As a freshman, I had no clue how to write a resume. In high school, I never needed one, since my part-time job at Justice barely even required an interview. As a college student, however, I knew I needed a resume that looked professional, clean and would stand out against other applicant’s resumes. I consluted employees at my dad’s office, the CCO and upperclassmen friends about creating my first resume from scratch, and since then, I’m pretty proud of the resume I’ve created, from the format to the word choice.
While there is no roadmap for the absolute perfect resume, and they differ based on industry and desired job, there are a few elements that all resumes should have, and some extras that can help one stand out!
Include the basics.
Your resume should include:
- Your graduation date
- Your college and major (and GPA, if it is above 3.0)
- Your address, phone number and email
- Your work experience
What it should NOT include:
- Your high school GPA and activities (nobody cares and it takes up space)
- Job titles like baby sitter, job walker, etc.
While those jobs are certainly legitimate and admirable experiences, it’s important to add a little pizzazz! Watching children does not translate to a business internship or research position, but being reliable, managing lots of things at once, communicating with a supervisor (in this case, the parents)? You bet! Make the experience relevant to what you’re looking for by seeing what skills are universal and transferable. If you’re struggling with making your high school jobs sound more career appropriate, visit the CCO! They can help with ANY resume related questions.
Make it unique.
No, your resume should not be on lemon scented pink paper, but you can make it at least a little unique! I work in the CCO as an intern, and I’ve seen a lot of resumes. They don’t have to be black and white, times new roman, totally drab. Instead, consider playing with the font (but still keep it professional! Calibri is my go-to) and consider putting your headings and name in color.
Remember, the most important thing to do before handing a resume into an employer is having someone look it over first! They’ll catch any typos you may have missed, see things that can be made more concise, and help it become more polished overall.