Resumé revamp

Keep it short and to the point. The most effective resumé is the one that is brief, concise and kept to one page.

Be positive and be truthful. Even if you don’t think you have enough experience to put on a resumé, don’t lie on your resumé or downplay the accomplishments you do have.

At the top of your resumé, include your full name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Keep it professional by creating an e-mail address that is just your name.

Before putting together your resume, Linda Schwartz of Career Kids (www.careerkids.com), recommends the following: “Talk to people about your activities and hobbies. We often forget or downplay our activities and talking about them is a good way to trigger our memory.”

Your activities can tell a potential employer a lot about who you are as a person and the skills you have. Schwartz says that even activities can translate into job skills, “For instance, if you have played on a sports team in high school, you have demonstrated that you are a team player and work well with others.

If you are a team captain, you have shown leadership skills.” Include all the activities that you have been involved in over the past four years. But remember that several activities you have shown extended commitment to are more impressive than a lot of activities just padding a resumé.

Listing your volunteer work over the years can show a potential employer that you are dedicated to helping out the underprivileged and also can highlight your interests. If you don’t have much in the way of work experience, it can also prove you have what it takes to be successful in a paying job.

A spokesperson for www.Snagajob.com, a leading website for hourly jobs, says, “If you don’t have work experience, play up school activities and volunteer work. Being the captain of the soccer team, for example, shows that you’re a leader and have made a time commitment to an activity.”

You may not have much to put in the Work Experience section of your resumé, but don’t forget jobs such as baby-sitting, lawn mowing, etc. This specialized experience is especially key if you are looking for a related job in a day care center or landscaping company.

Always proofread your resumé for spelling and grammar errors before you send it out. Have someone else look it over and they will be able to catch mistakes you might have missed.

Resumé Example

1 Any Street, Anytown, PA 00000

(000) 000-0000

[email protected]

Anytown College (Expected graduation May 2015)

• 3.8 GPA

• Honor Roll all semesters

• Trustees’ Scholarship

• Anytown High School - Varsity Field Hockey Team, 2011-2013 Senior Year- Field Hockey Co-Captain

• Anytown High School Senior Chorus, 2009-2013

• Anytown High School- Spanish Club Member, 2010-2013, President 2009-2013, Planned and implemented activities and fundraisers

• Anytown Baptist Church- High School Choir, 2008-2013

• Anytown Baptist Church, Vacation Bible School Volunteer, 2011-2013 Led opening and closing times and music time for all children attending

• Anytown Public Library, Summer Teen Volunteer, 2012, 2013 Assisted in children’s summer reading program

• Habitat for Humanity, Volunteer, 2010-present

• Target, Cashier, Summer 2011

• Babysitter for several local families on evenings and weekends