How to Build a Professional Resume for a Propane Career in Pennsylvania

---

Start With the Basics

The most critical section on your resume is the ‘contact information’. Include your first name, last name, phone number, and email address. Be sure to use a professional email such as firstname.lastname@gmail.com, not player69@gmail.com.

Many people include an ‘objective’ on their resume, but some experts suggest this section is outdated.[1] Instead, write a brief ‘profile summary’ to include who you are as a professional and any skills and/or experience relevant to the position you are applying for.

---

Include Work Experience and Education

If you have experience and education in propane, be sure to put it at the forefront of your resume! How much information to mention depends upon your level of experience:

No Work Experience: If you don’t have any experience, it might be a bit hard to fill in your work experience section. Include related coursework from high school or vocational classes, full-time or part-time work experience, paid or unpaid internships, and volunteer work. You don’t have to advertise if your work was part-time or unpaid; just be prepared to answer interview questions honestly.

Entry-Level Candidates: List all the work you’ve done up to now.

Mid-Level Professionals: ONLY mention work experience relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Tips to Perfect Your ‘Education’ Section:

• If you don’t have any work experience, list your education section first
• Start with your most recent educational entry on top, including name, location and date (or expected) of graduation
• Unless you are a current high school student, do not include your high school degree
• ONLY mention GPA if you have/had an impressive academic career (3.5 GPA plus)
• When applicable, include any honors and projects
• High school students may include clubs and sport teams

---

Explore Other Resume Sections

Another must-have section on your resume is the ‘skills’ section. Here, you want to mention the attributes that make you the perfect candidate for the job. There are two types of skills to include when writing your resume, Hard Skills (measurable abilities) and Soft Skills (communication and social skills).

If you end up with some extra space in your resume, don’t hesitate to add some spice.

Hobbies & Interests: While not a game-changer, can help show who YOU are as an individual. Who knows, maybe you and the interviewee have some hobbies in common?

Volunteering Experience: You can boost your chances of getting hired simply by listing your volunteering experience. This holds especially true if you’re a student with next to no work experience. If you’re the type of person to use your free time helping others, while expecting nothing in return, chances are you’re the type of employee who’s in it for more than just the money. It leaves the impression you’re a devoted, loyal employee.

Certifications & Awards: Do you have any awards that make you stand out in your field? How about certifications from industry experts? Whichever the case is, as long as it’s relevant for the position you’re applying for, feel free to add it to your resume.

---

Create a Master Resume to Customize as needed

Create a master resume to upload to your GeneratioNext Propane Pros profile. This will show prospective employers your versatility and/or experience in the propane industry. If applying to companies outside of this networking platform, don’t be afraid to remove details and skills not relative to the position you’re applying for.

Here are a few resume layout best practices:

1. One page in length. You should only go for two pages if you really, really believe it’ll add significant value. Keep in mind the average time an employer spends looking at a single resume is 7 seconds.[2]
2. Clear section headings. Pick one heading font and use it for all the section headers.
3. Ample white-space, especially around the margins.
4. Easy-to-read font. Stick to what stands out, but not too much. Don’t ever use Comic Sans!
5. Pick the right font size. As a rule of thumb, go for 11 or 12pt for normal text, and 14 or 16pt for section titles.
6. Save your resume as a PDF. Word is a popular alternative, but it has a good chance of messing up your resume formatting when a prospective employer views it.

---

Proofread Your Finished Resume

It is not a secret first impressions matter, whether they’re in your personal life or your career. Nine out of ten employers in any industry are looking for someone who is detail-oriented, communicates clearly, and notices mistakes and inconsistencies.

Be descriptive, yet succinct. Proof your resume to catch typos and misspellings. Sloppy resumes riddled with typos will be ignored and those that are inconsistent – bullets in some places, dashes in others, bold in some headings, plain text in others – may not get a second look either.

Make sure to double-check, and even triple-check your contact information section and make sure everything is correct and up-to-date. Even if you get everything else right, you’re not going to go far if the hiring manager can’t get in touch with you because you misspelled your email.

So, what are you waiting for? Upload your finished resume to GeneratioNext Propane Pros and create a profile.  Already registered? Log in to update your resume. Now is the time to start searching for career opportunities in the Pennsylvania propane Industry.

Click HERE to learn more about the propane industry and career opportunities.

Click HERE for additional blog posts

[1] https://careersidekick.com/does-your-resume-really-need-an-objective/

[2] https://www.theladders.com/static/images/basicSite/pdfs/TheLadders-EyeTracking-StudyC2.pdf