Resumes begin with a summary, think of this as the opening paragraph of a college paper (and you thought your writing days were over). The summary is an opportunity to identify yourself (recent college graduate) your interests, (degree program) and talents (what you accomplished). The next three to four sentences should be a high-level overview of your skills, experience and what you have to offer an employer. Be confident and be creative.
Next comes the education portion, this is
the chance to show off the degree you
have worked so hard to earn! List the
university attended, degree earned,
graduation date and major/minors.
Unlike your college papers, punctuation
is not your friend on a resume so don’t
use it. Any honors, awards, and relevant
coursework should be added to this
section. No need to list high school
information, obviously if you graduated
from college you completed high school.
Once you’ve established a work history,
the education portion will move towards the bottom of the resume, but for now, it should be front and center.
Okay, here comes the work experience section, don’t panic, just because you may not have held a job in your degree field, doesn’t mean you don’t possess valuable skills. Volunteer work creates a wealth of soft skills (i.e. people skills). Answering phones and greeting customers equals communication skills, coordinating fundraisers equals leadership skills, collaborating on school projects equals teamwork. These are soft skills that employers seek.
Resumes begin with a summary; think of this as the opening paragraph of a college paper (and you thought your writing days were over). The summary is an opportunity to identify yourself (recent college graduate) your interests, (degree program) and your talents (what you have accomplished).
The next three to four sentences should be a high-level overview of your skills, experience, and what you have to offer an employer. Be confident and be creative.
Next comes the education portion. This is your chance to show off the degree that you have worked so hard to earn. List the university attended, degree earned, graduation date, and major/minors.
No Experience, No Problem!
Creating a Resume for First Time Job Seekers
Resumes can be intimidating. The trepidation that first-time resume writers face is amplified by the lack of professional experience. You’re not alone. Military Youth Jobs Network, powered by MSCCN, can help you create a professional resume!
A resume has one job, to land you an interview. Your resume should be engaging and interesting; it should pique an employer’s interest and leave them wanting more. Achieving this balance can feel impossible especially for new job seekers with little to no experience, so how do you create the balance?
By: Amanda Marksmeier