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How To Write A Resume As A College Student

When Possible Include Keywords From The Job Posting

How To Write a Resume (For College Students)

Resume keywords are primarily hard skills that recruiters, hiring managers, and applicant tracking systems are looking for when they initially screen resumes. Youll find position-specific keywords in the job posting. Look for opportunities to include these keywords in the context of your coursework and/or relevant internships. You can also look for places to include keywords in your resume headline, summary section, and skills section.;

Use the Jobscan resume checker to optimize your resume keywords.;

Include Professional Contact Information

The first thing potential employers should see is a section at the top of your resume with your name, contact information and a link to your professional profile or website if you have one. In this section, you should include:

  • First and last name
  • Current phone number
  • Current and professional email address

Preferably, your initial contact information should fill one to two lines of the page just under your name at the top. Your name should be the largest heading on the page with 16 to 18 point font. Use the City, State format to list your locationtheres no need to include your physical address on your resume. Remember, your resume is not a legal document, which means you can select whichever name represents you best and what youd like to be called during the hiring process and eventually at work.

Heres an example of what your contact information section might look like:

512 Wide AvenueChicago, Illinois555-102-1512

Pro Tip: Use professional contact information. Employers will notice your level of professionalism, so use your college or university email alias or create a professional address consisting of your first and last name such as . In addition, create a professional message for your voicemail.

Resume Writing Tips For College Students

Creating a captivating resume can be a daunting task for college students the reason for that is obvious: at this early stage of their lives, students havent reached many significant achievements.

However, when you take a look at the list of skills that are valuable for employers, you will understand that there is much more you can write about than what you initially anticipated. If you know how to write a resume, you will easily convince your potential employer that you possess the exact skills they are looking for!

Here are some resume writing tips that will help you present your background in a manner employers would appreciate:

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Summary Resume Example: A Positive Portrait

If you dont have a lot of work experience, thats not a deal-breaker. The summary, sometimes known as a personal statement, provides a positive image, describes your qualifications and gives the reader a sense of your determination and drive. This is why its doubly important to craft your summary with care in a student resume. Avoid clichés and vague statements. When youve written out your profile section, ask yourself: If I read this resume, would I hire the person described here?

In a more practical sense, here are some examples and tips to follow when creating a resume for a student:

  • The summary shouldnt be shorter than two or longer than four mid-sized sentences.
  • Use action verbs, concrete and energetic language on your resume. Instead of High school student looking for a job write Self-disciplined and hard-working student looking for a workplace to contribute to a team, to learn and to grow as a professional.
  • Provide context and specific facts where possible. Instead of Finished high school. Have a variety of hobbies. write Excelled in algebra and Spanish in high school. Developed social skills and openness in improv theater.
  • Insert a couple of skills and qualities that might be interesting to an employer. Knowing languages, how to use computer spreadsheets or how to organize your schedule, or always being punctual, for example, are relevant skills and qualities.

College Freshman Resume Template

College Student Resume Sample & Writing Tips

Heres a college freshman resume template that you can paste into Microsoft Word or Google Docs and fill out. It includes an outline for each resume section, and what information you should list in each section.

1. Resume Heading

FIRST AND LAST NAME

2. Resume Summary

College freshman majoring in . Seeking to leverage my competence in to fill the position at . A worker aiming to contribute to s goals and take on more responsibility as quickly as possible.

3. Education

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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:;

Tips For Writing A College Resume

Read below for tips on how to write a strong college resume.

  • Use action verbs. Action verbs help show your responsibility. When describing your achievements, use action words. Words like led, researched, and to portray your experiences in an energetic way. Check out a list of action words for useful examples.
  • Quantify when possible. Whenever possible, include numbers to show your achievements. For example, you might say that you worked the cash register at a store that managed $10,000 daily, or that you helped 50 – 100 customers daily at your retail job.

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What To Include On Your Resume As A Student

Use the resume sections below as a guide to what information you should include in your resume writing. Feel free to add or delete things that arent applicable to you. If you dont have much work experience, build it up by highlighting your volunteer or leadership experience.

Your name and contact infoPut your name, email, and phone number at the top of your resume. If you have a website or social media account that showcases your skills or experience, include links to those too. You want recruiters to be able to reach you and find out more about you.

