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11 College Graduate Resume Examples [& Templates]

College Graduate

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

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College Graduate Resume

• College Graduate Resumes by Experience
• College Graduate Resumes by Career
• Resume FAQs

Whether you attended a traditional 4-year university straight out of high school or worked through an online program, there’s no doubt your college experience was unique. 

Hence, it’s safe to assume that your college graduate resume will also be unique, which is good because you want an employer to see what makes you a valuable candidate. That said, it can be difficult to  outline your resume  or work with an AI cover letter generator if your work experience is sparse or irrelevant. 

That’s why we’ve taken the time to build eleven college graduate resume samples you can use as a springboard. With our examples and proven tips , we know you’ll be able to expertly draft a professional resume that encompasses your collegiate activities, work history, and skills.

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Why this resume works

• Place emphasis on projects relevant to your chosen field. List 2-4 bullet points about your contributions, responsibilities, and accomplishments. Don’t forget to start with a strong action verb. 
• It’s also appropriate to include other extracurriculars on your college graduate resume. Seemingly irrelevant activities are important to include because they demonstrate you’re a well-rounded candidate. 
• Take advantage of the  career objective  by briefly summing up your varied collegiate projects, and be sure to state how your experience better equips you for the job. 
• Examine the description of your desired job, and include some of those mentioned skills that are relevant to you. 

Recent College Graduate Resume

• Include relevant coursework,
• Include a specific and honest list of  skills , 
• Include your GPA (if you’re proud of it!), 
• and include a resume objective. 
• Use numbers when possible to show measurable impact.
• Start with action verbs. 
• Be specific, and avoid generalized statements that could be on any resume. 

New College Graduate Resume

• In just three sentences, just below your new college graduate resume’s header, spill the tea on what drives you toward this internship, then spice it up with a dash of your awesome personality. And about flexing some of your skills and gigs? Sure, there’s no harm in that.

If You Went to College But Didn’t Graduate Resume

• Perhaps, think about that time you transformed an online page into a hit with your SEO mastery as a business owner or those custom logos and promo videos you whipped up during a graphic designer stint. Point them out in your if you went to college but didn’t graduate resume, and no ifs or buts about it. And those volunteer gigs? Throw them in to showcase the teamwork and community engagement side of you.

New Graduate Nurse Resume

• An excellent approach here would be to describe your involvement in volunteer programs, like Leo’s stints at Beyond the Bedside and Health Habits, Healthy Lives. Go the extra mile to illuminate the tangible difference your intervention facilitated.

Computer Science Graduate Resume

• For each, it’s essential to highlight your application or mastery of skills or tools fundamental to computer science or software engineering (Think Python, Java, PostgreSQL, and C++).

Accounting College Graduate Resume

• It’s a masterstroke for your accounting college graduate resume to highlight your analytical, cost-cutting, process automation, and risk mitigation through experimental projects that can be actualized in the real business world.

Nursing College Graduate Resume

• All you have to do in your nursing college graduate resume is to underline your accomplishments in patient care, saving waiting times, and improving overall outcomes.

Marketing College Graduate Resume

• Internships are extremely valuable to your marketing college graduate resume. Not everyone secures an internship before entering the workforce, so including an internship will demonstrate initiative, real-world experience, and industry knowledge. 
• Whether you’ve improved traffic to your personal blog or volunteered to build campaigns for a local organization, those undertakings matter a great deal because employers will, again, see your initiative as well as how you operate in your skillset when you’re not on the clock. 
• Trying to fit all the pieces of your college years onto one page is a challenge, so choose a template that will allow you to rearrange and organize sections in a logical way. 

Engineering College Graduate Resume

• Something you “just did for fun” may actually be a project worth mentioning. If you developed an app for personal use and preference, this is an excellent project to include that will detail your skills , project outcome, and creativity. 
• awards, achievements, recognition, or organizations/societies you were involved in;
• solid GPAs;
• and relevant coursework. 
• Make sure you change your resume objective for each job you apply to. Otherwise, it’s better to not include one.

Human Resources College Graduate Resume

• Choose a professional but creative template, and take advantage of our free  resume checker  that will help you with a number of things, including using active verbs, avoiding passive voice, and checking for punctuation consistency. 
• No matter what you include in your resume, write job description bullet points that will demonstrate genuine care for the people you work with as well as your ability to assist and improve the experiences of those individuals.
• Hint: If you can quantify your experiences with figures, statistics, percentages, or money, do so—metrics speak louder than vague statements.

Related resume guides

• Grad School
• College Student
• Entry Level

College Graduate Resume FAQs

While you may have work experience to add to your resume, not everyone does—and that’s perfectly okay! Your college career is ripe with experiences to include in your resume. Most importantly, you need to fill in the “work experience” section of your resume, and if you don’t have traditional work experience yet, use this space to talk about academic projects or student organizations you were involved in or even led. Academic projects and student orgs that are relevant to your degree are excellent talking points since they’ll directly provide valuable experience for your career choice. Other things worth including are relevant coursework and a career objective that specifically shares how your experience to date will help you contribute to the job.

Some will tell you to use a functional resume format, which places emphasis on your skills and minimizes your work history. While you  can  use a functional format, we’re gonna throw a curve ball and recommend you use the reverse-chronological resume format instead. Why? If you treat academic and personal projects, volunteer work, and school extracurriculars as valid experience (which you should), you won’t be stumped as to what to put in your “work experience” section on your resume. Employers and recruiters are most familiar with the reverse-chronological format anyway, and you won’t raise red flags with a resume based primarily on skills.

If you’re proud of it! Listing your GPA on your college grad resume is not a requirement for most employers, but it certainly can’t hurt your case if you’ve got a GPA worth sharing with the world. Consider including your GPA if it’s greater than 3.5 as it can demonstrate your strong work ethic, commitment, and perseverance, all while working through multiple projects and tasks. Once you’ve gained several years of work experience, it’s a good idea to remove your GPA as your work experience will stand out above grades from the past.

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Resume Examples College Student Resume

College Resume Examples & Writing Tips

Check out our college resume examples, writing tips, and template below to see how to fill up a resume without much (or any) on-the-job experience, and don’t forget to pair your resume with a college student cover letter to complete your application.

Looking for something else? Check out more free resume samples for every industry.

College resume template (text format)

College resume examples for different situations, 4 tips on how to write a college student resume.

Take the first step in creating your resume by adding this text to one of our resume templates .

College Resume Template (Text Format)

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

RESUME OBJECTIVE

Dedicated college student seeking to leverage my experience in [relevant abilities] to fill the [Job Title] position. Hold a [degree/diploma/certification] in [Degree/Diploma/Certification Title]. Skilled at [2–3 relevant skills]. A [adjective #1] and [adjective #2] worker aiming to contribute to the success of [Company Name].

GPA: 3.X/4.0 (optional) Latin honors (if applicable)

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

• Include a bulleted list of your achievements in this job or internship
• Start each bullet point with an action verb (like “develop” or “manage”) to grab attention
• Use the present tense for your current job or internship, unless describing a completed project or initiative
• Use hard numbers when possible to quantify your accomplishments in the job or internship
• Mention how you’ve used some of the job-relevant skills listed in your skills section to demonstrate your mastery of these abilities
• List relevant accomplishments from your previous role, internship, or volunteer position
• Use past tense verbs to describe your work (assuming you no longer hold this position)
• Include 3–6 bullet points for each role, both your current one and previous ones
• Skip the pronoun “I” and begin directly with a verb
• Although you’ll usually list work experience, feel free to include relevant internships as well as any volunteer work and extracurricular activities if you lack formal work experience

SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS

• List skills and certifications relevant to the job or internship you’re applying for
• Look at the job description for ideas of the skills the employer wants and that are common in the industry you’re trying to break into
• Emphasize job-specific hard skills and technical skills in this section
• Be as specific as possible by including names of tools, equipment, and software you’ve mastered that are used in your target industry

Our team of career experts has put together these college student resume samples to use as references when writing your own:

College student resume for an internship

This college student resume sample is specifically designed to target internship opportunities. By highlighting relevant extracurricular activity experience and relevant coursework , the writer demonstrates essential skills and academic accomplishments that qualify them for the internship they want:

Example highlights

• Eye-catching design: This resume’s unique layout, accent font, and pops of color ensure that hiring managers will notice key elements like their relevant marketing skills.
• Hard numbers: The candidate quantifies achievements on their resume where possible, providing verifiable evidence of their marketing skills and accomplishments – like increasing engagement rates and website traffic.

University student resume

Highlighting your academic achievements, relevant projects, and real-world skills can make your resume stand out. For example:

• Strong objective: This student wrote a concise, yet effective resume objective that highlights their key skills, immediate goals, and sincere interest in the internship opportunity. Enthusiasm and eagerness to learn are highly valued by employers, especially for internships and entry-level roles where candidates don’t yet have real-world experience.
• Thorough projects section: The student includes details about several projects on their resume where they learned skills that are transferable to entry-level engineering jobs.

Current college student resume

Our current college student resume example shows the essential elements to include to land that first post-college job.

• Prominent education section: For recent or soon-to-be graduates with limited work experience, the education section is often the part of their resume that makes the best case for them to get hired. Placing this section at the top draws immediate attention to the candidate’s academic achievements, honors, and relevant coursework.
• Includes volunteer work: The candidate includes volunteer work on their resume , which shows dedication and willingness to go the extra mile.

First-year college student resume

Seeking internship opportunities, part-time employment, or guidance for future career endeavors? This example can serve as a guide to help you demonstrate your potential to employers despite your limited work history:

• Includes projects: This student details a project from a class and one independent project. These two examples show employers that the candidate has experience applying technical skills to work, and also demonstrate their dedication to learning outside the classroom.
• Concise and well-organized: Despite being a first-year student with limited experience, the resume is well-structured, easy to read, and effectively conveys the relevant information an employer or internship coordinator would seek.

Sorority resume

Use our sorority resume example as a guide to maximize your chances of receiving a bid from your top choice.

• Polished headshot: The headshot shows a bit of personality and allows potential sororities to put a face to the name.
• Includes community service: The candidate includes volunteer work that underscores her community engagement.

College freshman resume

Take a look at our college freshman resume example to help increase your chances of landing a summer job or internship.

• Includes relevant coursework: Listing relevant coursework showcases the student’s academic background in their major.
• Lists academic honors: Mentioning National Honors Society membership shows the candidate’s academic achievement.

Resume for a college application

Use our college application resume example to guide you when writing your own resume.

• Excellent academic record: The student features their high SAT score and GPA prominently, demonstrating strong academic performance and readiness to attend an elite university.
• Well-rounded activities: Extracurricular activities show the applicant is dynamic and engaged both in and out of the classroom.

Recent college graduate resume

Use our recent college graduate resume example as a reference to help you land that all-important first job after graduation.

• Wide-ranging skill set: The candidate’s diverse skill set suggests that they are well-rounded and adaptable.
• Research experience: The senior seminar project shows the candidate’s ability to carry out research, analyze results, and present their findings, all of which are important skills for a political research assistant position.

Grad school resume

An effective grad school resume improves your chances of getting accepted into your dream master’s program. For example:

• Relevant volunteer work: Campaigning, get-out-the-vote initiatives, and collaborating with the university’s Political Science department show the candidate’s strong interest in the field outside the classroom.
• Featured education section: The education section showcases the candidate’s Bachelor’s degree, with an expected graduation date that aligns with standard grad school application timelines.

Scholarship resume

Check out our scholarship resume example to help you create a resume that’s sure to impress any scholarship panel.

• Highlights academic experience: The list of relevant coursework demonstrates the candidate’s dedication to their area of interest.
• Relevant skills: All of the skills listed are valuable for a music student to have.

Undergraduate resume

This undergraduate resume example shows how to effectively highlight your unique skills, achievements, and potential as a dedicated and capable employee.

• Describes projects: The candidate elaborates on relevant coursework projects, showing their practical experience and academic accomplishments.
• Unique achievements: The resume includes unique accomplishments like starting an Instagram page and recruiting new hires, demonstrating initiative and leadership abilities.

Whether you’re entering the workforce or preparing a grad school resume to continue your academic career, this guide will show you how to write an offer-worthy resume.

1. Emphasize your education

Getting a degree is a full-time job. Employers understand this, but it’s up to you to explain how your education makes you qualified for the position you want.

You should include the following details in your education section:

• University name
• Major and level of degree (i.e., Bachelor’s or Master’s)
• School location (city and state)
• Anticipated graduation date (month and year)
• Your GPA (if it’s a 3.5 or above)
• Awards or honors
• Dean’s list (if received twice or more)

For example:

EDUCATION State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Security and Intelligence Concentration) Anticipated Graduation: May 20XX GPA: 3.7/4.0 Dean’s List: Fall 20XX, Spring 20XX

• Outstanding Achievement in Political Science (Awarded Spring 20XX)
• Excellence in Research Award (Awarded Fall 20XX)

Additionally, include relevant coursework you completed for your degree to show employers you have the background knowledge and qualifications required for the job or internship you’re applying for.

Here’s an example:

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science New York University, New York City, NY Graduated May 2023 GPA: 3.8/4.0

Relevant Coursework: International Politics, Economics, Public Polling, Data Analysis, Electoral Process

Honors: cum laude

Even if your degree is incomplete, it can still add value to your resume. Make sure you know how to list an unfinished degree on a resume , so you’re more hirable.

2. Write a compelling resume objective

Your college resume should begin with a resume objective that showcases your key skills and ends with a statement of your career goals. As a college student, your resume objective is a key part of your resume to differentiate yourself from other students or even people with work experience vying for the same position as you, so it’s important to get it right.

Here are some examples:

Resourceful college student studying business administration and seeking an internship in marketing, sales, or operations. Strong written and verbal communication skills developed through coursework. Passionate about innovation and eager to apply academic concepts in a real-world setting.

Quick-learning college student majoring in computer science pursuing a software engineering internship. Experienced in Java, Python, and web development with a passion for technology. Seeking opportunities to build professional experience and contribute to dynamic projects.

Innovative college student studying graphic design interested in an internship at [Marketing or Design Firm Name]. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and skilled in developing visually engaging and cohesive designs. Eager to apply creative talents and gain industry experience.

3. Swap out “Work History” for “Relevant Experience”

While you may not have years of work experience, that doesn’t mean you don’t have relevant experience that employers will find valuable.

To clarify to the hiring manager that you’re not listing professional work experience, change the title of your work experience section from “Professional Experience” to “Relevant Experience.” This change helps you emphasize your qualifications and provide a more accurate summary of your achievements and skills.

Choose experiences you can use to demonstrate job-specific skills, like:

• Volunteer work
• Internship experience
• Extracurricular activities
• Relevant coursework or projects
• Study abroad programs
• Hobbies and interests

Software Engineering Intern Bright Star Tech Solutions, New York, NY May 20XX – August 20XX

• Collaborated with a team of developers to design and implement new features for a cloud-based enterprise software solution using Java and Spring Boot
• Participated in Agile development processes, including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospective meetings
• Optimized application performance by identifying and resolving bottlenecks, resulting in a 25% reduction in response times
• Wrote comprehensive unit tests and conducted code reviews, ensuring high code quality and adherence to best practices

E-commerce Web Development Project Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY September 20XX – December 20XX

• Designed and developed a fully functional e-commerce website using React.js, Node.js, and MongoDB, featuring secure payment integration and responsive design
• Implemented advanced features such as user authentication, shopping cart functionality, and order tracking
• Optimized website performance and conducted thorough testing, resulting in a seamless user experience and a 95% user satisfaction rate

Machine Learning Research Project Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY September 20XX – December 20XX

• Conducted research on deep learning techniques for image recognition and classification, using TensorFlow and Python
• Trained and optimized convolutional neural network models on a large-scale dataset, achieving an accuracy rate of 92%
• Presented research findings at the university’s annual computer science symposium, receiving positive feedback from faculty and peers

Where possible, back up your experience with hard numbers. Adding verifiable data helps highlight your accomplishments by showing exactly how you contributed to a team or project through percentages, statistics, or monetary values.

• Improved freshman-level writing scores by 40% through group lessons as well as supplementary one-on-one tutoring
• Arranged and conducted interviews with 10+ individuals, ranging in profession from librarians to actors to historians

Including hard numbers in your work experience is a great way to show hiring managers what you’re capable of. Plus, they’ll be impressed that an undergraduate student can quantify their achievements .

4. Include a diverse mix of skills

Finally, write a strong skills section that includes job-relevant hard skills.

The specific skills you’ll list will depend on the industry you’re trying to break into, but skills tied to digital literacy are always in demand. Hiring managers will appreciate seeing any of the following skills on your resume:

Here’s an example of a skills section for a graphic design student:

• Illustrator
• 3D modeling
• Motion graphics

You can also list any online certifications you’ve completed through independent study, like this:

CERTIFICATIONS

• Adobe Certified Expert – Photoshop August 20XX
• Adobe Certified Expert – Illustrator December 20XX
• UX/UI Design Certification – Interaction Design Foundation March 20XX
• W3Schools Responsive Web Design Certification May 20XX

Need additional inspiration? Take a look at our other student resume examples .

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• College Graduate

College Graduate resume examples & templates

Choosing the right resume format for a new graduate 

Include your contact information, make use of a summary, outline your college graduate work experience: a strong report card , including the most relevant skills for a recent graduate position , detail your education & relevant certifications as a recent graduate, pick the right resume layout and design for a new graduate resume.

Job hunting as a college graduate can often feel like a competitive sport. When you’re up against hundreds of other fresh graduates with the same diploma in hand, your resume needs to be sharp and professional to stand out and land your perfect entry-level position. Whether you hold a degree in computer science, business, or foreign languages, your resume serves as your professional toolkit—an essential resource for presenting the perfect blend of skills and experiences to secure your foothold in the world of your chosen industry.

