By Lucy Wyndham
DC is a great place for employment. It’s believed that there are almost 800,000 jobs available in the DC area, for example, while the nation’s perhaps most famous employee resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue right here in the heart of the city. But for those kids who are still in DC’s school system, what steps can be taken to ensure that they know how to write a killer resume which will secure them the job of their dreams? This article will explore that question and give DC’s amazing teachers some pointers on how to help.
Get students’ priorities straight
When writing a resume, it’s important to ensure that all information which is included is appropriate and pertinent. There’s no need to include every school a person ever attended on there – so kindergarten can be taken off the list! It’s also important to customize a resume based on the job being applied for: if the job designates a niche experience, it may be worth leaving off un-needed information about other niches unless it’s directly relevant to the job.
Formatting and appearance
While the main priority for a resume should of course be content, it’s also worth pointing out to students that they need to look as professional as possible when interacting with employers. That’s why looking orderly on their resume – by keeping fonts consistent or ensuring that information is presented coherently and clearly – is so vital. Most DC schools will have access to desktop publishing software which can do this, while the public library system may also be able to offer such software. Using an organized, pre-formatted CV document template may also be a good idea, as this can remove some of the stress from the process.
Seek out some experience
Even the most well-written and accurately formatted resume, though, won’t conceal a lack of that all-important experience needed to secure a good job. Depending on the field the child in question plans to enter, getting experience in a DC-based organization is something that’s pretty easily done. Those who plan to enter the lobbying or think tank sector, for example, could seek to organize a summer placement at a K Street firm, for example. Or those who want to enter politics could seek to intern with a member of Congress.
It’s wise to advise your students in DC on the different aspects of CV writing. From the formatting to the content, there’s a lot to think about. But by being encouraging and sharing as much information as possible, you can help empower kids to make their own resume decisions and help build their future careers.