Although hiring managers respect creativity, they also expect for your resume to include all the basics. Be sure to lead with your most impressive qualifications. If your degree and class projects are related to the job, place your education before your work experience. However, if you had an internship in your field, your work experience should come first.
Contact Information.
Your name should be at the top of your resume, highlighted in a large, bold typeface. Then, include your mailing address, email address and phone numbers. Confirm that your voice mail messages sound professional. If you include your cell phone number on your resume, try to answer the job-related calls in a quiet setting, even if you receive them after-hours.
Objective.
An objective is optional for your first resume. Instead, you can use a cover letter to address your particular interest in a position. However, if you decide to include one, keep it simple, specific and brief. Within two or three lines, you should highlight what you have to offer the company. For example: “To utilize my strong analytical and interpersonal skills in an entry-level account management position.”
Education.
Naturally, the name of your college, your degree and expected date of graduation are important, as well as any coursework related to your desired profession. Definitely include your GPA if it’s above a 3.0, or simply provide the GPA for your major. Special seminars or workshops can be listed here, as well as any semesters abroad. In addition, you can include class-specific projects. For example, if you’re a journalism major, describe the major articles you’ve written and the interviewing, research and legwork that was involved.
Work History.
Internships, part-time jobs or unpaid work—it all counts as experience for your first job! Summarize your role in 4-5 bullets, putting the strongest elements first. Start each bullet with an action verb and be specific about your accomplishments. For example, if you worked in retail, you learned valuable techniques for interacting with the public, demonstrated dependability and accountability, worked as part of a team and managed money. As a full-time babysitter, you coordinated schedules, handled finances, marketed your services and demonstrated extreme responsibility. Be sure to explain if the job was a way to fund your schooling and how much you financed.
Activities.
Here’s where you’ll list more of your unique strengths and leadership skills. Did you volunteer for an organization, serve as an assistant to a professor or tutor other students? Consider how your roles in a campus club or sorority helped prepare you for “real world” business scenarios, such as planning events or working within a budget. Also, be sure to highlight the results of your work. For example, if you increased the number of donations for the Special Olympics on your campus, state by how much or the total amount donated.
Awards/Honors.
Good grades are one thing, but how else have you been recognized? This can be combined with your Activities section or included as a separate section. Don’t forget to mention any scholarships.
Skills.
Here’s another chance to show employers how you meet their exact requirements. List the software programs you know, as well as any language skills. Include the keywords that are important to the industry, such as Java development or general accounting practices.
