Writing a Resume

What should you tell employers about yourself? A resume is a short, point-form document that you give to employers to tell them about your work experience, education and skills. Employers will expect you to have one. Don't worry! There are lots of experiences, skills and interest areas that you can put on your resume, even if you don't have a lot of work experience. Below are some tips to help you prepare your resume.

The Basics:

• Before writing your resume, it is important to identify your interests and skills.

• Keep it short! One or two pages usually works well.

• Most resumes include information such as:
  • Personal Information
  • Job Goals
  • Related Skills
  • Education
  • Work Experience
  • Duties
  • Additional Experience
  • Interests/Activities
  • References

Personal Information to Include

Your name, written in full and typed in title case (skip the nickname).

Your address, written out in full, without abbreviations. In fact, it's better to avoid abbreviations anywhere in your resume.

Your home or cell phone number with area code and a contact number for messages if you don't have an answering service.

Job Goals

In one sentence, describe your job goals. This tells the employer exactly what type of work you're looking for. Try to link your job goals to the job you're applying for.

Related Skills

List the special abilities and skills that relate to the job you're applying for. They can be from paid or unpaid work, volunteer experience and even hobbies. You likely have more skills than you think - even if you've never worked at a job like the one you're applying for.

Education

List your education, starting with the most recent diploma or training course and working backwards. Include the name and city or town of each school you attended (secondary and beyond), the type of programs, your areas of interest and the years you have completed.

Certificates or diplomas should also be listed, including those for mini courses like a computer or software course, first-aid, small engine repair, or any other training that might be useful in the job you are applying for.

Work Experience

List the companies you have worked for, with the locations (city, province) and the dates (month, year) you worked for each job or volunteer position.

Duties

Outline the type of duties you carried out, starting from the one that took most of your time, or involved the most responsibility. Provide no more than 5 duties for each job.

Additional Experience

Use this section to include such things as the languages you speak, software programs you know, and other abilities that relate to the job. If there is a lot of information, break it into separate sections with specific headings. The point is to get everything into your resume that shows why you are the right person for the job.

Interests/Activities

Briefly outline a few of your interests and activities that demonstrate something about you. Be sure to mention achievements or awards you may have received. If you have volunteer experience that is relevant to the job, make sure you put it in. Transferable skills, or skills that you developed through one activity but can be applied to another, are important.

References

A reference is someone that an employer can contact to find out more about you and your work ethic. References are not included in your resume, but you should have them ready. Think carefully about who can act as a reference, then get their permission to use them as a reference before you give their names. Type the names, addresses, and phone numbers of up to three references on a separate piece of paper. Your reference list should have the same headings (name, contact information) as your resume.

Keep your reference list as up-to-date as possible, so that you will be fresh in the minds of the people on it. If you can, give your reference an idea of the type of job you are applying for, and whenever possible, let them know when you think an employer will be calling them, so that they can be available and will have some time to think about what to say.

Who can you ask to be a reference?

• Someone from your school (teacher, guidance counsellor, coach);
• Someone you've worked for (summer, part-time or full-time employer);
• Someone you've worked for on a casual basis (babysitting, shovelling snow, delivering papers);
• Someone you've helped (as a volunteer or as a friend); or
• Someone whose opinion is respected (elder, minister, community leader).

Employers don't like a resume that:

• Is messy;
• Has misspelled words;
• Is too long;
• Is on coloured paper;
• Includes inappropriate information;
• Is accompanied by a photograph;
• Looks as if it's a copy instead of an original;
• Sounds as if it's been sent out to everyone;
• Says the applicant has skills but doesn't prove it; and
• Doesn't show any achievements.

Be sure to include a cover letter with your resume when you apply for a job.

For more information on resumes, visit your local Service Canada Centre or your local Service Canada Centre for Youth (SCCY).

Helpful Web Sites:

• Find out more about preparing your job search, including how to fill-out application forms and apply on line, with the help of Service Canada's Looking for a Job.

• Register with Job Bank to create your resume online with the Resume Builder tool from Service Canada.