From guest blogger- Thomas Wolff. Thomas Wolff is the Chief Resume Writer for Resume Mastermind, a Kansas City-based resume review service.
If you're an upperclassman, one of the
most daunting aspects of preparing for your first job is writing a resume.
While recent college graduates and entry-level jobseekers have unique
challenges when it comes to resume development, there are proven techniques
that work every time. With a solid roadmap of what your resume should and
shouldn't include, you will be able to write a great resume that will open the
door to your first job in the real world.
Before you begin the writing process,
you need to think of your resume as a personal marketing tool and not just a
list of your education and work experience. A well-written resume should be a
subtle yet powerful advertisement of yourself, and most importantly, it should enable
you to stand out in a pile of hundreds of other inexperienced students’
resumes.
Here's a list of tips that will help
you simplify the resume writing process.
Start with an opening profile
Rather than begin the resume with an
outdated Objective Statement that tells employers what you want, turn the
tables and tell employers what it is about you that would make you the ideal
entry-level hire. In two or three sentences, describe your most 'sellable'
points to the reader, focusing on how your academic background, relevant
experience, and unique personality traits would enable you to add immediate
value to their organization. Be sure to tailor the profile for a specific job
target.
An example of a solid summary:
"Upcoming
Mechanical Engineering graduate with a proven ability to provide technically
feasible solutions to complex engineering challenges. Balanced a full-time
class load with extensive involvement in the University’s Society of Automotive
Engineers organization, gaining outstanding experience working with a team to
design, build, and race a competition-ready Formula racecar."
This specific example was for an
engineering student, but you can see how it can be tailored for a student with
any major.
Education
As a new or soon-to-be graduate, your
big selling point is usually your education, so it is perfectly acceptable to
include a more detailed education section than an experienced job seeker
typically would. If you have a high GPA or graduated with honors, be sure to
mention it. Research papers and capstone projects may be relevant as well;
especially if you include the scope of the project and the steps you took to
complete the assignment.
You should also include a summary of
your most relevant coursework, which demonstrates transferrable skills that
will apply in the business world. I would focus primarily on your upper-level
major coursework rather than general studies courses.
For those of you who participated in
study abroad programs, since it is part of your educational experience and
growth, you can put it under the Education section. Provide an overview of the
program and the courses you took. This can be a great talking point in an
interview as people love to hear about your experiences in another part of the
world.
Relevant Experience
Most employers don't expect to see a
ton of work experience, especially when they're hiring for entry-level
positions. The key is to showcase your most transferable skills - the skills
you’ve developed as a student that you can bring to the workplace. The same
principle applies for any jobs or internships you may have had during your
college years. Simply indicating that you had an internship is not sufficient.
Do your best to give the reader a clear picture of your daily responsibilities
and any achievements you are proud of.
Don’t overlook the value of unpaid work
experience—anything and everything counts, as long as the skills you list are
transferable, and relevant to the type of job you’re seeking. This can include
volunteer work, fraternity, sorority and university organization positions.
Extra-Curricular Activities
While having a high GPA and solid
internship is certainly impressive, prospective employers want to see
candidates who are well-rounded and have the potential to become leaders in an
organization. Including volunteer work and affiliations with campus
organizations is a great way to beef up the resume by showcase the ability to
multi-task and take on a leadership role.
Technical Skills
This section will be more important for
some students than it is for others. Those of you graduating with a technical
degree will want to be sure to include specific programming languages,
platforms, and applications that you have used and understand.
Formatting
Typically, most new graduates should
have a one page resume that includes the following sections: Contact
Information, Summary, Education, Relevant Work Experience, Student
Affiliations, and Technical / Computer Skills. If you worked full-time during
school, or perhaps you're a non-traditional student, perhaps a two-page resume
is necessary. The general rule of thumb is to make the resume as long as it
needs to be to include all relevant
information. For the majority of you, one page should do it.
Overall, your resume will require a significant
amount of work and commitment on your part. Be prepared to spend at several
hours creating your resume, and once you have a draft ready, get several people
to read it and give you constructive feedback. The Career Services office is a
good place to start. Last but not least, proofread, proofread, and proofread.
Remember that the ultimate goal for your resume is to land your first job, so
you want to be sure you're putting your best foot forward.
