How To Make A College Resume

Ace The College Freshman Resume Objective

If you had to convince someone to hire you in 7 seconds, what would you say? No, seriously. This isnt a New Age corporate mindfulness technique. The average recruiter spends only 7.4 seconds scanning your resume. Therefore, having a strong profile on your resume is key.

As you will be writing a resume with very little experience, or even a resume with no experience whatsoever, it is best to pick the resume objective, and combine describing your study and achievements with setting out your ambitions.

Answer the following questions with one sentence each to compose it:

• Who are you?
• Can you do the job we are asking you to do?
• What makes you special?
• What can you do for us? ;

Expert Hint: It is best to write a resume summary or objective once you have completed the other sections of your resume for college freshman, especially your job description.

Sell Your College Freshman Job Description And Skills

So, what is it that you do, exactly? Apart from dominating the whole dorm at Madden? Describe your work experience on a resume by focusing on those aspects that fit the profile of your new position.

Applying for any customer-facing job, and you already have customer service experience? Even if you were selling flowers, and now youre going to be selling concrete, sales and people skills are invaluable. Scan the job ad for resume keywords and phrases, and pick out what is most important to your new employer. Using the employers keywords can also prevent your otherwise great resume from being rejected by resume ATS software hiring teams often utilize.

Your employers would like to know what you can do for them. List up to 6 bullet points containing various metrics and achievements in the aspects that correspond to the requirements of the employer. Whenever possible, start your bullets with power words. You can put volunteering work or internships in this resume section, too.

Check out this job description from one of our college freshman resume samples:

Macys San Antonio

2019-present

• Selling and advising on luxury menswear from Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss ranges.
• Resolving all customer inquiries and complaints.;
• 0 unresolved or escalated issues.
• Exceeding monthly sales targets by 14% on average.
• 2 commendations for highest monthly sales.
• Overall 97% positive rating from post-sales surveys.

• Computer Skills

How Important Is The Resume For College

Well, it depends.

In general, most colleges have a dedicated space on their application system called the Activities List where you will be able to list out all of the things youve been involved in outside of school. That section is your BEST place to share those details. Dont skip it.

However, some colleges offer the option of submitting a separate, more traditional style resume.

If you feel like youve totally communicated all of the important details in your Activities List, you may not need to submit a separate resume. In fact, for many colleges, you may not even have the opportunity to upload a traditional PDF resume.

But if given that option, should you do it?

Some colleges strongly recommend that you submit a resume along with your application While others forbid it So be sure to check with individual colleges to see what they prefer.

However, keeping a professional resume on hand will serve you in a few ;other ways. How?

Your resume:

Finally, its like having your own business card. Theres a professional cool factor when youve got a slick resume to slap on someones desk.

Now, lets make one.

Read Also: What To Put Under Leadership On Resume

Sign Off With Some Added Sections

Thats a lot of white space left, right? Alright, maybe not a lot, but you have some for sure. Fill it up with additional information, but dont throw it all together in one section like you do your clothes on the bed. Split it up into separate extra resume sections such as:

• Speak Spanish, French and German
• Running with dogs 5x a week to stay fit

Dont spend everything all at once!

One last thing

Be sure to write a cover letter. Even if the job posting doesnt mention one, you can be sure that many employers wont even read your resume without one. The current ratio is about 50/50!

Expert Tip: Follow our tips on how not to blow your chances of getting a job by writing a bad email message if youre emailing your resume.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

Want to try a different look? Theres 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

How To Make A Resume

A resume is a document commonly used in the hiring process. It includes information about your background and qualifications and should communicate the most important, relevant information about you to employers in a clear, easy-to-read format. The goal is to quickly communicate why you are uniquely qualified for the position based on your skills and experiences.

To create a resume that will get noticed by employers, you can follow a few simple steps and best practices. The main goal to keep in mind is to make your resume relevant and readable. Lets take a closer look at the best ways to write each of these resume sections. For more inspiration when writing or updating your resume, look at resume samples from your industry and job title.

If you’re interested in professional and personalized resume feedback, learn more about Indeed’s free and paid resume review services at indeed.com/resumehelp.

