Activity 1: Let's Get Started! (Warm-up)
Think about this: What is a resume or CV? Why is it a very important paper when you want to find a job? What kind of things should you write on it to make a company interested in you?
Activity 2: New Words (Vocabulary)
Here are some new English words. These words will help us talk about making a great job paper (resume or CV).
Resume (CV): A paper that lists your school, work experience, and skills when you apply for a job.
Example: Make sure your resume is neat, clean, and easy for people to read.
Action Word: A strong word that shows what you did in a job or activity, like 'helped,' 'made,' or 'organized'.
Example: It is good to start sentences on your resume with an action word to show what you can do.
Results: Good things you did or achieved in your past jobs or school, often shown with numbers or clear examples.
Example: You should show your good results on your resume to impress the companies you apply to.
Match (verb): To change your resume so it is a good fit for the specific job you want to get.
Example: You need to read the job information carefully and match your resume to each job.
Intro (Summary/Objective): A short part at the beginning of your resume that tells about your main skills or your job goal.
Example: Write a clear intro at the top of your resume to quickly show who you are.
Order (Chronological order): The way you list your jobs or your school information, usually with the newest one written first.
Example: List your work experience in date order, with your newest job at the top.
Activity 3 (Reading)
Let's read about David. He is making his first resume because he wants to find a part-time job.
David is making his first resume because he wants to find a part-time job while he is in school. He learned from his teacher that a good resume is very important to make a good impression. First, he writes a short intro at the top of the paper. This intro says what kind of job he is looking for and mentions one of his best skills: being a friendly and helpful person with customers.
When David writes about his past volunteer work at the community center, he uses an action word to start each sentence. For example, he writes, 'Helped customers find information' and 'Organized game events for children.' He also tries to include some good results to show that he did a good job there. For example, he wrote that he 'Helped over 50 visitors find what they needed each day' during his time at the community center. David also knows it's very important to match his resume to the specific job he wants. So, if he applies for a job in a shop, he will make sure to list his customer service skills first and highlight them. Finally, he lists his school and his volunteer work in date order, with the newest things at the top of each section. David hopes his clear and strong resume will help him get an interview very soon.
Think about the story:
- What is the first part David writes on his resume (his intro)?
- What kind of action word did David use for his volunteer work? How did he show his results?
- Why is it important for David to match his resume to each job, and what order does he use to list his experience?
Activity 4: Role Play
Read this dialogue with a partner. One person is Maria (who is making her resume), and the other is Ben (her friend who is helping her).
Maria: Ben, can you please look at my resume? I want to make sure it is powerful and looks good.
Ben: Sure, Maria! I can help. When you describe your past duties, did you use a strong action word to start each point?
Maria: I tried to. For example, I wrote 'Managed small projects for the team.' Is 'managed' a good action word?
Ben: Yes, 'managed' is a very good action word. That's perfect! Also, try to show some good results from your work, maybe with numbers if you can remember them.
Maria: Okay, I can think about that and try to add some results. What about the little paragraph I wrote at the beginning of my resume?
Ben: You mean your intro? Yes, that's very important. Make sure it's short and shows your best skills very quickly to the reader.
Maria: And how should I list my old jobs? Which one should come first on the paper?
Ben: The usual order for listing your jobs is to put your newest job first, and then go backwards in time from there. Same for your education.
Maria: That makes sense. One more thing – should I use the exact same resume for every single job I apply for?
Ben: No, it's actually much better if you match your resume to each job. Read the job advertisement carefully and change your resume a little to fit what they are looking for.
After reading, discuss: What is one example of an "action word" you can use on a resume to describe something you did well at school or in a previous job?
Activity 5: Let's Practice
Objective: Practice using the new vocabulary about building a powerful resume.
Scenario: Alex (the learner) is asking his teacher, Ms. Davis, for some help with his job application paper because he is new to this.
Ms. Davis: Hi Alex, are you working on your job application paper today? How is it coming along?
Alex: Yes, Ms. Davis. I'm trying to write my first , and I really want to make sure it is good and helps me get noticed.
Ms. Davis: That's a very important document. When you list what you did in past activities or any part-time jobs, what kind of strong word should you use to start each point?
Alex: I remember you said I should use a strong , like 'created,' 'helped,' or 'organized,' to show what I did.
Ms. Davis: Exactly, that's right. And if you can show what good things happened because of your work, especially if you can use numbers, what do we call those achievements?
Alex: Those are my that I should include if I can, to show that I did my work well and made a difference.
Ms. Davis: Very good. What about that short section that usually goes at the very top of the page, before your experience?
Alex: That's my , where I can write a little bit about my main skills or what kind of job I am looking for.
Ms. Davis: Correct. And in what way do you usually list your jobs or your education by date on this paper?
Alex: I should list them in date , starting with the most recent one I did and then going back in time.
Ms. Davis: Perfect. And one last important tip: what should you always do to your resume before you send it for a specific job opening you found?
Alex: I need to read the job description from the company very carefully and then my resume so it's a really good fit for that particular job.
Try to fill in the blanks with appropriate words or phrases from this lesson!
Answer Key (Activity 5)
Suggested Answers:
- resume
- action word
- results
- intro
- order
- match