As a recent college graduate, first impressions matter, and potential employers form judgments based on the initial glimpse of your resume. The challenge for recent graduates is to showcase what sets them apart, both academically and professionally via internships and extracurricular experiences. If you're ready to elevate your resume game, we're here to help you write your way to success in your entry-level job search.

Resume guide for a college graduate

Land your first job after graduation with Resume.io. Our guides and resume examples cover over 500 professions, and our resume builder makes creating a compelling resume easier than ever.

This resume guide and corresponding college graduate resume example will cover the following:

How to write a college graduate resume

• Choosing the right resume format for college graduate
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your college graduate experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What job prospects and salary you can expect as a college graduate

To get started writing the best resume for a recent college graduate, you’ll need to understand what sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Your new grad resume is your initial introduction to potential employers and serves as the gateway for them to get to know you better. Your objective is to show hiring managers what makes you unique and what experiences you’ve gained beyond your degree.

To construct a compelling narrative, start by thoroughly reviewing the job description. Ask yourself a few questions to help you determine the company’s ideal candidate:

• Is this role suitable for a recent grad?
• What is the work environment like?
• What is the corporate culture of this company?
• What kind of tasks and responsibilities are associated with the position?
• How large is the team you might be working with?
• What problem does the company want the person working in this position to solve?

While this may seem like a mundane exercise, understanding the nuances of the prospective workplace allows you to tailor your resume to position yourself as the ideal candidate. Identify the employer's objectives and illustrate how your skills and experiences align seamlessly with their goals—this is the key element that sets your application apart.

On your resume, aim to emphasize achievements rather than just responsibilities. While many recent graduates possess fundamental skills, can you showcase instances where you went beyond the basics? Have you contributed to the success of previous professional endeavors like internships? How have you enhanced the overall experience for those you worked with? Let your resume reflect your track record of success in your college and extracurricular activities.

Consider the ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

If you’re a recent college grad, you’ll likely be applying to positions using online application portals. You should be aware of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Algorithms built into these portals that scan resumes for specific keywords outlined in the job description. Resumes that don’t rank high enough can get filtered out before ever being reviewed by a hiring manager. 

Follow these steps to increase your chances of making it to the employer’s desk:

• Closely align your resume with the employer's language, incorporating keywords strategically, especially in the summary and skills section.
• Keep your resume format clear and straightforward to facilitate easy scanning by ATS, avoiding excessive graphics or elements that may confuse the system.
• Don’t engage in keyword stuffing—adding misleading, hidden, or excessive keywords on your resume just to beat the bots. Hiring managers frown upon this practice.

Selecting the best format for your recent graduate resume largely hinges on your level of professional experience. Whenever possible, we recommend the reverse chronological resume format with a focus on the employment history section as this is the format hiring managers expect to see from professional candidates. If your work history is limited, you can include internships and college jobs (related to your field of study) as part of your employment history. 

If your work history is limited or predominantly consists of jobs outside of your field of study, the functional resume format could be advantageous. This format places a greater spotlight on your skill set, allowing you to highlight your competencies and capabilities instead of past roles. It can be a good option for fresh grads or those transitioning to a new field.

For a head start, check our resume examples tailored to the reverse chronological format to guide you through the process. You can easily modify them for your own experience inside of our intuitive resume builder .

For more ideas, inspiration and direction, check out our hundreds of resume samples in categories like retail , hospitality and administration, and those for the following education-related occupations.

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Your contact information is an essential part of your fresh grad resume, but one that many recent graduates get wrong. Your contact details should be prominently displayed in your resume header so that potential employers can easily reach you to set up an interview. Here are the essential pieces of information:

• Full name and professional title . As a fresh grad, it’s OK to use the professional title of the entry-level role you are applying to.
• Phone number . This should be a number you check regularly and is accessible during business hours. Make sure you have a working voicemail so a hiring manager can leave you a message.
• Email address . You’d be surprised how many recent graduates are still using silly email addresses. Your email address should be professional and include some part of your name. Make a new email account once you graduate as you should not include a .edu address on a job application.
• LinkedIn or portfolio website . An up-to-date LinkedIn profile is one of the best ways to signal to a potential employer that you take your career seriously. In some fields such as design or journalism, you will also want to include a link to your professional portfolio website.

Your contact information is key to landing an interview and the job. Make sure it is easy to find and easy to read.

• Jamie Johnson
• Research assistant
• 000-080-0600
• [email protected]
• Jamie “Da Best” Johnson
• Recent graduate

On a recent college graduate resume, a well-written summary is a superpower. In just a few concise sentences, you have the opportunity to present yourself as an outstanding candidate who has both the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to contribute to their organization and enhance the overall workplace experience.

A well-crafted summary extends beyond a mere listing of your previous roles—that information can be detailed further down your resume. The primary aim of the summary is to spotlight your skills and your professional personality which makes you a rising star. Make sure to write with energy and use verbs such as "applied, implemented, optimized, increased, and led," and quantify your accomplishments and present yourself as motivated and responsible.

Your summary should emphasize your strongest skills as a recent graduate and explain why you are the perfect fit for the specific job to which you are applying. Again, refer to the job description to develop a picture of the company’s ideal candidate. Embrace your distinctive strengths, and allow your summary to paint a vivid picture of the value you bring.

Keep in mind that hiring managers are busy people. Your summary is your initial opportunity to capture their attention and encourage them to read the rest of your resume. Keep it concise, focused, and positive to show why you’re the candidate the company has been looking for.

You can find our resume example summaries for recent graduates below:

Motivated and dynamic marketer with a recent Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, equipped with a solid foundation of key digital marketing principles and a proactive mindset. Possesses excellent analytical and problem-solving skills honed through rigorous coursework and internships, contributing to successful project outcomes. Eager to apply academic knowledge and practical experiences to a corporate role, bringing a fresh perspective and dedication to achieving organizational goals.

Motivated and creative graphic designer with a recent degree in fine arts, with a passion for visual storytelling and innovative design concepts. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, with a keen eye for aesthetics and attention to detail. A proactive and collaborative team player, I have successfully translated conceptual ideas into visually appealing designs during internships and coursework projects. Eager to contribute a fresh perspective and creativity to a dynamic creative team, leveraging a blend of academic knowledge and practical skills.

Energetic recent graduate seeking a part-time role in the retail sector. Holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, providing a solid foundation in customer service, inventory management, and business operations. Possesses strong communication and interpersonal skills, cultivated through coursework and previous experiences. Excited to apply business principles and enthusiasm to contribute to the success of a major fashion retailer.

Your recent academic journey is a valuable asset for potential employers but it can’t be the only experience listed on your resume. To compete among other grads and established professionals, you’ll need to create a strong employment history section tailored to the specific job you're applying for.

Begin by highlighting your most recent academic experiences at the top and work backward, capturing your educational background over the last few years. We recommend finding at least three “professional” experiences which can include student jobs, leadership positions, internships, and any other relevant experiences that directly align with the position you are pursuing. 

For each role, create a subheading with the job title, employer or school name, dates worked, and location. Then, construct 3-4 concise, results-based bullet points outlining your responsibilities and achievements in that role. Begin each point with an action verb and aim to incorporate quantifiable data and statistics whenever applicable. This structured presentation ensures that your resume will make you look like a qualified candidate, even as a recent grad.

Who works for whom?

One mistake commonly found on new graduate resumes is the sense that the employer’s job opening would be a big opportunity for the recent grad. When writing your resume, remember that your goal is to show how your skills and experience would benefit the employer and not how getting the job would be a great stepping stone in your career. Even if you don’t have much professional experience yet, your work ethic and fresh ideas can be a vital asset to a company.

You can find even more sample sentences in our college resume example below:

Marketing Intern at LA Athletic Company, Los Angeles  June 2020 - August 2020 

• Supported 5-person marketing team on seasonal email campaign which resulted in 2x higher than average open rate.
• Conducted market research on competitors by synthesizing data from 20 sources to inform 2021 strategy.

Waitress/Hostess at Champions Sports Bar and Grill, Los Angeles  September 2017 - March 2020 

• Ensured high quality customer service leading to various positive online reviews and comments.
• Trained 3 new team members on opening and closing procedures resulting in higher restaurant efficiency.

Your skills section is a crucial step in beating the automated resume scanners and getting reviewed by a hiring manager. While this section may seem like a simple list, it’s important to craft it carefully based on the job description and include a mix of hard and soft skills.

First, let’s look at the difference between hard and soft skills. Hard skills encompass concrete, technical proficiencies specific to your college degree and field of study, such as data analysis, programming languages, or project management. Conversely, soft skills involve interpersonal qualities and attributes contributing to effective collaboration and communication. These may include adaptability, communication, leadership, and teamwork.

As a recent college graduate, your resume should strike a balance, showcasing both the technical proficiency (hard skills) learned in your coursework and relevant to your field and the interpersonal strengths (soft skills) crucial for effective professional interactions. Make use of the employer’s exact language from the job description when presenting your skills, ensuring alignment with the employer's expectations. For instance, if the job posting emphasizes "team collaboration," incorporate this exact phrase in your skills section rather than using a more general term like "team player." This precision not only optimizes your resume for automated scans but also resonates more effectively with hiring managers.

You can find our adaptable skills resume sample below.

Key Skills and Proficiencies 

As a recent grad, your education is one of your strongest selling points. This is also the only time in your career where your education section can sit on top of your experience section. Make sure to list your degrees in reverse chronological order (most recent to oldest) and include the degree name, school, dates attended, and location. You should also include one or two bullet points with academic achievements that are relevant to the job you are applying for.

The education section is also the best place to add memberships, organizations, clubs, scholarships, and certifications you hold. Check out our adaptable education resume sample below.

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, University of Southern California, Los Angeles  September 2019 - May 2021 

• Relevant Coursework: Marketing Research Methods, Consumer Behavior Analysis, Advertising Campaigns

Your professional presentation as a fresh grad extends beyond the writing of your resume to the layout and design of your application. To create a strong first impression, you’ll need to pay attention to the spacing, fonts , and color used on your resume. As with your writing, your layout should be tailored to the job you are applying for. A professionally designed resume template makes it easy to test out different styles.

Above all, remember to keep a balance of white space to text on your resume so that your resume is easy to digest at a glance. Make sure your name appears in a larger font size and your contact information is prominently displayed in your header. We recommend choosing just one accent color and font style and using bold or italic text for emphasis. Remember, when in doubt, less is more. A dialed-down resume won’t impact your chances of landing the job the way an eccentric, colorful one will.

Key takeaways for your college graduate resume

• Your fresh graduate resume is the key to unlocking your first career opportunities.
• While writing your resume, make sure to think about how your skills and education can serve an employer’s needs.
• Your education section is a great place to add clubs, scholarships, and academic achievements.
• Don’t overlook your resume layout. Our adaptable recent grad resume sample can help you get started.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

Career Advice for Job Seekers

8 resume writing tips for that second job search out of college

Whenever possible, include numbers and statistics, says McGuiness. These jump out to a recruiter and are a quick way to indicate your impact and value in previous positions. “Increased donations by 30% after implementing an annual silent auction” or “Managed a call center that received over 1,000 calls daily.”

4. Highlight certifications, training programs, stretch assignments and ongoing career or professional development

“It’s important for employers to know that you are invested in your career and are hungry to keep learning and developing,” says Eison.

If you attended a key industry conference, completed a certification or training class (whether online or in-person), reference this. For example, if you work in digital marketing and became Google AdWords Certified, or if you were trained on Adobe Experience Manager, list that. Better yet, list that with a success story/project example using those skills/programs.

In addition, recruiters are looking for candidates with great leadership skills. If you have taken on any additional responsibilities, projects or stretch assignments at your first job, you should include this on your resume.

“Companies are looking for ambitious leaders who are eager to learn and grow with their organizations,” says Eison

5. Highlight soft skills

Listing soft skills is important when writing a resume, because if a company is going to hire you, they will often train you using their own, unique processes.

“Those soft skills – like leadership, communication and team work – are harder to train, so companies want people that have those skills coming into the role,” says McGuiness.

But don’t just say you’re a “strong communicator” on your resume. Instead, show how you’re a strong communicator: “Presented quarterly earnings to senior directors and relayed their recommendations back to the team.”

Related: Communication skills factor into who gets promoted

6. Write the resume to fit the job description

“When applying for any position, at any level in your career, scan the job description and mimic frequently used keywords,” says McGuiness. “Most large employer utilize applicant tracking systems to help them sort hundreds, sometimes thousands of resumes to find the strongest candidates.”

The resumes that are a match to that job description, get noticed.

Related: Avoid common resume mistakes and stand out

7. Open with a strong summary statement

Take the guess work out of the recruiters hands and let them know what position you are interested in based on your skill sets, goals and passion, by creating a strong opening summary statement, says Eison. This isn’t a long-winded paragraph. This is short and to the point, like this:

Seeking financial analyst role where 2+ years of experience at a Fortune 100 organization will add value.

Bold the key terms, results, and language in that summary, and throughout the resume.

“Your resume will be skimmed at first, so make sure to bold your titles and other areas where you want to capture the hiring manager’s attention,” says McGuiness. “If they are intrigued, they’ll read more.”

Said Eison: “If you don’t have a clear summary, recruiters may wrongly assume the role you are applying to or they may not be able to decide where your skills would be an asset for the organization and your resume may be placed in the no pile.”

8. Proofread proofread proofread

“My biggest pet peeve is misspelled words and grammatical errors on resumes,” says Eison.

But it’s difficult to catch your own resume writing mistakes, so have a career coach, trusted colleague, roommate, significant other, or family member proofread your resume. Let’s be clear though: Asking someone (other than a career coach or recruiter whom you may know) to review your resume in terms of resume format or resume layout, is asking for trouble. Your roommate may be a great salesperson, but that doesn’t mean they are skilled at critiquing resumes. Your mom or dad be able to catch grammatical errors, but unless they work in HR, hire, recruit, or manage employees, their specialty is not “critiquing resumes” so save that for the professionals. But proofreading, that’s important. And anyone who can assist reading/reviewing the resume can catch mistakes.

Go to the last page of your resume and read it from the bottom to the top. Looking at it this way can give you another view and help provide clarity to each sentence and give one final proof for spelling, grammar, and/or formatting issues.

“The attention to detail in formatting, spelling, and grammar may seem trivial, but it can certainly make a huge difference and this may help you land an interview and ultimately getting your next job,” says Eison.

Use these resume writing tips to stand out, get noticed, and get an interview. Then in time, you’ll land that second job out of college, and continue to advance in your career.

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20 College Grad Resume Examples and Advice for 2024

As a recent college graduate, crafting an effective resume becomes a crucial step in finding your first professional job. Your resume serves as your initial introduction to potential employers and can make or break your chances of standing out in a competitive job market.

Importance of an Effective Resume for College Graduates

An effective resume is essential because it showcases your skills, education, and experience in a concise and well-organized manner. It acts as a marketing tool for your personal brand and helps you stand out among other candidates. With an effective resume, you can present yourself as a compelling candidate and demonstrate to potential employers that you are a perfect fit for their organization.

Moreover, an effective resume can help you overcome any gaps in your experience or a lack of industry-specific skills. It shows that you have invested time and effort in customizing your application and that you are serious about pursuing a career in your desired field.

A poor-quality resume, on the other hand, can pose a significant threat to your chances of being invited for an interview. It can make you appear unprofessional, disorganized, and unprepared. As a college graduate with little work experience, you need a strong resume to make up for your lack of experience and highlight your abilities as a potential employee.

This article serves as a comprehensive guide to creating an effective resume as a college graduate. By following the advice and examples provided, you can increase your chances of landing an interview and ultimately securing your dream job.

The Basics of a Good College Grad Resume

As a college graduate, there are certain components that you should include in your resume to ensure that it appeals to prospective employers. In this section, we will explore what employers are looking for in a resume and the essential components of a college grad resume.

What Employers Are Looking For in a Resume

Employers receive hundreds of applications and resumes for each job opening, and it’s important to make sure that your resume stands out. Here are some of the things that employers are looking for in a college grad’s resume:

Relevant Work Experience:  Employers want to see that a candidate has some relevant work experience, even if it’s just an internship or a part-time job. This demonstrates to the employer that you have some practical skills that are transferable to the workplace.

Academic Achievements:  Employers want to see that you excelled academically during your time in college. This could include your GPA, academic honors or awards, or relevant coursework.

Leadership Experience:  Employers value candidates who can demonstrate leadership skills. This could include experience as a team captain, club president, or volunteer coordinator.

Soft Skills:  Soft skills are traits that are difficult to measure but are highly valued in the workplace. Examples include communication skills, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving.

Essential Components of a College Grad Resume

Now that you know what employers are looking for in a resume, let’s dive into the essential components of a college grad resume:

Header:  The header of your resume should include your name, contact information, and a professional email address.

Objective or Summary:  A brief objective or summary statement should be included at the top of your resume to give the employer an idea of your career goals and what you can bring to the table.

Education:  List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree. Include the name of the institution, degree earned, major, and graduation date.

Relevant Work Experience:  List your work experience in reverse chronological order as well. Include the job title, company name, dates of employment, and a brief description of your duties and accomplishments.

Leadership Experience:  If you have any leadership experience, such as serving as a club president, include it in a separate section on your resume.

Skills:  Include a section that highlights your relevant skills. This could include software programs you’re proficient in, foreign languages you speak, or any other professional skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

References:  Finally, provide at least two professional references who can vouch for your skills and experience.

By including these essential components in your resume and highlighting your relevant skills and achievements, you can help ensure that your resume stands out to prospective employers.

