Creating a resume may feel like trying to sum up your life on a piece of paper (or a digital document). Between trying to ensure your layout is right, choosing the accolades you want to include, and even selecting the right font, it’s best to avoid putting unnecessary stress on yourself when it comes to creating your resume. But look at it from this perspective: your resume is your first impression, a way to really review the accomplishments you have made, and a way to really show out and make a recruiter say, “I need to hire this person.”
Whether you’re applying for an internship directly connected to your major, your first “big girl job”, or even your work study on campus, here’s the ultimate guide for making the perfect resume.
Keep the Layout Clean and Professional
Your resume doesn’t need a whole bunch of designs. Employers love a clean, easy-to-read layout. Stick to the classics when it comes to fonts like Calibri, Arial, or, of course, Times New Roman, and keep the font size between 10-12 points
Pro advice: Before sending it out, you can send it as a PDF, so your layout always looks clean and professional. Also, for my VSU girls, definitely take advantage of the resume templates provided by Career Service on our very own VSU website under the “Student Life” tab
Making a Strong Header
Always make your header straightforward and clear
- Full name
- Phone number
- Professional email (I recommend your student email if you can)
- LinkedIn/Handshake profile, if you have one
If you’re a creative like me and are interested in creative roles, attaching your portfolio or even your business website, if you have one, can set clear intentions on your resume.
A Short Summary That Shows Who You Are
A summary of your resume is like your business elevator pitch. What you have to offer is summed up in two or three sentences.
Example:
Virginia State University student majoring in Mass Communication with leadership and teamwork experience through campus organizations. Passionate about media and having the voices that are not usually heard be broadcast through service and journalism
This quickly tells recruiters about your motives and passions.
List Your Skills and Involvement
You might not have years of experience in your career field (yet!), but showing off skills, student organizations, volunteering, projects, etc., shows that you’re already on the path.
Make a “Skills and Involvement” section to showcase things like:
- Data analysis
- Adobe Photoshop
- Social Media Management
- Clubs or organizations ( Like Mass Communication Club, National Honor Society, any student research org)
You can also put skills like leadership, communication, and adaptability that you’ve developed through these clubs/orgs
Education
The education section should look similar to this
- Virginia State University
- Degree of study (For Example: Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications)
- Expected Graduation Date (For Example: 2028)
- GPA (if strong, like a 3.0 or higher)
- Honors, Scholarships and projects/coursework related to degree of study
List Experiences that Show Growth (Optional but Strong)
Think about your effect as you mention your experiences, whether they are volunteer work, internships, or jobs. Add action verbs such as led, managed, organized, or developed, and, where achievable, present outcomes.
For instance:
- In one semester, I oversaw the HerCampus social media account and saw a 40% boost in engagement.
- Helped plan the Mass Comm alumni panel, which drew more than 200 students.
Also, don’t underestimate leadership positions or employment on campus; tutoring, working at the bookstore, or even participating in the Student Government Association all show accountability and cooperation.
Double Checking before Pressing “Send”
A lot of people (including myself) will sometimes make the mistake of not proofreading their resume before sending it, thinking there are no errors, but one final check can make a drastic difference because one typo or grammatical error that ruin the whole application. Sometimes you may need a friend or even a person from the Career Services office to look it over.
On The Way to Making a Bomb Resume
Your resume is literally your story, potential, and growth all in one. It’s a first impression and a big step to the “big girl’ job of your dreams. So open up that laptop, get yourself a matcha, and get the recruiters to say, “I have to get this girl.”