find keywords.
Go over the last 2 sections of the resume worksheet – education and references.
Allow the students to begin working on the worksheet. Completion of the worksheet will be assigned as homework.
Discuss formatting of the resume.
Look at templates on Word and online
The template at New Reader’s website follows the worksheet (handout included:
Wise1_resume-template.docx
Look at examples of bad formatting using handouts and website: search.bad_resumes.html
NEXT STEPS

12. NEXT STEPS Talk about the importance of being honest.
Discuss the importance of proofreading. Show this funny video:
Next session – students will work on their resumes at home or in the lab. The goal is to produce a final resume. Use the Checklist handout. Students can proofread each other’s resumes.
Optional session – Cover letters
NEXT STEPS