20 College Grad Resume Examples and Advice

As a college graduate, crafting the perfect resume can be a daunting task. With so many different fields of study and industries to choose from, it can be challenging to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 20 college grad resume examples across various fields, as well as some advice on how to make your resume stand out.

Example 1: Business Administration Graduate

A Business Administration graduate should focus on their leadership abilities, communication skills, and problem-solving experience. Highlight your accomplishments in previous internships, such as increasing sales or streamlining processes. Also, mention any business-related coursework, such as finance or marketing.

Example 2: Communications Graduate

A Communications graduate should highlight their experience in public speaking, writing, and social media management. Showcase work from previous internships, highlighting any writing or video projects. If you speak another language, be sure to mention it as it could be a valuable asset in the communications world.

Example 3: Computer Science Graduate

A Computer Science graduate should focus on their coding abilities and experience with different programming languages. Detail any coding projects or hackathons you’ve participated in. Also, list any technical skills or certifications that you have earned.

Example 4: Education Graduate

An Education graduate should highlight their coursework in teaching methods and their experience working with students. Detail previous teaching or tutoring experience and highlight any student outcomes, such as improved test scores. Also, be sure to mention any relevant certifications or licenses.

Example 5: Engineering Graduate

An Engineering graduate should showcase their technical skills and problem-solving abilities. Highlight any coursework or projects related to your field of study. Also, detail any internships or co-op experiences that you’ve had, including any unique projects or solutions you developed.

Example 6: Fine Arts Graduate

A Fine Arts graduate should focus on their creativity and artistic abilities. Highlight any exhibitions, performances, or publications you’ve contributed to. Also, detail coursework related to your artistic medium, such as painting or sculpture.

Example 7: Healthcare Graduate

A Healthcare graduate should highlight their clinical experience and knowledge of medical terminology. Detail any internships or shadowing experiences that you’ve had, highlighting any particular skills or procedures that you observed or assisted with.

Example 8: Human Resources Graduate

A Human Resources graduate should focus on their communication and organizational skills. Detail any coursework related to employment law or recruitment strategies. Also, showcase any previous internships or co-op experiences, highlighting any projects that you led or contributed to.

Example 9: Journalism Graduate

A Journalism graduate should highlight their writing and storytelling abilities. Showcase any previous writing experience, such as internships or freelance work. Also, detail any relevant coursework in journalism, including topics like media ethics and news reporting.

Example 10: Marketing Graduate

A Marketing graduate should focus on their marketing and sales abilities.

Tips and Tricks for Crafting Your College Grad Resume

Crafting a winning resume can be a daunting task, especially when you’re fresh out of college and have little professional experience. However, with a little effort, you can create a polished and effective document that showcases your skills and strengths to potential employers. In this section, we’ll explore some tips and tricks for creating a college grad resume that stands out from the rest.

How to Identify Your Key Skills and Strengths

Before you start writing your resume, it’s crucial to identify your key skills and strengths. These are the qualities and abilities that make you a unique and valuable candidate for a particular job. Here are some tips on how to identify your key skills and strengths:

Look at your academic record and extracurricular activities: What classes did you excel in? What clubs or organizations were you involved in? What leadership roles did you hold? These can all indicate skills and strengths that you possess.

Consider your part-time jobs, internships, and volunteer work: What tasks did you perform in these roles? What skills did you develop? What accomplishments did you achieve?

Think about your personal qualities: What are your strengths as a person? Are you a good communicator? A problem-solver? An organized and detail-oriented person?

Once you’ve identified your key skills and strengths, make sure to highlight them in your resume. Use keywords and phrases that reflect these qualities throughout your document.

Quantifying Your Accomplishments on Your Resume

One of the most effective ways to make your resume stand out is to quantify your accomplishments. This means using numbers and figures to demonstrate the impact and results of your work. Here are some examples of how to quantify your accomplishments:

Instead of saying “managed a team of interns,” say “oversaw a team of five interns, resulting in a 30% increase in productivity.”

Instead of saying “organized events,” say “planned and executed 10 successful events, attracting over 1,000 attendees and raising $50,000 for charity.”

Instead of saying “improved customer satisfaction,” say “implemented new customer service program, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction ratings.”

By quantifying your accomplishments, you show potential employers that you’re results-oriented and have a track record of success.

Using Action Words and Active Language

Finally, using action words and active language can make your resume more engaging and dynamic. This means avoiding passive phrases and instead using strong verbs and descriptive language to describe your experiences and accomplishments. Here are some examples of action words to use on your resume:

• Accomplished
• Implemented
• Coordinated

Additionally, using active language can make your resume more readable and engaging. This means using strong sentences that start with an action verb and focus on your accomplishments, rather than just your job duties.

Avoiding Common Resume Mistakes

Creating the perfect resume is a daunting task, but it can lead to tremendous results if executed flawlessly. Your resume is the first point of contact with a potential employer, and you need to make sure it is error-free and tailored to the employer’s needs.

Here are some common resume errors to avoid:

Grammatical and spelling errors – Your resume should have perfect grammar and be free of spelling errors. These errors can significantly impact your chances of getting the job.

Lack of clarity – Your resume should be clear and straightforward. Avoid using jargon, acronyms, or overly complex vocabulary.

Unprofessional email address – Your email address should be professional and not something like “ [email protected] .”

Not tailoring the resume – One of the most significant mistakes you can make is not customizing your resume to the job you’re applying for.

Ensuring Your Resume is Tailored to the Employer:

Read the job description – Make sure you read the job description and identify the keywords and requirements for the role.

Highlight relevant experience – Use your past experience to demonstrate how you possess the necessary skills and qualifications for the job.

Showcase your achievements – Highlight your achievements to demonstrate your capabilities and value.

Use the employer’s language – Incorporate the employer’s language, including keywords and phrases from the job posting, to show that you understand the job requirements.

Be concise – Make every word count by being concise, concluding relevant information only.

Avoiding common resume mistakes and tailoring your resume to the employer’s needs can be the difference between getting the job or not. Make sure you set yourself up for success and create a resume that showcases your skills, experience, and achievements.

Customizing Your College Grad Resume

One of the most important things you can do as a college grad looking for a job is to tailor your resume to each position you apply for. This means that you should not just send out the same generic resume to every employer, but rather take the time to analyze the job description and requirements and adjust your resume accordingly.

When customizing your resume, be sure to highlight your relevant experience and skills. This can include coursework, internships, volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and any other activities that showcase your abilities.

For example, if you are applying for a marketing position, make sure to highlight your experience in social media marketing, market research, and advertising. If you are applying for a data analyst role, make sure to emphasize your skills in data analysis, statistics, and programming languages.

In addition, consider including any relevant certifications, awards, or honors you have received. These can help demonstrate your expertise in a particular area and set you apart from other candidates.

When describing your experience, be sure to emphasize measurable outcomes and achievements. For example, instead of simply stating that you worked on a project, explain how your contributions led to a successful outcome, such as increased sales or improved efficiency.

By customizing your resume for each position you apply for, you can demonstrate your relevance and fit for the job and increase your chances of landing an interview. Take the time to thoroughly analyze the job description and requirements, and highlight the skills and experiences that showcase your abilities and make you a strong candidate.

Writing a Convincing Cover Letter

As a college graduate, you may think that your resume is the most important aspect of your job application. However, a well-crafted cover letter can be just as important in landing you an interview. In fact, some hiring managers consider the cover letter to be the most important part of your application.

A cover letter can demonstrate your communication skills, showcase your personality and highlight your qualifications in a way that a resume cannot. It allows you to demonstrate your interest in the position and the company in a way that is personal and engaging. A great cover letter can set you apart from other applicants and leave a lasting impression on the hiring manager.

Here are some tips on what to include in your cover letter:

Why You’re a Good Fit

Start by introducing yourself and stating why you are interested in the position. Then, explain why you believe you would be a good fit for the role. Provide specific examples of your qualifications and experiences that match the job description. Use this section to demonstrate your understanding of the job and the company.

Your Skills and Experiences

Highlight your skills and experiences that make you a strong candidate for the job. Use specific examples to showcase how you have used these skills in the past and how they relate to the job you are applying for. This section should demonstrate your achievements and success in your previous roles.

Your Personality and Passion

Showcase your personality and passion for the job and the company. Use your cover letter to explain why you are interested in the company and what excites you about the job. Highlight any relevant experience or skills that demonstrate your passion for the work.

Wrap up your cover letter by summarizing why you would be a good fit for the position and the company. Thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration and express your enthusiasm for the opportunity. End by inviting them to contact you for further discussion.

Remember to keep your cover letter concise, clear and tailored to the job and the company. A well-crafted cover letter can demonstrate your communication skills and showcase your personality, leaving a lasting impression on the hiring manager.

Maximizing Your Online Presence

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial, especially for college graduates seeking their first job. Social media can be a powerful tool to showcase your skills, achievements, and personality to potential employers. It is vital to manage your social media profiles carefully and present them in a positive light.

Managing your Social Media Profiles

Firstly, it’s essential to keep your social media profiles professional and tidy. Employers often look at candidates’ profiles to gain insight into their personalities and conduct. Ensure that your profiles are up-to-date and free from any inappropriate content. This includes not only your posts but also the images you share and the pages you follow.

Secondly, it is advisable to use privacy settings to control access to your profile. Limiting access to personal information and posts is a great way to protect your privacy and stay safe on social media.

Finally, it is important to post regularly and engage with your audience. By sharing updates and interacting with others on social media, you can build a strong network and increase your visibility. You never know; your next employer or colleague might be someone you connect with on social media.

Maximizing LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that has become an essential tool for job seekers. To maximize LinkedIn, here are some tips to consider:

1. Optimize your profile

Make sure that your LinkedIn profile is complete, up-to-date, and reflects your personal brand. Use a professional profile picture and headline that showcases your skills and experience. You can also add a summary of your achievements, skills, and interests.

2. Build your network

Connect with professionals in your industry or field, as well as recruiters and hiring managers. You can also join groups and follow companies that interest you. Building your network is an excellent way to increase your visibility and get noticed by potential employers.

3. Look for job opportunities

LinkedIn is a great platform to search for job openings and internships in your industry. You can use filters such as location, job function, and industry to narrow down your search. You can also set up job alerts to get notified when a job posting matches your criteria.

4. Engage with content

Engaging with content on LinkedIn is an excellent way to demonstrate your knowledge and engage with your network. You can share useful articles and insights or write your own content. You can also comment on posts and start conversations with your connections.

Social media can be a powerful tool for college graduates looking to maximize their online presence. By managing your social media profiles and optimizing LinkedIn, you can increase your visibility, build your network, and find your dream job.

Preparing for Your Job Interview

As a college graduate, preparing for a job interview is crucial to ensure you make a good impression and increase your chances of getting hired. In this section, we will discuss the importance of preparing for your interview, typical interview questions for college graduates, and strategies and tips for interview success.

The Importance of Preparing for Your Interview

Preparing for an interview is important for several reasons. Firstly, it helps you feel more confident and prepared. By doing your research on the company and the role you are interviewing for, you’ll be able to answer the interviewer’s questions more effectively and ask informed questions of your own.

Secondly, preparing for your interview shows your potential employer that you are serious about the role and the company. It demonstrates that you are willing to put in the time and effort to prepare and that you are genuinely interested in the position.

Finally, being prepared can help reduce anxiety and nervousness. Knowing that you have done everything you can to prepare for the interview can give you peace of mind and help you perform at your best.

Typical Interview Questions for College Graduates

While interview questions can vary depending on the company and the role, there are some common questions that college graduates should be prepared to answer. These may include:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why are you interested in this role?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Can you give an example of a time when you had to overcome a challenge?
• What are your long-term career goals?
• Can you tell me about a time when you worked in a team?

It’s important to prepare answers to these questions ahead of time, while also being ready to adapt your responses as needed based on the conversation.

Strategies and Tips for Interview Success

There are several strategies and tips that can help you succeed in a job interview:

Research the company and the role: Before the interview, research the company and the role you are applying for. This will help you understand what the company does, their values, and what they are looking for in a candidate.

Practice your answers: Practice answering common interview questions ahead of time. This will help you feel more confident and prepared during the interview.

Dress appropriately: Dress professionally for the interview. This shows that you are taking the opportunity seriously, and helps create a good impression.

Arrive early: Arrive early to the interview to give yourself time to check in, relax, and mentally prepare.

Stay engaged: During the interview, make sure to actively listen to the interviewer, maintain eye contact, and ask for clarification if needed.

By following these strategies and tips, you can increase your chances of interview success and landing your dream job.

Preparing for your job interview is essential as a college graduate. It can help you feel more confident, make a good impression, and ultimately increase your chances of getting hired.

Following Up After the Interview

As a college graduate, the interview process can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. You’ve spent countless hours perfecting your resume, submitting job applications, and finally landed an interview. After the interview, it’s important to follow up with the employer to demonstrate your interest and commitment to the company.

The Importance of Following Up

Following up after an interview is crucial because it sets you apart from other candidates. It shows that you are proactive, thoughtful, and polite. Hiring managers often receive hundreds of resumes and interview several candidates, so a follow-up can help them remember who you are and why you’re interested in the position.

Moreover, following up helps to maintain and strengthen your relationship with the employer. It can demonstrate that you are a dependable and responsible individual, who takes initiative and is interested in building strong relationships. This can go a long way in helping you get your foot in the door to discuss future opportunities at the company.

Communicating with Employers after the Interview

When following up with an employer, it’s important to keep in mind that professionalism is key. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Send a thank-you email within 24 hours:  This is a quick and easy way to show your appreciation for the interviewer’s time and to keep your candidacy top of mind. Make sure to personalize the message and reiterate your interest in the position.

Follow up after a week:  If you haven’t heard back from the employer within a week, it’s appropriate to send a follow-up email or make a phone call. This demonstrates your interest in the position and allows you to inquire about the status of your candidacy.

Be courteous and respectful:  Remember, the interview process can be stressful and demanding for employers. Be understanding if they’re unable to respond immediately or if the hiring process takes longer than anticipated. Stay positive and professional throughout the entire process.

Following up after an interview is an important step in the job search process. It shows your interest and commitment to the position and the company, and helps you stand out from other candidates. By following these simple guidelines, you can communicate effectively and professionally with potential employers, and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

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Resume Examples and Tips for College Students and Graduates

What to Include in Your Resume

• Resume Writing Tips
• College Resume Example & Template
• Resume Samples Listed by Type
• Review Your Resume

When you're a college student or recent graduate, it can be a challenge to figure out what to include on your resume. After all, most college students don't have an extensive  employment history . Employers know that, however, so they don't expect to see a lengthy list of jobs.

But just because you are at the beginning of your career doesn’t mean that you don’t have significant accomplishments to include in your resume. As a college student or recent graduate, you have many achievements that will qualify you for internships, summer jobs, and your first post-graduation position.

Along with paid employment, you can list  volunteering , summer jobs, paid and unpaid  internships , coursework, and school activities on your resume.

You can also highlight the skills that best qualify you for the jobs for which you're applying. Taking the time to show the employer that you have the right skills will help get your application considered for an interview.

Read below for advice on how to write a resume as a college student or graduate, along with lists of resume examples to review and download to get started on writing your own resume.

If you're not sure what to include, do some brainstorming about all of your past experiences, including work-related positions, volunteering, academic experience, campus leadership positions, extracurricular activities, internships, and any awards or special recognition you may have received. They can all be included on your resume.

Make a list of all you have accomplished during your time at college, and include the achievements that are most relevant to the job you are applying for your resume. You'll need to tweak your resume each time you apply , but it's well worth the extra effort.

Resume Writing Tips for College Students and Grads

Emphasize academics.

If you have limited work and extracurricular experience, you can emphasize your academic history.

• Put the  “Education” section  of your resume at the top of your resume so that it is the first thing the employer sees.
• Along with the name of your school and degree, include any achievements, such as a high  GPA or any academic awards (such as making the Dean’s List).
• If you have taken courses related to the job you’re applying for or completed school projects that required skills related to the job, list those as well.

Match Your Skills to the Job

Look at the job listing or postings you are applying for — your goal here is to  match your experience  and skills with the job requirements.

• Circle the experiences and skills on your brainstormed list of experience that relate directly to the job (or jobs) you have targeted.
• Incorporate those circled items into your resume.
• You can elaborate on some of these experiences in a bulleted list under each one.

Highlight Your Achievements

Based on your experiences, you might choose to divide your resume into  different categories , such as “Work History,” “Volunteer Experience,” “Relevant Coursework,” and more. If you do not have much relevant experience, you might put all of these under the same category of “Related Experience.”

Create a Skills Section

You can also create a  “Skills” section  on your resume to highlight skills you have gained throughout your experiences. For example, if you are applying for a job as a computer programmer, you might list the programming languages you are familiar with under the “Skills” section of your resume.

Print Your Resume

It's much easier to review your resume to check the formatting and catch errors, if you print it out. You'll be able to make sure there is plenty of white space, your resume is readable, and you haven't made any mistakes.

Resume Examples for College Students and Graduates

Use a resume example or a resume template to guide your own writing. A resume example can help you decide what kind of content to include, as well as how to format your resume. However, be sure to tailor a resume example to fit your own experiences, and the job you are applying for.

Download the resume template  (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see more examples below.

Resume Example for College Students and Graduates (Text Version)

Kenneth Applicant 8907 Greentree Avenue Louisville, KY 40201 email@email.com (000) 123-4567 (cell)

ACCOUNTANT PROFILE

Highly analytical and detail-oriented emerging professional, poised to excel within entry-level Accounting role requiring strong mathematical and organizational acumen.

