Whether you’re seeking a professional opportunity after graduation, applying for an internship or looking for a job while you complete your studies, creating a college student resume is the best way to share your skills and experience with employers.
1. Choose a resume format
To eliminate blank spaces, consider including additional sections that could be helpful for employers like relevant skills, awards and achievements or professional interests. To achieve an easy-to-read resume, choose a simple layout that allows you to showcase the qualifications that are most relevant to the job posting.
Most recruiters and hiring managers will focus their attention on the following resume sections. The easier your resume is to scan, the better you can hold their attention.
- Employment history
- Name and contact information
- Relevant skills and experiences
- Education and achievements
Potential employers will spend a short amount of time looking at your resume. The best resume formats are well organized with only the most relevant information and should make efficient use of blank space to avoid clutter.
2. Resume 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:
- Current and professional email address
- Current phone number
- First and last name
- City and state
Preferably, your initial contact information should fill just one line of the page, just under your name at the top. Your name should be the largest heading on the page.
3. Objective or summary statement
Your objective statement should be brief and focus specifically on your current career-related experience as well as your developed skills. Keep this section under 50 words. This statement, also called a "career objective," "resume summary" or "objective statement," is usually composed of one to two sentences that sum up your short-term professional goals and why you’re seeking employment.
4. Add in work experiences
For example, including your role as captain of a sports team demonstrates leadership abilities, while your experience as chair of a student club exhibits organizational skills.
These experiences can show you have the required skills to succeed in the position you’re applying for. You don’t have to limit your experience section to paid jobs. If you’re new to the job market and don’t have many professional roles to share, include volunteer positions, internships and extracurricular activities.
5. List relevant skills
When an employer reviews your resume, they’re looking to understand why you’d make a valuable addition to their team. Listing your skills is a way to quickly communicate your ability to succeed in the role. Include a combination of hard skills and soft skills.
If you’re having trouble identifying skills to include, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are there particular traits or skills professionals in the field you’re applying to often have? Do you also possess those?
- What accomplishments and successes have you achieved? What traits, skills or abilities helped you do it?
- What skills do your friends, family or classmates think you have?
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