Resume Writing Tips for Students
Image Source: Flickr via uscMBSG
The daunting process of writing a well-constructed resume can be overwhelming for a student. Regardless of your devotion to the studies and internships, you cannot exactly list some impressive achievements at this early stage of your existence. Nevertheless, you still need to craft a resume, and you will be surprised by the fact that employers value details you don't consider important enough to make it in your resume.
The following tips will help you present yourself as the most favorable candidate in the eyes of your potential employers.
- Create a specifically targeted resume for the job
- Make a list of achievements and experiences, and then turn them into a resume
- Present yourself as a productive and dynamic person
- Present yourself as a responsible person
- Show how you can contribute for the company's success
- Don't forget to include your academic achievements
- Brag about your leadership skills
- Community service is not to be underestimated
- Describe your academic projects
- Review and revise!
Sending the same resume to all employers is one of the most common mistakes students do. All employers are looking for candidates who would invest their best efforts to advance the success of their company, so you should highlight the skills and experiences that are relevant for the specific job description.
Think of all types of experiences from all aspects of life, such as jobs, internships, school activities, academics, athletics, community service, and anything else you can think of. Observe the list and highlight the parts that are most relevant to the job you're applying for, as well as the experiences you've learned from the most. Then you can start crafting a resume with precise language and composition.
You want to use active language in your resume, so start your statements with action verbs or skills, such as evaluated, calculated, interviewed, trained, organized, wrote, and so on.
The person who will read your resume will mostly pay attention to its beginning, so you should start it with the most impressive achievements that present you as a responsible person. You don't have to include the mundane aspects of your experiences; in fact, it's best to leave them out and focus on your individuality.
When you present your experiences in the resume, make sure to brag about all “mini accomplishments” you have achieved in those roles. How did your involvement in the projects or companies you've been part of made them better? Include words that stand for positive changes, such as initiated, expanded, upgraded, improved, enhanced, and so on.
As a college student, your most significant responsibility is to be an active learner who achieves great academic results. There is no employer in the world who doesn't appreciate a good academic record. If you have a high GPA or great grades in the last few semesters, make sure to include that information in the resume.
When you want to present yourself as the best candidate for a job or internship, it's not wise to exaggerate your achievements, but it's also not the time to be modest. Present yourself as a leader with skills of recruiting, organizing, training, leading, and motivating a team of workers.
Even if it didn't seem like much when you were involved in it, community service is greatly valued by most employers because it shows your maturity.
Your resume should include descriptions of your successful academic projects, such as senior theses, capstones, and independent studies that present your skills in research, writing, and presentation.
You need to make sure that your resume is flawless in terms of structure, grammar, spelling, and style before you submit it. Ask for the opinion of your parents, friends and advisors, and take their advice into consideration.
Conclusion: crafting a resume is a big deal, but you can do it!
No one said that writing a great resume was easy. It requires diligence and talent in writing, but the process will be much easier when you know that you already have many experiences you can include. The most important advice is to take your time and never hurry to write your resume in the last minute before submission.
