Two Resumes You Should Spend Time on This Summer

Now that summer is approaching, it is a great time to work on your resume. Resumes have become an integral part of senior year planning. Resumes can be used for college and/or scholarship applications or for employment and internships. A resume takes the place of writing on the lines or filling in the blanks on the standard application. It will save you tons of time and save you from constantly re-typing the same information, over and over. There are two types of resumes that you will want to create. An activity resume and a professional resume.

An activity resume is usually included with your college or scholarship application to show the admissions representatives that you are a talented and well-rounded person. The activity resume should be concise and tell a story of your high school experiences. It should be filled with extracurricular activities, sport teams, clubs and any acts of volunteerism you have performed. It should also show any leadership positions, or how many hours you devoted to an activity. Be sure to list honors and awards, as well. Athletes should include a section with their distinct abilities and statistics. Thespians, musicians or artists should contain a section with performances, exhibitions or special skills.

Therefore, your activity resume should include:

• Your Name and Contact Information
• School Activities
• Awards and Honors
• Community Involvement
• Employment

Once you have finished your activity resume, create your professional resume for summer jobs, internships or after school employment. Your professional resume shows a would-be employer your skills and qualifications related to the position you wish to secure. Like the activity resume, the professional resume should also be concise and tell a story of your responsibilities, but moreover, how reliable and accountable you are. It should include any skills and certifications you have obtained, current and past work experiences and school or church activities.

For that reason, your professional resume should include:

• Your Name and Contact Information
• GPA and Class Rank
• Extracurricular Activities (athletics, clubs with offices held, volunteerism, church activities, summer camps attended)
• Work Experience
• Awards, Skills and Certifications (foreign languages spoken, Microsoft Office, career and technical coursework)

Creating a resume is a plus for any senior who plans on applying to multiple schools and for multiple scholarships or in search of employment. It is an easy time-saving act that may require some work in the beginning, but save you lots of time in the end.