WHAT IS A RÉSUMÉ, ANYWAY?
In a nutshell, it’s a one- to two-page document that outlines your specific skills and talents in an easy-to-read way that exhibits your qualifications. This little piece of paper is your key to opportunity. Your résumé can get your application that all-important second look or land you the interview.

NOT ALL RÉSUMÉS ARE CREATED EQUAL
The first thing a career coach will tell you is that your résumé should be tailored to fit each application and its requirements. What most people don’t mention is that there are different résumés for different things. For example, a résumé you submit with college or scholarship applications is considerably different than one you would give to a potential employer. Below are some résumé writing tips for both types.

BRAINSTORM
Every good project begins with a plan. Take some time and make a thorough list of your skills, qualifications, experience and extracurricular activities.

START SLEUTHING
Find out all you can about your school or company. Get information about the institution as a whole, its history and the type of person it wants to add to its team.

• For colleges: Check out admission requirements, the department you’re interested in and notable professors in your field.
• For companies: Get details about the open position to become a better candidate.

BUILDING THE FRAMEWORK
Here’s where academic and professional résumés begin to really differ. It’s important to format your résumé in a way that fits the position and exhibits your individual experiences and skills.

• For colleges: Most schools are looking for dedicated, multifaceted students, so categories that demonstrate your leadership experience, community service and other extracurricular activities are going to be more important to include than your employment history. Academic résumés should be no longer than two pages.
• For companies: Listing your previous employment experience is vital, along with computer and other job-specific skills. Limit professional résumés to one page.

THE MAIN INGREDIENTS

1. Personal Information
   Include your contact information: your full name, postal and e-mail addresses, and telephone number. Distinguish your name from the rest of your document by bolding it or slightly increasing its size.
2. Objective Statement
   This is only necessary when you’re looking for a job.
• For companies: This is just a sentence or two explaining your interest in the position you’re seeking. Be specific—say “clerical assistant for Acxiom” rather than “secretary for a company,” for example.
3. Education
   This is important on any application. List items in reverse chronological order from your highest degree back through high school. Include any special honors you received, like scholarships.
• For colleges: Look closely at what your school wants on your résumé. Include your GPA if it’s above a 3.25, your college entrance exam scores, any awards or honors you’ve received, and advanced placement classes you’ve taken — including your scores.
4. Experience
   Including experience on an academic résumé is optional, but it’s absolutely necessary when seeking employment. Begin with your most recent employment. If you have more than one job, put the one you acquired most recently first. List your title, the company name, the location and dates of your employment. Give a brief description of your duties for each job and emphasize specific, relevant skills and achievements. If you don’t have much experience yet, try using categories you would find on an academic résumé such as “leadership” and “community service.”
5. Community Service and Involvement
   Many colleges and companies are interested in compassionate, involved people. Include all your volunteerism and participation in extracurricular activities here.
• For colleges: In order to be competitive for admission, having this category is a must.
6. References
   Sources differ on this. Some suggest leaving them off entirely; others say to list the references or state that “references are available upon request.” Check with your guidance counselor to choose a format that works for you.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ORDER
On average, it takes an admissions officer or potential employer 30 seconds to look over a résumé. To make your qualifications stand out, list the most important information first so it definitely gets seen.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Exceptional résumés look professional and are formatted consistently. No matter how you list your information, follow the same format for every category. Choose one easy-to-read font for the entire document, and keep it either 10-point or 12-point. Avoid page borders and other distracting decorations.

QUICK TIPS

Keep it Classy! Many students’ résumés have great content but lack the professionalism needed to snag great opportunities. Make these small tweaks to keep yours competitive.

• Change your e-mail address. Having an address like suprkutechik@hotmail.com or imsmarterthanyou@aol.com makes you look immature and cocky. Use your full name to look distinguished and professional.
• Don’t get personal. In the United States it is inappropriate to include your age, race, marital status, sexual preference or religious denomination on a résumé.
• Be honest. Fudging on a résumé is completely unethical. Have confidence in your qualifications!
• Keep it clean. Proofread! Nothing suggests carelessness to an employer more than errors. Ask your parents and teachers to look over your résumé to find any mistakes.
• Organize. A sloppy, unorganized résumé will end up trashed.
• Don’t be cheap. Use high-quality résumé paper. It shows attention to detail.
• Roll film…ACTION! Use strong action words and key terms in your descriptions. Instead of “made phone calls at the office,” say “contacted clients and managed information.” You can find lists of great terms by searching the Web for “résumé action words.”

To see a sample résumé, click here.

HOT LINKS
www.collegeboard.com
www.acinet.org
www.monster.com
www.jobweb.com
www.arkansasbusiness.com