Resumes Part 3: Writing My Resume

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title (as applicable):

  Blueprint for Professional Success

  Course Title:

  Blueprint for Professional Success

  Course Number:

  8500375

  Career Cluster:

  Business Management and Administration

  CIP Number:

  09200119PA

  Course Type:

  Non-Career Preparatory

  Standard(s) or benchmarks

  Focus

  CTE 06.02

  Prepare, organize, and maintain a portfolio containing at least the following: career and educational goals, autobiography, picture identification, resume, letters of recommendation, completed job application, list of school/community activities, work and volunteer history, sample memos and letters for job related writings.

  Supporting

  CTE 06.01

  Discuss the value of the portfolio as a job search tool.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  The unit will focus on students creating their resume to build their professional portfolios. Lessons will focus on students adapting their writing styles for resume writing. Students will draft their resumes in this third lesson. During the first lesson students learned key terms for resumes by reviewing two student resume samples. In the second lesson, students used template to practice writing the work/volunteer experience portion of a resume for a famous person. In the fourth lesson, students will collaborate with other students to receive and provide feedback for revision of their resumes.

• Career Connection

  
  

  Writing a successful resume is an essential skill for all prospective employees, particularly those entering the workforce for the first time. This series of lessons will help students develop effective employability and resume writing skills. Students will prepare resumes that can be used for the real-world experience of completing job applications.

• Learning Objectives

  
  
  • Determine the important information to include in their resumes.
  • Write a first draft of their resume following English language conventions.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with:

  • The important parts of a resume.
  • The purpose of a resume for applying for a job.
  • The writing style used in a resume.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What parts of the resume are important?
  • What information should be included in resumes?

• Procedure

  
  

  1. To introduce the lesson, present students with the real-world scenario below (Slide 1).

  • Situation: Your friend, Felix, tells you about a potential job. It sounds like a great opportunity!
  • Problem: The application requires a resume. You’ve been procrastinating and the deadline is in a few days.
  • Task: Write your resume to apply for the job.

  2. Distribute the My Resume: Brainstorming Handout for students to complete before writing their resume.

  • Review the parts of the resume and ask students to share examples of the information they should include in each of the sections.
  • Reinforce the purpose of resume writing for job applications.

  3. Assign students to groups of 3 or 4. Students will work independently to complete the My Resume: Brainstorming handout.

  • Confer with each small group to monitor students’ progress and provide feedback.

  4. Once students complete the My Resume: Brainstorming handout, students will write drafts of their resumes.

  • Students can select a template of their choice located on the internet or word processing software.

  5. To close the lesson, the teacher will ask students to post on an online discussion board (see teacher notes). Students will draft a 10-20 word text message to their friend, Felix, who asked, “u done wit ur resume? how u feel bout it?” (see Slide 2)

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • It is important for students to understand the writing style used for a resume is different than other writing styles with which they may be familiar.
  • The teacher can display the real-world scenario on available technology or provide students with the scenario on a slip of paper as they enter the classroom.
  • Additional action verbs can be provided to students.
  • The teacher can suggest resume templates for students to use.
  • Students can be given the option to continue working on their draft at home.
  • For the closing activity, the teacher can provide students a digital copy of Slide 2 instead of using an online discussion board.

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment Ideas:

  • The teacher can assess students’ progress when conferring with each small group. The teacher can then provide individualized attention to students who need additional assistance.
  • The text message closing activity will allow students to provide feedback about how they feel about their progress.
  • The teacher can monitor students’ progress on resume drafts while students are completing them and after the lesson.