After writing a first draft of your high school resume, put it aside for a day or two. It is good to take a break from looking at your resume, since after a while, everything looks correct even when it is not. Use the following checklist as a guide to help you goof proof your high school resume.
1. Double check all the spelling and grammar. A quick proofreading trick when you write your resume is to read the resume backwards word for word. It is easier to catch spelling errors this way. Employers will use your resume as a measure of the kind of work you will do if hired.
2. Verify that all the contact information is correct and current. If your contact information is not correct then the employer will not be able to get in touch with you. What is the point of sending out your resume if no one can connect with you for interviews?
3. Make sure the education section of your resume has your graduation date and current status. Employers need to know whether you are a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior. Share your graduation date if you have completed high school and keep education information in the top 30% of your high school resume.
4. Make sure achievements are included in your resume. Your high school resume is supposed to give business owners some sense of the work you can do. Include achievements such as GPA, Honor Society membership or Who’s Who. Add achievements outside of the classroom as well. These will give employers an idea of your ability to do good work.
5. Do not include the names of your references in your high school resume. It is important that that you contact the people who will give you a recommendation before listing their names on your resume. It is always good to have past employers and other professionals talk about your ability to do a good job.
7. Limit your high school resume to one page. There is really no need if you are a high school student or a recent high school graduate to have a resume that is more than one page long. Keep in mind that only relevant information showing your job and work skills are necessary.
8. Make sure you are consistent with formatting such as font size and type throughout your high school resume. You may use a larger size font for your name so that it stands out, but that is about all the difference that is necessary. Stick to more common font types like Arial, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Garamond and Bookman. Keep bullets and general formatting consistent here also.
9. Include volunteer work and community service work on your high school resume as well. Employers will evaluate you on the positive behaviors they can spot on your resume. The more examples you have of going above and beyond and being motivated is the more the employer will see you as a good fit for the job.
10. How about your interests and special skills that will be an advantage on the job? Include any leadership experience such as ROTC or Girl Scouts or special technical or language skills that will be valuable on the job.
Once you have gone through this checklist yourself take your resume to your high school career counseling office. Your parents can help to proofread your high school resume as well. You can also submit your resume for a free resume critique online at BullsEyeResumes.com.
