As a college student, if you want a well-written resume, here are a few tips to get you a better-written resume for you
As a college student, you require a well-written resume if you want to be doing a job and seek professional opportunities. A well-written resume can impress the hiring manager and increase your chances of getting interview calls, even with little or no experience.
As a college student, you should focus on relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, internship, and skill to be added to your resume. One can use the resume to apply for part-time work, work-study opportunities, advanced degree programs, or internships.
As you start your career, most employers use your resume to gauge your skill like work ethic, motivation level, ambition, and passion for a job. So, ensure your resume highlights all your skills relevant to get hired for a desirable job.
But before we get into the details of what you should include in the resume, first let us understand the three main types of resume.
Type Of Resume:
There are three resume formats: Chronological, Functional, and Combination.
Chronological Resume:
A chronological resume lists your work experience and achievements starting from the current or most recent one and following up with the previous job below.
In other words, the chronological resume highlights your most recent achievements right at the top. Due to this, hiring managers can focus on your current skills and experience to see if those align with the requirements of the role. The chronological format is the most common type of resume and is considered the standard for most industries.
Functional Resume:
A functional resume is a format that focuses on highlighting your core skills and qualifications and doesn’t necessarily mean they are in any chronological order.
This format draws attention to the skills of the candidate. This is the perfect option for those who do not have much work experience but possess relevant professional skills. That is why it is also called a skill-based resume as well.
Combination Resume:
This resume type combines chronological and functional—a combination of Resumes with a combined emphasis on career path and skills. Combination resumes are focused on skills, experience, and education.
The Best Resume Format For College Students
A reverse chronological format is the most accepted since college students are at a fresher level and lack work experience, but you can add volunteer activities and internship experience.
Hence to highlight your skills, use a functional format.
College Student Resume – Important Tips
So let me share some key things every college student should include in their resume.
Write Your Contact Information
In the first section of the resume, provide all your details like full name, phone number, and email address; these personal details help an employer contact you for an interview.
If you have a website or personal blog, provide a link to it in your resume .this can help you impress prospective employers.
Write a Career Objective
Next, we have career objectives. A career object is a brief statement of two to three lines summarising your aspirations and professional goals.
A career objective shows your passion for a field and your desire to progress in a selected career path. Moreover, write your career objective reflecting what you have been doing in college.
Highlight Your Academic Qualification
Writing a detailed education section is essential for a college student preparing his resume for the first time.
Under this section, highlight your educational qualification starting from your most recent one and then add your higher secondary certification. (HSC) and senior secondary certification (SSC).
Keep it short; each entry in this section contains the name of the degree or qualification. The institution you studied, year of completion, and grade or percentage archived in these courses.
Include one or two lines if you completed a doctorate or post-graduation degree.
Mention Your Skills
Mention all your skills, technical as well as non-technical skills.
Here is some example:
Technical Skills
- Project management
- Data analysis
- Software proficiency
- Technical writing
Non-technical Skills
- Communication
- Time management
- Networking
In this section, you should include any skills or projects that qualify you for the position. Be sure to include skills closely related to the post you are applying to. You can use the requirements section in the job posting to find keywords your potential employers may be looking for on your resume. Mention the actual names of software and tools you can use.
Additionally, It may be helpful to list the languages you know. For instance, If you have proficiency in more than one language and can mention that you can read, write and speak other languages.
Mention Your Hobbies And Interests
You can consider adding a hobbies and interests section when your resume is short. You can even omit this section if your hobbies are not relevant to the job role.
When giving details about your hobbies, align this section with a company’s culture.
For instance, When you apply for a content writer role, You can Mention that you have your blog.
Projects
In this section, You can add about any project you participated in, as long as it’s relevant to the job. For example, go here for a graduation thesis, coursework, or personal project.
Provide minute details because you may have only one or two projects to showcase. Concentrate on projecting a positive, productive image to make a solid first impression.
More Resume Writing Tips for Freshers
Let me share three essential tips that I think are crucial for freshers who do not want to copy and paste a resume but are looking to craft a masterpiece themselves.
- Use Action Verbs: Add action verbs like organized, trained, and motivated; it helps employers understand that you mean business.
- Keep It Short: While an employer expects to see relevant information in your resume, avoid making it too long. Usually, a one-page students resume is appropriate for college students.
- Follow a Chronological Resume Format: It allows hiring managers to focus on their job accomplishments, responsibilities, and top-related skills.
Final Thoughts:
If you are a college student looking to build a great resume, I am sure the above tips will help you. A resume aims to highlight your best qualifications honestly in a concise, thorough Manner. Maintaining brevity and pertinence in the information you include should guide your selection of appropriate resume items.