If you are a college student, applying for jobs and internship can be very a tough job for you. Students often ask others what should be and what shouldn’t be included in their resume especially when they are lacking substantial work experience. Here we are listing down some dos and don’ts to make your resume attractive and powerful.
1. Before even starting your resume, visit your school’s career centre. Most career centers have trained professionals who know what employers look for in a resume and they can help you in making your resume presentable.
2. Work on writing an attention-grabbing objective. Mention your accomplishments and how they connect to the job requirements of the employer. Remember to tailor your objective and resume fitting the job description of the specific organization.
3. Mention your accomplishments and skills without any hesitation. You must have participated in activities or won prizes and awards-tell the employer about them. Add those skills that you think can set you apart from other applicants.
4. Use relevant keywords like specific technical skills like ACCA or Six Sigma or specific job titles like customer service advisor or networking manager etc.
5. Make sure your tone is positive and confident.
6. Include any coursework that may relate to the professional field you are interested in.
7. If possible, keep your resume to one page only. It is ok to go over one page if all the information mentioned is relevant and connects to the potential employer.
8. Make your resume easy to read. It should be properly formatted with margins and a professional looking font like Times New Roman or New Century Schoolbook.
9. Get your resume proofread by someone. It should not have any spelling mistakes or typos.
10. Prioritize the content of your resume and mention the most relevant information first.
Resume Writing Don’ts
1. Avoid using pronouns like ‘I’ or any other.
2. Don’t be dishonest while mentioning the information. Make sure that your information about the GPA or rank is exactly the same which is listed on your transcript.
3. Don’t include references. Instead write ‘References available upon request’. Employers will ask you if they want references.
4. Don’t use too much bold typeface or unnecessary underlining. It becomes annoying and distracts the readers.
5. Avoid adding personal information like your marital status, children or physical characteristics.
