A resume is an outline of your academic and work-related experiences to promote your skills, achievements and abilities to potential employers. Creating your first resume doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. But you must understand the ultimate goal— to generate interest and interviews from possible employers.

A resume should not cover your entire life story. Rather, it should be a simple snapshot of who you are, what your strengths are and what value you will bring to the company. Your resume should be captivating enough that it piques the interest of an employer, prompting him or her to contact you and schedule an interview.

Don’t be concerned that you don’t have enough experience to create a compelling resume. Employers realize that young job seekers haven’t had ample time in the working world to generate long hours on jobs. Besides, once you think about your background, you’ll be surprised at what you have to offer employers. The key is to emphasize assets and experiences that demonstrate your value.

Successful Resumes Use the KIS Method... Keep it Simple.
An effective resume is neat, persuasive and accurate. And as resumes should only be one page in length, pick the best things, not everything, that you think potential employers should know. Realize that resumes get less than 20 seconds to make the right impression, meaning yours must be eye-catching and easy to read. Use basic, readable fonts like Times New Roman that are typed in a font size of at least 10 points. Visit the library or go online to get ideas of layout and structure. Take note: This document is how the potential employer will remember you, so put effort into it!
Here are other tips to make your resume— and you— stand out.

•Start with contact details: your name, phone numbers, address and e-mail address. This information should be at the top center or top left or right corner of the resume. If you have a wacky voicemail message or e-mail address (like gothgirl@gmail.com), it’s wise to set up something conservative to show you are a mature professional. This way, when the potential employer looks at your resume or calls your cell phone, the person won’t question your persona.

•Say what you aim to do, what you can do, the type of position you seek and your availability. While you may put a phrase at the top of the resume stating what you aspire to do and the type of position you seek, you may want to mention your availability in a cover letter or on an actual job application. On your resume, state your education level, the name of the school you attend and what grade you are in. Also list your GPA if it is 3.0 or higher.

•Be creative with work experience. If you’ve held jobs in the past— whether they involved working at a store, babysitting kids or tutoring students— describe the most recent work experience first. Be specific. If you’ve babysat, write down how many families and/or kids you have worked for and the hours you’ve worked. If you’ve mowed lawns, list how many you’ve mowed each week. The details will distinguish you from everyone else. If you haven’t had a real job with set hours and pay, informal or volunteer work counts as work experience. All types of work show that you are proactive, which is what potential employers desire from you at this stage. Walking the neighbor’s dog or taking part in a school activity, such as organizing the food drive for charity last fall, demonstrates a good work ethic.

•Add your skills and achievements. These include distinctions in academic competitions, sports awards and stellar exam results. Such honors say much about your determination and abilities. Also, tell employers about any special skills, such as speaking more than one language, proficiency with specific software and dexterity in math.

•Include your interests and activities. Letting a potential employer know about your interests creates a three-dimensional person that exists beyond a sheet of paper. Playing a sport, singing in a band and being the captain of a debate team illustrate that you are well-rounded and accomplished. List all significant honors, awards and/or special recognitions that you have attained.

•Find two references. Think of people who would vouch for you should a prospective employer want to confirm you are reliable, efficient and trustworthy. Ask a coach, teacher or family friend if the person would be interested in being a reference. When a person agrees, type his or her name and relationship to you, phone number and e-mail address on a list of your references. Make sure these are people who have a high opinion of you. And let potential employers know, perhaps with a line on your resume, that you have “references upon request.”

Even though your qualifications may be nontraditional, handing over a resume demonstrates that you are serious about obtaining a job, as well as mature and responsible. A resume also encourages talking points during job interviews. Be sure to make it look good and consistent, proofread it and check the grammar, or else your resume may prevent you from getting an interview— let alone landing a job.

 

Ilyse R. Shapiro is the founder of the job search Web site www.myparttimepro.com. She is an accomplished writer on topics such as part-time employment, the work-life balance and women who return to work.

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