• Accounting : Well-studied in financial and managerial accounting, tax preparation, variance analysis, and FASB / GAAP best practices.
• Information Technology : Adept in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (including Excel macros), QuickBooks, Turbo Tax, NetSuite, and Concur.
• Communications : Communicate well both orally and in writing, effectively explaining complicated financial data to clients and stakeholders.
• Key Strengths : Work well both independently and as a dedicated team member. Natural and proactive problem-solver, diligently reviewing work products to identify and eliminate errors.

BSBA in Accountancy (May 2018); 3.79 GPA UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, Louisville, KY

Dean’s List; Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society; Agnes Avery Accounting Scholarship; Accounting Society Secretary

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, Louisville, KY Student ~ Accountancy , 09/2014-06/2018

Completed comprehensive studies in Accountancy. Completed coursework included: Advanced Accounting Problems, Advanced Managerial Cost Accounting, Auditing Theory and Practice, Advanced Taxation, and Advanced Accounting Information Systems. Accounting co-op experiences: 

• Bardstown Physicians Associates (Spring 2016): Performed accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger accounting for physicians’ business office.
• German Manufacturing (Spring 2017): Honed expertise in payroll accounting for a 700-member workforce.
• Stengel Enterprises (Winter 2018): Helped senior accountant and CPA to compile financial and tax records during IRS audit.

OFFICE SUPPLIES CO., Louisville, KY Seasonal Retail Sales Consultant , Summers 2016 and 2017

Provided attentive customer service to patrons of high-volume office supply store. Helped customers with product selection, stocked shelves, and operated point-of-sale system.

Key achievements : 

• Earned “Most Valued Associate” two summers in a row.
• Rehired by management in recognition of punctuality, attention to detail, and excellent work ethic.

More Resume Samples Listed by Type

Review more sample resumes and resume templates for college students and graduates applying for internships, summer jobs, and full-time positions to get ideas for your own resume.

Type of Student

Review resume examples listed by type of student and graduate.

• College Student Resume
• College Student Resume with a Summary
• Resume Focusing on Coursework
• Resume with GPA Listed
• College Senior Resume Example
• Entry Level Resume Examples
• Law Student Resume
• Summer Job Resumes and Cover Letters
• Teaching Abroad Resume
• Tutor Resume Example for a Student

Type of Job

Review resume examples for specific types of entry-level jobs for graduates.

• Business / Banking Resume
• Business / Technology Resume
• Camp Counselor Resume Example
• Education / Teaching Resume
• Entry Level Management Resume
• Publishing / Journalism Resume
• Summer Lifeguard Resume
• Summer Sales Associate Resume
• Teaching Abroad / International Education Resume
• Summer Job Resume Examples

Use these downloadable resume templates to create your own resume.

• College Resume Template
• Resume Template
• Microsoft Resume Templates

Review Your Resume Before You Apply

If you can, have someone from your campus career office, or perhaps an alumnus in the field that you are interested in, take a look at your resume to make sure that you have included as much pertinent information as possible. Otherwise, ask a friend or family member to review your resume for you.

This person can also read through your resume to spot any errors, including grammar and spelling mistakes, and issues with the style and layout.

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Include all your achievements: You can include more than paid work experience on your resume.

Highlight your most relevant skills: Focus your resume and cover letter on the skills that qualify you for the job.

Tweak your resume for the job: Take the time to tailor your job application materials for every job you apply for.

Start with a template: Download a template to use as a starting point for writing your own resume.

Get assistance: Need more help? Check with your college career services office for guidance.

How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide

For most job-seekers, a good resume is what stands between a dream job and Choice D. Get your resume right, and you’ll be getting replies from every other company you apply to.

If your resume game is weak, though, you’ll end up sitting around for weeks, maybe even months, before you even get a single response.

So you’re probably wondering how you can write a resume that gets you an interview straight up.

Well, you’ve come to the right place!

In this guide, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about how to make a resume, including:

• The 8 Essential Steps to Writing a Resume
• 11+ Exclusive Resume Tips to Up Your Resume Game
• 27+ Real-Life Resume Examples for Different Professions

….and more!

So, let’s dive right in.

How to Make a Resume (The Right Way!)

Before we go into detail about how you should make a resume, here’s a summary of the most important steps and tips to keep in mind:

• Choose a resume format carefully. In 99% of cases, we recommend the reverse-chronological format .
• Add the right contact details. Leave your headshot out and make sure to include your job title , a professional email address, and any relevant links. (E.g.: your LinkedIn profile , online portfolio, personal website, etc.).
• Write an impactful resume summary. Unless you’re an entry-level professional, always go for a resume summary. If you do it right, it’s your chance to get the hiring manager to go through the rest of your resume in detail.
• Pay attention to your work experience section. Take your work experience section from OK-ish to exceptional by tailoring it to the job ad, making your achievements quantifiable, and using action verbs and power words.
• Add the right skills for the job. Keep this section relevant by only including the hard and soft skills that are required for the position.
• Keep your education short and to the point. Your most recent and highest degree is more than enough for a strong education section. You only need to add more details here if you’re a recent graduate with barely any work experience.
• Leverage optional resume sections. Optional sections like languages, hobbies, certifications, independent projects, and others can set you apart from other candidates with similar skills and experience.
• Include a cover letter. That’s right, cover letters matter in 2024, and the best way to supplement your resume is by adding an equally well-crafted cover letter to your job application. To make the most of it, check out our detailed guide on how to write a cover letter .

To get the most out of our tips, you can head over to the resume builder and start building your resume on the go as you read this guide.

New to resume-making? Give our ‘7 Resume Tips’ video a watch before diving into the article!

#1. Pick the Right Resume Format

Before you start filling in the contents of your resume, you have to make sure it’s going to look good. 

After all, the first thing hiring managers notice is what your resume looks like, and then they start reading it. So, this is your best chance to make a great first impression.

Start by choosing the right resume format.

There are three types of resume formats out there:

• Reverse-chronological. This is by far the most popular resume format worldwide and, as such, it’s the best format for most job-seekers.
• Functional. This resume format focuses more on skills than work experience. It’s a good choice if you’re just getting started with your career and have little to no experience in the field.
• Combination. The combination resume format is a great choice for experienced job-seekers with a very diverse skill set. It’s useful if you’re applying for a role that requires expertise in several different fields and you want to show all that in your resume.

So, which one should you go for?

In 99% of cases, you want to stick to the reverse-chronological resume format . It’s the most popular format and what hiring managers expect to see. So, in the rest of this guide, we’re going to focus on teaching you how to make a reverse-chronological resume.

Fix Your Resume’s Layout

With formatting out of the way, let’s talk about your resume’s layout , which determines the overall look of your resume. 

Does it look organized or cluttered? Is it too short or too long? Is it boring and easy to ignore, or is it reader-friendly and attention-grabbing?

Here are some of the best practices you should apply:

• Stick to one page. You should only go for a two-page resume if you have decades of experience and you’re sure the extra space will add significant value. Hiring managers in big companies get hundreds of applications per job opening. They’re not going to spend their valuable time reading your life story!
• Add clear section headings. Pick a heading and use it for all the section headers so the hiring manager can easily navigate through your resume.
• Adjust the margins. Without the right amount of white space, your resume will end up looking overcrowded with information. Set your margins to one inch on all sides so your text fits just right on the page.
• Choose a professional font. We’d recommend sticking to a font that’s professional but not overused. For example, Ubuntu, Roboto, or Overpass. Avoid Times New Roman, and never use Comic Sans.
• Set the correct font size. As a rule of thumb, go for 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for section titles.
• Use a PDF file. Always save your resume as a PDF file, unless the employer specifically requests otherwise. Word files are popular, but there’s a good chance they’ll mess up your resume’s formatting.

Another thing you need to consider in terms of your resume’s layout is whether you’re going for a traditional-looking resume template or something a bit more modern :

If you’re pursuing a career in a more traditional industry, like law , banking , or finance , you might want to stick to the first.

But if you’re applying to a tech company where imagination and innovation are valued, you can pick a more creative resume template .

Want to Save Time? Use a (Free) Resume Template

Anyone who’s ever tried creating a resume from scratch knows how boring the formatting can be.

Before you can even start filling in the contents, you need to tweak the margins, adjust font sizes, and make sure everything fits into one page while still looking good.

What if you could skip past all that and still create a compelling resume?

Try one of our free resume templates . They’re pre-formatted, so all you have to do is fill in the contents.

They’re also created in collaboration with recruiters from around the globe, ensuring that the templates are visually appealing and ATS-friendly!

See for yourself how one of our templates compares to a resume created in a standard text editor:

#2. Add Your Contact Information

Now that we’ve got all the formatting out of the way, let’s get into what your resume is all about— the information you put on it .

The first thing you want to do when filling out the contents of your resume is to add your contact information .

This section is pretty straightforward but crucial. Your contact details belong at the top of your resume in a designated resume header , so the hiring manager can easily find them.

Even if everything else about your resume is perfect, that all flops if you misspell your email address or have a typo in your phone number. If the hiring manager can’t contact you, it’s a missed opportunity.

So, double-check, and even triple-check your contact information section and make sure everything is factually correct and up-to-date.

Must-Have Information

• Full name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top of your resume.
• Email address. Stick to an address that’s professional and easy to spell, like a combination of your first and last name. (E.g.: [email protected])
• Phone number. Add a reliable number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
• Location. Add your city and state/country. If you plan to relocate for the job or want a remote position, specify it on your resume.

Optional Information

• Job title. Add your professional title underneath. Write it down word for word, whether it’s “Digital Marketing Specialist” or “Junior Data Scientist.” Just don’t make up job titles like “Marketing Wizzard” or “Data Manipulator.” They’re not quirky; they’re just unprofessional. 
• LinkedIn profile . We recommend that you include a link to your updated LinkedIn profile since over 77% of hiring managers use the platform when evaluating a candidate. 
• Relevant links. Include links to personal websites or any social media profiles that are relevant to your field. For example, a developer could include a Github profile, while a graphic designer could link their Behance or Driblle account, and so on.
• Date of birth. Unless this is specifically required in the job ad, the hiring manager doesn’t need to know how old you are. It’s not important for their decision-making, and at worst, it might lead to age-based discrimination.
• Unprofessional email address. Your quirky, old high school email address doesn’t belong on your resume. Instead of [email protected] , go for a [email protected] type of address.
• Headshot. (USA, UK or Ireland) Depending on the country where you’re applying, it might even be illegal to include a picture of yourself on your resume . While it’s the norm to include a picture in most of Europe and Asia, always check the regulations for each specific country or industry you’re applying to.

All clear? Good! Now, let’s look at what a great example of a resume's contact information section looks like:

#3. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)

It's no secret that recruiters spend an average of less than seven seconds on a resume .

When you receive hundreds, if not thousands, of applications daily, it's physically impossible to spend too much time on each.

So, what the hiring managers do to go through resumes more effectively is to skim through each resume and read it in depth only if it piques their interest.

This is where the resume headline comes in.

Placed right next to (or underneath) your contact information, this brief paragraph is the first thing the hiring manager is going to read on your resume.

Now, depending on how far along in your career you are, your resume headline can be either a resume summary or a resume objective.

So, how do you choose between a resume summary and a resume objective? Here’s all you need to know:

Resume Summary

A resume summary, as the name suggests, is a two to three-sentence summary of your career so far. If done right, it shows that you’re a qualified candidate at a glance and gets the hiring manager to give you a chance.

Here’s what your resume summary should include:

• Your job title and years of experience.
• A couple of your greatest professional achievements or core responsibilities.
• Your most relevant skills for the job.

Here’s an example of a well-written resume summary: 

Experienced Java Developer with 5 years of experience in building scalable and efficient applications. Contributed to a major project that enhanced application performance by 25%. Strong background in Spring Framework and microservices. Aiming to apply robust coding skills to develop innovative software solutions at XYZ Tech Solutions.

Unless you’re a recent graduate or amid a career change, we recommend you stick to a resume summary. Otherwise, a resume objective might be a better option for you.

Resume Objective

A resume objective is supposed to express your professional goals and aspirations, academic background, and any relevant skills you may have for the job.

It communicates your motivation for getting into a new field, so it’s the go-to headline for recent graduates and those going through a career change. As with a resume summary, a resume objective should be brief—around two to four sentences long.

So, here’s what it would look like if you’re a student:

Hard-working recent graduate with a B.A. in Graphic Design from New York State University seeking new opportunities. 3+ years of practical experience working with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, creating illustrations and UX/UI design projects. Looking to grow as a designer and perfect my art at XYZ Design Studio.

Or, on the other hand, if you’re going through a career change, it might look more like this:

IT project manager with 5+ years of experience in software development. Managed a team of developers to create products for several industries, such as FinTech and HR tech. Looking to leverage my experience in managing outsourced products as a Product Owner at Company XYZ.

#4. Prioritize Your Work Experience

The most important part of your resume is your work experience.

This is where you get to sell yourself and show off your previous accomplishments and responsibilities.

If you manage to master this section, you’ll know most of what’s there to know about how to make a resume.

There are plenty of good practices for writing your work experience . But before we dive into all the nits and grits, let's start with the basics.

The standard format for each work experience entry is as follows:

• Job title/position. Your job title goes on top of each work experience entry. When the hiring manager looks at your resume, you want them to know, at a glance, that you have relevant work experience for the job.
• Company name/location/description. Mention the name of the employer and the general location, such as the city and state/country where you worked. In some cases, you may also want to briefly describe the company, like when the organization isn’t particularly well-known.
• Dates employed. Add the approximate timeframe of your employment at each company. You don’t need to give exact dates since the standard format for this is mm/yyyy.
• Achievements and responsibilities. This is the core of each work experience entry. Depending on your field, you want to list either your achievements or responsibilities. List them in bullet points instead of paragraphs, so they’ll be easier to read.

Here’s a real-life example:

Your work experience entries should always be listed in reverse chronological order , starting with your most recent job and working your way back into the past.

Now that you know how to list your experience, we’re going to show you how to write about it in a way that makes you stand out from the competition, starting with: 

Are you a student with no work experience? We’ve got you covered. Check out our guide to writing a resume with no experience here.

Focus on Achievements Whenever Possible

One of the most common resume mistakes is only listing responsibilities in your work experience section.

Here’s the thing—in most cases, the hiring manager knows exactly what your job responsibilities are.

For example, if you’re a sales manager, your responsibilities would be:

• Reach out to potential clients over the phone or email.
• Maintain relationships with existing company clients and upsell relevant products.
• Tracking and reporting on leads in CRM.

Coincidentally, this is also the same list of responsibilities for every sales manager out there. So, 90% of all other resumes probably mention the same thing.

To stand out from the competition, you want to focus on writing achievements in your resume instead. These can be how you helped your previous company grow, reach quarterly quotas, and so on.

Let’s compare how responsibilities hold up next to achievements for the same job:

• Exceeded sales team KPIs by 30%+ for 3 months straight.
• Generated over $24,000 in sales in 1 month.
• Generated leads through cold-calling
• Managed existing company clients

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there just aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you’re a warehouse worker .

Your day-to-day responsibilities probably include:

• Loading, unloading, and setting up equipment daily.
• Packaging finished products and getting them ready for shipping.
• Assisting in opening and closing the warehouse.

In fields like this, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself through achievements, so it’s okay to stick to responsibilities instead. You can still make them shine by following the rest of our advice about listing your work experience.

Keep in mind, though, that in some fields, there aren’t that many achievements you can mention. Let’s say you work in a warehouse. Your day-to-day responsibilities probably involve:

• Loading, unloading and setting up equipment on a daily basis.
• Package finished product and get it ready for shipping.
• Assist in opening and closing the warehouse.

In such fields, it’s pretty hard to distinguish yourself, so it’s totally OK to stick to responsibilities instead.

Tailor Your Resume to the Job

Tailoring is what sets an amazing resume apart from an okay one.

Hiring managers don’t need to know about every single job you’ve ever worked at or every single skill that you have.

They only want to know about your jobs, experiences, or skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job doing Google Ads, you don’t need to talk about your SEO internship from eight years ago.

By focusing your resume on whatever is important for the specific role, you’re a lot more likely to stand out and catch the hiring manager’s attention.

Let’s take a look at an example of a job ad:

As you can see, we’ve highlighted the most important requirements.

To tailor your resume accordingly, you just need to mention how you meet each of these requirements in your resume.

You can highlight your relevant achievements and qualifications in different parts of your resume, such as:

• In your resume summary, where you should recap your years of experience.
• Throughout your work experience section, where you should list achievements and responsibilities that reflect your social media marketing experience.
• In your education section, where you can let the hiring manager know you have the degree that they’re looking for.

Include the Right Amount of Work Experience

If you’ve got over a decade’s worth of work experience, you’re probably wondering whether all of it belongs on your resume. In most cases, you’d end up writing a novel if you listed everything you’ve ever done, and that’s not how long a resume should be .

If you’re new to the job market, on the other hand, you probably don’t have any experience, and you’re wondering what you could even add to this section.

So, here’s how much information your resume should include, depending on your level of experience:

• No experience. If you’re looking for your first job , you won’t have any work experience to fill this section with. So, you can either keep it empty and focus on all the other sections or fill it up with any experience gained in student organizations, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and other projects.
• Entry-level. List all your work experience so far. While some of it won’t be relevant, it can still show the hiring manager that you do have some actual work experience.
• Mid-level. Only mention relevant work experience to the position you’re applying for. There’s no need to waste space on jobs that aren’t related to what you’re after.
• Senior-level. List up to 15 years of relevant work experience, tops. If your most recent experience is as a marketing executive , the hiring manager doesn’t care how you started your career as a junior marketing specialist 23 years ago.

