So now you want to apply for a job or internship. Well, besides getting some kind of application (if they have one), you'll need to type up an overview of what you've accomplished and why in the world they would want to hire you. Your resume is the single most important item for getting your foot in the door for an interview; this is often your selling point even before anyone has met you.
There are basically two types of resumes: one for business (the traditional one-pager), and one for non-traditional jobs (a longer, more detailed version). Outlines and suggestions for both types are provided in this article.
Rules to live by:
1. Always CLEARLY state your name, address, and phone number at the top of the resume. If you have two addresses, list both. Many people will include headings such as Current Address and Permanent Address, especially if you are in college and you want mail to come to your dorm, but you want a company to be able to reach you over Summer vacation. Also, don't forget, if you have an email address, or even a WWW site, write it down!
2. Be sure to include your high school name and city/state. Here is a great place to list details such as grade point average (and total possible, especially if your high school is on a 5.0 scale), class rank, any honors program you might be in, and the year you are intending to graduate. If you are in college, be sure to list any majors and minors.
3. As you list you previous employment, make sure to include job title, dates of employment, and employer's name. Most people looking for a first-time job or internship will also briefly description of the duties of previous positions. ALWAYS list everything in reverse order--start with the most recent accomplishments and finish with the oldest information.
4. Finally, add a category called Computer Skills or something like that. Here you want to include information by category. Start with the most important skillls; do you know a progamming language like C? Then start with programs in categories like video, MIDI, digital audio, etc. Finally, make sure to put in the everyday programs like Word Processing or Spreadsheet.
5. Make sure you have a place at the bottom of the resume to type something like: References available upon request. Also, before you list anyone, BE SURE TO ASK THEM! That way, you've got yourself covered--they know you have listed them, and they can be prepared to speak on your behalf. Imagine receiving a phone call from some total stranger and being asked to speak extemporaneously about someone that you had in class three years ago! Don't let the reference lose you the job because he forgot who you are! Always ask if you may list them as a reference.
Now, if you have typed up all this information and your resume still looks like you haven't accomplished anything in your 18 years on this planet, never fear, there are things that you have probably forgotten. Make sure you include information such as
So now that you've got everything ironed out, here is a basic example of what you might come up with:
Hildy V. Bingen
7394 Pisgah Circle
West Chester, OH 44074
home phone (513) 555-2356
Education: Lakota West High School, West Chester, OH. Expected graduation date: 1997. Class rank: 75/525. GPA: 3.5/4.0 Memberships: National Honor Society, 1996 Forensics Club, 1996 German Club, treasurer 1995-96 4-H member, 1995-96 Band Council, Class Representative, 1994-96 Freshman Football Cheerleader, 1993-94 Honors and Awards: John Phillip Sousa Award, 1996 Pisgah Arts and Crafts College Scholarship, 1996 Player of the Week (soccer), October 17, 1995 National Merit Finalist, 1995 Experience: Marching Band assistant, Lakota Freshman Band, Summer 1996. Duties included: teaching first year students the fundamentals of marching, overseeing small groups of students who were experiencing difficulty, and drilling musical numbers. Grote Bakery, 1994-present. Bakery Assistant/Cashier. Duties included: working the cash register, waiting on customers, general cleaning, phone orders, and depositing nightly cash and receipts. McConnell's Veterinary Clinic, 1993-94. Duties included: cleaning cages, feeding animals, general paperwork. Computer Skills: Programming languages BASIC Music software: Performer, Finale, Galaxy Word Processing: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Works References available upon request.
Now, the first type of resume, the more traditional business resume, is all that many companies want. You've mastered that technique. However, if you are sending a resume along with your college application, or you want to apply for an arts internship of some kind, it is often a good idea to include additional information.
Additional categories of accomplishments would include: Compositions, Performances, and Recitals or Exhibits. Simply list YOUR compositions by date (in reverse order again), include information such as title, instrumentation, date. Here's an example:
Compositions: Modus I for audio tape, 1995. Reigning Cats for solo flute, 1994.
Next, list any performances or exhibits of YOUR work that you might have had. Include title along with places and dates. The example:
Performances/ Exhibits: Acne, a sculpture displayed at the 15th Annual Pisgah Arts and Crafts Fair, 1996 Reigning Cats, Lakota West High Band Concert, December 10, 1994
Finally, list other performances and exhibits of works by others in which you partipated. Here goes:
Recitals and Exhibits: Julie, Lakota West High School production of Carousel, 1996 Bach, Invention No. 8 in F Major, Northern Hills Piano Teachers Forum Recital, Cincinnati Art Museum, October 6, 1995. Lullaby League dancer, Lakota West High School production of Wizard of Oz, 1995 chorus member, Lakota West High School production of Fiddler on the Roof, 1994 chorus member, Lakota West High School production of Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 1993
At some point in time you will be asked for biography. This event may come as early as your college application, or it may not occur until you partcipate in your first professional conference or festival. Although most people don't really like to write about themselves, you need to be able to tell others a bit about yourself in a concise manner. So, how do you sum up your whole life in a single paragraph (or in some cases, how do you pad what you've done so it looks like you've accomplished something)? Try this:
Now, the starting out part is easy--make sure you write everything in third person...Always include your name and where you're from (city and state).
It's a good idea to list private teachers with whom you have studied (omit your band, choir, and art teachers unless they also taught you privately).
Honors and awards would include things like being Band Council President, the Art Club Treasurer, as well as being a National Merit Scholar.
Finally, contests and competitions would include things like state band and choir contests, local arts council awards, and other things like scholarships.
The End. That's all there is to it!
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Copyright September 1996,
updated February 2004.
Kristine H. Burns,
Florida International University
Questions? Contact me.