Creating your Creating your ResumeResume

Put your best foot forward!Put your best foot forward!

What’s in a Resume?What’s in a Resume?

A resume is a living document … it may A resume is a living document … it may begin here in high school, but it will begin here in high school, but it will change, grow and develop throughout change, grow and develop throughout your lifetime!your lifetime!

A resume is an introduction of the A resume is an introduction of the subject … YOU! A really effective subject … YOU! A really effective resume makes you 3-Dimensional to resume makes you 3-Dimensional to the reader.the reader.

What a resume does:What a resume does:

Highlights your skills, abilities and Highlights your skills, abilities and talentstalents

Summarizes your accomplishmentsSummarizes your accomplishments Outlines your activities … volunteer Outlines your activities … volunteer

commitments … club participation commitments … club participation and employment commitmentsand employment commitments

What a resume does not do:What a resume does not do:

Overstates or misrepresents your Overstates or misrepresents your skills and abilitiesskills and abilities

Includes information that does not Includes information that does not put you in the best lightput you in the best light

A resume is made up of sections A resume is made up of sections to help the reader identify to help the reader identify different aspects of your different aspects of your

qualifications:qualifications:

Personal identifying dataPersonal identifying dataAcademic QualificationsAcademic Qualifications

Skills & TalentsSkills & TalentsAchievements & AwardsAchievements & Awards

Extra-curricular Activities: sports and clubsExtra-curricular Activities: sports and clubsVolunteer CommitmentsVolunteer Commitments

EmploymentEmployment

Personal DataPersonal Data

Include your name, address, phone number Include your name, address, phone number and email address and email address

Make sure that your email address is appropriate! Make sure that your email address is appropriate! You might not want to use the same email You might not want to use the same email address you would use with friends.address you would use with friends.

Be careful about what you post on social Be careful about what you post on social networking sites: employers or colleges might networking sites: employers or colleges might check the web to find out more information about check the web to find out more information about you!you!

Academic QualificationsAcademic Qualifications

Highlight current course of study including Highlight current course of study including specialized classes specialized classes

College prep curriculumCollege prep curriculum Highlight honors or AP level courses and any Highlight honors or AP level courses and any

classes on the college level classes on the college level Other areas of concentration: world languages, Other areas of concentration: world languages,

fine arts, business, etc.fine arts, business, etc.

Skills & TalentsSkills & Talents

Include any special skills you have Include any special skills you have developed as a result of training:developed as a result of training:

CPR certificationCPR certification Lifeguard certificationLifeguard certification Sports referee trainingSports referee training Drivers license Drivers license Computer skillsComputer skills Specialized technologySpecialized technology

Achievements & AwardsAchievements & Awards

Showcase any school or community awards you Showcase any school or community awards you have received while in high school. List have received while in high school. List

them in the order of the most recent award them in the order of the most recent award first, and include a brief explanation of the first, and include a brief explanation of the

nature of the award or achievement.nature of the award or achievement.

Eagle Scout award: give the date; explain the Eagle Scout award: give the date; explain the projectproject

Rotary Club Student of the month: give the date; Rotary Club Student of the month: give the date; explain content areaexplain content area

Karate: earned black belt, etc. on a certain dateKarate: earned black belt, etc. on a certain date Competition award: give the date; note the award, Competition award: give the date; note the award,

or even the nomination as a finalist if you did not winor even the nomination as a finalist if you did not win

Extra-curricular Activities:Extra-curricular Activities:Sports and ClubsSports and Clubs

Showcase in brief but specific detail those Showcase in brief but specific detail those activities and clubs in which you are a activities and clubs in which you are a member. Be sure to list beginning and member. Be sure to list beginning and ending dates of membership and any ending dates of membership and any

leadership role you have held.leadership role you have held.

Amnesty International. Member since 2008; Amnesty International. Member since 2008; Currently serving as treasurer (2009). Activities Currently serving as treasurer (2009). Activities include: Battle of the Bands (event coordinator), include: Battle of the Bands (event coordinator), Bake sale, etc.Bake sale, etc.

Volunteer CommitmentsVolunteer Commitments

List any community or in-school volunteer List any community or in-school volunteer commitments you have been involved in. commitments you have been involved in.

Give a brief, specific explanation of the Give a brief, specific explanation of the commitment and the date of service.commitment and the date of service.

Big Brother/Big Sister: 2009-2010 school year. Big Brother/Big Sister: 2009-2010 school year. Worked with a kindergarten class at Center School Worked with a kindergarten class at Center School assisting teacher with group reading, playing with assisting teacher with group reading, playing with students, working one-on-one with a special needs students, working one-on-one with a special needs child. child.

Church Youth Group service project or mission tripChurch Youth Group service project or mission trip Rake & BakeRake & Bake

EmploymentEmployment

List all employment experiences for which List all employment experiences for which you have been paid, with the most recent you have been paid, with the most recent

employment on topemployment on top

Mom & Pop’s Ice Cream: Brookfield, CT. July 2009 Mom & Pop’s Ice Cream: Brookfield, CT. July 2009 to present. Head Scooper: responsibilities to present. Head Scooper: responsibilities include customer service, operating cash register, include customer service, operating cash register, maintaining food prep standards.maintaining food prep standards.

Ye Olde Ice Cream Shoppe: Brookfield, CT. April Ye Olde Ice Cream Shoppe: Brookfield, CT. April –July 2009. Cashier: responsible for operating –July 2009. Cashier: responsible for operating cash register.cash register.

Keep it real!Keep it real!Make it fit!Make it fit!

It’s OK to have two different resumes … one It’s OK to have two different resumes … one for employment, and one for for employment, and one for college/scholarship. Each one can highlight college/scholarship. Each one can highlight the the samesame information, but will do it information, but will do it differently! differently!

Your resume should list the Your resume should list the most relevant and most relevant and important important information first, and the less information first, and the less important information second.important information second.

Employment ResumeEmployment Resume

Highlight the items an employer might be Highlight the items an employer might be most concerned with:most concerned with:

Personal DataPersonal Data Employment historyEmployment history Skills & TalentsSkills & Talents Achievements & AwardsAchievements & Awards

You might want to down-play extensive extra-You might want to down-play extensive extra-curricular and/or volunteer commitments!curricular and/or volunteer commitments!

Academic or Scholarship Academic or Scholarship ResumeResume

Highlight the items a college might be most Highlight the items a college might be most concerned with:concerned with:

Personal DataPersonal Data Academic QualificationsAcademic Qualifications Achievements & AwardsAchievements & Awards Extra-Curricular ActiviesExtra-Curricular Activies Volunteer CommitmentsVolunteer Commitments

You’re Finished!You’re Finished!

… … But you are But you are not not done yet! done yet!

Since a resume is a living document, you will Since a resume is a living document, you will need to keep yours on-hand to update with need to keep yours on-hand to update with your newest achievements and activities. your newest achievements and activities.

You are just beginning to lay the foundation You are just beginning to lay the foundation for your future self! Grab some life for your future self! Grab some life experiences which will create an experiences which will create an awesome awesome resume!resume!