What
is a resume and how do you start one?
In a few months, you will be heading out to the 'real world' and looking for jobs. Even if you are going to college first, you may apply for jobs to help pay for school or to earn money over your summer breaks. At some point, you will need a resume, so always have one on file and update as you gain experience.
Go to the this website and take notes on the following:
- What is the main purpose of a resume?
- What do employers look for in resumes? What are questions your resume should answer for the employer?
- What kinds of information should you avoid putting in your resume?
- What are three main types of resumes? Which do you think is mostly likely to fit your skills and experience at this moment?
- How long should a resume be?
- What information should you include on your resume?
- What information must you include for work or volunteer experience?
- What information must
you include for education?
Now, look at some sample resumes to think about how you might like to organize your resume. Take notes on what kinds of information is included, on how the information is arrange, and on what you like or do not like about certain resumes.
What
is a cover letter and how do I write one?
- Read this article and this article about writing a cover letter. Explain in your own words in a short paragraph what the purpose of a cover letter is and what you should include in the cover letter.
- What are the 5 most common errors in a cover letter?
- Go to hotjobs.com, monster.com or any other source of job listings in LA. find a job to which you will apply. Cut and paste the job description into a word document (may be with answers to questions above) to print. Write a cover letter for this job to go with your resume.