When the job market is either good or bad, job seekers need to have their resumes handy to give to employers. Talk to past employers, former teachers and classmates so you can get their permission to include them as references. Don't just assume you can include them. Most people like to know ahead of time, so when asked, they're ready with a thoughtful response about your suitability for a particular position.
Step 1
Pull together information you'll be putting into your resume and jot it down on a piece of paper. This includes your contact information, the type of work you're looking for, your education and any degrees or diplomas you've earned. Write down all past volunteer and paid experience, the names of your employers, their contact information and your dates of employment.
Jot down brief descriptions of your job duties and any accomplishments you had while in each position. Include any specialized skills you have.
Step 2
Write up a list of your interests and abilities as you plan your resume. If you're good with computer applications and can figure out how to work on computer software, include this as a skill. This information helps you as you decide what kinds of jobs to apply for and how to tailor your resume to specific employers, writes Kids Health.
Step 3
Customize your settings and set your margins to 1 inch all around. Choose a serif font. Write out your resume listing your most recent position first and working your way back to your first position, recommends the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.
Step 4
List brief descriptions of each position, using phrases, not full sentences. Instead of large blocks of text, use bullets to highlight key duties and prior accomplishments, suggests the BLS.
Step 5
Format your headings in the same way throughout your resume. Proofread your resume and have someone else proofread as well. Look for misspellings or typographical errors, writes the BLS. Use your spellchecker, but read your resume word for word to look for mistakes the spellchecker missed. Read your resume backward--this makes it easier to catch mistakes.
Tips and Warnings
- Use a serif or sans serif font--don't use any fancy fonts that are hard to read. A serif font, like Times New Roman or Courier, has small "feet" at the ends of the letters while a sans serif font doesn't have those feet. Arial and Verdana are sans serif fonts. Use black print and choose a better-quality, heavier-weight resume paper for your resumes.
Things You'll Need
- Computer or word processor
- Printer
Member Comments