Ditch The Objective Section
Including an objective on your resume is a dated tradition that still lingers about, especially among entry-level candidates. While having a clear idea of what youre looking for in a position is important to your job search, career objectives put the emphasis on your needs rather than the companys. They dont say much about how you can contribute, and as we noted above, the purpose of your resume is to illustrate the value you can bring to an organization.
Action Verbs Are Used To Describe His Work Experience
Notice how the bullets under Nicholas’ roles begin with an action verb? This information focuses on how Nicholas contributed to an end result. When you’re new to the workforce, you may not have many major accomplishments and contributions to include in your resume however, use action verbs to describe your activities.
Academic Project Relevant To A Job
Including an academic project in a resume is straightforward. Include where the project took place, what class it was a part of, the title of the project, the date it was completed and a short summary of its purpose.
Example of how to list an academic project in a resume:Coral Springs University, Coral Springs, Florida Intro to Hospitality Course McDonalds Restaurant Analysis Group ProjectWorked within a team of 4 to analyze data on the revenue, size, and customer base of a popular fast-food chain in Florida. Created and presented findings during a course presentation. Was personally responsible for collecting data on McDonalds revenue and creating a PowerPoint presentation.
Don’t Miss: How To Format A Resume In Google Docs
College Student Resume No Experience
Use this template
Why this resume works
- Hiring managers understand that while you’re in school your resume won’t be jam packed with highly relevant work experience. The key is that for things you do include you highlight why they make you a strong fit for the job or internship you’re applying to.
- For example, it doesn’t seem like being on the club soccer team is highly relevant to being a business analyst. But by focusing on how they organized practices and led a local volunteer effort, this student does a really good job of demonstrating qualities that might appeal to a hiring manager.
- Not to mention the hiring manager may be a soccer fan so this could help this student stand out! Don’t be afraid to highlight your interests and hobbies.
Use Two Pages If Needed
One of the most welcome resume tips for college students solves the dreaded how-many-pages-should-it-be mystery. Conventional wisdom says that a college resume should always be one page, but thats not the case anymore.
If one page does the trick, perfect however, its fine if a college student needs more space as long as all of the information is relevant, says Dr. Cheryl Minnick, nationally certified resume writer and career and experiential learning advisor at University of Montana. Nearly three quarters of U.S. undergraduate students are nontraditional, having delayed enrolling in college and bringing more experiences to the table, so they may need two pages.
Remember to ask yourself if the information you’re hoping to share wouldn’t be more appropriate elsewhere, say on your cover letter.
Recommended Reading: How To Describe Leadership Skills On Resume
How To Write A Resume Summary For A Student Or Graduate Resume
Lets get moving on the content of your resume, starting with your resume summary.
Hold up! Wondering what a resume summary is?
Its quite straightforward.
Basically, a resume summary its a short paragraph at the start of your resume which sums up your experience and suitability for the role.
Its a bit like that elevator pitch you might hear people talk about in movies, start-ups or sales-driven business areas.
Instead of pitching a company or idea, you pitch you and the benefits and value you bring.
Time for us to look at Janes resume to see this in action.
Her summary is clear and direct.
Being in business means knowing about a lot of interconnected areas and Jane shows that she is versatile by highlighting her proven and tested skills in procurement, marketing and sales just some of the key areas that every solid business professional needs.
Resume Summary Example for Students
- An independent and self-motivated business student with proven and tested business, procurement, sales, and marketing skills.
- An award-winning and confident communication graduate, able to establish rapport quickly and conduct training sessions with clarity and enthusiasm.
Extracurricular Activities Sports And Clubs
After you awards and achievements, create a section for extracurricular activities. List anything you are passionate about that shows your positive attitude and aptitude for the job youre applying for, such as playing a musical instrument, clubs, sports and other activities. In your resume, list the relevant activity and include a brief description.
Example of how to list extracurricular activities, sports and clubs:Piano Has played piano for 8 years and practices, on average, 4 hours per day.Babysitting Babysits neighbors, 8 and 3 years old, twice a week.Swimming Competitive swimmer, having won multiple gold and silver medals in state competitions.
Also Check: Should A Resume Be 2 Pages
References Are Not Included
As an entry-level professional, you only get one page of resume real estate don’t waste it by adding references or the phrase References available upon request. Employers usually won’t ask for this information until you make it to a face-to-face interview, and they know you’ll provide it if they request it.
