Writing a resume can be daunting, especially when you're working with limited experience. The key thing to remember is that everyone has to start somewhere. Focus on what skills and experience you do have, not what you don't. Here are 9 tips to help you maximize your experience and make a killer resume.

1. Emphasize Education

Since many college students have limited to no work experience, education should be a highlight of your resume. Include institution name, any degrees received, and relevant coursework. If you want a job in healthcare, your A in Intro to Art History isn't exactly relevant. Present yourself in the best light possible, but don't crowd your resume with unnecessary information.

2. Work With Your Work Experience

For any work experience you do have, focus on how it helped to prepare you for the job you are hoping to get now. Outline responsibilities, leadership positions, and necessary skills. The wording is key here: instead of "scooped ice cream and worked at the register," try, "provided prompt and polite customer service, developed money-handling skills and demonstrated the ability to communicate effectively with customers."

3. Awards And Honors

Have you received recognition for academics, service work, or leadership? This is the time to brag. Include any relevant awards received (read: not your 8th grade MVP award for soccer) and be sure to include the organization who presented the award and what year you received it.

4. Extracurricular Activities

Not every hobby or interest has a place on a resume, but select one or two relevant activities to include. Outline what skills you demonstrated or developed, any accomplishments you achieved, and how this experience prepared you for future employment. This is especially useful if you have very limited work experience, as it will give you another way to showcase yourself to potential employers.

5. Whenever Possible, Use Numbers

Average sales made, GPA, years dedicated - these are all examples of achievements you can quantify on your resume. Numbers make your accomplishments more concrete and give employers a clearer picture of your previous experience and performance.

6. Use A Template

Templates are pre-formatted, giving you one less thing to worry about. Having a structure to build off of will save time and make your resume neater and more professional.

7. Proofread

The last thing you want is an otherwise perfect resume to be ruined by a misspelled word or grammar error. Look over your resume carefully and maybe ask a friend to look it over as well.

8. Ask for Help

Probably the most important tip of all: ask an older mentor, professor, relative, or colleague for help. They have experience in resume-building and know what employers are looking for. They can help you perfect your resume and tell you what works and what doesn't.

9. Skills

If there are any other skills you have that you feel would be valuable in the application process, you can include them at the end of your resume. These would include things like IT proficiency, word-processing and computer skills, and language proficiency.