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4.1 Write Your Résumé

So now that you know what your interests and skills are, and you've decided where to look for work, you need the tools to get the job. A résumé tailored to fit the job you are applying for is one of the most important tools that you need in order to get an interview. Your résumé gives an employer a quick, general idea of who you are, what qualifications you have and why you want the job.

As you will see, most résumés include information under headings like Personal Information, Job Goal, Related Skills, Education, Work Experience, Duties, Additional Experience, Interests/Activities, References. Here's what each section should cover:

Personal Information

• Name - your full name, typed in title case. (Skip the nickname).

• Address - your address, written out in full, without abbreviations. In fact, it's better to avoid abbreviations anywhere in your résumé.

• Telephone - your home phone number with area code, and a contact number for messages if you don't have an answering machine.

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

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. Hint: If you're having trouble identifying all of the skills you have, look back at the Identifying Your Job-related Skills section. You likely have more skills than you think, even if you've never worked at a job like the one you're applying for.

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 you took, your areas of interest, and the years you 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 to the job you want.

List the companies or organizations where you worked or volunteered. Be sure to include where they are located (cities and provinces), and the dates (month, year) you worked.

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.

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 résumé that shows why you are the right person for the job.

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 are important.

References are not included in your résumé, but you should have them ready. Think carefully about who can act as references, and ask them if it's okay before you give their names. Type the names, addresses, and phone numbers of up to three references on a separate piece of paper, which matches your résumé.

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 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- 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)

• Someone whose opinion is respected (elder, minister, community leader)

A concise, well-organized résumé, and a current set of references form a set of tools that help you make the first steps toward your career. For more information on résumés, visit your local Service Canada Centre or your local Service Canada Centre for Youth (SCCY) .