The Student's Guide to Job Hunting - Your Resume

Getting your first job is a big step. Before you even begin to submit job applications, you may be daydreaming about a fun, exciting job where you are appreciated by everyone, and all the money you make to buy the things you need and want.

But landing your first job can be very frustrating, and even more so if you aren't prepared when you begin your search. Let's go over a few things to help you increase your chances of getting that first job.

First of all, consider writing a resume.

While it really isn't expected for your first job, having a resume can let your potential employer know more about you and may help you stand out in a sea of job applications. Even if you have no "real" job experience, a resume can help you highlight your skills and strengths.

A resume should include your contact information such as your name, address, phone number, and email address. It should include your level of education, so if you're still in school you can simply state that you are "currently attending (the name of) high school/college."

If you have a good grade point average, you can say so. If not, don't mention it at all. (And if your grades aren't good, maybe you should reconsider whether taking more time away from your studies with a job is even a good idea.)

Your resume should also include your past work experience. Self-employment also counts as work experience - this applies if you have provided child care, lawn mowing services, dog walking, or something else to earn money.

Don't list the family of every baby you've watched or the names of everyone's yard you've mowed, but instead put the time period you did that type of work and the responsibilities you handled. For example: "During 2009 and 2010 I was self-employed and provided lawn care to six yards a week." This will illustrate that you are mature and responsible enough to handle an ongoing commitment.

You can also list organizations or clubs you were involved in, as well as any volunteer work you may have done. Also, you can mention any hobbies or activities that may be relevant to the type of work you're applying for.

For example, if you're applying to work at a garden center or nursery, you can state that while growing up you helped your parents tend their 1/2 acre garden. If you're applying at a music shop you can tell them about your involvement with the school band or self-guided musical training.

Don't exaggerate, fib, or put in every little thing you've ever accomplished if it doesn't relate to the job you're applying for. Your resume should be concise while giving the prospective employer information about the skills and experience you have for the job.

Watch spelling and grammar. Avoid being overly wordy in an effort to take up space on the page - the employer doesn't expect a long resume from a young person with no work experience.

Keep your entire resume within one page, on plain white paper, plain black ink, and in a simple font. Too much creativity on a resume can look immature and unprofessional. You want your resume to get you noticed, but it will get you noticed in a bad way if it looks like a circus on paper and hurts the reader's eyes.

And finally, you aren't obligated to use only one version of your resume. If you have several job interests and several fields of experience, you may find it's more effective to rewrite parts of your resume to include more pertinent information for each prospective employer.