Resume
http://www.youth.gc.ca/eng/topics/jobs/resume.shtml
• Functional resume – focus on skills (good for gaps in employment or people who have never worked before) (template and example)
• Chronological resume – focus on work history (most recent first)
• Hybrid resume – focus on skills but with dates and titles of previous work experience, can be specifically tailored for a specific job application
Important information to include in your resume:
• Personal information
• Education
• Skills and experience
• Other relevant information (job goals, spoken languages, achievements or awards)
Top-10 résumé tips
1. Think ahead. If you wait until the last minute to hand in your résumé, you could miss the deadline and risk not being considered for the job.
2. Tailor your résumé. Include information on your résumé associated with the job you are applying for.
3. Chunk it out. If there is a lot of information, break it into separate sections with specific headings.
4. Use action words. Focus on things you have accomplished, and avoid starting every sentence with “I”.
5. Proofread. Never rely on spell check.
6. Repeat Tip 5. Seriously, even one misspelled word could put you in the “do not consider” pile.
7. Make it presentable. Make sure your résumé looks clean and organized. Use white, letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11-inch) and a font that’s easy to read, like Times New Roman or Arial.
8. Keep it concise. Try to keep your résumé as short as possible—ideally one page, two pages maximum.
9. Be honest. Lying on your résumé is never a good idea. Many people who lie on their applications end up losing their jobs when their employers find out the truth.
10. Be professional. Remember, this is a business document, so don’t include unnecessary embellishments like flashy paper or a picture of yourself.
Points to remember:
• Provide your Job Objective below your contact info. but before your skills/experience
• Your Job Objective must be a job you could and would do TODAY. You are not trained to be an architect but you could work with architects as a receptionist for example.
• The headings on your resume’ ought to reflect the types of skills (groupings) and experiences you possess. Don’t feel you need to copy the headings from the examples provided.
• The headings ought to be suited to the needs of your Job objective
• Avoid sentences; rather list attributes/skills and use active verbs. For example:
Instead of: I have a positive attitude and I am willing to work hard to make the most of opportunities.”
On your resume’ write instead:
– Postive, hardworking, quick learner, team player
Instead of: I am self assured and relate well to people. I enjoy speaking in public.
– Self assured, sociable, skilled public speaker
Instead of: I was the manager of my basketball team.
– Managed a team of 16 players Jr. basket ball league.
• You want the active verbs at the front of the line. These are your transferable skills
• You want the most relevant information to be closest to the top.