Consider Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software

Did you know that over 70% of resumes don’t even make it to the hiring manager ?

Most companies these days use ATS to evaluate hundreds of resumes instantaneously and automatically filter out the ones that don’t meet their criteria.

For example, if a resume doesn’t mention a specific skill or isn’t formatted correctly, the ATS will automatically reject it.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to make an ATS-friendly resume .

Here are a couple of tips to help you get past those pesky robots:

• Stick to one page. Sometimes employers set a limit on how long a resume should be. This means that if your resume is longer than one page, it might get automatically disqualified.
• Incorporate keywords. Tailoring your resume to the job helps a ton with beating the ATS. Just carefully read the job description to find hints for what the ATS will be looking for. Then, whenever you find keywords related to your responsibilities and achievements, make sure to include them in your work experience section.
• Use an active voice. Passive voice is too vague and unclear, so make sure to use active voice as much as possible when describing your previous jobs. (E.g.: “Managed a team of ten people,” instead of “ A team of ten people was managed by me.” )
• Leverage powerful action words. Instead of starting each of your sentences with “was responsible for," make your work experience impactful by using words that can grab attention. Saying that you “spearheaded” or “facilitated” something sounds a lot more impressive than “helped.”

Want to make sure your resume formatting passes the ATS test? Choose one of our tried and tested ATS-friendly resume templates , and you’ll be good to go! 

#5. List Your Education

The next section on your resume is dedicated to your academic qualifications. Let’s start with the basics!

Here’s how you should format the education section on your resume :

• Program Name. Your major and degree type should be listed. (E.g.: “B.A. in Business Administration” )
• University Name. Add the name of the institution. (E.g.: “New York State University” )
• Dates Attended. Use a mm/yyyy format for the dates you attended. (E.g.: “08/2008 - 06/2012” )
• Location. If your university is less well-known, you can also add the location. (E.g.: “Stockholm, Sweden” )
• GPA. Use the appropriate grading system for the country you’re applying to work in. (E.g.: In the USA, it would be “3.9 GPA” )
• Honors. Add any honors and distinctions you’ve been given. (E.g.: Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude )
• Achievements. You can mention interesting papers you’ve written, projects you’ve done, or relevant coursework you’ve excelled in.
• Minor. “Minor in Psychology”

Pretty simple, right? Now let’s see what an education section looks like in practice:

This example includes all the necessary information, plus an eye-catching award and relevant classes this candidate has taken.

Resume Education Tips

Now that you know how to list your education on your resume, let’s take this section to the next level.

Just follow these expert tips:

• If you’re making a resume as a student and don’t have any work experience yet, you can list your education section at the beginning of the page instead of work experience.
• You can add your expected graduation date if you’re still pursuing your degree.
• If you already have relevant work experience, just keep this section short and sweet. Recent graduates can expand on their education more and add optional information like projects, classes, academic achievements, etc.
• Always list your degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with your highest degree on top. Your highest and most recent degree is usually enough, so if you have a Master’s degree that’s relevant to the job, there’s no need to mention your earlier degrees.
• Don’t add your high school degree to your resume if you already have a university degree. It doesn’t have as much weight, and you can use the space for something else.
• Only mention your GPA if you had an impressive academic career. Anything below a 3.5 GPA doesn’t need to be on your resume.

Are you in the process of applying for college? Check out our guide to writing a college application resume to wow that admissions officer!

#6. Emphasize Your Know-How in the Skills Section

After your work experience, your skills are the first thing the hiring manager is going to look for. In fact, together, work experience and skills make up 90% of the hiring decision .

So, this is the place where you want to mention all the know-how that makes you the perfect candidate for the job.

There are two types of skills you can include when writing your resume:

• Hard Skills. These are measurable abilities. What you can list here can be anything from coding in Python to knowing how to cook Thai cuisine.
• Soft Skills. Also known as personal skills, these are a mix of communication skills , personal traits, career attributes, and more. They can include leadership, critical thinking, and time management , just to name a few.

Your resume should always cover both hard skills and soft skills . Here’s an example in action:

Now, let’s discuss how you should list your most important skills on your resume.

There are a few essential steps you need to follow:

Always List Hard and Soft Skills Separately

Your resume should be easy and neat to navigate. The hiring manager shouldn’t have to waste time looking for a specific skill because you didn’t separate it into the appropriate subsection.

So, just create separate categories for your hard and soft skills.

Depending on your field, you could customize the name of your “hard skills” subsection to something like “technical skills," “marketing skills," or something else related to your field.

Let’s look at an example of what skills look like on a project manager’s resume :

Methodologies & Tools

• Agile Methodology
• SCRUM Framework
• Waterfall Project Management
• Microsoft Project
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Earned Value Management (EVM)
• Risk Management

Soft Skills

• Team Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Negotiation

Tailor Your Skills to the Job

You might have some awesome skills, but the hiring manager only needs to know about the ones that are relevant to the job.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as an accountant, your gourmet chef skills shouldn’t be on your resume.

Look at the job ad and list at least two to three essential skills you have that are required for the role. Remember—there’s no need to list every skill you have here; just keep it relevant.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Graphic Design or a related field.
• Tech-savvy, with some background in CMS systems such as WordPress.
• Thrives in a stressful environment and juggles multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Self-reliant, with the ability to manage their own work.
• A can-do attitude and an outside-the-box thinker.
• Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages.
• Basic understanding of Office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

So, the must-have hard skills here are Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote, and Pages. Other good computer skills to have are WordPress or similar CMS systems.

While you can also mention Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, it’s pretty much assumed that you know how to use them since they’re required for most office jobs.

List Hard Skills with Experience Levels

For each hard skill you list on your resume, you should also mention your proficiency level. This tells employers what they can expect from you and how much training you might need.

• Beginner. You have some experience with the skill, whether it’s from some entry-level practice or classroom education.
• Intermediate. You’ve used the skill in a work environment with good understanding.
• Advanced. You’re the go-to person for this skill in your office. You can coach other employees, and you understand the skill at a high level.
• Expert. You’ve applied this skill to more than a handful of different projects and organizations. You’re the go-to person for advice about the skill, not just in your office but even amongst some of the best professionals in your field.

Just make sure to never lie about your actual skill level. Even if you get the job, once you need those skills you exaggerated, it will be pretty awkward for both you and your employer.

Include Transferable Skills

These are the types of skills that are useful for almost any job out there.

Transferable skills can be both soft skills (e.g.: teamwork, creativity, problem-solving skills, and others) and hard skills (MS Office Suite, HTML, writing, etc.)

Whatever job you’re applying to, chances are you have transferable skills from your experience that can come in handy one way or another. So, feel free to include them, even if they’re not specifically required for the position.

Not sure which skills to mention on your resume for your specific field? Check out our list of 101+ essential skills for inspiration!

#7. Leverage Optional Resume Sections

The sections we’ve covered so far are must-haves for any resume. They’re the bread-and-butter for any job application, and if you get them right, you’ll land any job you apply to.

But if you have some leftover space, there are a few optional sections you can choose from to give your resume a boost!

Are you bi-lingual? Or even better  – multi-lingual? You should always mention that on your resume!

Even if the position doesn’t require you to know a specific language, it can still come in handy at some point. At the end of the day, it’s always better to know more languages than less.

To list languages in your resume , just write them down and assign them the appropriate level:

• Intermediate

You can also use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scales.

As a given, you should never lie about your language skills. You never know—your interviewer might turn out to be fluent in the language or even be a native speaker!

Hobbies and Interests

If you want to spice up your resume, hobbies and interests could be just what you need.

While this section isn’t a game-changer, it can help the hiring manager see who you are as an individual.

For example, if you listed “teamwork” as one of your skills, hobbies like team sports can back up your claim.

And who knows? Maybe you and your interviewer have some hobbies or interests in common!

Volunteering Experience

If you’re the type of person who devotes their free time to helping others while expecting nothing in return, chances are that you’re the type of employee who’s in it for more than just the money. 

Seeing volunteer experience on your resume tells hiring managers that you’re a loyal employee who’s after something meaningful.

Several studies show that listing your volunteer experience can boost your chances of getting hired, especially if you have little to no work experience.

Certifications

Hiring managers love candidates who invest in themselves, and that’s exactly what they see when you list certifications on your resume .

If you value continuous learning and strive to expand your skill set, that’s always a plus.

Certifications can also show employers how much expertise you have.

For example, if you’re a Microsoft Cloud Engineer and you specialize in Microsoft Technologies, you should definitely include all essential certifications on your resume, such as the Azure Solutions Architect Expert one.

Awards and Recognitions

There’s no harm in showing off a little on your resume. After all, you want to be a candidate that shines above the rest.

So, if you’ve received any awards or recognitions that make you stand out in your field, make sure to add them.

For example, if you’ve been recognized for your contributions to data science or received a hard-to-come-by scholarship , mention it in your resume. Just keep your entries here relevant to the field you’re applying to.

Publications

Whether you’re a freelance writer or a distinguished academic, publications are always impressive.

If you have any published works (online or in an academic journal), you can add them to your resume. Just make sure to include a link so the hiring manager knows where to check your work!

Are you looking for a career in academia? Check out our guide to writing the perfect academic CV to get started!

Working on side projects can show off your passion for your field. Whether they’re university class projects or part-time entrepreneurial endeavors, they’re relevant.

For example, if you worked on a mock software product as part of a university competition, it shows you went through every step of product creation, from ideation to creating a marketing strategy.

This project also shows off your organizational skills , and if you mention it in your resume, you stand a better chance of landing the job you had your sights set on.

But projects can also be personal, not academic. For example, you might manage an Etsy store where you sell hand-made arts and crafts to customers online. This is a great opportunity to highlight your creativity, management, and customer service skills .

Overall, hiring managers love employees who do cool work in their free time, so projects are always a great section to add to your resume.

Looking to kickstart your career? Check out our guide on how to get an internship for useful tips and real-life examples!

Extracurricular Activities

Every college freshman knows that extracurricular experience can make a difference in their application.

Especially if you don’t have a lot of experience outside of school, extracurricular activities are a great way to show potential employers your skills and give them insight into you as a person. Different clubs and after-school projects can help you gain real-life skills and considerably increase your chances of landing your first job after college.

For example, joining a student government organization can hone your leadership skills and teach you how to work as part of a team.

For example, if you’re part of a student government or public speaking club, these activities can help you hone your leadership and presentation skills.

11+ Expert Resume Tips

You’ve got the gist of how to make a resume. Now, it’s time to make it really stand out from the crowd!

Follow these exclusive resume tips to take your resume game to the next level:

• Match the professional title underneath your name to the job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
• Mention any promotions from your previous jobs. Use the work experience entries for them to focus on the achievements that helped you earn them.
• Describe your achievements using Laszlo Bock’s formula : accomplished X as measured by Y by doing Z . This way, your work experience can go the extra mile and show the hiring manager what you can bring to the table.
• Always list your achievements and responsibilities in concise bullet points. This makes your resume more reader-friendly, and it’s more likely that the hiring manager will see your impressive achievements at a glance.
• Don’t use personal pronouns like “I” or “me,” and don’t refer to yourself by name. Stick to a slightly altered third person, like “managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.” instead of “he managed data integrity at XYZ Inc.”
• Name your resume sections correctly, or it might get rejected by the ATS. Swapping out quirky names like “career history” or “expertise” for “work experience” and "skills" makes it easier for the hiring manager to find what they’re looking for, too.
• Prioritize important keywords instead of adding all of them. Make sure the relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences you add all make sense in context, too. Your goal is to get past the ATS and impress the hiring manager.
• Focus on transferable skills if you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience. Any extracurricular activities or personal projects can help you stand out here.
• Add a strategic pop of color to headings, bullet points, or key elements you want to highlight. It can help your resume stand out, but don’t overdo it—you want the information to be more impressive than the color palette.
• Don’t include the line “references available upon request.” Hiring managers already know they can request a list of references from you, so there’s no need to waste valuable space on it.
• Make sure your resume is optimized for mobile viewing. Most hiring managers use their mobile phones as often as desktop computers, so save your resume to a PDF file and make sure your formatting stays intact across any device.
• Rename the resume file you plan to send so it includes your name and the name of the position you’re applying for. It’s a small detail that can turn into a crucial mistake if you forget it.
• Read your resume out loud when you’re done. This is a great way to catch awkward phrases or spelling mistakes you might have missed otherwise.
• Use a tool like DocSend to track your resume. You’ll get a notification any time someone opens your resume, and you can see how long they spend reading it.

FREE Resume Checklist

Are you already done with your resume? Let’s see how it holds up!

Go through our checklist for perfecting your resume and see where you stand!

If you missed some points, just go through your resume one more time and perfect it.

And if you ☑’d everything—congrats! You’ve learned all there is to know about writing a resume, and you’re good to go with your job search.

Need to write a CV instead of a resume? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a CV with dozens of examples!

9 Resume Templates for Different Industries

Looking to create an effective resume without dealing with the formatting hassle? Just choose one of the templates below.

#1. Traditional Resume Template

Good for traditional industries like finance, banking, law, and manufacturing.

#2. Modern Resume Template

Good for both contemporary and forward-looking industries, including entrepreneurship, medical technology, and engineering.

#3. Creative Resume Template

Good for creative industries, including entertainment, design, and architecture. 

#4. Minimalistic Resume Template

Good for experienced professionals in basically any industry who want to let their achievements do the talking. 

#5. IT Resume Template

Good for any IT-related profession like software development, cyber security, and DevOps engineering.

#6. Tech Resume Template

Good for the tech industry and everything it encompasses.

#7. College Resume Template

Good for college students and recent graduates alike.

#8. General Resume Template

Good for multiple industries, including HR, education, and customer service.

#9. Executive Resume Template

Good for senior professionals across different industries, including hospitality, marketing, and logistics.

17+ Resumes for Different Jobs

Knowing how to write a resume is one thing, but making a resume that stands out is something entirely different. Without inspiration, even top career experts might stumble on a roadblock or two.

Check out the following effective resume examples for specific jobs to get a better sense of what a good resume looks like:

#1. Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a nurse resume here.

#2. Data Scientist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a data scientist resume here.

#3. Business Analyst Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business analyst resume here.

#4. Digital Marketing Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a digital marketing resume here.

#5. Software Engineer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a software engineer resume here.

#6. Construction Project Manager Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a construction project manager resume here.

#7. Customer Service Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a customer service resume here.

#8. High School Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a high school resume here.

#9. Student Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a student resume here.

#10. Server Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a server resume here.

#11. Actor Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an actor resume here.

#12. Web Developer Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a web developer resume here.

#13. Engineering Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineering resume here.

#14. Computer Science Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a computer science resume here.

#15. Architect Resume Example 

Check out our full guide to writing a data analyst resume here.

#17. Remote Job Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a remote job resume here.

#18. Sales Associate Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales associate resume here.

#19. Receptionist Resume Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist resume here.

Want to see more examples? Check out our compilation of 80+ resume examples for different fields .

• Administrative Assistant Resume
• Bartender Resume
• DevOps Engineer Resume
• Executive Assistant Resume
• Flight Attendant Resume
• Graphic Designer Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Recruiter Resume
• Supervisor Resume

Next Steps After Your Resume

Now that we’ve covered everything you need to know about how to make a resume, it’s time to talk about the rest of your job application.

After all, your resume is only the first step in your job search. To land the job you deserve, you also need to write a captivating cover letter and ace that upcoming interview. Here’s how:

#1. How to Write a Convincing Cover Letter

The companion piece to every resume is the cover letter.

Most job-seekers flinch when they hear that they have to write a cover letter. What do you even mention in a cover letter, anyway? If you were good at writing cover letters, you’d be applying for a job as a writer !

In reality, though, writing a cover letter is very simple once you know its purpose.

Think of your cover letter as a direct message to the hiring manager. It’s your chance to briefly explain why you’re such an awesome fit for the position. And with a few cover letter tips to point you in the right direction, you’ll write the perfect cover letter for your job application.

Just follow this structure:

• Add the contact details. Include the same contact information as on your resume, plus additional contact details for the hiring manager, including their name, job title, the company’s name, and location.
• Introduce yourself. Start your cover letter by mentioning who you are, what your work experience is, and why you’re interested in the position. Mention a standout achievement or two, relevant skills, and what you’d like to do for the company you’re applying for.
• Explain why you’d excel at the job. Find the requirements in the job ad that you meet, and elaborate on how you fulfill the most important ones. Research the company so you know what you like about it, and mention it in your cover letter. Make sure to convey your enthusiasm for the job and confidence that you’ll be a great fit for their team.
• Wrap it up politely. Conclude your cover letter by recapping your key selling points and thanking the hiring manager for their time. Then add a call to action, such as “Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided phone number so that we can discuss my application in greater detail.” Then, add a closing line and follow it with your full name.

Sounds easy, right? Here’s a real-life example to drive the point home:

Do you need more help perfecting your cover letter? Learn what the most common cover letter mistakes are and check out cover letter examples for all professions here.

#2. How to Ace Your Next Interview

Once you’ve perfected both your resume and cover letter, there’s only one thing left.

It’s time for the final step—the dreaded job interview.

Whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, you probably hate the interviewing process. No matter how experienced you are, it can be nerve-wracking. Sitting there while someone’s prodding into your past experiences and judging you isn’t fun.

But did you know that most interviewers ask the same questions?

That’s right—all you have to do is learn how to answer some of the most common interview questions, and you’ll be an interview away from landing your dream job!

Just check out our complete guide to the 35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers and learn how to ace your next interview.

FAQs on How to Make a Resume

Do you still have some questions about making a resume? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions below!

#1. What does a good resume look like in 2024?

For your resume to look good in 2024, make sure it’s organized and clean and isn’t longer than one page.

