Overview
Creating a strong resume is a crucial component in any successful job search. Your resume serves as your personal marketing document and will be the first impression your prospective employers have about you (as a person and potential employee?). To create a strong resume, you must first identify the message you want the reader to receive and determine the skills and qualifications you would like to highlight on your resume. What you highlight is generally based on the position you would like to apply to.
For this journal response, you will explore the components of a strong resume, reflect on your own career goals, and assess what action steps you can take to make your resume stronger.
To prepare for your journal response:
- Review How to Write a Resume That Beats the Automated Tracking SystemLinks to an external site. and Resume BasicsLinks to an external site. to help prepare you for creating or updating your resume.
- If you already have a resume: update your resume and target the industry or occupation you are seeking.
- If you do not have a resume: develop an initial resume, and target the resume to the industry or occupation you are seeking.
- Revisit your career goal and identify the top three to five skills or qualifications that make you a strong candidate.
In your journal response:
- Report on your process and information gathering as you work through the prompts. List your career goal and the three to five key skills or qualifications that make you a strong candidate.
- Share three specific changes that you made to your resume that helped to emphasize your selected skills or qualifications.