THE RESUME
| Purpose | Tips | Sizzle & Buzz | Format & Length | Sections | Samples | Quiz | Next Step | 
Resume Purpose
Employers receive hundreds of resumes each week. Usually only 2 out of every 100 get invited for an interview. The purpose of a resume is to get yourself a job interview.
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Resume Tips
Before you begin, here are a few tips. KISS your resume! That’s right Keep IT Simple and Short. A resume should be concise and clear in descriptions. An employer can have hundreds of resumes come across his desk each day. He will take a 10 second scan of your resume. If it’s not concise, clear, neat, and error free, into the trash can it will go.
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Sizzle and Buzz
Sizzle and buzz your resume. The idea is to make your resume pop out so it’s a keeper. Use the Sizzle & Buzz resume aid (on the right menu) to help you create the right wording for your resume. These sizzle and buzz words are called action verbs. For example instead of saying: "cash register skills" say "operated cash register and handled $5000 in daily cash sales."
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Resume Format & Length
- Use 8.5 x 11 resume paper
- Avoid artwork
- Avoid fancy fonts
- Keep one inch margins
- 10-12 Point Font, with exception of your header
- Bold or capitalize important items, headlines, etc. so they stand out
- Limit your resume to one page. References should be supplied on a second page, only to be given out upon request.
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Resume Sections
There are at least 5-7 sections to a resume. They are:
- Header
- Objective
- Education
- Skills & Abilities
- Work/Volunteer Experience
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Activities & Honors/Personal (Optional) i.e., Activities & Honors, Accomplishments, Awards & Certificates
- References (on a second page, available upon request)
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Sample Resumes
Let’s get started by exploring some resumes.
Perhaps you haven’t really had a paying job, but have learned quite a few skills throughout your life experience. You can show a future employer how quickly you could learn any new skill by writing a Life Experience Resume.
Maybe you have done a lot of school projects, been a part of clubs, or participated in classroom activities. Then take a look at this School Experience Resume. It can show a future employer you have the necessary skills to qualify for the job.
You might say, "Hey—but, I have some hands-on experience
working out there in the real job market!"  Then the Work Experience Resume gives you an example of how to make work experiences pop and sizzle. It can show how you are ready for the job and new responsibilities. Now take the resume quiz.
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Next Step
View the Instructional Videos. Use them, the resume aids, and the good and poor example resumes to help you write the perfect resume.
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A resume should start with the most important and pertinent information beginning after the header and objective