1. Name and contact information2. Summary or objectivec. Description of role and achievement4. Education6. Optional

You May Like: Cna Skills Resume

Keep It Clean And Short

As a new college graduate, your resume should not be longer than one page. Some employment experts stick to this rule independent of a job seekers time on the workforce.

It is also important that that your resume be formatted in a way that is simple and easy to read. Keep the font large, use text formatting to draw the readers eye to the highlights, and allow for significant space between sections and activities.

This will have the added bonus of making your resume seem a little fuller if you have little to include.

Take Stock Of Your Achievements And Activities

Make a list of absolutely everything you’ve done that might be useful on a resume. From this list, you’ll then need to narrow down what to actually include on your resume. Different things might be relevant to different jobs you apply for, so keep a full list and pick the most relevant things from it to include on your resume when you send it out.

Recommended Reading: What Is A Good Objective For A Cna Resume

How Many Pages Should A Resume Be

The short answer is that one page is the ideal resume length for most candidates. However, if you have a lot of relevant work experience, it can be two or even three pages.

Just note that unless youre applying for an upper-management position or an academic post, one page will be enough for hiring managers. Even Elon Musks resume could be tightened into one page.

If youre applying for an academic position, youll need to send a CV instead of a resume. Keep in mind that CV templates are often several pages long, and contain more information to show the progression of your academic career.

How To Write A Work Experience Section For Your Student Resume

The work experience section is perhaps the resume section that students dread the most when creating their high school resume or college resume. The reason is that many students dont know where to begin or may not have held a job before.;

The good news is that writing a compelling work experience section really isnt as difficult as it seems – even if youve never been in the working world before. In either case, the most important thing is to make sure your work experience section sounds as relevant as possible to the given job or educational opportunity you are applying for.;

If you dont have any work experience at all, dont stress! You can instead focus on your:;

• Volunteer work;
• School activities
• Side projects

Spend time brainstorming how to present these experiences in a way that makes them as relevant as possible to the job or school you are applying for.;

For example, did you demonstrate any soft or hard skills that will be useful to the role or your studies? Or maybe you achieved something that showcases what an excellent employee or student you will be? Remember, framing is everything when it comes to your resume! You can do this by integrating keywords that apply to your experiences throughout this section. This will help you to work out what professional experiences will capture the hiring manager or schools attention.;

In order to make your achievements shine, you will need to:;

Also Check: When Will Corvette Plant Tours Resume

How To Write The Best College Admissions Resume

Resumes are important tools for seeking employment but are not usually associated with college admissions. Recently, colleges have become more interested in seeing student resumes as part of the overall application package. College applicants should provide a college admissions resume along with their traditional application materials. In this article, we will explain what a college admissions resume is, what to include in it, how to write one, tips, a template and an example.

Related:7 College Resume Tips

Highlight Your Relevant Job Skills

Hiring managers are on the lookout for candidates who have relevant, job-specific skills. While listing a heap of skills on your resume doesnt actually prove youre skilled, incorporating your various skills into different sections will catch the eye of whoever is vetting your application.

For instance, you can showcase your hard and soft skills in your introduction and work experience section. And of course, you should also list your most valuable abilities in your resumes skills section.

Don’t Miss: Does My Perfect Resume Charge

What Should I Add In My Resume

Take a look at your entire application, including your main Common App essay, your Activities List , your supplemental essays, and your Additional Info section.

A resume can provide further details about your accomplishments that may not fit into above sections of your application. Is there something important about your application that is not already present clearly in the other sections of your application.

Some content that you could add are the following:

The following are some guidelines to keep in mind when writing your resume:

Ace Your Education Section

Educations the whole reason youre here. Not the dorm parties, the first real opportunity of uninterrupted human contact, and the mountains of disappointment you do not yet know are coming.

When listing a degree in progress:

• Start with your major.
• Add the school name and location, as well as the expected graduation date.
• If applicable, beef up your education section with relevant courses or achievements sections.;

• Debating Team Member for State and National competitions.
• Treasurer of Young Enterprise Club.