Be sure to include information that adds value to your application—leave out the focus on your relevant work experience and skills that you can back up, and list as many achievements as possible. 

If you’re using a resume template, choose one based on your industry. Conservative industries like law, banking, and business require more traditional resume templates. But if you’re going for an industry like design, architecture, or marketing, you can go for a creative resume template . 

Remote work is also big in 2024, so if that’s what you’re after, tailor your resume to match the job you want.

#2. How do you make a resume in Word?

The best way to create a resume in Word is to use a pre-designed Microsoft Word template. To access them, you should: 

• Open MS Word
• Click “file” from the menu bar 
• Select “new”
• Type “resume templates” in the search bar 

That said, Word resume templates are generic, hard to personalize, and overall not very stylish.

Want a resume that looks good and is extremely easy to make? Check out resume templates to get started!

#3. How do I write a resume for my first job?

If you’re writing your first-ever resume for an entry-level position, the hiring manager won’t expect you to have any work experience.

However, you can make up for your lack of experience with your skills and academic achievements.

For example, you can take advantage of extracurricular activities, internships, volunteering experiences, and other non-professional experiences. You can use them to highlight the skills you’ve gained and what you’ve achieved so far.

So, your first job resume should have a resume objective, emphasize your education, and replace your work experience with any internships, volunteering, independent projects, or other experiences.

#4. How to make a resume on Google Docs?

You can make a resume on Google Docs by choosing one of their templates and filling it in on the go.

All you have to do is go to your Google Drive’s template gallery, choose your preferred template, fill in your information, and your Google Docs resume is ready to go! 

That said, Google Docs templates aren’t the most user-friendly choice. You don’t have much flexibility with the layout and formatting isn’t that easy. For example, you tweak a section to the slightest, and the whole resume becomes a mess.

If you want an easier option, check out our resume builder !

#5. What kind of resume do employers prefer?

Typically, employers prefer one-page-long resumes that follow the reverse chronological format. 

Hiring managers receive hundreds of resumes every day, so they don't have the time to read three-page resumes. Try one of our one-page resume templates so you don’t go over the recommended resume length.

Meanwhile, the reverse-chronological format is the most popular because it draws attention to your most recent jobs and professional achievements, which is the #1 most important thing hiring managers look at when evaluating a resume.

#6. How many jobs should you put on your resume? 

You should only include relevant job positions on your resume.

This means that your work experience section should be tailored to the job you are applying for. If you’ve worked five different jobs and they can all add value to your current application, then you should include all five. 

If, on the other hand, you’re applying for, say, a customer service position and some of your past jobs don’t have anything to do with customer service, you should skip them.

#7. Should I put my address on my resume? 

You can put your location (city, state, or country) on your resume, but you don’t need to put your entire physical address.

Putting a physical address on a resume was the norm back when companies would contact you via mail. In today’s world, everyone communicates via email, which is why adding a correct and professional email address to your contact information section is far more important than putting your physical address. 

So, just include your location or-–if you’re a remote worker—specify you prefer to work remotely by writing “working remotely from [location].”

#8. What information should I leave out of my resume?

As a general rule, you shouldn’t include your birthday or your headshot on your resume. This norm varies from country to country but it applies to the USA, Canada, and UK.

If you have plenty of achievements to list under your work experience, then you can leave your basic work responsibilities out of your resume. 

In your education section, you should only include your highest and most recent degree. So, if you hold a Ph.D., you can list that and your Master’s degree and leave your Bachelor’s degree and high school diploma out.

Finally, leave out any skills that aren’t relevant to the job you’re applying for.

#9. Is a resume a CV?

Depending on where you are, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a resume might be completely different things.

In most of the world, though, including Europe and Asia, they are used interchangeably for the same document. Both CVs and resumes are one to two pages long, and list skills and experiences relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Sometimes more detailed resumes that go over one page are referred to as CVs. These are typically only used by senior professionals, executives, CEOs, etc.

In the USA, however, a CV is a completely different document. Typically, CVs are detailed and comprehensive documents that highlight your entire academic and professional history. They’re often used for academic, scientific, or research positions, which is why this type of CV can also be referred to as an academic CV.

You can create your CV using one of our CV templates !

#10. Should I write my own resume?

Yes, you should always write your own resume.

Your resume is your opportunity to show the hiring manager your communication, writing, and presentation skills . Employers also evaluate you based on how effectively you can convey information about yourself, and there’s no one that can represent you better than yourself.

Writing your own resume lets you introduce yourself authentically. You have the best understanding of your skills and experiences, and you can personalize them to make your resume stand out.

And, as a bonus, the experience of writing your resume yourself can be reflective and insightful, so it might help you understand your professional journey and career goals better.

#11. Can a resume be two pages?

Generally, we strongly recommend that your resume stick to one page.

Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day, and keeping your resume to one page increases the odds that they’ll see your qualifications faster.

In some cases, like when you have a lot of relevant experience, your resume can go over two pages. But this exception is reserved for senior professionals with over a decade of relevant experience and tons of skills and achievements that simply can’t fit on one page.

#12. Is a simple resume okay?

Absolutely, a simple resume is often more than okay—it's preferable.

Before your resume even gets to the hiring manager, a complicated layout could get it rejected by the applicant tracking system (ATS). A simple resume template can help get your application straight to the hiring manager.

A clean layout can also make sure that your resume is easily readable and looks professional. This can focus the hiring manager's attention on your work experience and skills without excessive clutter or flashy colors to distract them.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

If you’ve followed all of our advice until now, congrats! You’re probably an expert on how to make a resume.

To recap, let’s go through some of the most important lessons we’ve learned so far...

• Use the right resume builder to make the process as smooth as possible. You don’t want to mess around with formatting for hours before even starting to work on your resume!
• Focus on your achievements over responsibilities. This can help you stand out from all the other applicants, especially if you back your claims up with data.
• Include all the must-have sections, like the resume summary, work experience, education, and skills. Then leverage optional sections if you have leftover space.
• Tailor your resume for the job you’re applying for. Everything listed on your resume should be relevant to the specific job you’re applying for, and you should write a new resume for every new job application.
• Take the time to perfect your cover letter. It’s just as important as your resume, so make sure you pay as much attention to it!

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How to Write a College Resume That’ll Get You Hired (Plus an Example!)

When you’re in college, a strong resume is one of the first things that helps you land an internship or part-time job. It represents you to employers when you can’t be in the room (yet!) and is essential to convincing them to call you for an interview based on your previous experiences and current skills. Whether you have a resume you used for college applications or are starting completely from scratch, putting effort into your resume now gives you a higher likelihood of success and sets a solid foundation, making it a breeze to update in the future as you—and it—evolve.

If you feel like you have nothing to put on your resume, don’t worry. After advising hundreds of students on these documents, I know you have more to offer than you think! I frequently meet first-year college students who believe they can’t include many of the things they did before college on a resume. You absolutely can—and you should—until those get outranked by all the other awesome things you’ll accumulate over the course of your college career. Even if you’re a freshly minted high school graduate, you have valuable skills and experiences employers want, and this guide can help you showcase them.

Read on to learn about what goes on your resume, how to format it, and what else you can do to ensure it makes you shine—and to see our college resume example.

What Goes on a College Resume

In setting up your resume, you should use a few core sections to help you easily lay out all the information a recruiter is looking for when they make quick decisions about whether or not to interview you. (And yes, recruiters do skim, reportedly spending an average of 7.4 seconds making their first pass on a resume, so you want to make a good impression fast).

Contact Info

It’s traditional to start with your basic contact information at the top of your document including your name, email, phone, and the city and state where you live. Use your full name (and maybe bump up the font a point or two because you’re a big deal!), and if you have a nickname you prefer, you can include it in parentheses.

Use your college email as it’s typically professional and establishes your educational brand. Now is also a good time to check that your phone’s voicemail greeting is up-to-date. In case a recruiter calls while you’re busy—or you don’t recognize the number and swipe it to voicemail—this greeting could be their first impression of you. Even recording something as simple as, “ Hello, you’ve reached Christine. Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible, ” can help them feel confident they reached the right person and that you’re able to present yourself professionally.

Your physical location can be based either on your school’s address or your permanent home address. If you’re targeting opportunities in one location or the other, include the most local address so they know you’re familiar with the area (and likely won’t have a problem finding housing).

Pro tip: Save space by listing your email, phone, and location all on one line. If you have a LinkedIn profile , you can add that in your contact information section as well. The result might look like this:

Karla Perez Stillwater, MN ∙ (000) 765-4321 ∙ [email protected] ∙ www.linkedin.com/krperez

For college students, education should be right below the contact information on your resume. This immediately orients your reader to the fact that you’re a current student and conveys important information, like what you’re studying. What you include in your education section can also demonstrate that you’re a good match for the opportunity you’re targeting, increasing your chances of a recruiter call.

The basics you should always include are:

• Your school’s name
• Your expected graduation date
• The type of degree you’re pursuing: For example, you might write “Bachelor of Arts” or “Associate’s Degree.”
• Any majors, minors, or concentrations: If you’re applying to opportunities in these areas, this will help an employer see you already have some knowledge and a motivation for working with them.

Depending on your personal strengths and what jobs you’re applying for, you might also want to include:

• Your GPA: But only if it’s strong. (It’s usually good to include 3.5 and above.) If you stumbled through some of the general requirements you had to take but nailed all the courses in your major, consider adding two GPAs—your cumulative GPA and your major GPA—to show you have stronger grades in your chosen discipline.
• Standardized test scores: If you’re applying to opportunities in quantitative fields, like finance or consulting, you might consider listing standardized test scores like the SAT or ACT.
• Relevant coursework: Selecting and highlighting three to five classes that match closely with the specific opportunity you’re applying to is a really fast way to tailor your resume and make you a more attractive match. For example, if you’re targeting an internship in computer science, you can list your “Introduction to Python” and “Introduction to Algorithms” classes.
• Other colleges or universities you’ve attended: If you’re a transfer student or you studied abroad at another university, adding these schools can signal that you have other strengths, such as cultural awareness or language skills, or give you a chance to highlight key classes you took elsewhere.
• Your high school: If you’re shooting for an opportunity local to your high school or went somewhere well-known, then you may want to keep that as your last entry for educational experience. Otherwise, high school is the first entry to cut when you’re short on space. It has gotten you to where you need to be, but the focus should now be on the higher-level degree you’re working on and you should dedicate as much space as you need to boast about all of your amazing college accomplishments!

Here is an example of what a completed “Education” section might look like:

Candidate for Bachelor of Arts degree ,   St. Olaf College , Northfield, MN Double Major: Political Science and Economics ∙ Expected Graduation: May 2023 ∙ GPA: 3.7 Relevant Coursework: Introduction to Political Theory, Politics and Human Rights, Global Interdependence

The experience section is where the real substance of your resume lives. This is the chance to show a snapshot of the jobs and internships you’ve had (if any), the work you did, the skills you used, and your accomplishments. Let’s talk about what experience you can include, how to pull out skills and demonstrate your value, and what it should look like on the page.

Experience can cover a lot of things. It can be full-time jobs, part-time jobs, internships, or research. Unpaid work—like volunteer and community roles—counts too! Don’t discount the value these other kinds of experiences can add to your resume just because you didn’t earn money. You can leverage all of your experiences on a resume by pulling out transferable skills , or broader talents you’ve developed that will be beneficial even if you aren’t applying to the same type of role.

Take a significant class project, for example. That can be built out as experience as long as you’re clear it was for a class. If you worked on a group project, you probably collaborated on a team, organized, worked under deadlines, completed some independent tasks, presented your work to others, and had some kind of outcome. Even if you were doing something that might not seem widely applicable, like designing a rocket, many of those skills can transfer over to another role. Say you had to do cost comparisons for the materials you selected for your rocket, those same analysis skills could be useful to a business role or for a part-time job where you have to order supplies for a restaurant.

You can also create targeted headers for your Experience section(s) if there are themes that correlate with the internship or part-time job you want. Specific headers—such as “Research Experience,” “Marketing Experience,” or “Software Engineering Experience”—can immediately help your reader see that you’re aligned with the needs they have for their open role.

If you don’t have something that specific, it’s OK. You can still shift your experiences into categories like “Relevant Experience” and “Additional Experience.” For example, if you’re applying to research roles, you’d want to put any research related work under “Relevant Experience,” and your cashier job and website building side hustle would go under “Additional Experience.” These two headers are great for allowing you to bump the best of your experiences up toward the top of your resume.

Once you decide which headers to use, make sure each entry includes basic information—the title of your role, the organization’s name, the location, and the dates you worked there—along with bullet points describing what you accomplished. For example:

Intern , Minnesota State Senate , St. Paul, MN June 2019–August 2019

• Researched prior legislation and current bills, summarized content, and identified alternate actions
• Coordinated the schedule for Senator Harriet Maxwell and kept accurate minutes for all meetings
• Drafted memos for important interoffice updates outside of normal meeting schedule

A skills section is a great way to make your most valuable knowledge and expertise stand out—and be easily spotted by a recruiter. Which skills belong in your own skill section depend on the jobs you’re applying for, so be sure to read the job description carefully to figure out what skills are most relevant for each particular role.

Skills that might appear in this section include (but are definitely not limited to): technical skills; software or other tools you know well; languages you can speak, read, or write; other job-specific skills like using a POS system or cash register; and, for some jobs, even your ability to drive different vehicles.

From this range, you can see why it’s important to change things up based on what job you’re applying to! Some skills—for example, being fluent or conversational in a second language—might be relatively permanent fixtures on a college resume. If you’re looking for a part-time job waiting tables, you might add the fact that you can bartend, whereas you might list your mastery in JavaScript instead when going after that software engineering internship you have your eye on.

Once you’ve decided which skills are most important for this role, you can simply list them on your resume. If you have a few different types of skills, you can separate them into categories. For instance:

Languages: Spanish (Fluent); Russian (Basic) Software: JavaScript, Python, CSS

Note that just listing your skills in a separate section isn’t always enough. You also want to make sure to describe how you’ve used key technical and job skills elsewhere on your resume (usually in the bullet points of your experience section).

Other Optional Sections

There are some other sections you can consider adding depending on your experiences and what your target employer might be looking for. For example, a consumer product firm might be looking for examples of design work. In that case you could add a section called “Design Projects,” which might include significant assignments from some of your academic classes or independent projects that you’ve developed in your spare time. Don’t be afraid to include links to your work if you’re submitting your resume online! (Just avoid hyperlinking out from important words, as this could trip up the online systems that scan most resumes.)

Another popular section is “Leadership Experience” where roles like being the vice president for one of your student organizations or being a co-captain for your athletic team would be a good fit. Employers love to see leadership themes on resumes, as it demonstrates the transferable soft skills they’re looking for like communication, collaboration, and initiative.

An “Activities” section can also demonstrate skills. If you dedicate time to learning more about consulting cases with your consulting club, you likely increased your analytical skills in a team setting, which is valuable for many business roles. If you’re an athlete, you can showcase your ability to manage your time, create or be part of a cohesive team, or organize and motivate teammates during practices. These skills gained as an athlete can be ideal if you’re applying for a heavily collaborative role. Additionally, if the activities that you’re involved in are directly applicable to the job, these are powerful to include as it demonstrates interest and dedication. So if you’re majoring in healthcare administration, adding that you’re a member of the Healthcare Society on your campus can be a major plus for an employer.

Any optional sections like these will usually need to be set up similar to your experience entries. Include the organization (or class), your role, the location, the dates you participated, and your key achievements. Here is an example of an entry you might put under a “Leadership” heading:

Head Delegate , Model United Nations , Northfield, MN September 2019–April 2020

• Researched global topics such as human rights and sustainable energy and developed persuasive positions
• Represented Chile as a delegate in an education simulation at a conference with 2,000+ participants; negotiated with others and collaborated on common goals to deliver resolutions on political issues
• Liaised between the delegation and the Secretariat, serving as a first point of contact and resolving issues

6 Tips for Writing a Successful College Resume

From formatting to crafting strong descriptions, attention to detail can pay off when tackling your resume. Here are six tips to help you develop a great resume:

1. Choose the Right Resume Format for You

Your parents or other family members might share their resume and have you copy it because it has worked for them. But they’re at a different place in their career and their format may not be the best one for you.

There are three main types of resume formats for laying out your experiences, skills, and education—the functional resume , the combination/hybrid resume , and the chronological resume . The chronological format is almost always the best fit for college students.

With a chronological resume, you’ll list your experiences within each category/section in reverse chronological order (most recent to least recent, based on end date). Since this is the most traditional and common resume format, recruiters are familiar with it and can quickly see what you have to offer.

2. Be Clear and Consistent

In terms of resume formatting, there are a lot of small choices to make about things like font, style, and spacing. Whatever you decide, make sure it is easily readable, consistent, and not overly fancy. You could have the greatest content in the world, but if it’s too difficult or annoying to read, a recruiter is going to move on.

In order to make a document easy to scan, use clear headers for your sections. Maybe they’re bold and in all caps, or maybe they’re a couple font sizes larger, but they should be the same throughout your resume. The rest of your content should be consistent as well. For example, all your organization or previous employer names might be in italics, your dates all right aligned, your locations in plain text, and the titles of your roles in bold. Keeping things uniform helps the recruiter easily absorb all the relevant information you want them to have.

3. Make Sure It Can Pass Through an Application Tracking System (ATS)

Formatting is also important because your resume will likely pass through something called an applicant tracking system (ATS), a type of software that helps recruiters organize incoming candidate applications. Recruiters can apply filters or search for keywords, and the ATS will show candidates matching the desired criteria, making it easier to identify good candidates in large applicant pools.