Work experience

The main section of any resume is the work history and job experience section. Whether its an internship, a summer job, or babysitting for your neighbors kids, include your experience and give a brief explanation of your role and responsibilities. Use action verbs to keep it positive and impactful, and focus on the positive results and lasting impression you made in that role.

Skills section

If youre applying to a specific college program or job description, talk about the relevant skills that make you an excellent candidate for that program or position. These can include soft skills, like good communication and interpersonal relationship building, or technical skills, like graphic design or programming. List them all. This is also a good spot to call out any foreign languages you speak.;

Leadership experience

Extracurricular activities

Volunteer work

Education section

Relevant coursework

Experience Example: The Secret Advantage

Resume For College Students: How To Write Your First Resume! (Plus Template)

Many college students and new graduates simply give up on this resume section. Without a history of employment, many job seekers ;don’t see the point. You do, however. So let’s look at how this resume section can give you an edge by reflecting your life experience and your vibrant, productive personality.;

So let’s look at how this resume section can give you an edge by reflecting your life experience and your vibrant, productive personality.;

  • Internship experience. This is one of the most impressive substitutes for “full” employment experience. Recruiters pay special attention to this when considering student or graduate resumes.
  • Summer / temp jobs. Experience as a waitress, clerk or nanny counts for more than you might think in terms of transferable skills. Courtesy, patience, discipline, dependability, willingness to work long hours are just a few examples.
  • Social initiatives / volunteer work. These are almost always impressive on a college student resume. Volunteering demonstrates altruistic traits and a cooperative team spirit.
  • Self-directed or community projects. Cite examples of commitments and collaborations that extended from your personal interests and talents.

Statistics from the Department of Education show that students who work 12 hours per week or less actually have stronger grades, perhaps because working forces them to have better discipline and time management skills.

Below is a resume example for a college student with experience as a teacher’s assistant.;

Also Check: How Far Back Do You Go On A Resume

Appreciate Yourself As An Engaged Learner:

Thats your most important role as a student in college, so make sure to include the successes you have achieved while studying. If you have high GPA, make sure to include that information in the resume. Describe the serious academic projects you took part in, such as independent studies or senior theses. This will present you as an active learner with skills in presentation, research, and writing.

What To Include In A Resume Summary

Include the following details in your resume summary:

  • Accolades: If you are an honors student or have other impressive achievements, mention this in your summary. This shows employers that you are ambitious and hard-working.
  • Experience: When you have relevant job experience, certainly include it. As a student this may be challenging, but there are plenty of other details to include. Volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, and leadership opportunities are all great things to add.
  • Skills: Read through the job posting to see any skills the employer is looking for. Be sure to include any of these skills that you have. You can also think about which other abilities you have would be helpful for this role.

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Building Your Resume As A College Student

Having an impressive resume can open doors to a great internship or a dream career. Finding relatable skills and tons of experience that would wow any resume reviewer can be difficult. This is especially difficult for college students who havent had the chance to gain experience in their desired field yet. Most students enter college without having any prior part-time job experience, clubs, or high grade point averages in high school. Coming into college with little to no experience is not a bad thing as there are many opportunities throughout the college years to vamp up your resume and make it look more appealing to future reviewers.

Bulk Up Your Education Section

College Student Resume Example & Writing Tips for 2021

Sometimes its a scary prospect filling up space on a resume . The best way to achieve this to create a solid;resume education section that highlights your greatest academic and extra-curricular accomplishments.

Dont forget to include volunteering experience to help paint a more comprehensive picture of your character and interests.

Under your universitys name, include the following information:

  • GPA: If your cumulative GPA is 3.5 or above, put this at the top.
  • Relevant completed courses:;Any coursework that helps establish yourself as knowledgable in a particular field should be listed here.
  • Awards & Honors:;If youve received any awards or honors that help prove how capable you are, think of one or two and place them in this section.
  • Clubs & Organizations:;This is also important because it shows that you have interests outside the realm of academics. Employers are looking for well-rounded individuals, so list a couple of the most relevant ones.

Bonus Tip:;For a college student, listing your high school achievements isnt necessary unless you are truly worried about bulking up your resume. If you decide to use high school information, make sure its really strong and relevant content.

