Writing a Quality Resume

Writing a Quality Resume

Learning Goals

What Makes a Quality Resume?

• Personal Information: Provide a professional email address, share your LinkedIn profile, include a link to your digital portfolio, and add a current phone number so employers can reach you quickly.

• Professional Summary: Replace the traditional objective section with a punchy one to two sentence summary of your immediate value and strengths.
• Traditional Example: "High school student looking for a part-time job to gain work experience and develop my skills while helping your company succeed."
• The Problem: This focuses on what you want from the employer rather than what you can do for them.
• Punchy Example: "Reliable student with two years of experience in high-pressure volunteer roles. Proven ability to communicate effectively and maintain organization in fast-paced retail environments."
• The Benefit: This leads with your strengths and immediate value, showing the employer you’re ready to contribute from day one.

• Education: List your school and any specialized programs or courses that demonstrate your dedication to self-education.

• Work and Volunteer Experience: This section should focus on the results of your actions, not just a list of your duties. By using specific numbers and outcomes, you provide proof of your abilities to a potential employer.
• Focus on Impact: Instead of simply listing a task, describe the result.
• Task-based (Not as strong): "Organized a school event for the drama club."
• Impact-focused (Better): "Organized a school fundraiser for 150+ attendees that resulted in $1,200 raised for new drama club equipment."
• Leveraging Extracurriculars: If you don’t have professional work experience yet, that’s okay. Employers highly value community involvement and extracurricular activities when they demonstrate reliability and growth.
• Highlight Results: Create a list of your activities (e.g., sports teams, school clubs, or volunteering) and identify the specific results you achieved in those roles.
• Example: "As Team Captain, led a group of 12 peers through weekly practices, resulting in a 20% improvement in team tournament standings."

• Skills: Highlight a mix of technical abilities and durable skills, such as leadership or organization.

• Hobbies and Interests: Authentic interests can showcase teamwork and problem-solving when framed professionally.

• Awards or Certifications: Showcase milestones like First Aid, CPR, or academic achievements to build credibility.

• References: Maintain a list of professional contacts who can vouch for your work ethic and character.

Resume Writing Tips

• Think Ahead: Don’t wait until the final deadline. Employers sometimes close applications early if they find a suitable candidate, so provide yourself enough time to be thorough and stress-free.

• Tailor it to the Job: Align your experiences with the specific job description. If a skill is not relevant to the role, it should be left out to maintain focus.

• Show Impact, Not Just Tasks: Instead of simply listing duties, describe what you actually achieved by focusing on the benefits of your work.

• Organize for Scannability: Use clear headings and sufficient white space to make your resume easy to scan.
• Tip: Use myBlueprint's Resume Builder to choose from a variety of modern, flexible resume templates.

• Utilize Active Voice: Use words like led, created, organized, or collaborated. They sound more confident and purposeful than indirect language.
• Example: Instead of "I did a project on health care," try: "Interviewed 70 seniors regarding health care services, built a database for data analysis, and completed the project three weeks early.”

• Proofread Thoroughly: Errors can undermine your professional credibility.

• Maintain Professional Clarity: Use a professional, easy-to-read font at size 12. Tidy layouts and consistent formatting are essential for a professional impression.

• Be Concise: Aim for one to two pages max. Employers usually skim resumes quickly, so challenge yourself to eliminate unnecessary information to make every word impactful.

• Maintain Authenticity: Only include skills and experiences that are true. Authenticity builds trust, and you must be able to discuss all of your claims confidently during an interview.

• Stay Professional: Your resume is your professional brand. Keep the tone respectful and purposeful to signal that you’re ready for the workplace.

How to Ensure Your Resume Gets Passed ATS Software

1. Simplify Your Formatting

• Use a Single-Column Layout: Multi-column designs can cause the software to read different sections as one continuous line, making your resume illegible to the system.

• Use Standard Headers: Stick to common titles like "Work Experience" and "Education." Non-standard headers may cause your data to be categorized incorrectly.

• Remove Graphics and Tables: The software cannot accurately read images, logos, charts, or text inside tables. Use plain text for all essential information.

2. Match Keywords to the Job Description

• Mirror Specific Terms: If the job description lists a specific skill (e.g., "Conflict Resolution"), use that exact phrase in your resume.

• Include Acronyms and Full Titles: Use both formats to ensure the software recognizes the term (e.g., "Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)").

3. Use the Correct File Type

• PDF vs. .docx: A PDF is usually preferred to maintain formatting, but some older systems require a .docx file. Always follow the specific upload instructions provided in the job application.

AI Tips for ATS Optimization

• Keyword Audit: Paste the job description into an AI tool and ask: "List the top 10 keywords and skills in this job description that an ATS will look for."

• Title Alignment: Ask AI: "My current job title is [Insert Title]. What is the most common industry-standard version of this title for an ATS to recognize?"

• Bullet Point Refinement: Provide a bullet point and ask: "Rewrite this achievement to include the keyword '[Insert Keyword]' while keeping it under 20 words."

• Formatting Check: Paste your resume text into the AI and ask: "Does this text flow in a logical order? Identify any sections that might be confusing for an automated scanner."

AI Use Cases for Writing a Quality Resume

• Ask an AI tool to audit your LinkedIn profile or digital portfolio link to ensure your online presence matches the professional tone of your resume.

• Prompt an AI tool to "analyze this specific job description and suggest three key strengths from my background to highlight in a summary,” to ensure your hook is relevant to the employer's needs.

• If you’re applying for a specific role, ask AI to "identify which of my completed courses and experiences are most relevant to this job title" to help you decide what to emphasize.

• Paste a job description into an AI tool and ask it to "identify the most important keywords and pain points this employer is looking to solve.”

• If you are struggling to find impact, tell an AI what you did (e.g., "I worked at a dog shelter") and ask it to "generate three achievement-based bullet points that show professional responsibility using an active voice.” Then review the output to ensure it’s accurate based on your experiences.

• If you have a hobby like gaming or coding, ask AI to "translate the skills used in this interest into professional workplace competencies" to help identify your transferable skills.

• Use AI to help draft a polite, professional email or message asking a former teacher, coach, or supervisor if they would be willing to act as a reference for you.

• Use AI for a final grammar and tone check by asking it to: "Check for tone consistency to ensure this sounds professional but accessible, and identify if any sentences are too conversational for a formal document."

• Paste a long paragraph into AI and ask it to "shorten this to 25 words or less without losing the key benefit” to ensure your resume remains concise.

Elevating Your Application with a Digital Portfolio

• Personal Branding Video: A short introduction that shares your values and what drives you.

• Project Outcomes: Detailed reflections on school or professional projects, highlighting the idea, impact, and result.

• Multimedia Evidence: Images, videos, or links to live assets that demonstrate your skills in real-world scenarios.