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| Your First Resume By: Emily Long Last month, AMG reported on options for great summer jobs. This month, we offer you some tips on how to land those opportunities with a great resume. You may be thinking, “I’ve never had a job, so what can I possibly put on my resume? And who will hire me with no experience?” Stop worrying! A resume is a one-page summary of your past experiences and the skills and abilities you have developed as a result. You should describe the who/ what/when/where of the clubs you belong to and the previous positions you have held, whether it be babysitting or filing paperwork at your dad’s office. Any experience is valuable-you don’t have to have held numerous “official” jobs in the past. When describing your experiences, use two to three bullet points with action verbs like assisted, led, coordinated, and planned, to describe the responsibilities you held in your positions. Jennifer Philips, Career Counselor for Health, Science, Research, and Environment at the Duke University Career Center, advises students to “use the appropriate skills that would be interesting to employers like excellent customer service, strong communication skills, outstanding ability to multitask or coordinate educational activities for two children under 10 years old.” In other words, good description helps your potential employer understand the kind of employee you might be. Next, highlight your achievements, even those that seem minor. For example, Jennifer tells potential employees to include “any promotion or award like they moved from hostess to food server or had outstanding sales at the Gap. Or maybe they got a pay raise with the family they’ve been babysitting for the past few years- that’s a promotion and an accomplishment to be noted.” Finally, list organizations you are involved in and skills or interests you might have. This helps the employer get to know you as a person. Don’t forget to include your name, email address, and phone number, and always proofread! Alternatively, check out the “functional resume,” which may look different from a college or professional resume (http://www.quintcareers. com/functional_resume.html). Cameo Hartz, also a Duke Career Counselor, recommends this for younger students because “it focuses more on the skills a person has than individual experiences.” You may also have heard of a cover letter, which is a more detailed look at your past jobs and a description of why an employer should hire you. Although a lot of summer job applications won’t require a cover letter, there are a few things to remember. Do some research about the position, briefly talk about how you fit the job, and describe in detail one or two of your jobs or activities. Conclude with an invitation for the employer to contact you. In conclusion, Yin Lu, Career Counselor for Engineering, Science and Technology at Duke, said, “One important thing young female professionals need to remember is to let their confidence shine through on paper, regardless of their previous work experience. In other words, don't sell yourself short. Being confident in detailing out any work experience is a positive reflection on work ethic, ability to be take on tasks and effective communication-- even with little professional experience.” Overall, be open and honest about your experiences, and always be yourself. You do have something to contribute to the working world, so have some confidence in your abilities! Download a sample resume here! |
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