My Best Resume(Click to add your class subject) (Click to add your class period)

Your Resume is a Selling Tool

• Your resume outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to their organization

It has to sell you in 30 seconds or less

• It takes 30 seconds or less for an employer to decide whether your resume ends up in the “consider file” or the “reject file”

• While you may have all the requirements for a particular job, if the employer does not quickly come to the conclusion that you “have what it takes,” then your resume failed

Tailor Your Resume to Each Job• The most effective resumes are clearly focused

on specific jobs and address the employer’s stated requirements for that job

• The more you know about the qualifications and duties required for the job—and organize your resume around these—the easier it is for the employer to see you have what it takes to do the job

Know Your Audience• The more you know about the employer and

the position, the more you can tailor your resume to fit the job

• You will need information to write a good resume. Not just information about jobs you’ve held in the past but also information about THIS job in order to put on your resume the most relevant accomplishments, skills, and experience

California CareerZone Resume Builder• Name and Contact Information • Objective• Work Experience• Education History• Military Service• Skills• Awards• Certifications

Name and Contact Information • Name• Address• Reliable telephone number

• For any telephone number given out in a job search, the voicemail message must be professional sounding because this may be the potential employers first impression of you

• E-mail address• The e-mail address you use in your job search must be

professional looking because this may be the potential employers first impression of you

Objective• The more specific you can be with an objective

the better

• A one-size-fits-all approach will not impress potential employers

• Clearly state the type of job you are hoping to get

• Use the job titles the potential employers use, if appropriate

• List formal jobs and names of employers from wherever you have worked

• Include informal jobs you have had such as gardening, babysitting, and even lemonade stand sales

• Include any internships or job shadowing you have completed

Work Experience

Education History• Begin with the most recent information and

work backward

• High school students can list your high school and current GPA

• Students in a California Partnership Academy or career pathway program should include the name of the Academy or pathway

Military Service

• List Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps if applicable or choose “Do Not Add Military Service”

Skills, Awards, Certifications• Include recognition for achievements in

and out of school:

• School certificates (such as honor roll), sports awards, etc.

• Certification earned in career technical education course, etc.

• Volunteer, community recognition

References

• As you build your resume, begin creating a list of people you can use as references

• Get permission from individuals you plan to use as references

• Avoid using family members

Resume Types• Different jobs need different types of

resumes:• Standard–1 page• Expanded–more than 1 page• Portfolio–a body of work• Multimedia–video, PowerPoint, or other

online presentation format

Resume Format• What kind of format does each resume need to be:

• Targeted–customized to the prospective job• Chronological–list work history in chronological

order• Functional–focus on your skills and experience

first• Combination–focus on your skills and list

employment in chronological order

Think about• Looking at a lot of different resumes to get an idea of

how varied they can be • Checking to see if the company you are applying to

(or the industry it is in) has a preferred resume style• Having others proofread your resume—any

mistakes and the prospective employer will stop reading and put your resume in the “reject file”