Resume Instructions and Letters of Recommendation

Mr. Burdett

◦ An easy to read snap shot of who you are and what experience you have.

◦ It is an overview of your: Grades, activities, honors, experience, travel,

leadership, work experience and community service.

What is a Resume?

◦ Job applications Determines if you are a good fit for the job Does not get you the job but will help get you

an interview.◦Letters of recommendation

Detailed facts about your interests, activities and honors.

Give a resume instead of a Brag sheet ◦ Some college applications will ask for a resume

if you have one.

What is it used for?

Mostly keep it to one page, if possible. For letters of recommendation you want to

be as detailed as possible ◦ Try to include as much detail as needed so do not

worry about the length

How long should a resume be?

Activities, community service and job history during High School Do not include Middle School information.

Include: Length of time you have participated Short description Skills you have learned Leadership positions you have held. Example: Key Club (2011, 2012, 2013, Present) - Treasurer 2013

- Community service club on campus that has taught me how to sacrifice for others

What should it include?

◦ All honors or achievement awarded throughout high school including: honor roll, high honors, Christian leader award, Christian servant, best defensive soccer player, most improved swimmer, etc.

◦List everything in chronological order (with most recent first) Example: first list the sports you played in 12th

grade and then list those you played in 11th grade, etc.

What should it include?

To prepare your own resume that will be put in your senior portfolio and that you can use for letters of recommendation, college applications or job applications.

What is your assignment?

In Naviance you will build a resume for your English assignment.

Begin by filling out your brag sheet (as detailed as possible)

Review templates and sample resumes Begin filling out a blank template Login to Naviance and choose each category to

add and type what you wrote on your template.

Naviance

Template #1

Template #2

Sample #1

Sample #2

Don’t waste the effort by losing this resume. In the future you will want to tailor your

resume to the job you are applying to. You will also want to replace high school

information with college information.

Save your resume

◦ Use the information from your Brag Sheet to help you create your resume.

◦ Keep your descriptions short, specific, positive and action-oriented.

◦ The goal is to describe your activity or accomplishment in a way that shows what you have learned from the experience.

◦ Examples of action-oriented words: accomplished, determined, inspired, influenced, attained, achieved, coached, etc.

Tips:

◦Work experience can be full-time, part-time, volunteer work, mission trips, community service organizations, and summer workshops, etc.

◦ You will want to describe your outstanding accomplishments or what you have learned from these experiences. This is one of the most important aspects of your

resume along with your academic accomplishments.

Tips

◦ Don’t worry if you have nothing in a certain category. Just cut the category out of your resume. Only list headings that you have information

for. ◦ If you are not sure if you should include an

activity, put it in! Sometimes the activity that seems insignificant is

NOT at all! It gives a future employer a sense of who you are.

Tips

◦ Create your resume in Naviance and then print it

◦ EDIT! EDIT! EDIT! Make sure that the resume is perfect with no grammatical errors.

◦ Check out this website for more tips: www.tonybeshara.com/tips/resumes

Tips

Take the time to write down who you will ask to write you letters of recommendation.

Ask the teachers who know you well and who you enjoy their subject.

When you ask each teacher give them a brag sheet (you may also give them your resume) and provide a thank you note.

Give each teacher at least two weeks to write your letter

You must request the teacher to write you a letter through Naviance.

Letters of Recommendation

Questions?