Unit Four: Expanded Resumes

In this unit, you will focus on writing your expanded resume. Think of the resume as the bones of your portfolio—where, when, and what you did. We use the term expanded because this resume lists experiences that might not be listed on a traditional resume. You expand the resume by writing a description of each of your experiences. Use it as a way to jump-start your memory, a way to help you list all possible learning experiences. Include jobs, travel, volunteer activities, and other activities where you learned something. Pages 160-161 of Earn College Credit for What You Know have a helpful list of categories.

It is important to list the dates during which you participated in each learning experience, because it allows the faculty reviewer to see how long you worked or participated and how your jobs or job responsibilities progressed or changed over time. At the same time, having spent years doing something over and over again does not necessarily translate into more credit.

Resumes can take many forms, but the best form for the resume in the portfolio is the standard chronological resume. Begin with your most current employment, travel, training or volunteer activity and work backwards. Don't be too concerned with writing the details of what you did—you will be writing more about selected learning activities later. Perhaps you have a resume that you have used in the past that you could update and expand. Your expanded resume will be a part of your portfolio so make sure that you save a copy of it.

• Write an expanded resume

• Reading: Chapter 8 in Earn College Credit for What You Know will explain expanded resumes and learning autobiographies, both of which are important parts of your portfolio.
• Discussion Questions: We will discuss what to include in your expanded resume.
• Project: You will write your expanded resume.