A resume is an important document that sums up all your skills, experiences, and important accomplishments so a potential employer can see whether or not you would be a good fit for a certain position. A resume is important especially when you are in high school and looking for a job because it is a chance for you to capture a future employer’s attention.
First impressions count and most first impressions are made through resumes. Most of the time, the impression a potential employer will have of you is going to depend on your resume. Typically, the average employer only spends a few seconds looking at resumes, so it is important that you have an eye catching resume that will get their attention.
There are many different resume formats that you can choose from when making your resume. A chronological resume is one of the most common types of resume formats that is used. It first lists the most recent employment and or education first. The more experience you have, the better your chances will be of getting a job. Second, a functional resume focuses more on your skills and past achievements rather than work history. This format will also help to gloss over any gaps in work history you might have.
When you make your resume, you need to include the following: name and contact information, your objective or summary statement (which ever you’re more comfortable with), work experience, volunteer and extracurricular experience, education and skills. If you are in high school and you don’t have your own contact information you may put down your mom or dad’s information. Because resumes are important, you need to make sure you update it regularly so that none of the information is out of date. If your information is out of date, you are giving potential employer’s inaccurate information and there is a smaller chance of being hired.
How you write a resume and the language you use is important. It is always a good idea to use active language when you are describing your experiences, that way you are portrayed in a dynamic way. Active language is using action verbs in your descriptions. For example, verbs like; organized, calculated, taught, led, served, tutored, trained, etc. Your resume should only be a maximum of one page in order to keep it short and simple. When you finish, you should proofread it, and then have at least a two other people read it. One of them should be a peer and the other an adult.
If you are having trouble writing a resume, you can always find templates and samples of resumes on google docs, https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org, and www.thebalance.com, etc. Good luck!
