A resume is something ALL college students should have, regardless of their class year. Even though you may not be applying to jobs now, crafting a resume is beneficial because it allows you to keep track of what you accomplished. That way when you are ready to apply for a job, your resume is ready.
But having a resume and making it look good and attractive to employers are two completely different things. You want your resume to show how amazing and reliable you are as a student and soon-to-be employee, which can be challenging to achieve.
If you want to create a resume that is sure to intrigue employers, here are 11 simple ways to boost your resume in college.
Keep it Simple-Looking and Concise
You want your resume to be simple-looking and easy on the eyes. Employers usually just scan resumes and if yours simply doesn’t look easy to read, then they won’t bother reading it. It doesn’t matter if you have the most impressive information in there– if it doesn’t look clear and neat, it won’t be read and you won’t be hired.
When it comes to your content, you should also try to keep your resume concise. Keep your resume to one page and don’t jam-pack it with words. Keep your job title descriptions to two or three bullet points and don’t be super wordy.
For my fellow fans of The Office, remember when Darryl handed Jo, the CEO, a three-page resume and she was SO NOT impressed? Yeah, haha. Don’t be like Darryl.
Make it Look Unique
Play with style and design to make your resume appear attractive. If you have a design element that sets you apart from others, you’ll grab the eye of the employer and they are more likely to read your resume. Again, if your resume doesn’t simply look attractive, it won’t be read.
Look at different but easy-to-read fonts, play with bolding and italicizing, and maybe even change some aspects to dark gray instead of black ink.
A unique factor I love is putting little icons next to my contact information because that’s something you won’t find too often.
Use Strong Action Words
When writing your job descriptions, use strong action words that pull the reader in and reflect how freaking impressive you are. Avoid using words like “led,” “ handled,” and “responsible for…” Instead, use action words! For a list of resume friendly action words, click here.
Add Your LinkedIn
Wherever you have your contact information, also add the link to your LinkedIn profile!
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to fit EVERYTHING you’ve ever done on one page (unless you want to be like Darryl, which you shouldn’t be). But luckily, you CAN fit everything you’ve done on your LinkedIn!
If an employer likes your resume but wants to see more, they can easily access your LinkedIn profile and see how impressive you are.
Join clubs & Stay Active in Them
A super easy hack to boost any resume is to join clubs while in college. Clubs will help boost any resume because it shows you’re an involved student outside of the classroom, who can balance many concurrent tasks. Time management is key in any job, and balancing clubs and classes shows how you reflect that quality.
Once you join clubs, you should also stay active in them. Doing so increases your chances of rising into a leadership position, which is even more impressive!
Take An Extra Class
If you have the room in your schedule, take an extra class! It doesn’t have to be a class your college offers but should be a class that improves your resume somehow. Take it during the summer or winter break, or at night when you have extra time! List this class on your resume to show that you’re skilled in various topics, other than your major.
Learn a New Skill
In addition to an academic class, you may also want to take a class that will help you learn a new skill. For example, take a class on Excel, social media marketing, or Photoshop! Knowledge and expertise in those skills will come in handy for most, if not all, jobs!
Volunteer Somewhere
Your college most likely has a plethora of volunteer opportunities to choose from. I believe that you should want to volunteer for the sole purpose of helping others, but there’s no denying that it volunteer work looks good on a resume. Helping others shows that you’re a genuine, selfless, and well-rounded person!
Seek Out Leadership Opportunities
Your college also has a handful of leadership opportunities that you should be taking advantage of! Whether it’s holding a position in a club, being a tour guide, peer tutor, or ambassador, there are plenty of leadership opportunities. You may have to look hard, but they’re there!
Apply For On-Campus Jobs
It may not seem like it, but your college most likely has hundreds of jobs for students to apply to. Whether it’s working in an office for a professor or dean, swiping ID cards at the gym, or being a writing consultant, there are many jobs available for students!
I highly encourage you to apply for a job on campus. Unfortunately, you can’t put “applied for…” on your resume (because doing so would weaken it) but if you apply, you could potentially get the job and that will strengthen your resume! There’s no harm in trying!
Adopt a Side Hustle
If you apply for a job and don’t get it, you can always create your own job! Considering adopting a side hustle, an extra job that you do in addition to your classes, work, and extracurriculars. Think about starting your own company or even create your own blog! The possibilities are endless.
All college students should have a resume, but it can be hard to make it look good and attractive. If you’re looking to improve your resume, follow this guide to boost your resume in college! I hope these tips help you boost and perfect your resume!
This article was originally published on the author’s blog, Christineeve.com