How to Write Your First Resume

That paper need not stay blank for long!

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Are you looking for your first job? Perhaps you're clueless as to what to write on your resume. Don't panic! With a little skill, you can create a profile which showcases you to best advantage despite your lack of work experience.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Computer or word processor
8 1/2 x 11" paper for printing

Step1

Put down your name, address, phone number and e-mail address (if you have one) at the topmost part of your resume. You want prospective employers to know where they can contact you.

Step2

Note immediately below in either bold, italicized or slightly larger letters the position you are interested in.

Step3

Explain your objective for applying for your job of choice. This should include, briefly, the reason why you feel you are a good candidate for the position. What do you hope to achieve by being employed by this company?

Step4

List down, from most to least recent, your volunteer and unpaid experiences where your skills were honed and you were able to be of service. Under each separate listing, make note of your duties relevant to the job you seek.

Step5

Remember to put down at this point (again from most to least recent) the academic institutions you've attended. Include the dates you were enrolled at each one, your degrees and areas of study, and whether you graduated or not. Afterwards, you can also note vocational and technical schools you've studied at.

Step6

Reserve the next section for your skills and any awards you've received which make you a more valuable and upstanding citizen, or at least one with talent that an employer could certainly use.

Step7

Point out after the main body of your resume, that your references are available upon request. Unless the company you are sending an application to has specified they want references immediately, you do not want to be freely and carelessly giving away the contact information of others.

Tips & Warnings

Attach a well-written cover letter specific to the position and company you are applying to in front of your resume.
Put down a clear heading for each section of your resume. Make sure you follow a consistent spacing format all throughout. Your work should be easy to read and understand.
Be direct and to the point. Stick to basics and avoid going over two pages. Too much information is senseless and unnecessary.
Make sure you check for errors such as spelling and grammar. Factors like these can make or break you, especially since you are submitting your first resume and are probably searching for your first job.