You’re a student, a recent graduate, or an entry-level job candidate. You’ve got potential, but not much work experience…yet.
How are you supposed to write a professional resume when your career is just getting started?
Every stellar career starts at the bottom of the career ladder, and you’re no exception. Entry-level resumes can be very different from professional resumes, and your resume will evolve a lot over the first few years of your career.
Here are our top tips for creating a strong resume to help you launch your career:
Start with a summary section
Your resume should start with a Summary section that briefly outlines your most relevant skills and identifies the type of role you’re looking for. Think of it as a movie trailer that incluces the most impressive highlights from your resume. If someone doesn’t read anything else in your resume, this is what you want them to know.
For more information on how to write a Summary section that makes you stand out, go here.
Put the most important information first
For many students and grads, your most impressive, most relevant experience comes from coursework and academic experience. So put your Education section after the Summary section.
The Magic Yardstick is a smart tool to determine what information is most important on your resume. Learn more about the Magic Yardstick, here.
Maximize your work history.
Maybe your prior jobs have been a little uninspiring. No worries! A summer job mowing lawns or a stint delivering pizza can still have an important place on your resume. They show that you have a track record of reliable employment, so go ahead and include them on your resume. Write a couple bullet points that focus on carryover skills like customer service, accuracy, and communication.
Here’s our proven formula for writing bullet points that make your resume pop: https://upwordresume.com/bullet-formula/
Think outside the box
Your resume may include information that professional resumes don’t: courses, school projects, sports championships, extracurriculars, volunteer work. Your goal is to make yourself memorable and show that you’re an achiever–even if your achievements so far have been outside the workforce.
At Upword Resume, our friendly, expert writers specialize in resumes for students, grads, and entry-level job seekers. We know how to leverage your experience to position you for a successful job search. We’ll guide you every step of the way and write a resume that makes you think, “Hey, I’d hire myself!“
If you’re a student, new grad, or entry-level job seeker, you may wrestle with WHAT information should be included on your resume. Don’t leave potentially useful information off your resume–and don’t bore a hiring manager with unimpressive details. Our Resume Rockstars will have a phone conversation with you to generate the right details for your resume.
Start your career off strong with a resume that shows your potential. Studies show that a professionally written resume can land you a job FASTER and for MORE MONEY, up to 32% more!
Check out our tailor made grad resume writing services specifically for you.
