Resume Worksheet
The best way to begin writing a resume is to go through all areas of information and personal skills and just write down the information. This will allow you to organize your thoughts, analyze your abilities, and give you a complete history for easy reference.  After this worksheet is complete, Write Now Editing will arrange and format the categories to provide a strong, personal, job-searching tool. Remember - your job search is a Marketing Campaign, and YOU are the Product!
Some resources you should use while going through this worksheet are: previous and current job descriptions, copies of job evaluations, letters of recommendation, previous resumes, occupational resource books, etc.  
Focus on getting the information down first, formatting second.  Feel free to use additional sheets of paper, if necessary. Try to use action words in your descriptions (e.g., “organized, managed, facilitated, created, wrote”). Your resume is not a place for modesty, nor is it to your benefit to exaggerate.  Describe your accomplishments positively and accurately.
Contact Information

Job Objective
The type of position you are looking for, such as a specific title or field, or skills you want to use.
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Employment History
Use reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent position, then move on to the position you held before that, whether it was with the same company or not. Continue this for your employment history, focusing on the experiences that are most relevant to your job goal. For each job, think about the following four aspects. 
Remember to list all information.  Unnecessary wording or description can be omitted when formatting.  Use action-oriented descriptions. Don’t leave out part-time jobs. 
Position: For each position, list job title, company name, city, state, and the dates you held that title.
Description: List your job duties and responsibilities. Think about the equipment you used, specific tasks of special projects you were involved with, significant improvements, contributions you made, software you used, and how you worked with people. Try to start each sentence with an action word.
Training:  List any special training you had while at this company, including licensure programs, company seminars, or specialized training.  
Recognition: List any awards or special recognition you received while at this job. Also list any committees or company events you were a part of. 
Current Position:
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Job Title                                              Company Name
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City                                                      State                             Dates
Description:
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Training:
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Recognition:
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Previous Position:
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Job Title                                              Company Name
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City                                                      State                             Dates
Description:
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Training:
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Recognition:
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Previous Position:
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Job Title                                              Company Name
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City                                                      State                             Dates
Description:
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Training:
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Recognition:
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Education
List any certifications or degrees you have, as well as any coursework you have done. For each, state the name of the program or subject studied, the school, city, state, and dates.
Degree or Certificate: ____________________________________________________________
Majors/Minors or Course Emphasis: _______________________________________________________
School Name, City/State                                                Graduation year or years of enrollment
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Courses/Research/Employment Relevant to Job Goal: _________________________________________
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School Name, City/State                                              Graduation year or years of enrollment
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Courses/Research/Employment Relevant to Job Goal: _________________________________________
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Degree or Certificate: ___________________________________________________________________
Majors/Minors or Course Emphasis: _______________________________________________________
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School Name, City/State                                                Graduation year or years of enrollment
Courses/Research/Employment Relevant to Job Goal: _________________________________________
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Military History
List any military experience, including branch, training, rank, and dates.  Also, state any promotions or necessary descriptions.  
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Volunteer/Community Involvement
List any organizations you volunteered with, including what you did, the organization name, city, state, and dates.  Write a sentence or two of description if necessary, especially if it required special training.
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Memberships
List any professional groups or organizations to which you belong, including dates and any leadership positions you’ve held.
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Hobbies/Side Occupations
List any relevant side occupations or hobbies you have.  Include any special training,
description, and dates.
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Why Hire You? – Because of Your Skills!
Analyze your strengths and abilities. Begin by reviewing everything you have written in this packet.  What experiences stand out? What are the most impressive aspects?  What will be the most important pieces of information for an employer to know? What are your strengths? What personal traits are going to be important? What skills will transfer to the position you desire?
Qualifications
Your Own “Top 5” List. Create the five most impressive reasons why you are qualified for the job or field in which you are interested. These should be brief sentences that explain the most important information and sum up your resume.  Consider number of years experience, range or type of experience, special licenses or training, professional achievements or recognition, and/or transferable skills.
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Skills
A “Shopping List” For the Employer
Organize your most marketable skills into relevant groups of skill (such as production, clerical, supervisory, warehouse, personal, equipment, etc.) and demonstrate the range of experience you have within that category with words or phrases. (Example:  Custodial-offices and public areas, five years’ experience handling hazardous chemicals, carrying keys, operating floor buffer).
Skill Category 1:
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Skill Category 2:
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Personal Statement
List 4-5 personal traits you have that will interest an employer in your field.  It may be helpful to think about thinks that others have mentioned about you (such as organized, energetic, caring, etc.), or think about things that have stood out on past evaluations (such as hard-working, reliable, always meets deadlines, etc.).  
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References
List 3-5 professional and/or personal references.  Use supervisors, co-workers, or people who know you through a volunteer or community setting.  You want someone who knows your skills, work abilities, and personality and who is willing to give a glowing report to a potential employer.  Remember to ask the person if you can use him/her as a reference and where he/she prefers to be contacted (home or work).  List the person’s name, how she/he knows you, the appropriate address, and phone number(s).  
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Title/Employer:  ________________________________________________________________
How she/he knows you: __________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
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Name:  _______________________________________________________________________
Title/Employer:  ________________________________________________________________
How she/he knows you: __________________________________________________________
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