1. Resume Construction Module 4 Objectives:
Learn the building blocks of a personal resume and employment cover letter

2. Preparation
Target your resume to a specific organization and job opportunity
Understand the job requirements
Work from a job description
Seek alumni or career service staff for advice on what skills and qualifications to showcase
Facilitator: You have many different ways to apply for a job: in person, using a resume and cover letter, or filling out an application online or in person. Regardless of the method of application, a resume is your most important job search tool. Even if you are filling out an application online or in the store, your resume will help you fill in the information required.
A good resume can get you in an employer’s door for an interview. You should have a basic resume that has qualifications, activities, experiences and skills listed based on the job requirements and description. Get advice or ideas, but do it yourself.

3. Building Blocks
Contact information Objective Education Experience Activities Awards and honors References
Facilitator: Contact information should be listed on the resume heading. Do not use address information that is about to expire. Objectives are not a must on your resume. Objectives can help you think about the specific job and why you are applying. They should be one to two sentences that are tailored to each employer you target. They can show employers the kind of work you hope to do.
Education usually is listed first on a new graduate's resume. List the school, date received and any applicable classes. Your grade point average is a way for employers to screen you. Place it on resume if it is above a 3.0; this is the most popular cutoff. Experience is important to employers. Relevant work gives you an advantage. Experiences should be listed chronologically, with the most current information first. Experience also can be listed by categories: work, related, co-ops, etc. Other experiences, such as internships, may be placed under a heading of “Related Experiences.” Some experiences may be unrelated, but they provide the employer with information on transferable skill values. Unpaid experiences such as volunteering also count.
Activities show the employer that you are well-rounded and do more than study. Show your involvement in student organizations, leadership opportunities, group or service projects and sports involvement. Involvement in activities also shows employers you have the ability to learn and carry out responsibilities. You also can include awards and honors, especially those that are related to the job or show your technical expertise.
Bring along a copy of references to your interview. Be sure you have asked your references before giving their names to a future employer.
Ask your references for their correct contact information and times of the day they are available to take a reference call.

4. Formatting Name Address Email Phone number
Facilitator: Your name is the first thing anyone reads about you. Use what you want the employer to call you by, but no nicknames. Your name should be bold, capitalized and larger than the rest of text. Place your name on the first line of the page.
Make sure your address is reliable. Put a permanent address down in case the employer pulls your resume out a few months after you send it. Avoid post office box addresses.
Place your below your physical address. Your address should be professional and nothing incriminating, embarrassing or inappropriate, such as
You must list your phone number. If your number will change soon, list a number of a family member who will function as your answering service. Don’t have an answering song or message that sends the wrong message to future employer. Make sure your voic is set up on a cellphone and check that the voic box is not full.

5. 10 Steps to a Great Resume Length Advertisement Tailor it Specifics
Results
Proofread
Easy to read
No irrelevant information
Don’t be modest
Internet ready
Facilitator:
Your resume should fit on one page if you have less than five years of experience. It can be two to three pages, as long as it is easy to read and key information is up front.
Does your resume clearly position you as someone who can meet the needs of the employer? A resume is an advertisement of you. The person who receives it will scan for it 20 seconds to determine if you can help him/her. Give your information quickly, clearly and loudly. In the first third of the resume, create a compelling personal profile that highlights key strengths in a attractive, easy-to-read format.
Does your resume begin with objectives? Do not focus on your needs but on the needs of the potential employer. State what you are offering and tailor it to the position so an employer sees a match of his/her needs and your skills.
Does your resume contain specifics? Make sure to include details of your education, employment, activities, etc.
Have you outlined achievements as well as responsibilities? Focus most of your resume on the results you accomplished, not the regular duties of your jobs.
Avoid typos. Proofread your resume over and over again and have others proofread it as well. Do not use words you do not know. Typos turn employers off. Be consistent in punctuations and capitalize proper nouns. Write out all numbers 1-9 as one, two etc. Date formats should be consistent. Only use two fonts throughout the resume. Print on white or off-white high-quality paper.
Is it easy to read? Fifty percent of the impact of a resume is in the design. Strong design pulls the eye through the document, highlighting key points clearly.
Have you listed irrelevant information? Don’t list hobbies, marital status, number of children, professional affiliations, political standings or religion unless they are directly related.
Are you too modest? Don’t be uncomfortable about blowing your own horn. Take credit for things you have accomplished. Your resume must spark interest to get an interview.
Have you created an internet-ready version of your resume? To apply online, you need to convert your resume to a text-only format. Understand that online systems cannot support formatting used in a resume, so it must be converted.

6. Sample Resume
Facilitator: Have youth look at the example resume and discuss if it meets the criteria they just learned about.
Optional – Have youth develop their own resume.

7. Cover Letter Always proofread No pictures Good-quality paper
Always sign your cover letter
Keep to one page
Facilitator: If required, a cover letter is the first thing employers see, so be sure you make a good first impression. Always proofread your letter and have someone else take a look at it, too. Do not include photos. If you are giving it directly to someone, makes sure it is on good-quality paper. Remember to sign it and keep it to one page.

8. Sample Cover Letter
Facilitator: Have youth look at the example cover letter and discuss if it meets the criteria they just learned about.
Optional: Have youth develop their own cover letter.

9. Final Tips to Remember Your voice Be honest Your sales pitch
Invest time
Facilitator: Your resume must speak clearly for you. Be honest on your resume; do not embellish. It must make a great sales pitch for you in the first 20 seconds. If you invest your time in making your resume exceptional, it will increase your response rate. If students would like more help building their resume, have them go to the NDSU Career Services webpage:

10. Leadership Lessons Learned
What is one thing you learned from this session?
What is one thing you plan to implement or do differently based on what you learned?
Facilitator: Finish the session by asking the group to reflect out loud on the two questions listed.

11. References and Reading
Your Guide to Employment: From Job Search to Job Success. Job Service North Dakota. Retrieved from
Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviews: Guidelines, Tips and Examples (2017). NDSU Career Center. Retrieved from
Resume Essentials (2017). NDSU Career Center. Retrieved from
Smaaladen, J. & Knutson, C. (2016). Future Leaders and Mentors Engaging Society (FLAMES) Youth Leadership Program.