People & Lifestyle
6 Tips for Students to Write a Killer Resume
Writing your resume can seem like an easy job, but a majority of experts will tell you that it is not. Crafting a resume can turn into a nightmare quickly especially if you are not used to writing it or if you just finished school. One thing that always scares students is the phrase: “2 – 5 years’ experience needed.”
When graduates see this, a majority of them panic and therefore, either pass on an opportunity to apply for their dream job or simply ignore any adverts that come their way. Experience does come after you have acquired a job, but often organizations look for people who are experienced in some sectors. This, however, has never and should never be the reason why you should fail to write and submit your resume for consideration. And don’t forget to check your grammar using searchenginereports.
- Start with a summary of yourself – here, avoid including your career goals or where you see yourself in a few year given the job. This is because you should make or focus more on what you can do and not on what your potential employer can do for you. Therefore, provide a summary of who you are professionally and what you can or are bringing on the table. This not only endears you to your potential employer but also makes them want to read your resume.
- Pay attention to the technical details of your paper – instructors always talk about how grammatical errors, punctuation errors or spelling mistakes can make you lose marks. Well, if you did not listen to them carefully, you need to start taking care of how you write and develop your work. While writing your resume, you need to leave any mistakes behind and ensure you proofread it after you are through. Mistakes will say a lot about you, and it is a turn-off for many employers.
- Ensure you include any activity or achievement which will help to sell you better – any achievement or activity which can help you sell yourself better need also to be included. Make a list of your achievements and then select which you wish to include in your resume. These help to tell a story of who you are and what your interests are. Your potential employer needs to know who you are, therefore, include your achievements.
- Provide details of your education as well as any skills you might have picked up while in school – since you have no previous job experience, it is, therefore, essential that you provide as much details as possible about your education as well as the skills you developed. By providing your employer with this, you are simply letting him know that you have certain skills or are well-equipped to handle something that the job requires. You are also making your case on whether you will be a useful addition or not. Therefore, include everything you can do and sell yourself well.
- Include any internships you might have had – since you have previous work experience, internships are your second best alternative. Internships give you first-hand experience on what is required in a position you may wish to apply for. Additionally, they can also help you create a network of friends who you can consult or enquire about any job opportunities. Therefore, include any internships you may have completed and if you have never had one, consider looking for one. It will be an asset later.
- Voluntary work or other extracurricular activities will also endear you to the recruiters – findings from various surveys reveal that a majority of employers hire people who have done some voluntary work. Therefore, do as much voluntary work as possible and if you are given a certificate or a recommendation letter, do not forget to attach it to your resume. Employers want to know you and doing voluntary work says something about yourself. Additionally, include any extracurricular activities you have ever been involved in. But ensure what you include is relevant to the position you are seeking.
