Looking Good on Paper (Page 1 of 2)	
What can you do to prepare for the work world?  FIRST, talk to your school counselor to make sure you 
are scheduled into correct classes:  1) Classes that 	teach job skills	 such as computer operation, electronics, 	
wood technology, graphic design, and others; 2) Classes that 	teach personal and leadership skills 	such as 	
speech, debate, psychology, drama, music, yearbook, student government, teacher aide, student news
paper, 
and others;  3) Classes that 	prepare you	 for college, technical schools, or apprenticeship programs. 	
 
SECOND, talk to your teacher or counselor to help you get -- 1) unpaid 
volunteer job; 2) paid part-time 
job; or 3) enrollment in after school job training class.  All three will help give you work experience.  
Working at unpaid and paid jobs — and completing a job training class 
—  allows you to prove that you 
are:  a)  Dependable worker who shows up to work each time scheduled; b
) Reliable worker who completes 
tasks as assigned by supervisor; c) Team worker who can work together with 
others to do the job.  In addition, you may use name of your job supervi
sor 
(and teacher coach, if you have one) on job applications and resumes.
THIRD, prepare for future job hunts by learning to:  1) create your res
ume; 
2) complete job application; 3) know what to say and do for job interv
iews.
  
What is a resume? 	 1) A resume is a one-page word processed document 	
that tells the employer about you.  2) A resume is an attractive, accurate 
advertisement of you!  When do you use a resume?  You use a resume when 
you apply for a job or volunteer position.  A resume shows the employer:  
a) You plan in advance; b) You are organized; c) You are serious about the job opening.  In addition, a 
resume helps you during a job interview because it is a summary of your 
work history and education.  
During the interview you will be able to answer questions calmly and acc
urately because you organized 
facts on your resume.  The resume has 5 parts:  1) Job Objective — job you want; 2) Educat
ion; 3) Work 
Experience; 4) Skills & Activities; 5) References — adults who say you are dependable and a 
good worker.
Store managers do not want to hire workers who ask for "any job that 
is available" because managers want 
to hire workers who are interested enough in the company to think about how the worker's skills best fit the 
company.  Write a 	job objective	 that describes a job in the company.  To apply at more than one company 	
(retail store and restaurant), use 2 resumes — each with different job objective.  	For example,	 retail store 	
resume may say "Seeking Job as a Cashier," and restaurant resume may say, "Seeking a Job in Food Prep."
Before giving your resume to an employer, check it for these mistakes:
• Are the spelling and punctuation correct?  Are the dates, names, and phone numbers correct?
• Did you use size 12 font?  Is resume on clean paper?  Is resume attracti
ve — looks like a piece of art?    
• Did you include your skills — computer programs you know, and job training Certificates earned?
• Did you use job title and supervisor's name for each of your paid or unp
aid jobs?   
• Give the resume the "bull's eye" test.  Fold paper in half from to
p to bottom and from side to side. 	
When folded paper is open, is your resume in the bull’s eye (exact center of the paper)?  Is there equal 
amount of blank space on the top and bottom — right side and left sid
e of the paper?	
• If you were an employer and given this resume —	 Do you think this person looks good on paper?
Looking Good on Paper

College & Career Publishing.  Permission to use allowed with usworkworld.com subscrip
tion.	Looking Good on Paper (Page 2 of 2)	
Use a Resume to Impress:	  	
Give your resume to managers
to impress	 when you apply for 	
volunteer positions, ask about 
job openings, and go to interviews.  Your resume 
will offer an attractive summary of your skills, 
education, and work experience.  You impress 
managers when you prove that you prepared for the 
job search by creating your resume.
Use a Resume to Inform:	  When you — a) send a 	
letter to ask for a job;  or b) use a website to apply 
online for job openings in distant cities, mountain 
summer camps, or national parks — include your 
resume in the envelope or as email attachment to 
inform	 managers who hire about your education, 	
work experience, and skills. 
Use a Resume to Network:	  1) When you apply 	
for a job, and the manager tells you there are no job 
openings, politely give the manager your resume 
and say, "Here is my resume.  Please keep me in 
mind for future job openings.  Thank you."  2) Or, 
keep your resume handy to give to adults that may 
know of job openings (family members, friends of 
family, coaches, club advisors, teachers, counselors, 
school staff (secretaries, security), church leaders.
Do You Use a Computer Resume Template?
Managers receive many resumes, so managers are 
aware of  template resumes from Google, 
Microsoft, Apple, and other internet sites.  Some 
managers think template resumes are boring and 	
incomplete because computer templates do not 
allow you to enter all the positive information 
managers need to know about you.  
Internet resume templates may be helpful if you 
1) 	customize the format	 to give your resume a new 	
look, and 2) 	include information	 about you, such 	
as 	your skills; job training certificate; unpaid 	
and paid work experience; education.	  Your 	
resume is you on paper when the manager cannot 
see you in person. Make it look good! 
QUICK CHECK:
1. About what should you talk to your counselor?
2. List 3 types of correct classes you need to take.
3. a) List 3 things your teacher or counselor can 	
help you get.  b) List 3 things that working at 
jobs or completing a job training class allow 
you to prove.  c) List 3 things you need to learn 
to do to prepare for future job hunts.	
4. What is a resume?  Give 2 answers.
5. When do you use a resume?
6. List 3 things a resume shows an employer.
7. a) Write down the 5 parts of a resume.  b) Who 	
is a reference?	
8. a) Who do managers not want to hire?  b) Who 	
do managers want to hire?	
9. Give example of a job objective for job in: 
 a) Retail store.  b) Restaurant.  c) Grocery store.
10. Explain what is meant by the "bull's eye" test.
11. a) List 3 times you use a resume to impress.
 b) When do you impress managers?
12. List 2 times that you use a resume to inform.
13. Explain 2 ways to use a resume to network.
14. a) Why are employers familiar with template 	
resumes?  b) What 2 things may employers 
consider template resumes?	
15. Internet template resumes may be helpful if you 
 do what 2 things?
16. List 4 types of information about you to include 	
on internet template resumes.	
17.  a) Do you want to create your resume this year?
 b) Give a reason for your answer.