This activity gives students an opportunity to actually build their resume based on the three most common resume formats: chronological, functional, and combination.
Students will review resume samples, choose the format that works for them, and use a resume template to start building their own resume.
Summarize how the three main resume formats compare and contrast, and share some basic formatting tips. You can find details in this article (where you’ll also find samples of each resume format in that article). Here’s the high-level breakdown:
The chronological resume format is what the majority of people use to create their own resume. Chronological resumes begin with your contact details and resume introduction, but then immediately move into your most recent work experience. Because hiring managers care a lot about your work experience (if you have any), featuring this information near the top helps them evaluate your application quickly.
The functional resume format focuses on your relevant job skills. Unlike a chronological resume, the functional format ignores when and where you learned your skills. Instead of focusing on your work history, functional resumes are used to list your strongest resume skills at the top.
A combination resume is a blend of the chronological and functional resume formats. Combination resumes:
The flowchart infographic from this article is a simple tool that can help students make an informed decision about which format to use.
Invite students to start drafting a resume that demonstrates their strongest skills and most relevant experiences. They could do this online using a tool like Resume Genius, or with a guided template in google docs, or with a hardcopy template.
Framing tip:
Remind students to consider the “What + So What?” formula (outlined in the second activity) as they work on drafting accomplishments for their resume:
As students work, check in with individuals to answer questions, provide clarification, or offer suggestions. If appropriate, have students share their resumes with each other to gather inspiration and ideas for improvement. Encourage students to seek out feedback from other adults in their lives.
Self-assessment: Give students the opportunity to reflect on this activity and set goals.
If you want to dig deeper into teaching interviewing skills and give your students more practice, check out
Open P-TECH’s self-paced student courses.
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