Get the job

A resume summarizes your education, skills and work experience. It should give your potential employer enough information to decide whether to invite you for an interview.

To get you started, brainstorm a list of facts about yourself that demonstrate your ability to do the job. Answer the following questions as you list the information you’ll need for your resume:

• What is your objective?
• What classes or training have you had related to this type of work?
• What internships or jobs have you had where you performed any of the required job duties or related job duties?
• What volunteer work have you done?
• What societies, clubs or organizations do you belong to?
• What computer or technical skills do you have?
• What languages besides English do you speak?

Once you have developed a list of your skills and qualifications, you can begin writing a resume. Most resumes have at least four sections:

• Contact Information: Name, Address, Phone Number, E-mail.
• Objective: A one-sentence description of the type of job you are seeking.
• Education: The schools you have attended and degrees have you earned, with the most recent listed first.
• Experience: Places you have worked, with the most recent listed first. Devote more space to the jobs that relate to the job you’re applying for.

• Limit your resume to one page.
• Use active verbs.
• Be consistent with your use of present or past tense.
• Keep descriptions short and relevant.
• Emphasize what you can do for the employer.
• Proofread and correct mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spelling. (It can help to ask someone else to proofread your resume for you.)
• Use a simple, easy-to-read font in a minimum size of 10.