Preparing your Resume for your Post-University Job Search
Soon, you’ll be out of uni and heading straight to the job market, and we’re here to guide you on your path! Finding employment is no easy feat, but we can battle it one step at a time. The first step is to prepare your resume.
The reality is that companies can receive hundreds of resumes for one job position. Nowadays, with the advance in technology, more and more companies are using an applicant tracking system to quickly glance at your resume and give you a rating based on that first impression. That’s why it’s incredibly important that your resume stand out from all the rest.
So let’s learn how to create an effective resume that won’t be placed in the discarded pile:
1) Write down your life’s accomplishments
Sit down and think back. What educational and professional experiences have you had? List them all, from student awards & diplomas, to internships, volunteer work, certificates and previous job information. Pick the most appropriate information for the desired job positions. That’s the information that you will add to your resume. Rutgers has a great list of all the other components that you should include as well.
2) Pick a format
There are different types of resume formats you can use, from functional to chronological or a combination of both. Functional resumes will highlight your skills and accomplishments, and it’s the best choice for individuals with little work experience. Chronological will place educational and work experience in a timeline. The best option is usually a combination – highlighting your skills and then placing your educational and work experiences underneath.
3) Think of styling
Some of the most attractive-looking resumes tend to look aesthetically different from all the rest. People will use special fonts, designs, colors and go so far so as to perfume their resumes to make it stand out from all the rest. We’re not all that naturally creative, so if that’s the case for you, look up template designs on Google and see if you can find one that works for you. Take into account that it’s also dependent upon your desired job – a pink resume may not be the best fit for a paralegal position.
4) Proofread!
In my previous two positions, I had to go through resumes to hire people for my team. I can’t tell you how many spelling and grammar mistakes I noticed – both in the emails and the resume. Those resumes were automatically vetoed because we needed detail-oriented employees. Don’t make that same mistake. Sleep on it, and check back on your resume at least a few hours after writing it. Send it to a friend or family member for further editing as well.
Category: Featured, Student News
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