With the spring semester for colleges well underway, and graduations just around the corner, I figured it was a good time to share some tips for writing your resume. Being as I am just a few years out of college, I feel like a lot of this is still fresh in my mind!
Before I begin, I wanted to share a bit of my back story! I attended Rowan University and graduated in the Class of 2016 as a Radio/Television/Film graduate. College was truly some of the best years of my life and it without a doubt prepared me to land a job right out of college. However, not everyone can be so lucky, but with hard work and being able to present yourself and your accomplishments the right way, there is no doubt you can land your dream job!
Now, before you go in for an interview and show the hiring manager the total boss that you are, you have to land the interview, and to land the interview you have to have a killer resume. That’s why I want to share a few tips for writing your resume!
1. Make your resume eye-catching
Before you go and start typing your resume in Comic Sans, this is NOT what a mean. What I’m saying is, depending on the field you’re looking to get a job in, you want to add something eye-catching to your resume. For example, I was seeking a job in a creative field, therefore, I didn’t want to keep my resume looking hum drum. So I had my name written at the top in a large, pink font. That way, when the pile of resumes was being looked through mine stood out from the rest of the plain Times New Roman font resumes. So, what I’m saying is, drop something on there that makes your resume stand out. Whether that be your name in a different color or font, drop a color block as the background for your list of awards or accomplishments in college. There is a way to make it work without being unprofessional or tacky, stand out thoughtfully.
2. Don’t just list your job descriptions, list your accomplishments
One mistake that many people, including myself for the longest time, make is that when they list their previous jobs, they just list what they were responsible for as their job description, they don’t talk about the times that they went above and beyond. While you absolutely should talk about what you were responsible for, you shouldn’t be afraid to add your accomplishments in there.
3. Don’t overload your resume
When it comes down to it, no one wants to read a five page resume. If you’re applying for a job in the medical field, it is not necessary to add on there your job at Walmart when you were 16-years-old, because when it comes down to it… how well you can work a cash register will not determine how well you can diagnose a patient’s illness. So keep it simple and only add jobs that are relevant to the one you are applying for. Ultimately, your resume should not be much more than a page long.
4. Make sure your contact info is clearly visible
What good is a resume if the person who is hiring can’t contact you? While it is not necessary to add your address on there, you should have your phone number and a professional email on there. If you don’t have a professional email made, you should make one. You have much more of a chance to receive an email from a potential job offer on FirstLastName@gmail.com than DanceLover123@gmail.com. You should also place your contact information somewhere prominent on the paper, like the upper right hand corner, where it is hard to miss.
5. Have a professional look it over
And no, I don’t mean a professional resume writer, I mean a professional in the field. What better way to know your resume is looking spiffy than having someone with experience look it over? I should make it clear that when I say a professional in the field, I don’t exactly mean the CEO of your dream company, I mean anyone from someone you know who works in the field or even your professors. Believe it or not, your professors are in fact considered professionals in the field. How do you think they got to know everything that they taught you? It is always better to get a second set of eyes on anything that you may write, and to hear some feedback! Feedback and critiques can only make you stronger.
6. Refresh it frequently
Lastly, you want to keep your resume updated. Whether or not you’re currently working in the field, and even if you aren’t job hunting, you want to keep your resume updated. Sometimes, if you are up for a promotion in your company, you may want to (or need to) submit your resume, so it is best to have it prepared and on hand. If you find yourself learning a new skill at work, or accomplishing something great, go ahead and add it on there!