My Best Resume

(Click to add your class subject)

(Click to add your class period)
Your Resume is a Selling Tool

• Your resume outlines your skills

and experiences so an employer
can see, at a glance, how you
can contribute to their
organization

2
It has to Sell You in 30 Seconds or Less
• It takes 30 seconds or less for an employer to
decide whether your resume ends up in the
“consider file” or the “reject file”
• While you may have all the requirements for a
particular job, if the employer does not quickly
come to the conclusion that you “have what it
takes,” then your resume failed

3
Tailor Your Resume to Each Job
• The most effective resumes are clearly
focused on specific jobs and address the
employer’s stated requirements for that job
• The more you know about the
qualifications and duties required for the
job—and organize your resume around
these—the easier it is for the employer to
see you have what it takes to do the job

4
Know Your Audience
• The more you know about the employer and
the position, the more you can tailor your
resume to fit the job
• You will need information to write a good
resume. Not just information about jobs
you’ve held in the past but also information
about THIS job in order to put on your
resume the most relevant
accomplishments, skills, and experience
5
California CareerZone Resume Builder
• Name and Contact Information
• Objective
• Work Experience
• Education History
• Military Service
• Skills
• Awards
• Certifications
6
Name and Contact Information
• Name
• Address
• Reliable telephone number
• For any telephone number given out in a job
search, the voicemail message must be
professional sounding because this may be the
potential employers first impression of you
• E-mail address
• The e-mail address you use in your job search
must be professional looking because this may be
the potential employers first impression of you
7
Objective
• The more specific you can be with an
objective the better
• A one-size-fits-all approach will not impress
potential employers
• Clearly state the type of job you are hoping
to get
• Use the job titles the potential employers
use, if appropriate
8
Work Experience
• List formal jobs and names of employers
from wherever you have worked
• Include informal jobs you have had such as
gardening, babysitting, and even lemonade
stand sales
• Include any internships or job shadowing
you have completed

9
Education History
• Begin with the most recent information
and work backward
• High school students can list your
high school and current GPA
• Students in a California Partnership
Academy or career pathway
program should include the name
of the Academy or pathway
10
Military Service
• List Junior Reserve Officer Training
Corps if applicable or choose “Do Not
Add Military Service”

11
Skills, Awards, Certifications
• Include recognition for achievements in
and out of school:
• School certificates (such as honor roll),
sports awards, etc.
• Certification earned in career technical
education course, etc.
• Volunteer, community recognition

12
References
• As you build your resume, begin
creating a list of people you can use as
references
• Get permission from individuals you
plan to use as references
• Avoid using family members

13
Resume Types
• Different jobs need different types of
resumes:
• Standard–1 page
• Expanded–more than 1 page
• Portfolio–a body of work
• Multimedia–video, PowerPoint, or
other online presentation format

14
Resume Format
• What kind of format does each resume need to
be:
• Targeted–customized to the prospective job
• Chronological–list work history in
chronological order
• Functional–focus on your skills and
experience first
• Combination–focus on your skills and list
employment in chronological order
15
Think About
• Looking at a lot of different resumes
to get an idea of how varied they can be
• Checking to see if the company you
are applying to (or the industry it is in)
has a preferred resume style
• Having others proofread your resume—any
mistakes and the prospective employer will
stop reading and put your resume in the
“reject file”
16