Writing a résumé  is something most working adults have probably done at least once. Since I’m not one of those people, you could see my predicament when a professor asked me to have mine reviewed after a workshop, fix the changes, and bring both to class. I signed my name over 100 times to join the Navy, filled out a one-page application for my retail experience, went to a class and gotten fingerprinted for volunteering, and given a job just for walking in.

One of the adjectives I should add to my résumé  is hard-working. If I feel motivated enough by fear, competition, or comfort then I will do my best to perform the task at hand – help build a dream house for my stepfather, then move far away to escape his influence, and find comfort in the knowledge of a cookbook – not all spinach comes in a can. I prefer working over searching for it. The adventure is supposed to be in the journey, not the destination, but it has been both for me.

I once got a job by walking in and offering to wash the windows, but that was another companies responsibility. I procured my next position because the opportunity next door was closed. I was at risk of losing a job, but happened to know the right people. I took on another job because working only one wasn’t keeping me entertained enough. After that, I got a friend to talk to his boss — hired. From that position I found two more vacancies in another field.

I took a long hiatus, trying my feet in the self-teach world, and though that’s worked for blogging as a hobby, it wasn’t a very productive means of accomplishing a seat in a promising business and that opportunity is gone. Then I went on an extended vacation leaving a larger gap in my work and volunteer history. Knowing all this, I sat down to make a résumé on my own, since I had procrastinated asking someone who is more experienced than I.

I did some research to attempt date accuracy, but excitedly switched formats when I found one that only requires entry of years worked, though months should be included. I was uncertain about having to supply former boss information without checking old W-2’s or a database somewhere. I was worried about sounding pertinent and productive in the skills I claimed to have done at one point — most probably void with the increased use of technology’s capabilities.

I looked up an adjective website and pasted some bullet points into my résumé. Once I had about 7 – 10 for each job, I tried narrowing them down to 3, thinking that would sum me up well enough. I spent the day doing this and looked forward to Caleb’s input since he has experience with writing evaluations for his subordinates. He was quick to add detail and enhance my words to my otherwise vague and unappealing list. He sat with me, though very tired, till he had made final adjustments before printing.

I didn’t bother to glance at it before morning as we’d been working till midnight. I tossed it in my bag and brought it to school. There were only three of us in the workshop at 3:30pm, and only two of us had résumés, and luckily I went first. The counselor wrote on my printout (proof for the professor that I went) that I should change the chronology (most recent first), fix the formatting that the template messed up, and add a section for skills — computer, communication, and customer service.

I’m glad that I finally took the time to make a résumé, which is geared towards a non-academic organization, even though my experience would be better written in a curriculum vitae that focuses more on academic and intellectual accomplishments. I take pride in my work and that should show in my résumé. Writing one is something we should all do, and not just for a future job, but to show ourselves what we’re capable of as learners, entrepreneurs, and explorers.