Local programs, schools help students build accurate resumes

Oct. 21—Some local school programs try to curb inaccurate information on resumes by offering opportunities devoted to resumes and life after high school.

While resumes are a valuable tool in gaining acceptance to jobs or schools, some documents are not always up to date with accurate information. According to employment screening website iprospectcheck, an average Oklahoma job seeker's resume is only 68 percent accurate.

Keys Public Schools junior and senior english teacher Rose Coon said her school has added resume building to its personal Individual College and Career Academic Plan.

"If they don't learn how to do written communication as a high school student, it's not going to make them competitive when it comes to getting out into the real world to find a good job and to sell themselves to an employer," said Coon.

Coon said the reason she believes students may include inaccuracies and embellishments in their resumes is to try to make themselves sound better to a potential employer.

"I always laugh when my father used to tell us, 'Fake it till you make it.' But he used to tell us, 'But you better be able to make it,'" said Coon. "I think a lot of people who put inaccurate information do it because they're wanting the job desperately and hoping they can get by with it. But we tell our students if you put it on the resume, you have to be able to back it up."

Joshua Groomer, director of Career Services at Northeastern State University, said the university helps with resumes by having students go through an approval process that teaches about plagiarism and different keywords to use on the document.

"Accuracy is the most important aspect of a resume as it is the way potential employers discern relevant experience, skills, and aptitude," said Groomer. "Employee and employer relationships are built on trust, based on what has been communicated on their cover letter and resume, and in their interview. If someone is misrepresenting themselves on their resume this is a breach of that trust and could lead to them not meeting performance expectations, damaging their professional reputation, and termination."

Groomer said there are several reasons someone may choose to lie on a resume, but he is not completely sure why some individuals lie or embellish.

"Topics, like gaps in employment history, can be used as an opportunity to explain what position-relevant achievements were gained or what industry-relevant information was learned during that time," said Groomer. "When in doubt, be honest and straightforward, and use it as an opportunity to discuss professional growth."

Melissa Branch, a job placement specialist at the Indian Capital Technology Center in Tahlequah, said she tells students they have to be honest with their resume and job interview as it is a representation of themselves. Branch said it is common to see inaccuracies on resumes in the workforce, with some not being intentional but brought on by complacency, such as errors in spelling.

Sara Estep, a Tahlequah Public School Career Tech Business teacher, said she helps her students to not only set up resumes, but how to get ready for a job. She said an individual's behavior, outfit, and resume can help to set job seekers apart from those who seem less prepared.

Estep said some companies now use certain programs that read through resumes and flag inconsistencies, grammar issues, and misspellings.

"If you can't take the time on your resume to check and make sure the details are correct, employers are going to notice that, and they're going to think that you're not going to do that in your job either," said Estep.

She said she believes many inaccuracies come from not taking the time to double check or just deciding to put something in and thinking they will not get caught.

"Companies really do do their research," said Estep. "They do go back. They do check social media. They do check your job references, and if something is inconsistent with those compared to what you have on your resume, it's going to come out and it's going to be caught."

When creating a resume, Estep said she encourages others to tailor their resume to the position they are seeking. Keeping a data sheet that has all of an individual's basic information, past jobs, contact information, and achievements can help them remember details about their past work. She said any volunteer experiences can help to highlight skills someone may have obtained.

"Every child struggles with creating a resume. Every adult struggles," said Estep. "It is definitely something you have to take your time with and think through the process. Get a template, figure out how you can use and what you've done in your past to show what you can do in your future."