Procuring a job right after high school may be difficult. Seemingly neat to create and informative for the prospective employer, a well-written resume boosts any jobseeker’s chances of successfully securing employment. For first-time resume writers, a business format and a formal tone are essential. Conducting online searches for resumes, as well as reviewing examples, may also help the jobseeker gain a better understanding of what information to include.
The following points are essential to an attention-grabbing resume:
Word Processor
Applicants should search for a word processor to format, store, and share their resumes. A few free word processors include Google Docs and Microsoft Word (usually with a limited-time trial).
Contact Information
When building a resume, the applicant’s first step is to include full name and any necessary contact information, i.e., email address, phone number, and mailing address.
Objective
The objective should be a synopsis of the jobseeker’s qualifications. In a brief sentence or two, it discusses past or present roles, honing in on those most relevant to the job for which the applicant is applying. This statement informs future employers of the individual’s professional and appealing character, emphasizing eligibility for the position.
Education
The next step is to include education. As a recent high school graduate, most applicants may include GPA, depending on how comfortable they are with their class ranking. Having no college experience to add yet, many may also incorporate awards or accomplishments earned throughout high school.
Work Experience
Employers want to know where their potential employees have worked and what positions they held, emphasizing the correlation between past to possible future employment. Most hiring managers prefer resumes that include the job title, company, location, and dates of employment in chronological order.
For applicants with no work experience, including volunteer work may provide the employer with an insight into personal character. If no volunteer or other experience, they may add small jobs such as mowing lawns, pet-sitting, or babysitting to enhance the resume. Clubs or extracurricular activities may also emphasize the recent graduate’s eligibility for a position. Applicants may include the soft skills learned from these occupations, for instance, effective communication, organizational, people skills, time management, etc.