Tips on writing a resume

Why is it so hard to write a resume?

Writing a resume is difficult when you lack work experience or the training required to do a specific job. However, even when you have experience and/or training, putting the words down on paper can still prove a challenging task.

We recommend breaking down your resume-writing into two components:

• Prep Day
• Typing Day

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Prep Day

What is your job goal? Have you narrowed this down to the industry? The particular employer? The more research you do, the better your resume will look.

Now that you’ve thought about your goal, allow yourself some time to think about the skills you think you need to have for your goal. For example, if you want to start at a “ABC Salon and Spa” as a receptionist, ask yourself, “what skills does that receptionist need to have?”

Let’s brainstorm…a good receptionist…

• has a friendly demeanour and a welcoming smile
• knows about services and products sold
• is able to answer questions from clients
• needs to work well with people
• knows basic math
• is able to use point of sales and booking systems
• has good phone manners
• ensures the clean maintenance of the facility
• supports the team

Now that we’ve thought about the skills you would need for that particular position, ask yourself:

“What skills do I have that relate?”

Don’t focus so much on your duties at your previous job, as much as the skills you applied there.

If you have little to no work experience, think about skills you may use on your free time. What are your hobbies? Do they include particular skills?

Now that we have a list of your skills to pick from for later, our second task is to think about the personality traits required for your goal.

For example, a good receptionist has the following traits:

• friendly
• punctual
• organized
• intuitive
• research-oriented

Now that you’ve thought about the traits you would need for that particular position, ask yourself, “what traits do I have that relate?”

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Typing Day

Now that you have well-though-out ideas, organizing them into a resume will be a breeze!

Types of Resumes

1. Chronological resume- your best bet if you have sufficient experience and the training required for your objective
2. Functional resume- an excellent choice for those with little to no work experience
3. Combo resume- best for those with skills from another industry not related to your job goal

Check out these helpful links:

Find a Job: A workbook to help you find the job you want

Work Search Basics

Visit our job bank.

Visit our job bank for beauty industry jobs. It is Alberta Beauty Industry- focused and contains up-to-date job listings in Alberta. 

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

Beauty Industry Resources

(780) 604 2772