Resume Tips

Your resume is often the first impression you make to a potential employer. Having a resume that stands out, contains all of the appropriate information, and truly allows you to shine is essential to moving onto the next step – the interview process. Our Career Readiness Instructor, Ashley, has shared some of her tips for creating a professional resume to make your first impression an outstanding one.

Make sure all contact information is located at the top of your resume. This includes;
- First and last name
- City, State, Zip code
- Personal email address
- Phone number

If employers are interested in moving you on to the next step towards employment, it is important that they have your contact information readily available so that they may reach out to you.

Include a professional summary

This is two or three sentences summarizing your work history, experience, and your career objectives. For example, if you have had five years of experience in retail and would like to continue growing within the field, this is something you would include in your professional summary.
List your top skills

This includes both hard and soft skills. Examples of hard skills would be knowing how to work a cash register or having experience working within a particular computer program. Soft skills include general skills that are transferable between career fields, like time management, communication, and team leadership.
Include your work history

List where and when you were previously employed, along with the duties under each job. Remember to include daily tasks as well as larger projects you may have worked on.
List your achievements

Were you employee of the month? Were you formally recognized for a job well done by a previous employer? This is where you would include those career highlights. Seeing that you have a history of going above and beyond is something potential employers love to see.
List your highest level of education and any certifications you have received

This includes high school, college, and any certifications you have earned within your field. For example, through career camps and on-the-job trainings with employU, participants can earn certifications such as OSHA -10 and ServSafe. These certifications can give you an edge on your competition and should be listed on your resume so potential employers are aware that you have completed these formal trainings
Languages spoken

If you are bilingual or multilingual, be sure to include that on your resume! That is a desirable skill to have, especially when working with public.
Volunteer Experience

Don’t forget to include any volunteer experience that may add value to your resume. List any tasks you completed and duties you performed during each experience.

Additional Tips

Tailor resume information to job descriptions
Employers want to see that you are not only qualified for the job but that you are also very interested in the position.
Proofread before applying to jobs
Typos and small errors happen to everyone. Make sure you catch and correct those before sending your resume to potential employers.
Make sure all of your contact information is up-to-date
This is very important. You want employers to be able to contact you if they are interested in speaking with you further.
Try to keep your resume to about one page
A resume that is shorter than this can look incomplete, while one that is longer may feel overwhelming.
Use a professional email address
An email address that contains inside jokes or cute nicknames is fine for personal use, but not something you want employers to use when contacting you. Go for an email address that contains your name.
Avoid listing hobbies that are unrelated to the position
This information takes up space on your resume and is not of interest to most potential employers.
Do not attach a photo of yourself
You want employers to focus on your skills and qualifications. Attaching a photo can be distracting and come across as unprofessional.