What are some of the best things to add to a resume?

What is the best resume format for a teenager to use, functional? What are some things to add besides education when there is no work history, should you create a profile?

• Answer:

  A resume should match whatever format the prospective employer wants. If he wants a chronological resume, listing latest employment experiences first and oldest last, that's what you give him. If he wants you to list your skills by catagory, then that's what you give him. Prospective employers usually have a format they wish to see resumes in. Because many must screen a LOT of resumes, they want them in the same format so they can skim through them much faster. Also, if he's advertising for SKILLS to match a job, then he's more interested in SKILLS than chronological employment history. Anything NOT in the format they want most likely gets filed in the trash can for a couple of reasons: One is because you cannot follow instructions when preparing your resume...which says you either do not listen or don't pay attention to details. The other is time. With dozens, or even hundreds, of resumes to go through, shifting back and forth between different styles of resumes is wasting the recruiter's time...and the best way for him to better utilize his valuable time is to simply eliminate those that don't fit the format he wants. Here's what I do: I keep a MASTER copy of my resume. I put EVERYTHING on it. When I need to generate a resume, I can copy and paste from this document into whatever format the prospective employer wants. I keep a copy of all my educational records with me. This is so I can pull them out for reference if asked for. Make sure to have copies you can give to the prospective employer. I keep copies of any letters of reference that might be useful as well. Make and bring copies to interviews so the employer can have copies if he asks. Google SF-86 form and download a copy of the Questionaire for National Security Positions. Here is a link: http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf Take the time to fill out this form completely, accurately, and neatly. This form, when complete, will have a wealth of personal information at your fingertips that takes a LOT of time to gather. More time than you want to waste when writing a resume or when preparing for an interview. Not only is this useful for positions where you may have to have a security clearance, it also contains all the essential employment history, medical information, police information, residential information, etc., WITH DATES, CONTACTS, ADDRESSES, AND PHONE NUMBERS. This is of untold value. And should you be applying for a job which requires a security clearance or a background check, nothing tells the prospective employer you're on the ball more than being able to fill out the required forms in the required detail quickly. And one final note: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER LIE! No fake experiences, no falsified documents, no falsehoods. Get caught in a lie and you're OUT, no questions asked. Sometimes even after being hired and working the job for years. It isn't worth it. Oh, yeah...and the obvious for a REAL final note: take the time to use correct grammar, spelling, and formatting. Nothing stands out to an employer lik sumone hoo cant spel or us propper gramer. (Contrarily, nothing stands out more in a bunch of resumes loaded with errors than the one that has none.) Good luck!