Recent college graduates usually don’t have long years of their working experience to include in resumes, but they can still write a good one and get their desired jobs. How to create the best recent graduate resume? Prove you have the skills necessary to succeed in your chosen career by highlighting:
- Volunteer work;
- Unpaid internships;
- Positions in high school organizations.
To start writing a catchy and strong resume, grads should check a list of useful ideas and tips to help them succeed with ease.
What are the Basics of Writing Your Resume?
There are certain sections you need to include in your recent graduate resume:
- Contact data;
- Professional summary;
- Professional title;
- Education;
- Working or relevant experience;
- Volunteer experience;
- Skills or expertise;
- Personal projects.
Contact Information
Make sure your recent grad resume contains professional email, phone number, and profile in specialized social networks. Include your city or country. When you apply for open vacancies in other countries or cities, specify whether you’re willing to relocate or not.
Professional Summary and Title
A professional summary should combine major achievements with relevant skills and match them with the profile potential employers search for. Look at a job ad description. A professional title for your resume is a crucial part to match the title or position it advertises.
Education and Your Experience
Include your thesis or the main courses you took if they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for. Don’t forget your grades or GPA if they’re above average. If you had any working or related experience in your study years, it can help you stand out and differentiate your application.
What are Other Resume Sections?
Feel free to include some other sections in your recent grad resume if appropriate, such as:
- Courses and conferences;
- Publications;
- Awards;
- Certificates;
- Student organizations;
- Relevant activities.
Use all the experience and knowledge you have to create an excellent resume to impress your potential employers and hiring managers.
How to Write Your College Graduate Resume?
Use these top tips if you want to have the best college grad resume:
- Emphasize your education;
- Highlight your relevant experience;
- Use keywords;
- Use helpful resume examples;
- Edit.
Emphasize Your Education
As a recent grad, keep in mind that your college education is one of the strongest assets that you have. Write a separate section to emphasize it. Include information about your college, graduation date, and strong GPA. If you have any study abroad experiences, don’t hesitate to use them because many employers think that well-traveled students are good candidates.
Highlight Your Related Experience
If you have any working or related experience, you should include it in your resume to make it stand out. It may include unpaid internships, volunteer work, and others. Even if these positions are unpaid such as graphic designer for your high school newspaper, they can showcase a set of important qualities to make you a great team member or a perfect candidate for the chosen job opening, for example, a teacher.
Use Keywords
To make your resume catchy and original, use keywords from a job listing and include them in its summary. Put them in your work experience descriptions or section headings. For instance, if a job ad description states that the company is looking for tech-savvy candidates, write a special section to highlight your technological skills. Use terms that can link your resume to it.
Use Helpful Resume Examples
When writing your resume, it can be difficult for you to understand where to start. Helpful examples can give you clear ideas on how to structure it and what language to use to impress recruiters. Check out the following resume sample:
Career objective.
Seeking a challenging career in the progressive company with opportunities to capitalize my technical abilities and skills in the IT field.
Technical skills.
- Network and hardware troubleshooting;
- Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint);
- Programming (Visual Basic, Java, C++);
- Adobe Creative Suite (Dreamweaver; Photoshop, After Effects).
Personal skills.
- Highly efficient and organized;
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
- Proven ability to motivate and leadership skills;
- Ability to work both as a part of a team and independently.
Education.
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering, and IT (2011-2016)
- Washington Technological College
Responsibilities and achievements
- Layout artist in a student magazine;
- Vice governor of the college of engineering and IT;
- President of the association of computer students.
Pre-professional experience
- Tech support intern in the IT Department
- Xerox Business Services (July 2015 – March 2016)
- Handled troubleshooting and maintenance, provided support, and monitored the deployment of IT equipment.
Graduate Resume Sample
Nicholas Student
123 Main Street * Anytown, New York 10001
(123) 456-7890 * [email protected]
QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARYSelf-motivated and highly reliable university student positioned to contribute strongly to customer service operations demanding tact, enthusiasm, and an exemplary work ethic.
- Customer Service: Able to utilize strong math skills, team orientation, and interpersonal strengths to ensure provision of high-quality customer service within fast-paced retail environments.
- Communication & Presentation: Charismatic communicator in speech and in writing. Build lasting relationships with both peers and customers, displaying humor, helpfulness, cheerfulness, and cultural sensitivity.
- Organization / Computers: Outstanding time-management and organizational abilities, willingly working unpredictable hours / overtime to ensure organizational efficiency and profitability. Technical proficiencies include Microsoft Office Suite and social media.
- Key Strengths: Intelligent and loyal team member, readily listening to others, acknowledging peer accomplishment, and contributing to positive and productive work environments and team morale. Swiftly learn and apply new work methods, procedures, and policies.
EDUCATION
Type of Degree and Major (anticipated 20XX); 3.87 GPA NAME OF UNIVERSITY, City, State Dean’s List; Rush Chairman, Alpha Beta Kappa; Phi Eta Sigma Honors Society; Joe H. Green Scholarship
EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
NAME OF UNIVERSITY, City, State Student ~ [insert Major], August 20XX-Present
Currently pursuing comprehensive four-year course of study in [insert major], laying solid groundwork for eventual career in [insert career field]. Completed coursework includes … [insert names of courses applicable to your job target. Examples: “English Composition and Rhetoric,” “Speech,” “Business Administration”]. Enthusiastically lead group projects and mentor peers in subjects including writing and mathematics.
- Insert an academic accomplishment. Example: “Earned Dean’s List recognition for every term of attendance.”
- Insert a volunteer accomplishment. Example: “Volunteered as guide and mentor to high school students participating in college orientation sessions.”
- Insert a leadership or personal accomplishment. “Selected as dormitory RA tasked with ensuring the welfare of 50 student residents.”
THE GAP, City, State Sales Assistant, Summers 20XX and 20XX
Demonstrated engaging customer service skills and a solid work ethic as Sales Assistant for busy retail store. Greeted customers and helped in product selection and check out; merchandised displays, restocked shelves, and tidied store.
- Insert an accomplishment, using skills keywords. Example: “Willingly stepped up to work overtime to ensure adequate staffing during sales events.”
- Insert an accomplishment. Example: “Earned ‘Employee of the Month’ awards during both summers of position tenure.”
How to Edit a Final Copy?
Carefully proofread your college grad resume for all kinds of grammar and spelling mistakes before sending it to potential employers. Ensure that its format is consistent. Use the same font size throughout your resume. Ask your family, college counselor, or friends to edit it because they can catch the mistakes you didn’t notice. Use these simple tips:
- Keep your resume simple and short (it should be no longer than 1 page);
- Avoid useless information because it shouldn’t include the things hiring managers don’t care about (pay attention to those areas where you have an edge over others);
- Focus on relevant experiences and skills;
- Format your resume for easy reading (put the newest or most important information at the top).
Where to Get Professional Help?
If you find writing a college graduate resume a challenging or confusing task for you, turn to reputable and skillful online professionals. They offer expert assistance to everyone with the same problem. Their top-quality and fast services can help you save time, relieve stress, and increase your chances to secure a future job interview. Contact qualified online writers and ease your mind.