Creating and building a resume can be very daunting for people who never had any type of job before. Though most entry-level and part-time jobs do hire people who don’t have much experience in the workforce, you still have to meet the requirements and have some things that stand out in your resume. Here’s how you can create and build-up your resume if you’ve never worked before!
Source: Giphy
Things to Consider:
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Always have somebody who is VERY experienced in the workforce (a friend, family members– you name it!) to double check your resume! It’s never wrong to Google search on building a resume, however, many sites do tell you differently about what is needed or not needed. (i.e. your objective for this potential job, skills, interest and so forth.) Be careful, don’t necessarily trust Google for everything because sometimes the pieces of advice are not regularly updated. It really varies within what jobs would want to see from you. When having someone to check your resume, he or she can give you suggestions on what to put or what to not put.
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Don’t put your objective at the beginning of the resume. Every employer knows you’re either looking for a part-time or full-time job. Allison Green, a contributing writer for U.S. Money News, said, “Not only do they feel outdated at this point, but they’re all about what you want, rather than what this stage of the hiring process is all about—what the employer wants.”
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Look the best, be the best. This is a no-brainer, but it is your resume! You want to list the best achievements, interests and skill summaries that you have. Whether if you’ve just graduated from high school or college, list all the professional skills, qualities or achievements that the employer would like to see. Professional skills or qualities such as fluency in languages, proficient with budgeting/monetary assets, experienced in WordPress and Microsoft Word. Some excellent achievements would be academic excellence, clubs/sports/organizations you’ve been involved in or volunteering opportunities are amazing as well. These are what 99 percent of what jobs would want to see.
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Be as straightforward as possible. In your resume, it’s crucial to be specific but short about what you’ve done. Don’t write a paragraph or write a two-word statement of what you have done or obtained! You want employers to know the basics about you so they can interview you later on.
Resume sample and tips:
Source: Giphy
Here’s a sample of a simple resume.
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A resume should be in professional colors such as black, blue, brown, light green, or grey. Nothing tacky like pinks or neon colors.
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Fonts should be easily readable (obviously). Professional fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial (my personal favorite), Calibri or even Cambria.
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Even if you don’t have much experience, make sure the little occupations you did during an ‘internship’ or volunteering opportunities are professional. Many people will think you’ve lied on your resume. There is a huge difference between lying on your resume and listing what you’ve done for employers. Even if you think you didn’t do much, you now have performed hands-on responsibilities during these occupations. An example would be with an athletic trainer’s assistant’s occupations: Instead of, “helping athletes’ injuries” or “cleaning athletic trainer’s room”, you should put, “assisted in treating and rehabilitating athletes’ injuries,” and “daily maintenance of trainer’s room.”
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ALWAYS PROVIDE two references! Employers would sometimes contact someone you know about you because they want to know what have you done in your previous occupation. This should not be your family member, this should be either a teacher, previous employer or supervisor.
After you’ve gone through all that process, now you’re ready to apply for a job and that’s another challenge! Don’t stress too much, after all the resume building makes job hunting worth it! Remain professional and always keep your head up even if an employer doesn’t hire you. Good luck!