How to Build a Resume (Resume Writing Guide 101)
Quick resume guide with resume templates, resume examples, and expert tips on how to write a resume fast.
You’re ready to take your place in the W-2 world, but they don’t know it yet. Prove you can slug it out with experienced candidates with this hirable college student resume sample.
Most college resumes have a major problem.
They lack experience.
To get hired, you must show you’ve got the skills, even if you haven’t used them.
How?
It’s not doctoral-level. You can do it. The key is knowing how to show your education on a resume.
This guide will show you:
The top line advice:
How to write a resume as a college student:
You won’t have much experience in a college resume, but don’t sweat it. First, expand your resume education section into projects that demonstrate key job skills. Then show only relevant job experience accomplishments to convince the hiring team you can do the job.
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Feel free to copy-paste this good resume example for college students:
Sheila Miller
Marketing Specialist
Personal Info
Phone: 609-374-6598
Email: sheilazmiller@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/sheilazmiller
twitter.com/sheilazmiller
Career Objective
Talented marketing specialist with a passion for SEO and SEM. Seeking to use strong interpersonal and creative skills to improve ROI at MDC Jones. As a student leader of AMA's UMaine chapter, raised membership by 30%. SEO web publishing project got 20K views/mo.
Education
B.S. Business Administration, University of Maine
2015–2019
Full Semester SEO Project
Monthly Science Fiction Podcast
Marketing Experience
Various
2011–2016
Marketing Certifications
Conferences
2017 & 2018 MozCon
Publications
2018 Article on SEM linked to by Fast Company.
2017 Spoke about SEM on The Marketing Student Podcast
Additional Activities
Hard Skills: SEO, SEM, email marketing, WordPress, sales funnel management
Soft Skills: Interpersonal skills, creativity, communication, writing, analytical thinking
Are you in the first place? If you need a college application resume or a college internship resume, see these guides:
Writing a first job resume with no experience? See our guide: How to Write an Entry-Level Resume with No Experience [10+ Tips]
Want to write a job-specific college resume? See our resume examples for every profession.
Now here’s how to write a college student resume they’ll love:
College students are post-high-school students admitted to a college or a university. They enter the working world with the education needed to do a variety of jobs, but no experience. That’s why a college resume must focus on relevant achievements that show key skill abilities.
But formatting is the key.
Why?
Because a poorly-formatted college student resume confuses the reader.
If they’re confused, they won’t see why you’re such a perfect fit.
Use these resume tips to get your points across:
Expert Hint: Save your college student resume in PDF formunless the employer specifically says otherwise. PDFs stay formatted across all devices and platforms.
Horror story:
They won’t actually read your college resume.
They’ll skim it in six seconds.
If you don’t grab them in that time, they’ll move on to the next eager applicant.
So—
A resume objective for college students has a Herculean job to do.
Use:
These college resume examples show how:
Crikey.
The first of those college resume examples will get dozens of interview requests. The second works if you know the boss’s mother.
The key?
Wrack your brain to find your biggest accomplishment the hiring manager will like.
And remember—
Write your resume objective last. Writing it first is like sitting for the final exam before you’ve taken the class.
Expert Hint: Got a few years of professional experience? Write a college student resume summary instead. It’s an alternative resume introductory statement for more experienced candidates.
It’s frustrating.
You don’t have experience.
But they won’t hire you without it.
Get ready for a sigh of relief.
You’ve got enough experience to get the job.
The crux here is to put your resume education section first, then show it like a series of jobs or “projects.”
Just pick the ones that show the skills the job ad wants.
These college resume examples show how:
Job posting wants skills in 1) leadership, 2) marketing, 3) SEO, 4) podcasting, 5) social media, 6) email marketing.
Education
B.S. Business Administration, University of Maine
2015–2019
Full Semester SEO Project
Monthly Science Fiction Podcast
See that?
You can prove yourself without the dreaded “5 years of experience.”
You could just as easily have had a section called “Student Leader, American Marketing Association” or “Captain, Varsity Swim Team.”
It all comes down to what you think are your most eye-catching accomplishments. And what skills the job posting values most.
Expert Hint: Don’t clutter up your college resume with terms the hiring team won’t recognize. “Produced Weekly Podcast” works better than “Jilliboam Tribbins Podcast.”
You don’t have experience yet.
They know it. You know it.
But—
Don’t list summer jobs on your college student resume with no work experience.
Instead, show achievements from those jobs that put key skills in your trophy case.
How to write a college student work history for a resume
These college resume examples show how:
Job ad wants these college student skills: (1) SEO (2) email marketing (3) collaboration.
Marketing Experience
Various
2011–2016
Joseph’s Sporting Goods
Retail Clerk
2018–2019
Pizza Hut
Waiter
2017–2018
Stunning.
The first of those college resume examples bonds you to the job. All the second does is show you’ve worked for money.
Be careful.
Don’t just kitchen-sink a bunch of college student resume skills.
Anyone can do that.
So again, look to the job posting. Then prove your skills with achievements from school and part-time work.
For inspiration, see these resume skills employers crave:
Expert Hint: Networking is so, so, so important. It’s cliche, but it’s so true and can’t be overstated. Learn to network like your life depends on it. Your college resume will thank you!
Just a second.
Your undergraduate resume can’t peter out after experience and education.
If it does, you’ll look as generic as a freshman on orientation day.
You’ve got to add more skills proof. And it helps to show you’re well-rounded.
So—
Add a few extra-curricular bonus resume sections:
These two college resume examples clear the cobwebs:
Marketing Certifications
AMA PCM (Professional Certified Marketer)
Google Analytics Certification
Conferences
2017 & 2018 MozCon
Publications
2018 Article on SEM linked to by Fast Company.
2017 Spoke about SEM on The Marketing Student Podcast
Additional Activities
Additional
Clap your eyes on that.
The first of those college resume samples shows you live and breathe your trade.
The second shows you can fog up a mirror.
Finally, have a LinkedIn profile or other online portfolio. Need some help? See our guide: Use LinkedIn Like a Pro: Hot Tips for Students and Recent Grads
Expert Hint: Write a college student cover letter. Half the hiring teams will ditch your college student resume unless you write one (even though that isn’t fair!)
For a college resume that gets jobs:
Got questions on how to write a great resume for college students? Not getting any love with your college student resume with no work experience? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!
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