Building a Strong Resume in College
You're in college, you've worked a couple jobs, took a few classes--maybe you've had your first internship experience. Your resume might feel sparse. Here's some tips to build a resume with impact.
Do:
Read internship job description for the skills that employers are seeking.
Write a powerful summary that grabs the reader's attention. Focus on your strengths and transferable skills. Highlight relevant work experience.
Include a short inventory of both technical skills and "soft" skills.
List your education, including expected graduation date. List relevant courses.
Include work experience, even hourly jobs such as retail or service. It will demonstrate your work ethic. Write about value delivered.
Include current/recent community service and activities.
Layout your single page resume with the appropriate amount of information and space.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to proofread.
Don't:
Try to fill the page with overly large text or large blocks of empty space.
Start with a vague objective that talks about what you want instead of what you can do for the employer.
List courses unrelated to your major.
List high school. If you're in college, they know you graduated from high school.
Waste space talking about work tasks in your early jobs. If you worked as a cashier, we know what you did.
Over index on high school activities.
Extend to more than one page. Learn how to be concise on your resume now.
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