In order for your resume to pass this first round and make it to the human who has the power to get you to an interview, the ATS needs to see you’re a good match. But there are formatting choices that can confuse an ATS—for example, some won’t read the content inside tables, text boxes, or graphics. And if the ATS can’t read your materials, your resume might be filtered out. (Read more about formatting your resume for an ATS here .)

This all means that using one of the fancy resume templates you see online isn’t necessarily the best move . Most basic formatting can be achieved with bolding, italics, and spacing, and you will still end up with a good-looking resume—meaning that starting with a blank document can actually be a better bet. (If you still want to use a template, we’ve curated 41 free ATS-friendly templates here .)

4. Create Impactful Descriptions

Give the descriptions you use for your experiences some TLC, as this is what recruiters will focus on once you’ve caught their attention. I often discover students undersell—or simply forget—all the things they’ve done that might be interesting and of value to an employer (including those transferable skills).

Here’s an exercise that can help. Reflect on an experience (such as an internship you had or volunteer work you completed) and quickly jot down what you did. You don’t need to have much structure for this—try it as a brainstorm. Think about answering some of these questions:

• What was your role?
• What were the goals for that position or experience?
• What tasks did you specifically do?
• What projects did you work on?
• Were there any side projects or tasks you completed?
• Who did you work with?
• What did you contribute?
• What did you accomplish? (Or what did/do you intend to accomplish? This can be a useful way to think about things especially when considering research or longer term projects that are still in progress!)
• Can it be quantified? Numbers can paint a clear and impressive picture of your accomplishments to someone reading your resume. You might write that you fundraised as part of the Student Government Association, and that will generally get your point across, but if you can say you increased SGA fundraising by 30% and were able to create two new social events attended by 100+ students each, that will make more of an impact. Look for ways to quantify your accomplishments wherever possible.

Once you have a good brainstorm, take the information you gathered and try crafting several statements using this formula:

Action Verb + Subject + Outcome/Purpose/Result (i.e. Accomplishment)

So you might say:

Organized a fundraiser event for 70 participants resulting in $1,000 in donations to a local hospital

Your descriptions are most valuable when leading with an action verb that reflects specific skills. For example, swap “Worked on” for “Collaborated on” and “Responsible for” with “Oversaw.” Other verbs I often recommend students use include:

• Communicated
• Facilitated

5. Tailor Your Resume for Each Opportunity

Always tailor your resume to each specific job you apply to. Making it easy for the recruiter to connect your skills to what they are looking for can increase your chances of success. The job description is your blueprint and key to doing this. A couple of these exercises could help you identify what you’ll want to highlight.

• Activity 1: Take the job description and go through and underline everything you’ve had some experience in. This might be specific tasks, software/programs/tools, or qualities. Write a quick note in the margin to highlight when you’ve done that. Underline things where you have transferable skills too. For example, if you’ve used a software that is similar to a software they’re looking for, underline it. A recruiter should be able to see on your resume that you used similar skills and would be a quick study.
• Activity 2: If you aren’t sure which skills to emphasize, take the entire job description and pop it into a simple online word cloud generator, like TagCrowd . It automatically shows you the words most used in the description, which are likely of highest importance to the company or role. If you have those skills, make sure you mention them in your descriptions and mirror the language as exactly as possible (our friend the ATS will be looking for precise keywords!).

These activities can help you identify the right action verbs, keywords, and tools—like software—to weave into your descriptions. They can also help you decide what past experiences to include or which of your college courses are relevant to this role and which direct and transferable skills to highlight to make your resume a stronger fit for your target job.

6. Keep a Few Other Tried-and-True Tips in Mind

Here are a few other parting tips to keep in mind as you build your document:

• Avoid writing in first person (“I,” “we,” “our,” and “my” statements).
• Bullet points will make your document more readable—usually two to three per entry works well. But it doesn’t have to be even: Give more description space to the most relevant entries.
• Attention to detail matters. Proofread—not just for typos, but to make sure formatting is consistent (like date dashes). Employers will use your resume to make assumptions about how detail-oriented you are.
• Review any headers you put in all caps. Some spell checkers are programmed to assume that they’re acronyms and skip them.
• Ditch jargon and acronyms wherever possible. Don’t assume the reader always knows what you’re talking about. Sometimes the first person reading your document is a general recruiter and not familiar with the technical side of a role.
• Be aware of tenses. If you’ve completed an experience, those descriptions will be in past tense, and current roles can be described in present tense. (If you’re still actively involved in a role you can list the role through “Present,” and if more than one entry has the same end date, make a strategic decision to put the most relevant experience first.)
• Acceptable margins are usually between one and 0.7 inches.
• Pick a readable font, like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman, and try not to go below font size 11.
• As a college student, stick to a one-page resume. However, you should consider keeping a longer version (called a master resume) for your own personal use. That’s where you keep a full record of your experiences to make it easier to pull out the relevant ones each time you tailor your resume for a specific job.

What Does a College Resume Look Like?

A college resume should showcase your education, experiences, and skills (direct and transferable!) in a clear way, while keeping in mind what is most relevant to your target employer. The resume below shows a student highlighting their relevant education and experiences specifically for internship opportunities in government and politics.

Download sample college resume

There are many ways to write and format a resume. Ultimately, you want one that best represents you and your accomplishments to recruiters for the job at hand. Try out some of these tips, and I hope they help you succeed in catching that recruiter’s eye!

What should a resume look like after college?

Joining the job market after college is tough. Most grads can’t find a job after college because they lack the experience that employers expect these days. There are more bachelor degree holders on the job market than ever before, and even entry-level roles require an unprecedented level of technical skills.

Your resume is your single best tool to help you overcome that challenge, which is why it’s so important to know what a resume should look like after college.

Your first resume after college

The truth is that most people’s first resumes after college aren’t very good. I’ve hired my fair share of people out of college and also struggled to find a job as a recent graduate, so I would know!

Most resumes after graduation are pretty rough around the edges for a few reasons:

• Students often lack relevant job experience for white-collar jobs.
• Young people tend to stuff resumes with keywords to appease application tracking systems.
• New grads don’t always have a career direction, and their resumes reflect that.
• Most resumes from young people tend to lack visual flair.
• Most of the work experience they list is just fluff to inflate the resume page count.

Even just one of those mistakes can get your resume tossed into the recycling bin. Here’s why:

• The average corporate job posting receives 250 applications , but only 4-6 resumes are selected for interviews.
• Employers only take about 6 seconds to scan a resume , so it needs to be good .
• Only ⅓ of employers think applicants are honest about their resumes, so your resume can’t give off one whiff of exaggeration.

That means you have about a 2.5% chance to be selected for an interview in any given job application, and that decision happens in about 6 seconds—with a low tolerance for stretching the truth.

Many people in your life will tell you to customize each and every resume you send for every job posting. Many websites do this, too—and they mean well, but they’re missing the mark.

What they fail to realize is that customized resumes don’t mean anything when those resumes lack legitimate and relevant experience for a given job. Building experience and networking in one area first is how you find a job after college .

What should be on your first resume after college?

I know that’s a lot of doom and gloom, but you can definitely overcome those odds and get a job with a powerful resume . Let’s start at the top!

Here’s the experience that should be on it for recent graduates:

• Retail work experience
• Internship experience ( getting an internship after college works, too)
• Extracurricular experience
• Volunteer experience
• Contributions to student journals, if applicable

Your resume should also have these sections:

• Easily identifiable personal information
• Clearly defined skills
• Software familiarity
• Certifications in progress

How to write a resume after college

An eye-tracking study from The Ladders showed that resumes identified for “keyword stuffing” were among the worst-performing resumes in the eyes of the hiring managers. Think about that the next time someone tells you to “mirror the job posting’s language” closely as possible.

Application tracking systems are a reality of job searching these days, but you can usually accomplish that by tweaking the titles of your past jobs (which are also among the first things that employers scan on your resume).

Remember to keep everything honest and above-board. If you tweak a past job title to reflect experience you never gained in that role, then you’ve gone too far.

Quantify your work experience

Aside from tweaking your job titles (within reason), the next thing you should do is quantify your experience with results.

This is the single best way to land the best jobs after college , because quality matters .

Start with your tasks and responsibilities. Instead of simply listing “stuff you did,” focus on the result that you created.

Here’s how I revamped my experience as a teaching assistant:

• “Led seminars every week”
• “Marked student essays”
• “Mentored students with assignments”
• “Highly positive teaching reviews”

It’s all true and gave me experience, but none of those bullet points convey the scope of the work or the results that I achieved. I changed it because employers look for quantifiable results.

Look at this study from CareerBuilder : out of 1,100 hiring managers and HR professionals surveyed (all employed full-time), a lack of quantifiable results was the third-highest reason why they rejected resumes.

Clearly, this is an important part of what your resume should look like after college. Here’s what that same job looks like with quantified work and results in mind:

• “Mentored 40 students per semester, leading two seminars per week”
• “Raised a class average from C+ to B+ in one semester”
• “Marked, edited, and proofread 400+ pages of student work under tight deadlines”
• “Received highly positive teaching reviews for all 3 semesters of teaching”

It’s much more compelling, isn’t it? Hiring managers will notice, too.

The trick is to attach a number to the task or responsibility, which accomplishes one of several things:

• Establish the scope of the work.
• Create a metric-based result (e.g. gaining website traffic).
• Create a financial or business result.

Underrated tips for writing a resume after college

We tend to think about writing our resumes in a backward sense. Recent graduates in particular tend to fret over the design first, and then cram the work experience section with as many bullet points as possible to inflate their resume’s page count.

They think it makes them seem more experienced than they really are, but it actually hurts their chances. If you’re still deciding what to do after college , then reserve some time to revamp your resume to improve your career prospects in the short and mid-term.

Here’s the process you need to follow:

• Focus on job titles first
• Quantify your work experience second
• Frame your skills with care
• Include volunteer and extracurricular experience
• Worry about designing your resume last

Bells and whistles add a nice touch to resumes, but they are just small visual flairs. Design is the “sizzle,” but what your resume actually says is the “steak.”

Once you’ve finished including what you actually want to say, you can get designs for your resume from these sources:

• Google Docs

Evaluating your resume after college

“The first draft of anything is shit.” – Ernest Hemingway

Don’t worry about making your resume perfect. You just need to focus on making it the best possible representation of your experience today . You’ll update this document dozens of times in your life.

Remember: “done” is better than “perfect.”

Stay in that mentality as you evaluate your own resume. Use this checklist to revise, massage, or fix anything that needs work, but never forget that this serves a job search that needs to begin sooner than later.

Without further ado, here’s how to evaluate your resume after college:

Introduction

• Full name is present and spelled correctly
• Email address is present without typos
• LinkedIn profile is present (and ideally hyperlinked)
• Phone number is present and formatted cleanly
• Address, city, and postal code are present and without errors
• Profile photo is clean and professional (photos are optional)
• Core skills are listed
• Recent job titles are listed
• Professional certificates are listed
• Technology proficiency is listed
• Education is listed (briefly)
• Work experience is no more than 2 pages
• 3-4 most recent positions are listed
• All bullets are quantified or explain business value

Pro tip: If you’re living at home after college , then ask your parents to review your resume.

Don’t stress over fitting everything onto your resume–you don’t need to do that! The vast majority of recruiters and hiring managers will view your LinkedIn profile to make sure your information is accurate and to get a sense of your online activity (which is why it’s included in the checklist). They can find all of your professional details there if desired.

Follow those tips and you’ll be on the right path in no time. Happy hunting!

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How to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Your First Post-College Job

6 min read · Updated on December 16, 2021

If building your first post-college resume has you feeling under qualified, here's what you need to know.

It's the classic post-college dilemma: You apply for an entry-level job that could start you on the path to the career you really want. However, during your interview you are told that you do not have enough experience for the position.

So, you need experience to get an entry-level job, but without the job, you can't gain experience. That makes sense, right?

The key is to broaden your scope a little when it comes to the term “experience.” You went to college, you got your degree, and you did things that have helped you grow and learn — it's not like you've been hiding under a rock. You are a graduate who is full of potential. As you think about your resume, focus on that word — potential. It's the key to building a great recent-graduate resume .

Here's how you put that to work for you on your entry-level resume.

Professional summary

This space used to belong to the objective statement at the top of a resume , which quickly spoke to what you were looking for in your career. The problem with that concept is that it's telling prospective employers what you want, not what you have to offer.

Enter the professional summary. The professional summary in your entry-level resume should be short and sweet, and it should tell the hiring manager what kind of employee you are by highlighting your best qualities. That's that hard part. You need to be able to brag a little here. Are you a good leader? Do you have exceptional computer skills? Maybe you are a creative problem solver. Think about the things that you do best and how those skills will make you good at your job.

Keep your professional summary to one or two sentences. For example:

Creative problem solver with a focus on goals and exceeding them. Able to communicate well with teams and provide motivation.

Don't use a lot of buzzwords or try to pack this part with information. Just write a couple of quick sentences that you believe sum up your best skills.

Tip: Avoid using words like “punctual” on your resume. Punctuality is not a skill, it's an expected behavior. Emphasize skills that you have developed over recent years.

You may not want to hear this, but once you've entered the workforce in the adult world, your education will continually diminish in importance on your resume. It may be important on your recent-graduate resume, but once you've been building your career for 10 years, employers aren't concerned about what you did in college or even if you got good grades.

That's the bad news. The good news is that for your first entry-level resume after college, it is still very relevant. List out your school, degree, and GPA. You don't need to list your coursework, but be ready to discuss it in an interview.

Relevant experience

You may think that you need to have a portion of your entry-level resume dedicated to work history. In most cases, that's true. However, if you don't have a real work history or have only held one job, you can shift the focus to your relevant experience.

Here's where you really need to think about the last few years and what you've done to prepare yourself for a career:

Did you work part-time while you were in college? Even if it was cashiering at a department store or waitressing at a café, you gained experience. Think about the things you learned and how they are relevant to the job you want.

Did you have an internship? If so, that's great! List it and describe what you learned and accomplished while you were there.

Were you a part of any clubs or organizations? What kind of work did you do? Did you hold a leadership position?

Did you do any volunteering? Volunteering is a great way to utilize your skills and build experience, and it displays character.

While you may not have an extensive work history, that doesn't mean you don't have relevant experience. Think carefully about what you can include in this section to make it shine.

Tip: The key word here is relevant. If you are looking for a job in sales and your baking club taught you how to make a mean cupcake, that's not relevant. Did you sell more cupcakes than anyone else? Now you're talking.

Here's the section of an entry-level resume that can really do the heavy lifting for you. What were you doing in all of those classes? You were learning skills. Fill this section and show prospective employers what kind of potential you have. Don't talk about your classes or worry about examples, just list out the skills that you've developed over recent years.

Computer skills: Programs, languages, etc. List them all out.

Foreign languages: Having a second language under your belt is a huge plus in today's job market.

Communication: Believe it or not, communication skills are frequently lacking in job applicants. If you have done public speaking, group emailing, etc., make sure you're displaying that ability.

Trade skills: Hopefully your education helped you learn some skills that are specific to the career field you want to enter.

Problem solving

Time management

You don't want to go into how you gained each skill on your resume. This is a quick review of what you are bringing to the table. Be ready to discuss these skills and how you obtained them if you should get an interview.

Tip: While hard skills like being fluent in Spanish and being an expert HTML coder are fantastic, don't overlook soft skills. The abilities to communicate, manage your time, and lead others are harder for employers to teach, so they want to see that you are already proficient in these areas.

Related:   Ask Amanda: How Do I Create a Skills Section for My Resume?

Sell yourself

As your career grows, it will become easier to sell yourself and your experience. The first job out of college, while you battle the experience catch-22, is tougher and requires some creative thinking. Remember, employers aren't necessarily looking to help you build a career. They're trying to fill a job and hire an employee that will make their company better.

You do have skills. You do have experiences. If you want to get a foot in the door at your first entry-level job, you need to convince employers that the skills and experiences that you acquired during your time in school will help you become a star employee for them. If you don't have the experience they want, focus on the potential and show them that you can do this job and grow beyond. A well-written entry-level resume is the first step to launching your new career and building exciting new experiences.

Click on the following link for more resume advice .

Enter the workforce with a splash with a resume that impresses employers. Learn more about working with a professional resume writer from TopResume.

Recommended Reading:

6 Ways to Rock Your First Entry-Level Job After Graduation

Top Entry-Level Jobs for Recent College Grads

14 Reasons This is the Perfect College Grad Resume

Related Articles:

7 Signs Your Resume is Making You Look Old

Great Jobs for Teens: Top Picks for 16-Year-Olds

Don't “Snowplow” Your Kids' Job Search — Set Them Up for Success Instead

See how your resume stacks up.

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More From Forbes

How to write a resume when you're just out of college.

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The University of South Florida junior felt like she had nothing to put on her résumé. She had only held down one job, for three years, working part-time at a K-Mart while she was in school. What employer would hire her based on that bottom-rung work experience? But Bobbie Muir, a career counselor in the placement office at USF in Tampa, saw it differently. The student had worked on the store's returns desk, which Muir thought gave her a long list of marketable skills. “She had to listen to unhappy customers for many hours, she dealt with high volume, she was a problem solver within limits, she mastered company policy, and she had to know when to turn over her work to a supervisor,” says Muir. All of those skills went into a strong entry on the student’s résumé.

Like that USF junior, many new graduates find themselves staring at a blank screen when they sit down to write a résumé. But career coaches, professional résumé writers and college placement officers say that with some effort, students will discover that they have accumulated plenty of experience and know-how to put together a convincing document that will land them a job, even if they haven’t interned in the White House or worked at a top law firm. One encouraging statistic for grads to keep in mind: For those with a bachelor’s degree, the unemployment rate is 4%, less than half the national average of 8.1%.

