How To Make A College Resume
Today’s college students are ambitious. They’re not waiting till graduation before planning their future. Instead, entrepreneurship and career development start early in their journey. Therefore, one of the frequently asked questions is: How do you make a college resume, especially if you have never had any employment before?
The answer to that question is simple: focus on what you have, and avoid what you don’t. The prospective employer is aware of your full-time student status. In other words, your job here is to provide a professional resume with the information a recruiter looks for.
Use an Online Resume Builder
Start with a trusted online resume generator. Don’t worry too much if you can’t fill some sections, such as previous employment. The point of using a builder is so your resume is modern, professional, and compatible with online hiring systems. The templates are customizable, and you are free to switch the sections out for what works the best for you.
Since college students usually don’t have much experience, avoid using compact templates designed for higher-level positions. Keep your resume as a one-pager with a simple design, and make sure the template provides enough white space to fill up the page while maintaining readability.
Add A Summary To Your College Resume
Create a summary block at the top of your resume and write about yourself. Talk about where you are in your life and what your future goals are. Mention the skillset you are developing.
Make use of this one paragraph to showcase your confidence and professionalism. Remember, how you write can have a significant impact on the recruiter. Additionally, the summary is the first thing, besides your personal information, a recruiter will see.
Include Extracurricular Activities
When building a resume for college student with no experience, extracurricular activities are the key. Volunteerism, research projects, student organizations are all fantastic additions to show your professionalism and leadership skills.
This is also a good place to include any passion projects and links to your online portfolios, social media, or anything else worth mentioning. Since recruiters are usually using an online application system nowadays, they can easily click on interactive links.
Focus On Academic Achievements
When building a professional resume, one always includes awards and certificates. Similarly, when building a college resume, make sure you list your academic achievements.
A recruiter wants to hire someone who knows how to do their job. And as a student, your job is to study. Therefore, why not showcase what an effective learner you are? Some academic success suitable for a college resume include:
- Dean’s awards and honor student recognition
- Your average GPA, if it’s above 3.5
- Academic publications and presentation
- Contest and competition awards
Making a College Resume
In conclusion, start with an online resume builder and choose a simple, one-page template that’s clean and easy to read. Create a summary block so you can talk about your future goals and your best qualities. If you don’t have previous internship or employment experience, use extracurricular activities instead. Finally, don’t shy away from your academic achievements.
If you still feel lost, try looking up a college resume sample. Most online builders also have a document library that will help you build your resume.
