Not all scholarship applications require a resume. But if they do, a nice resume is crucial for success. Other than your essay or media submission, resumes are the number one way a scholarship committee gets to know YOU!
BogiDope has excellent information on how to create a stellar resume and BogiDope coaches are always available to help. Additionally, there are various other companies that will assist you in writing a great resume such as Raven Career Development.
Common sections:
- Education
- Employment
- Volunteer experience/ achievements.
- Flight experience.
- Hobbies (only if requested or if you need filler).
Common mistakes:
- Spelling errors.
- Formatting errors.
- Lack of consistency.
- Not following directions.
Solutions:
- Spellcheck, proofread and have friends and family look over your resume.
- Creating a resume in Microsoft Word can be very frustrating. Finding a good template is a helpful first-step if you are not willing to get help from a resume writer.
- Be consistent. Examples: If you bold one section heading, then bold all section headings. If you abbreviate a word once, then abbreviate it all the way through the resume. For flight time, round up and use whole numbers for a cleaner product.
Okay, you might be thinking “I don’t have much work experience, flight experience and/or volunteer experience.” Or you may be at the other end of the spectrum with so much volunteer or work experience that you are unsure what to include.
- If you are in the first category, don’t be afraid to go way back even if that means including Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts events, school trips, etc.
- If you are in the second category use your most recent experience, generally within the last ten years.
For an example of a resume that I use for aviation-specific jobs and scholarships click here.
For an example of a resume that I use for non-aviation scholarships or volunteer positions click here.