The spring is a crucial time for students who are busy applying for summer internships or a variety of other job experiences, and in order to land these challenging, job-specific opportunities, students need a strong, organized resume to showcase their work and participation in various aspects of an area of study. In that case, I have included a few knowledgable tips that I learned while building a resume.
1. The layout of your resume should be in reverse-chronological order.
When employers review your resume, they ought to be able to easily view your most recent experiences, whether an internship, job employment, or volunteer work. With that being said, organizing your most current experiences at the top portion of your resume will allow you to stand out and to straightforwardly educate employers. The same goes for your education; placing your highest degree above all others will advise employers on your overall experience in a particular area of study.
2. Make sure to include URLs to your social media platforms, personal and/or professional blogs, and any other websites for which you manage.
Once again, resumes are made to assist hiring professionals in deciding who stands out the most in a particular job area, so presenting easy, accessible URLs to your professional handles, such as LinkedIn or Twitter, or even Youtube, Instagram, or Pinterest if your area of study is creatively-driven, will undoubtedly allow employers to view a new side to your participation and hard work toward a specific job discipline. Videos, Pinterest boards, and freelance writing samples are all exceptional ways to help your employer see deep into your creative, professional side.
3. Choose a professional resume template that best reflects you.
Professional resume templates can be found all over the internet (here is my favorite: https://www.resume.com/builder) and are excellent for students who are just beginning to strongly build up their resumes for possible career fairs, internships, or even study abroad opportunities. The best idea is to choose a template that fits you and your style. You can then begin adding all of your information and make adjustments if needed. For example, if you're a student, the education section of your resume is most likely your strongest portion, so perhaps your best option would be to organize your resume where your educational section sits at the top. This way, employers are able to capture your highest achievements as soon as they begin skimming your resume.
4. Cater your resume to specific job fields.
This will help you stand out to employers if you happen to be applying to a variety of specific job fields, such as Public Relations, Advertising, etc. Ways to cater your resume include displaying relevant, distinct skills that you've become experienced in, highlighting keywords that strongly narrate your participation, and, lastly, summarize how you've come to perfect your highlighted skills. While this tip may seem tedious, it will unquestionably lead you to success in finding job opportunities that relate to your desired job field.
I hope these small, yet essential tips will help all who are struggling in finding a rhythm within their resume building, and I grant you all the best of luck during this season of job hunting.
