In college, worrying about classes, studying for finals, and hanging out with friends seem like the most important things in life. It all feels surreal right now, but once senior year happens, things become so real so quick with everyone scrambling to find a job. Instead of frantically scrambling to put together a resume during job-hunting, you should get a head-start now before entering the chaos that is senior year. Composing a resume may seem difficult, especially when deciding what to include; but here are 7Â tips to help you with deciding what to include in your resume, while you still have time to think.
1. Internships:
In a competitive job market, internships are a must-have because it says that you have some experience in the professional world. Internships provide you experience, credentials, connections, a stronger resumes, and references. 9 out of 10 entry level jobs often go to job candidates with internship experience. They don’t have to be paid because it’s the experience that counts. InternMatch.com, your college’s career services or internship program, and InternQueen.com are some resources to help you with finding one best suited for you.
2. Work Experiences Like Part-Time And Seasonal Jobs:
Any work experience, even if unrelated to your field of study or future pursuits, shall be noted on the resume. Work experience prepares you for the real world, and proves that you were actually paid for your skill set. Any job can be valuable, from being a teaching or research assistant during the semester to working at a coffeehouse. Work experience is work experience no matter what form it comes in.
3. Extracurricular Activities:
You can make a difference, have fun, and add to your resume at the same time through participation in extracurricular activities like clubs, sports, and organizations. Extracurricular activities are all fair games and will help provide a picture of your abilities, character, and potential for employers. By senior year, it is good to have a number of activities besides internships in order to demonstrate how responsible and capable you are to complete tasks.
4. Leadership Roles:
Elected Student Body President, Committee Member, Treasurer, Secretary, and Vice President are some examples of leadership roles. It does not matter what leadership position you held; if you have one, add it! Leadership positions show how you can work with others and help lead your peers to accomplish a larger goal.
5. Academic And Work Accomplishments:
The accomplishments you have achieved through work or college show your character, skills, and abilities. In your resume, you should include if you graduated with honors, completed an undergraduate thesis, your GPA, scholarships/grant that you have attained, and awards related to your job or college career.
6. Build A Professional Online Presence:
It is important to establish an online presence through the professional networking sites like Linked In to more creative sites like Word Press. Employers are more inclined nowadays to check out your online presence when hiring. When you have a strong profile online, it showcases your work and skill and can be a great way to stand out with employers. LinkedIn profiles are free to create. You can customize their URL from your Linked In profile to your resume. It can go right along next to your contact information at the top of the resume.
7. Take Advantage Of Your College’s Career Center:
The career center on your college campus is an office dedicated to helping you with any variety of services when applying for jobs like writing a resume, career planning, skills assessment, and networking sites. So take advantage of the services your campus and community have to offer! Being able to ask for help, and knowing that it’s okay to accept assistance is a huge step in the direction toward adulthood. You don’t have to face the scary world of employment alone, so go talk to someone and grab some free, worthwhile advice.
It is never too early to start to work on your future. These 7 tips will help build your resume and showcase your skills and experience so that you can rock the real world like you’ve done it all before. This is a great time to gain new experiences to add to your resume before senior year, and before the anxiety of change overcomes you. Growing up can be terrifying, but even if you do not know what you plan to do post-college, do not be afraid to explore new opportunities. You’re a rockstar, let it show on paper.
Featured image via cottonbro on Pexels