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How To Write A Curriculum Vitae

In the United States, a curriculum vitae, or CV, is a type of resume used by professionals in the fields of academia, medicine, teaching, and research. Students most often are asked to submit a CV when they are applying to fellowships, graduate degree programs, or research positions. Countries outside the U.S. often call their resumes CVs, so be sure to understand accurately what it is they are looking for.

As a student, CVs are typically two pages and will include more scholarly content, such as research experiences, laboratory skills, and publications. Apply the same resume formatting guidelines to your CV.

Sample CV section headings may include, but are not limited to

  • Education

How To Write A Student Resume

Learning how to write a student resume is one of the more significant challenges students will face when preparing for their future careers.

Although student resume writingmay be a difficult task as candidates are just entering the working world, often applicants are pleasantly surprised by the valuable experience and skills they already have thanks to different events, extra-curricular activities and associations theyve been a part of as a student.

As students are new to the game, one ideal tool for resume writing is the thousands of resume templates that are available to modify and customize to each individual students needs.

Among the various sections of a student resume, it is essential to include any work or voluntary experience you may have, your technical and practical skills and of course your academic profile.

Research from the AACU says that around 94% of employers value the capacity for professional development from graduates. Therefore proving this on your resume will be your top priority.

As well as these three main sections, student resumes should be optimized by adding any of the following elements:

  • awards, honors or sponsorships earned.
  • projects developed.
  • extra IT or language skills.
  • sports or social club membership.
  • relevant coursework.
  • or volunteer experience.

An excellent shortcut for how to make a winning student resume is to use an online resume builder as a basic resume writing guide; the ideal tool for students to learn how to write a first resume.

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Write A Tempting College Student Job Description

You dont have experience yet.

They know it. You know it.

Clap your eyes on that.

The first of those college resume samples shows you live and breathe your trade.

The second shows you can fog up a mirror.

Finally, have a LinkedIn profile or other online portfolio. Need some help? See our guide:

Expert Hint: Write a college student cover letter. Half the hiring teams will ditch your college student resume unless you write one

Headline And Summary Statement

How to Write a Resume for College Students (2019)

A resume headline is an excellent opportunity to grab a hiring managers attention. You can think of your headline as the title of your resume. It helps frame whats to come and gives hiring managers an idea of who you are at a glance. When possible, include the job title or other hard skill keywords in your headline.;

Similarly, resume summary statements can be used to display your unique offering in one condensed block of text. While summary statements are not required, they provide an opportunity to further curate your skills and experience.;

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How To Structure Your Resume

Your first resume with no work experience may include the following sections:

  • Title: contact information and desired position.
  • Brief information: career goals or objective.
  • Education: degrees and academic achievements .
  • Trainings and certificates
  • Skills
  • About myself

You will not only need this resume; You will need a cover letter as well. See our small guide on how to write one.

Stand out from your competitors.; Read each section of this guide and start writing.; Just because you are a student, do not be discouraged!; The resume for your first job as a student will look very professional!

How To Write A College Student Resume

Lack of work experience is what usually makes student or graduate resumes inherently different from most others. But you can still build a strong professional profile to impress anyone!

Generally, a college student resume has several key sections. They are:;

  • The resume summary
  • The employment history section
  • Create sections in your college;resume arbitrarily without research and careful consideration.
  • Bloat low-priority optional sections to steal space from the key categories.
  • Overload readers with streams of unbroken text.
  • Go beyond one page for a student resume.

Read Also: How Many Pages Should A Resume Be 2020

Customize Your Resume For Each Job You Apply To

The last and most important thing to remember when creating a good resume is to customize it for every job to which you apply. Different job postings are going to have different keywords, different job duties listed, and so on. Appealing to each individual employer’s needs and job requirements is the best strategy for getting your application noticed and hopefully landing your first job.

At the end of the day, there’s no magical formula for how to write a winning resume the only perfect resume is the one that gets you the job. Be prepared to tweak and update your resume, even when you’re comfortably employed. Utilize a hybrid resume format and focus on your skills and education when you don’t have any work experience to show. Sooner or later, you’ll land that job and gain that much-coveted experience.

Tackling this kind of resume isn’t easy. If you’ve recently graduated or are in an entry-level job search, a professional resume writer can prepare you for success. Learn more.

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