Looking for more samples and advice? Click on the following links to check out a recording of our recent resume-writing webinar and take a look at another recent college graduate resume sample I wrote for Business Insider.
Need help with your post-grad resume? Learn more about our professional resume-writing services to get a resume like the one above.
How To Write A College Admissions Resume
A College Admissions resume should showcase an applicants best attributes and accomplishments. Your resume should indicate your ability to work to achieve goals, focus, multitask, and honor commitment. Be sure to highlight employment experiences you are proud of, organized in reverse chronological order. Your resume should also call attention to your High School or Secondary School accomplishments, and if relevant, any awards, honors, or a high GPA. Emphasizing your academic ability and your commitment to your role as a student is essential. You should focus on creating a stellar Profile section of your resume that inspires readers to keep reading your resume. By using one of Resume.ios field-tested resume templates, and following these helpful tips on the creation of your resume, you can rest assured that your College Admissions resume will stand out among the rest.
Don’t Miss: Do You Put Gpa On Resume
Work Experience And Projects
In any resume, no matter the stage of your career, your work experience and projects should take up at least 70% of the overall space. As such, these are the most important sections and will decide whether you get an interview or not.
When you have a few years of experience then the size of your projects section will decrease as the size of your work experience section expands.
If you have an internship relevant to the job you’re applying to, then of course this should be detailed in your “work experience” section. As a college student your work experience can also contain any part-time jobs you had while in school even if they don’t seem relevant to the job you’re applying to.
It’s not easy to balance work and school and having a part-time job demonstrates responsibility and drive, key attributes employers are looking for in prospective employees.
When talking about your work experience, there are a few key tips you should follow:
- Mention the skills you demonstrated on the job.
- Quantify the impact of your work whenever possible.
- Talk specifically about your role, avoid being too general.
- Use action verbs like “owned” or “led” to highlight your leadership abilities.
I’m sure you’ve heard that numbers speak louder than words, and that’s especially true on your resume. By providing numerical context around your work, you convince the hiring manager of your ability to meaningfully contribute.
WRONG – general work experience descriptions
Digital Marketing Intern
Classes Training And Certifications
Now its time to list any relevant classes, training, or certifications that are relevant for your resume.
For classes, include coursework that you took through school that are relevant to the position you are applying for. Just list the class title instead of the class number, such as ECON101. You can also write a brief description that is one to two sentences long to describe the course, if it is relevant to the job youre applying for.
For every training session and certification on your resume, list where you received the training, the type of course taken, the date you received it, and the date it expires .
Example of how to list a class in a resume:Intro to Hospitality Introduction to the hospitality industry, including various types of career paths. In-depth lessons on the food and beverage sector, including the categories of restaurants and the different types of food service.
Example of how to list training and certifications:Coral Springs University, Coral Springs Florida Valid 9/2018 9/2021First Aid & CPR Certified
Also Check: How To Put References On Your Resume
Recent College Graduate Resumeexamples And 25+ Tips
Your life has begun! Its exciting, but employers dont care about your schooling. Show them youre more than just another sheepskin with this sample college graduate resume.
Congratulations. You earned your diploma.
That and $4 will buy you a latte.
You need experience. But you cant get it without a job.
You know youve got the skills to change the world.
Your college graduate resume just needs to show achievement.
And youve got plenty of that.
- A proven recent college graduate resume sample that gets jobs.
- How to write a resume for college graduates that shows youre no mere newbie.
- How to make your education section shine in a resume for college graduates.
- Why you cant just list college graduate skills .
Create a job-winning resume with little effort. Hack your way through ATS software with our 18 beautiful templatesgive our builder a try!
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Check all our resume samples.
How To Write A Resume When You’re Just Out Of College
The University of South Florida junior felt like she had nothing to put on her résumé. She had only held down one job, for three years, working part-time at a K-Mart while she was in school. What employer would hire her based on that bottom-rung work experience? But Bobbie Muir, a career counselor in the placement office at USF in Tampa, saw it differently. The student had worked on the store’s returns desk, which Muir thought gave her a long list of marketable skills. She had to listen to unhappy customers for many hours, she dealt with high volume, she was a problem solver within limits, she mastered company policy, and she had to know when to turn over her work to a supervisor, says Muir. All of those skills went into a strong entry on the students résumé.
