Resumes 101What is a resume? When do I need

one? How do I make one?

What is a Resume?● A resume is a piece of paper that lists

all of your contact information, skills, and experience.

● Employers use it to find out more information about you, and decide whether or not you might be a good fit for their company.

Anatomy of a ResumeResumes can look different depending on what you include on them, but most resumes have the same basic sections:-Contact Information

-Experience

-Education

High School ResumesAs a High School Student, your resume will probably be a little shorter, but it will still have the same basic sections:-Contact Information

-Education

-Experience

When Do I Need a Resume?● Most first-time jobs only require you to fill out an

application, but some will require a resume. It’s a good idea to have one ready in case you need it.

● Once you start looking for more long-term jobs, and especially when you’re looking for work after you graduate, you will need a resume for any job that you apply for.

How Do I Make a Resume?● You can either just open up a word processor (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs)

and just start typing away.- OR! -

● The much easier way is to find a resume template. A “template” is like a model version of something. It is an example that you can edit.

● You can search for a template online (google things like “high school resume template”), download it as a document, and fill in your information.

● You could also use one of the templates provided by your school (available on the Work-Based Learning page of the AFA website) or through another organization (i.e. if you are working with a job coach, or at a job center).

Using a Resume Template● First, replace the template’s information with your information.

For example: delete “Bethany Butler” and type your name there, etc.

● Remove/Change/Add sections. For example, if you haven’t won any awards or received any specific honors yet (a lot of high school students haven’t), you can remove the “Achievements” section. Or maybe you have special training/certifications (CPR, CPA, etc.), so you could make a “Certifications” section.

● Double-check! Read over the resume several times to make sure that there are no typos or grammatical errors. It’s definitely a good idea to have someone else read it too (our brains sometimes trick us, and we miss our own mistakes).

● You are done! Congratulations! Make sure you keep the resume in a safe spot, and you can get back to it when needed.

TEMPLATE

Now What?● Now you keep your resume, and give out copies when applying

for jobs.

● You’ll want to keep it updated, so be sure to add information (like if you get a new job, you can add that job to your work experience section), or change information (you can remove/add things each time you apply to a job, so that your resume is tailored to that specific job).

● If you have any questions, or would like any help, please visit Ms. Alex, the Workforce Coordinator!