The hardest part about writing a resume is starting to write the resume!

First, you need to think about what you want to do, what image you wish to project, and how your past experiences relate to your current aspirations. Once you have addressed these crucial issues, putting your thoughts on paper is much easier.Choose your focus. Decide what type of job you’ll be applying for and then write it at the top of a piece of paper.

The job objective you list on your sheet of paper doesn’t have to actually appear on your resume. Sometimes, it’s best to describe your job goals in the cover letter, where you can tailor your objective to each opening. Most employers do like to see an objective statement on your resume and it is an option on the AJB Resume Builder. Make sure that it is precise. For example, “A marketing management position with an innovative corporation” is much better than “A position which utilizes my education and experience.”
Take inventory. Start with several pieces of blank paper. Title each with the following headings and then brainstorm:

If you think you don’t have any experience—think again. Remember, the question in the employer’s mind is: “Why should I speak with this person? How is he/she different from all the other applicants?”

Try to answer these questions under each heading. Talking out loud about your overall career and job skills and experiences can sometimes be helpful. Remember to be big-picture and summary oriented. Ask yourself for each job and experience, “What did I do?”

Education

Work experience
List all your job experiences—paid or unpaid—with a list of all the things you did while working at each one. Think about details. Under each job, list your job responsibilities and skills that were needed. If available, incorporate sentences from the actual job description. Don’t worry yet about writing
descriptions or narrowing your list. Make an inventory of your successes. Go back to each job you have held and think about what you accomplished for which you received special recognition, or that you felt proud of, or was above and beyond the call of duty. Did you save the organization money and time by developing a new procedure?

Did you generate awareness in the community about your organization? Write down any achievement that shows potential employers what you could do for them. Whenever possible, quantify your results—numbers are always impressive. Now describe each job and any of your accomplishments in a simple and powerful action statement that emphasizes beneficial results.

Activities

Honors and awards

Interests

Skills and abilities

For each section, ask yourself the following questions:

Start focusing. Now that you have everything down on paper, go back to each list and think about which items are relevant to your target job. Cross out anything that doesn’t relate, even if this means entire jobs. Remember, if you have enough jobs listed, a particular job you held in high school may not be relevant. The purpose of a resume is to get your foot in the door. It is not meant to be an all-inclusive recollection of your life. If you have a long history of work experience, you may want to list only recent jobs that are related to your present objective.

Create clear and concise sentences. Take all your lists and make full sentences out of the remaining items listed for each job and experience. Combine any items that are related to prevent your phrases from being short and choppy. Each sentence should be structured so it is interesting and compelling. Use action verbs at the beginning of each sentence to make each sentence powerful (refer to the list of action words). Make sure that each word in every sentence means something and contributes to the quality of the phrase. If you are having trouble writing clear and concise sentences, ask a friend who’s good with words to help you. Also, most schools offer free services to help you with your resume.

Insert targeted keywords. Your resume must contain specific keywords to get noticed. These include descriptive nouns or short phrases that may be used to find your qualifications in a keyword search of a resume database. These include talents, skills, and relevant knowledge required to do your job.
The job description will be one of the best sources for keywords.

Nearly every noun in job postings and advertisements will be a keyword that employers use when searching through resumes. Make sure to use those words somewhere in your resume, including synonyms wherever you can. For example, if you are seeking a public relations position, you should describe your “communication skills” and “writing experience.”Never include a keyword on your resume that is not true or doesn’t represent your experience.You’re now finished with the hardest part of creating a resume. The only thing left is to format your information in a style that reflects your personality. Your finished product should be a finely tuned marketing instrument that reflects who you are and motivates the employer to contact you for an interview.

By CESER, the Center for Employment Education and Research