Expert Hint: If this is your first job out of school, you can find more guidance in our high school resume guide. If youre applying for an actual scholarship, follow our scholarship resume guide.

Don’t Miss: How To Insert A Line In Word For Resume

Include Business Networking Profiles And Online Resume Links

If you have an online resume or you are on a business social platform or industry association networking site, include those links in your entry-level resume to show your level of engagement with others in the industry. If you do not yet have social business profiles, consider setting them up as it will enhance your professionalism.

Focus On Depth And Length Of Commitment

When deciding which activities and accomplishments make the cut, keep in mind that colleges would much rather see you excited about one or two key experiences than sporadic involvement in 20 clubs. If having an after-school job limited your ability to participate in clubs or sports, make sure your resume plays up your work responsibilities, training, and on-the-job skills.

Read More: Everything You Need to Know About Applying to College

Also Check: Listing Classes On Resume

List Your Professional History With Keywords

Write your professional history section in reverse-chronological order. Start with your most recent job and provide a short description including the company name, time period in which you were employed, your job title and a few key achievements during your time at the company. You might also include relevant learnings or growth opportunities you experienced while employed there.

When listing your professional history, you should keep a few best practices in mind:

• Use numbers to measure your impact, when possible. Including specific numerical achievements can help employers understand your direct potential value to their company.

Example: Developed new process for requesting supplies, reducing fulfillment time by 10%.

• Use keywords from the job description. Similar to your skills section, you should also include information from the job description in your job history bullets. For example, if the job description mentions the importance of meeting sales quotas, you could include information about how youve met or exceeded quotas in past roles.

Example: Achieved goal of reaching 250% annual sales quota, winning sales MVP two quarters in a row.

Follow the same process for other work experiences. If you do not have extensive professional history, you should also include internships and volunteer opportunities following the same format.

Consider Adding Additional Sections

Adding additional non-work-related sections after the skills section on your college resume can help you stand out from other applicants with similar educational backgrounds and skill sets.

Here are some examples of sections you could add to the end of your resume:

An activities section is ideal for students or recent grads who have limited to no prior work experience. Listing relevant activities gives you the chance to show where and how you developed certain skills outside your education. Just make sure your activities reflect the type of work you’ll be doing in the position you’re applying for.

You’ll want to list any academic-related honors and awards you’ve received in your education section. If you’ve earned any honors outside your college experience that are relevant to the job, you can create a separate section that briefly explains the significance of each award.

If you’ve received any training and/or certifications that prove you have specific skills or knowledge relevant to the position, put these in a separate section.

Those applying for a job that requires experience with specific software, digital tools, or web languages should include a digital proficiency section at the end of their resume to prove they’re technologically qualified. You could also include this section in place of a standard skills section if digital proficiencies are more relevant to the role.

Read Also: How To Write A Resume For Cna With No Experience

How To Write An Awards & Achievements Section For Your Student Resume

Want to take your student resume to the next level? Adding an awards & achievements section is an easy way to capture attention.;

Before you say, But I dont have any awards or achievements! take a moment to think back on your studies so far. Chances are that you have much more to highlight than you first realize. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

• Your GPA
• Being part of the student body
• Academic awards
• Valedictorian and Deans lists
• Being in the top X% of your class/course
• Professional achievements e.g. selling X amount of products or increasing profits by Y%
• Relevant school/college societies or groups you are part of
• Scholarships
• Any journals you have been published in or research papers you have written
• Relevant non-profit work you have completed

So how can you correctly format this section of your resume?

You can list each award or achievement, along with the date you received/achieved it and any other specifics that would help the person reading it better understand why the award or achievement is relevant.;

If you are short on space, you can feature your academic awards and achievements in your education & coursework section instead.

Sample Resume For College Graduate With No Experience

RESUME OBJECTIVE

Recent college graduate with a degree in Political Science. Designed and led a state-wide polling project in New York to gauge public opinion on tort reform. Seeking to leverage 3.8 GPA and data analysis expertise to obtain the political research assistant position at Win Blue.

EDUCATION

NYU / 2019

Don’t Miss: How To Put Ged On Resume