I lean toward the conventional, because I find it simpler and easier to take in. But both formats have their merits, and putting them together involves a similar exercise. Ill lay that out here:
1. List a career objective if youre clear on what you want to do or youre applying to a specific job.
2. List your school, degree year, and any honors, including your grade point average if its high.
3. Consider listing additional coursework outside your major.
You May Like: Is My Perfect Resume Legit
Current College Student Resume
Why this resume works
- If you’re at the point in your collegiate career where you have 1-2 internships under your belt you can get a bit more creative with your resume format since you’ll comfortably be able to fill one page.
- When discussing your past work experience it’s important that you try to quantify the impact of your work whenever possible. This makes it clear to the hiring manager you know what metrics are important in your line of work and you have worked to meaningfully impact those metrics in your internship.
Related Resume Guides
Emphasize Your Strongest Credentials
Think about why an employer should hire you out of all the applicants for the job. What do you offer that they don’t? Perhaps you have practical work experience and skills that are relevant to the job. If your experience is stronger than your education, place your work history before education on your resume, and write about your career achievements, track record of results and industry knowledge.
Include a detailed listing of your accomplishments throughout your career. Prove that your work performance has been outstanding and you would be an asset to your future employer’s operation. By the time hiring managers read your resume’s Education section, they should be so impressed by the value you offer that educational shortcomings could be overlooked.
It’s true that some employers will not be interested in you because you lack the job opening’s educational requirement, but you will find other employers that welcome your experience, skills and expertise.
Also Check: When Will Vikings Season 4 Resume
Keep The Focus On Your Accomplishments And Experience
In the chronological resume format, the Work Experience section comes first. Thus, youll have plenty of room to make a solid impression before the HR scans to the bottom education part. Make this section the focal point of your resume. Speak to your accomplishments at every position you have held, quantifying them with relevant numbers whenever possible. Showcase that you have solid hard and soft skills, highly relevant to the announced position. Prove that you are a solid performer that can bring a tangible impact to the new organization.
How To Write A College Resume
By Mike Simpson
It is senior year and the time has come.
The quad that seemed so welcoming and full of promise four years ago is now populated with children.
Was I really that young a mere four years ago?
You were.
The beer has been drunk, the parties have become monotonous and dull, and you are sick and tired of living in a group house. It is time to put all you have learned to use and find your first full-time, fully-paid, benefit-giving position in the workforce.
It is time to write a college resume!
You take to your fiery friend Google for a glimpse of what steps to take next.
The first resume template sends chills through your fingers and makes you curl your toes. The second solidifies your fears.
You are woefully unprepared for employment.
Just as you have to have money to make money, you need to have a job to get a job. If you have worked through college, either in paid positions or as an intern, you are in a pretty good position to enter the labor market. If, however, you have not held a job or internship by the time you graduate, you are woefully behind the curve.
Luckily, everyone loves a good underdog.
Recommended Reading: How To Update My Resume On Linkedin
Not Recommended Items For Education In Resume
- High school information if youve completed a university degree
- GPA on resume, especially if it is too low
- Graduation year or dates in school, especially if it is more than a decade in the past.
Here is how to list education on resume:
Here is a no-frills basic sample of education listed on a resume:
How To Draft A Resume For Someone Who Dropped Out
Related
Educational background carries considerable weight in the hiring process, but job seekers can often use a strong resume to compensate for a missing high school diploma or college degree. In some cases, they dont even need to reveal they dropped out and can instead focus on what theyve achieved since leaving school.
You May Like: How To Post Your Resume Online
How To Format Your Resume
A resume format is the layout of your resume.
The ideal resume format usually depends on how much work experience you have.
But what happens when you have none?
For a no-experience resume, we recommend that you use the reverse-chronological format.
Its the most popular format amongst applicants and a recruiter favorite.
The sections in your reverse-chronological resume will be:
In this article, well walk you through each of these sections, and explain how to write them in a way that you stand out from the crowd.
Ready?
Your resume header includes your contact information and your resume statement.
Below, well show you how to write both of these elements and how to include them in your header section.
How To Make A Resume For College Stand Out
Whittle your list down to your most impressive accomplishments. You don’t need to include your GPA and scores, since colleges will see them in your application.
- Include your highest achievements and honors.
- Describe major leadership roles and initiatives you have undertaken.
- Include unusual but impressive activities, experiences, and special skills that don’t fit neatly into the activity sections of college applications.
- If you have spent significant time working outside of school, include your work experience.
- Mention special circumstances, such as a part-time job, that kept you from participating in outside activities as much as you wanted to.
Don’t Miss: How To Write Volunteer In Resume