Ideally, a new grad’s résumé is a focused one-page marketing document, with a succinct job goal that molds the résumé writer’s descriptions of each previous job and related experience. But many students and new grads haven’t figured out what they want to do, or even the broad area in which they want to work. If you can’t come up with a specific goal, you can still benefit from assessing your life up to this point, and pulling out details, like the K-Mart job, that will make you look like a strong candidate.

As for format, there are two approaches for new grads. One is the conventional, with an objective at the top, then education and relevant coursework, and after that, experience and skills. Another format, advocated by Laura DeCarlo, executive director of Career Directors International , a trade association for résumé writers and career coaches, and the former director of career planning at a for-profit school called Herzing University, lists skills and training at the top, then education, and after that, experience and employment.

I lean toward the conventional, because I find it simpler and easier to take in. But both formats have their merits, and putting them together involves a similar exercise. I’ll lay that out here:

1. List a career objective if you’re clear on what you want to do or you’re applying to a specific job.

Katharine Brooks, director of liberal arts career services at the University of Texas at Austin and author of You Majored in What? Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career , says you should only list a career objective if you’re crystal clear on what it is, like “entry level management position in the banking industry.” If you are vague about your goals, you will do more harm than good if you list something like, “promising position in a forward-looking company.” Of course if you are applying for a specific job, it’s easy enough to amend a résumé to include an objective that matches the job description.

2. List your school, degree year, and any honors, including your grade point average if it’s high.

Unlike experienced workers, who put their education at the end of their résumé, soon-to-be and recent graduates list it at the top. Include your school, your major, the degree you expect to earn and the year you will graduate. If you’ve achieved academic honors like the dean’s list or phi beta kappa , include that as well. Some coaches think you should list your GPA if it’s higher than 3.0. Others think you should only include it if it’s quite high, like 3.8 or above. San Francisco résumé writer Beth Brown, co-author of The Damn Good Résumé Guide: A Crash Course In Résumé Writing, also recommends including a list of course work that’s relevant to your major and career objective. For instance, if you majored in accounting and you want to work at an accounting firm, you could include a table of accounting courses you took, like tax accounting, GAAP, and public accounting.

3. Consider listing additional coursework outside your major.

If your career objective differs from your major, but you took courses directly related to the career you want, it makes sense to list those courses in your education section, suggests Brooks. For instance, if you majored in history but you want to work in a counseling center for troubled youth, you could add, “Coursework included child psychology, developmental psychology and child development theory.”

4. Take a fresh look at what you may think are menial jobs.

Like the USF student’s K-Mart experience, many jobs you may think of as low-level can be cast in a light that is appealing to employers. Brooks, Muir, DeCarlo and Brown all work with their counselees to draw out exactly what they did while waitressing or babysitting. For instance, did you babysit for five different families in your neighborhood? That can be framed as managing a child care business, working with children aged 2-10, providing recreational activities and nutritional snacks. If you mowed lawns over the summer for ten different clients, you ran a garden care business.

Brooks encourages students to loosen up a little and take an expansive view of what they’ve done. She counseled one student who had worked at Hershey Park in Hershey, Pa. Her résumé’s first draft listed the job as “customer relations representative.” When Brooks queried her, she learned that the young woman had dressed up as a Krackel Bar and walked around the grounds. The student wound up doing everything from giving directions to helping an elderly gentleman who had collapsed from exhaustion. Brooks advised her to list her job as “Krackel Bar,” and then include bullet points that described how she provided tourist information including accommodations and restaurants, and interacted with at least 100,000 visitors.

5. Scrutinize your extra-curricular activities and think about how they might relate to a real-world job.

Students often dismiss their experiences if they didn’t come in the form of an internship or a formal job. But involvement in extra-curricular activities, like clubs, social groups and sports, can demonstrate that you have valuable expertise. For instance, if you were the event coordinator at your sorority fundraiser, that can impress hiring managers, especially if you want to work in non-profit fundraising or event management. Beth Brown recommends listing your job as “Student, full time, Florida State University ,” and in your bullet points, saying something like, “coordinated logistics for annual fundraising resulting in raising $35,000 for the local Red Cross chapter.” You could also say you managed 57 volunteers, secured donations for a silent auction, and designed and orchestrated a theme. All of those details could impress a potential employer.

6. Think about whether your coursework could be considered work experience.

Many students handle work in courses that equates to a demanding job. For instance, you may have taken an urban planning course where you collaborated with seven team members to come up with a design for a new development in a blighted part of New Orleans. Résumé writer Brown suggests students list such experience as though they comprised a job. The title would be, “full-time student, University of South Florida,” and the job description would describe what you did in the course. Brooks had a student who had taken an American studies class that required her to interview five elderly people about their experiences during the Depression, compile the information, and write and publish a 20-page report. She recommended the student include the online link to the final report.

7. Use active verbs.

A widespread affliction among résumé writers of all ages is the tendency to use dull verbs like “assisted” or “helped.” Instead, translate your experience into active language. At the University of Texas, Brooks created a list of résumé action verbs here . They include “collaborate,” “consolidate,” “convince,” “promote,” “publicize” and “persuade.” As for tense, use the past unless your experience is ongoing, in which case you should use the simple present tense, instead of passive verbs ending in “ing.”

8. Be specific in your descriptions and quantify with numbers wherever possible.

This is another way to transform what may seem like a menial job into an impressive résumé entry. For instance, you may have run the cash register at your local Dairy Queen for the summer. But if it was a busy place that  served 5,000 customers a day at a restaurant that racked up $10,000 in daily sales, then it sounds more impressive. Ask yourself how your approach to the job may have been different from others who worked at the chain. Did the boss have you tally up the day’s receipts and deposit them in the bank? Then say so. Or perhaps you organized a local talent show for fun. If you can say that the event attracted 600 people and you maintained a budget of $3,000, then it sounds more impressive.

9. Try a “brain dump” of your work, schooling and other experiences.

When DeCarlo used to work with students, she had them talk to her for up to four hours about everything they had done that could remotely relate to work experience, including volunteer work, courses, extra-curricular activities and sports. She asked them what they found memorable about each experience, whether they enjoyed it, and to relate as many details as possible about what they did. Brooks, Muir and Brown all use variations on this approach. The goal is to get the student to review their experiences and by identifying what they enjoyed about each, to arrive at a career objective that will help focus the résumé. You can do this exercise yourself, or with the help of a friend.

For more focused students, the brain dump can also reveal experiences that may not seem like obvious résumé additions, but can be framed in a positive light when described concretely. For instance, DeCarlo counseled a student who wanted to work in pharmaceutical sales. As they talked, DeCarlo learned that the young man had won a boat in a local fishing competition. His father, who was a doctor, said he could only keep the boat if he found a way to pay for the berth. The student set up an informal chartering business, tapping his father’s physician friends to rent out the boat on weekends. It turned out the student had developed a strong network of local doctors, a great qualification for pharmaceutical sales. He could use all that as an entry that emphasized how he had set up his own charter business catering to doctors.

10. Consider an alternative format.

Instead of the standard objective, education, experience and skills layout, you might want to compose a résumé that lists skills and training at the top, with bullet points, and then lists education, and after that experience, with one line for each job. Underneath that, you would include two-line descriptions of the work you performed in each job. DeCarlo likes this format, and she offers an example of it here . For this student, an aspiring engineer, she had gleaned that he had accumulated skills in 27 different areas, from fluid mechanics to electromagnetic waves. DeCarlo says it would have been tough to lay out all those skills through job descriptions, and the list at the top has the advantage of including many so-called key words, or descriptive terms that an employer may put in a job listing. Nowadays, big companies screen résumés by computer, and the skills list has the advantage of including many of those key phrases. Though DeCarlo swears by this approach, and insists her counselees have landed many jobs with these types of résumés, I remain ambivalent. The listing of 27 skills seems cluttered and like data overload to me, and I find it confusing to list job descriptions separate from specific jobs.

The University of Texas gives examples of résumé templates here . One of the words that makes my skin crawl, but seems common in résumé -writing: “relevant,” as in “relevant experience.” Why would you include experience if it weren’t relevant? But Brown says this is part of the rhetoric of résumé writing.

The best résumés are carefully thought-through marketing documents, with a clear career objective and detailed, vivid descriptions of coursework, work experience and other activities that are relevant to your dream job. But focus is the toughest part of résumé-writing. Résumé writer Brown notes that you can start with an archival document that lists what you’ve done, in vivid, concrete language. Then as you focus on what you want to do, you can edit it to reflect that. “Let your résumé be a living document that changes as your needs and opportunities change,” she says.

You might also like,   When An Employer Requires Experience And You Have None

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9 tips for building a résumé from scratch.

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Staring at a blank Word document and willing it to transform into a killer résumé can give anyone anxiety—no matter how much experience you have.

“I struggle with making my limited experiences sound valuable (i.e., identifying my skills and presenting them in a way that exemplifies my ability to learn, be trained, or do the job well).” —Emily, fourth-year student, Portland State University, Oregon

Think of it this way: Sitting down to make or update your résumé is a chance to show off all your hard work and think specifically about your career goals. With the right tips, building your résumé doesn’t have to be a daunting activity—it can actually help remind you of everything you’ve accomplished so far.

To fix up your résumé, follow these tips and check out our sample résumé below.

• Make a detailed list of all your professional, educational, and extracurricular experiences. 
• Save this list. It might come in handy in the future if you need to fill out a form for your complete work history.
• Highlight the best stuff—especially anything that’s relevant to your intended career.

This is what hiring managers focus on when they read a résumé: 

• Your education
• Your current job
• Your previous jobs

Make sure these items are easy to find, and remember to include dates (including your expected graduation date).

• Specific accomplishments, quantified wherever possible. (You can use the list you made for reminders.)
• Skills needed for the role you’re applying for (e.g., Excel, Adobe Photoshop) 
• Remember—you don’t have to provide extensive details on everything you’ve ever done on your résumé. You’ll have other opportunities to share these details in cover letters and interviews.

“The résumé shouldn’t be one’s entire life story,” says Dr. Darby Scism, executive director of the career center at Indiana State University in Terre Haute. “It’s a snapshot of your most significant work and professional experiences, accomplishments, and skill sets.”

Tips on striking a balance

Be selective…

A résumé is a marketing document. If a piece of data you’re including is not relevant to the type of work you’re seeking, there’s no harm in leaving it off.

This is especially true of volunteer work, training you have completed, or other activities. If you keep it in, do so in a way that does not dilute the focus of your résumé.

…But not too selective

Don’t leave out relevant experience, accomplishments, and credentials just to make your résumé shorter.

But do keep it to one page—two if you feel you absolutely need it. Ideally, one page is all it should take to communicate to an employer that you know what skills they’re looking for (and that you can bring those skills to the position).

• Buzzwords that don’t really say much, like “passionate,” “excellent,” or “successful.” Let your skills and experiences speak for themselves. 
• Terms like “references available upon request” are implied. Delete them to save space.
• Typos. No self-respecting résumé can recover from a typo. Find a detail-oriented friend, print your résumés, and proofread them for each other from bottom to top. Then do it again with someone else.

“I send my resume out to friends or family to review and make suggestions before I send it to an employer.” – Elda C., first-year graduate student, Northcentral University, San Diego, California

• Use bulleted lists instead of paragraph descriptions. “The résumé needs to be easy to read, with clearly marked section headings and bullet points,” says Dr. Scism.
• Use an easily readable font.
• Always send your résumé as a PDF to ensure your formatting stays pristine no matter where it’s downloaded.
• Don’t stress over the design. “A lot of students are told it’s about design and standing out, but it’s really about readability,” says Nicole Isenhour, an executive career consultant with Point Road Group in New York City. “Having your prospective employer be able to find everything they need to within 30 seconds is a little more important than making it pretty.”
• Avoid shading. “It can come out as too saturated and illegible on some printers,” Isenhour explains.
• Don’t include a photo, your date of birth, or your race—it’s illegal in the US for an employer to make hiring decisions based on age or race.

Here’s a sample résumé that gets it right

Within the first few seconds of reading your résumé, an employer should have a clear understanding of the type of position you are targeting. The best way to accomplish this is by writing a concise summary section, sometimes called a career objective statement.

The career objective should include:

• The type of work you’re seeking
• The specific job or field
• The skills you’re contributing
• The value of those skills to the company

“This section can take up a lot of space and is often poorly written. Many of these details are included in a cover letter and can be removed from the résumé. However, if there is no cover letter, a career objective statement is necessary.” —Kara Renaud, career services resource coordinator at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario

Include details on your résumé that show investment in the type of career you want to pursue, such as:

• Courses that are relevant to the work you’re targeting
• Relevant projects and extracurricular activities
• Memberships of relevant professional organizations (to enhance your credibility)*

*Tip: Consider joining professional organizations to connect with mentors or network with people in your field of interest—not just to give your résumé a boost. Many professional organizations offer free or discounted membership to students. 

• Add space between sections.
• Use bullet points.
• 14–16pt for headings
• 12pt for primary text
• 10–11pt for bullet points
• Consider elements like horizontal lines, columns, or other design elements—but make sure it looks professional, not cluttered. Before you send it anywhere, print a black-and-white copy to make sure everything is legible.

Use examples from your work history or your education. E.g., “Reorganized the office at City Animal Rescue, creating a filing system that saved two hours daily.”

Show how your previous employers benefited from your work. For some positions, this can be challenging, but you should still make an effort. 

For example, don’t just write, “Helped with clerical tasks.” Instead: “Assisted with clerical tasks, saving teachers four hours daily and enabling them to spend more time with students.”

Bulleted accomplishment statements are more user-friendly than paragraphs.

Sample résumés for students: Adventures in Education

How to make a résumé (with examples): Indeed

Internship résumé sample and writing guide: ResumeGenius

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Michelle Dumas, founder, Distinctive Career Services, Boston, Massachusetts.

Nicole Isenhour, executive career consultant, Point Road Group, New York, New York.

Kara Renaud, resource coordinator and faculty liaison, career services, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario.

Darby Scism, PhD, executive director, career center, Indiana State University, Terre Haute.

Bernstein, B. (2020, March 5). LinkedIn’s top 10 buzzwords: What do they mean for you? Executive Support Magazine. https://executivesupportmagazine.com/linkedins-top-10-buzzwords/

Fisher, A. (2011, June 3). Top 5 mistakes on executive resumes. Fortune . http://fortune.com/2011/06/03/top-5-mistakes-on-executive-resumes/

Gordon, W. (2011, March 5). Top 10 ways to rock your resume. Lifehacker. https://lifehacker.com/top-10-ways-to-rock-your-resume-5777317

Ladders. (2018). Eye-Tracking Study . https://www.theladders.com/static/images/basicSite/pdfs/TheLadders-EyeTracking-StudyC2.pdf 

Sharma, M. (2010, December 14) . Did you use one of these 10 most overused buzzwords in your LinkedIn profile this year? . LinkedIn. http://blog.linkedin.com/2010/12/14/2010-top10-profile-buzzwords/

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Did Sandip Ghosh create a threat culture at R G Kar? 51 people under scanner for aiding ex principal

The junior doctors said they would continue their protest despite SC directive to resume work

As the CBI readies to present Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of R G Kar Medical College Hospital who is under arrest for alleged financial irregularities in the hospital, before the Alipore court on Tuesday, over 51 people who allegedly helped Ghosh create a 'threat culture' in the institution are under scanner.

Local media reports hinted that the 51 people, who are close associates of Ghosh, created an atmosphere of fear in the campus. They allegedly aided Ghosh in conducting financial irregularities, threatening department heads and failing students in examinations, Bangla 9 quoted protesting doctors.

The agitators, who attended a special meeting of the college council on Monday, demanded action against 51 people. Following the meeting, all the accused people have been ordered to appear before the inquiry committee on Wednesday.

Doctors Strike Continues. .. Today Massive Protest by Joint Kolkata Doctors regarding #justiceforrgkar Stand For Her Every Voice Count 👭👫👬 #RGKarProtest #MedTwitter pic.twitter.com/5V5BJdJEAg — Indian Doctor🇮🇳 (@Indian__doctor) September 8, 2024

The CBI, in a report submitted before the court, said Ghosh had been active in a nexus that siphoned off funds. He is also accused of having conducted 84 illegal appointments during his tenure at the hospital as the principal from 2022 to 2023.

The former principal and his wife had properties beyond his means, including a luxurious bungalow in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The CBI said they confiscated several "important" documents during search operations at his residence, as well as those of his relatives and accomplices.

Doctors to continue protest

The agitating junior doctors of the hospital said that they would continue their 'cease work' to demand justice for the RG Kar hospital medic who was raped and murdered, despite Supreme Court directions to resume duties by 5 pm on Tuesday.

The doctors added that they would take out a a rally to 'Swasthya Bhavan', the headquarters of the health department in Salt Lake on Tuesday noon. The demands include the resignation of the state's health secretary and director of health education (DHE).

The IMA Bengal too expressed their support to the protest despite the Supreme Court's order. "In this situation, the IMA promises to stand by the junior doctors unconditionally in all their future movements. IMA vows to the entire medical fraternity and the common people that the protest will not die down," a statement said.

The doctor's body also slammed reports that the junior doctors were portrayed as responsible for a few deaths in the hospitals as "false" and "shocking". It added that services were completely hampered in no hospitals due to the protest.

• ‘SC order disheartening’: IMA Bengal unit reiterates support to protesting doctors in Kolkata
• Never offered money to Kolkata rape-murder victim’s family; police commissioner was ready to resign: Mamata
• Kolkata rape-murder case: SC directs CBI to file fresh status report; doctors must return to work by 5pm tomorrow
• Kolkata doctor rape-murder

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