Remember To Write A Winning Resume
“Why on earth do I need to create a resume now?” No matter what your post-high school plans are, employers, scholarship committees, study abroad programs, intern seekers and colleges want to know exactly what you did in school to maximize your time and develop your skills. When you compile an impressive resume it becomes a brief snapshot into your education, previous experiences and abilities. When looking for a job the majority of employers ask for this digital or physical document, along with a completed application, to assess your ability to meet the job requirements. Imagine trying to recruit a basketball player without knowing any of their stats or standings. Many standard college applications will not allow you to highlight all of your involvements and accomplishments. This is a great way to connect the dots for them.
So what does a comprehensive resume consist of? The basics are to list your full name, address, phone number and email address (remember that BallisLife813@yahoo is not the best reflection of your professionalism). Next list where you attend school and your current GPA. This can be a positive or a negative depending on your standing; you should choose to submit this information depending on your specific situation. Detail any job, club, or team that you are a part of and the skills that you have learned from these experiences. This is your opportunity to boast about your leadership, teamwork, innovation, organization, creativity, etc. Be sure to be specific when indicating your qualities and achievements. Also, make sure that your resume is attractive. A professional consistent font, adequate margins, and using reverse chronological order are key to a structurally sound resume. Most importantly…PROOFREAD! You want to avoid spelling errors and typos that will show a lack of focus on important details. Your guidance counselor, teachers, or any other working adult should be able to offer resume feedback. Feel free to take advantage of this.
More importantly, during this process ask yourself the following questions:
What are my strengths?
What have I done and how well have I done it?
Can I demonstrate and prove everything that I have listed?
Does this resume best reflect my goals, ambitions, and potential?
What is it that I want and is this resume reflective of the job I am applying for?
“The challenge of life, I have found, is to build a resume that doesn't simply tell a story about what you want to be, but it's a story about who you want to be.” – Oprah Winfrey
Click the links below for examples and templates!