Bored at Home? Get Your Resume Ready!

So far on the Bored at Home blog series we’ve learned how to solve Sudoku and taken some fun (or educational) courses to help keep our minds active and occupied. One thing you may be wondering is what you can do with your newfound skillsets. While branching out into new fields for fun and leisure is heavily encouraged, others may be taking courses that enhance their resumes or employment opportunities. Furloughs, layoffs, closures, and new desires to cherish every moment have many of Louisianans considering a new career opportunity.

Even if you feel as though additional education isn’t necessary for you, editing your resume (especially if you haven’t had to do so in a few years) is always a useful way to spend a bit of your time. Should you add “Took Microsoft Word class” to your skills section? Is there a better way to phrase it? What even counts as a skill? How should I display my education? How do I even get started?!

Resume writing can be confusing and frustrating, and some may feel embarrassed asking for help and admitting they are struggling to find new employment. Rest assured, the St. Tammany Parish Library team is always here for you without judgement, but we understand that one-on-one questions and appointments can be daunting. For those of you who prefer an online experience, here are some of the great digital resources we offer for resume writing:

Career Preparation Center, opens a new window 

The Career Preparation Center offered through EBSCO Learning Express has a ton of great information. Here you can find out more information about individual careers, prepare for exams (Civil Service, Cosmetology, Nursing, Real Estate, and more!), and learn new skills. Under the “Job Search and Workplace Skills” drop down, you can register for tutorials on cover letters, changing careers, interviewing, and of course- great resume writing. The resume skills tutorial includes learning about formatting, keywords, different sections, and more!

Gale Courses, opens a new window

Gale Courses, a free educational resource, offers a “Resume Writing Workshop”. This six-week course goes through creating a new resume (or improving your current), and utilizing your resume as a tool to get the job and salary you desire. The course is taught by Stephanie Donaldson, an adjunct college professor with over 10 years of resume instruction experience.

Homework Louisiana, opens a new window

While Homework Louisiana is best known for its free academic tutoring, they also have job search assistance! Operating 7 days a week from 10am-Midnight, Homework Louisiana has free tutors to help you write a cover letter or resume. They can chat or speak on microphone with you to go through the process or edit your current documents. This is an amazing resource and totally free! Just click on “Get Started” and selected “Job Help” as your topic to connect.

Louisiana Jobs and Career Center, opens a new window

This website offered through the State Library of Louisiana connects users to free job search materials such as links to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Occupational Outlook Handbook, and links to other free educational materials. The website is well-organized and easy to use. This is a great starting point for anyone looking to learn the basics without necessarily speaking with a tutor or taking a course.

Take a deep breath! You’ve got this! Happy resume writing, and remember that we’re always here for you.