Embedded Files
How to create a resume, and other helpful tips
Jan. 16, 2018
First impressions matter
When you arrive for a job interview, you ought to offer your future employer a firm handshake, showcase a warm smile and dress professionally. Whether you are pursuing a job for the first time, or you are a seasoned professional seeking a career advancement, it stands that one's very first impression is their resume!
Tailor your resume for the specific job
Your resume is the employer's first peak at who you are. A well-written resume shows a prospective employer that you are highly qualified to succeed in the position for which you are applying, so make sure you tailor your resume to highlight the skills and qualifications the employer is seeking.
Include all relevant experience
A resume is a brief overview of your education and experience. You will want to include your education, part-time and full-time employment, internships, volunteer opportunities, extracurricular activities, achievements and awards that will demonstrate your ability to perform the job well.
Formatting
Step 1: Name and contact information
Your first name and last name should be placed at the top and in the middle of your page. The font size of your name should be a couple of points larger than the rest of your text. Beneath your name you will type your current residential address, phone number and email address. It is important to keep your name and contact information organized so that your prospective employer can easily contact you. See the following example:
Jane Doe
701 North C Street, Indianola, Iowa 50125 | 555-555-555 | jane.doe@gmail.com
Step 2: Put your experiences into categories
You will then organize your experiences into categories. Categories may include education, employment experience, volunteer, achievements and skills. It is up to you to decide which category to list first on your resume. For the purposes of this article, we placed the education category first. From there, you will list your most recent experience in each category first.
Your categories and experiences should flow down the left side of the page. The city and state where you attended school and/or worked at a specific company should flow down the right side of the page. In the education category, you will write the degree you received and the month and year you received it following the name of school. In the experience category, you will write the position you held beneath the name of your workplace. You will then tab over to the right side of the page and write the month and year you began and ended your employment with that company. See the following example:
Jane Doe
701 North C Street, Indianola, Iowa 50125 | 555-555-555 | jane.doe@gmail.com
EDUCATION:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa - Bachelor of Arts, May 2013 Iowa City, Iowa
Majors: English Literature and Political Science
EXPERIENCE:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Iowa Department of Human Rights, Div. of Criminal/Juvenile Justice Planning Des Moines, Iowa
Program Planner August 2016 - Present
VOLUNTEER:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Youth Emergency Services and Shelter Des Moines, Iowa
Volunteer, Tutor December 2017 - Present
AWARDS:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Coalition for Juvenile Justice Washington, D.C.
Emerging Leader Scholarship July 2015
SKILLS:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Knowledgeable in Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher | Public Speaking | Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
INTERESTS:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Softball(North Des Moines Girls Softball, volunteer coach, March 2013-2014), gardening, playing the Ukulele
Step 3: Describe your experiences
Once you have your experiences organized into categories, you will then write a few sentences about those experiences. A good rule of thumb is to list 3-4 bullet points under each experience or volunteer position. It is not necessary to put bullet points under the skills or interests categories. An effective bullet point contains an adjective or action verb describing a responsiblity you held in a specfic position. Bullet points should be one sentence long. See the following example:
Jane Doe
701 North C Street, Indianola, Iowa 50125 | 555-555-555 | jane.doe@gmail.com
EDUCATION:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
University of Iowa - Bachelor of Arts, May 2013 Iowa City, Iowa
Majors: English Literature and Political Science
EXPERIENCE:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Iowa Department of Human Rights, Div. of Criminal/Juvenile Justice Planning Des Moines, Iowa
Program Planner August 2016 - Present
*Develop annual reports to provide a statewide glimpse of how youth are doing as they transition from foster care to adulthood.
VOLUNTEER:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Youth Emergency Services and Shelter Des Moines, Iowa
Volunteer, Tutor December 2017 - Present
*Assist at-risk youth with homeowrk and other projects.
AWARDS:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Coalition for Juvenile Justice Washington, D.C.
Emerging Leader Scholarship July 2015
*Selected by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice Executive Board the National Youth Committee to participate in the Juvenile Justice Youth Summit: "The Time is Now: Creating Change With Young Emerging Leaders."
SKILLS:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Knowledgeable in Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher | Public Speaking | Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
INTERESTS:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Softball(North Des Moines Girls Softball, volunteer coach, March 2013-2014), gardening, playing the Ukulele
Step 4: Proofread your resume
Review your resume before submitting it to an employer. Employers look for resumes that are clean, well-written, and free of grammatical or spelling errors. Make sure you use the correct tense when describing what you do at your current job, and what you did at your past job. For example, use "developed" when describing a past job, and "develop" when describing your current job.
Page updated
Report abuse