Writing a resume in college can be an intimidating process. Not knowing where to start or what exactly to include can lead to stress, and if you’re anything like me, more stress is the last thing you need!
Here are a few tips and suggestions that I picked up as I went through the process of writing my resume to help you get started!
Use a template:
Formatting a resume can be daunting, and knowing the order in which to put your information and how exactly to lay it out is far too difficult to start from scratch! Luckily, there are a TON of free templates online!
A few good places to check are Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or just Google “free resume template”. Then you have a good basis to work of off and can go on from there!
Your objective:
Thank goodness for YouTube videos and my mother, because this was one area where I really had no clue what to put down! The objective should be a statement of your goal or purpose at the beginning of your resume.
One example is “To obtain an internship in the field of Human Resources, Management, Marketing, or Logistics”. Whether you’re aiming for a job, research opportunity, or internship, use this area to clearly define what areas/type of position you’re looking to work in!
GPA:
What you include in terms of your GPA is what best portrays your academic work. You can include your overall GPA or your major GPA, and some people even put both! Now, it is no secret that Furman is hard, so if your GPA is something that you feel doesn’t represent your academic intelligence, don’t put it!
Some job/research opportunities require you to send it, so in that case you don’t have as much discretion, but many employers don’t require it. Your GPA doesn’t define you, so don’t let this section discourage you!
Relevant coursework:
Not everyone has the chance to get as much work or internship experience while in college, so in this case, what classes you take can come into play! Since Furman is a liberal arts university, that means you have at least an intermediate language level, so that’s the first class you can start with.
After that, anything that you feel provides you with useful knowledge or experience for the position you’re applying for, put that down!
Experience/Leadership:
This is a time where you can put anything and everything that you are involved in! If it isn’t much from your time in college, that’s okay! Just put what you feel best portrays your character. If that happens to include that you were a National Honor Society High School Scholar, then put it down!
Whether you’re involved in everything or nothing, there is a way to tailor this section to present yourself in the best way possible!
Cater your resume to the industry in which your applying for:
A resume that is for a business internship can look very different from a resume that is for a research position at a university. Each have different requirements and will need to know different information.
Make sure you tailor your resume depending on what you’re applying for, so that you can provide all the necessary information that is required for each individual job!
Everyone is different, so these are just suggestions to keep in mind when creating a resume that presents your best possible self! Furman has a great Internship office and database, which I just recently found out about, so utilize all of those great resources as well! Happy resume writing!