Youth Toolkit - Build a Resume for the Job You Want

Think of your resume as a snapshot of you. It represents you, but does not replace you. It is just one item in your job-search toolbox. A well-crafted, clear and comprehensive resume can create a desire to meet the person behind the document.

The type of resume you create depends upon your work history, education, and skills, as well as the industry and/or job for which you are applying. Nonetheless, there are a few universal characteristics that apply to all resumes:

OPEN with a SUMMARY - Open the resume with a summary or profile. Be careful of the term "objective." It may limit how the employer perceives you and, consequently, narrow your options;

USE SIMPLE TECHNIQUES - Use bullets, lines and other simple techniques to aid in readability and emphasis;

OPEN LINES with KEY WORD - Open each line with a key word, action verb or the topic;

EMPLOY SHORT, FRAGMENTED SENTENCES - Sentences should be short and fragmented, and they often will lack pronouns and articles. Do not write in a narrative style such as, "I first started working for…";

DO NOT EXAGGERATE in PRESENTING YOUR SKILLS - Present your qualifications, skills, experience, and strengths. Demonstrate the scope of your responsibilities and accomplishments. Do not exaggerate or inflate;

AVOID REASONS for LEAVING JOB or SALARY - Avoid statements that give reasons for leaving a job or any salary information;

DO NOT LIST REFERENCES or PERSONAL DATA - Do not list references or personal information such as marital status, height and weight, or Social Security number; and

PROOFREAD YOUR RESUME- Print out the resume for proofreading by you and others. Do not try to proof on a computer monitor or trust the spell-check function on a word processing program.