The biggest problem that college graduates face in job pursuits is the famous “we need someone with more experience” statement. You’re full of energy, ready to put your knowledge to practice, but how can you do that if no one will give you a chance?
However, there is something you can do to draw the attention of potential employers to yourself. That something is writing an awesome resume.
The resume creates the first impression. So, if you know how to “sell” yourself in the resume, the fact that you just stepped out of college won’t stop them from giving you a call. If you want to know the tips and tricks of writing a winning entry-level resume, just keep reading.
Add a Link to Your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn has become a valuable source of information for hiring managers. Most of them look into the candidate’s LinkedIn profile and evaluate them based on it.
This is why you should put your LinkedIn link among your list of information. It will show the hiring managers that you started building your professional brand and that you are already making connections.
Customize the LinkedIn profile link to make it easier for employers to find you. Simply use an online URL shortener and put your name and last name as an URL link name.
Write a Professional Summary
The purpose of a professional summary is to highlight your best qualities and explain why you are right for the job. It should be short, direct, and explanatory. No embellishments nor buzzwords.
The professional summary should be placed at the top of your resume. Just under your name and contact information. Write down skills that you have developed over the years, and that will help you in the job position you are applying to.
For example: A hard-working and driven worker, passionate about digital marketing. A dedicated team member who is great at organizing and planning.
“Keep the professional summary under 3 sentences. One, or two sentences will be more than enough for an entry-level position. This is just to spark the hiring manager’s interest and give them a hint of what kind of person you are,” advises Joan Harrison, a writer at SupremeDissertations who often helps graduates write their resume.
Tip: Look for thewords in the job description that describe the desired skills and character traits. Use those words in your professional summary. Not only will that address the employer’s specific requirements, but it will also be a huge plus in case the company uses ATS (applicant tracking system).
List Your Educational Background
For an entry-level job, your education has great importance. In the future, when you apply for roles that demand more experience, you should put your work experience first, but now, for an entry-level resume, your education should be listed first.
Write down your school, degree, GPA, certifications, and speciality training. Make sure that you include only your college education.
If your GPA is lower (under 3.5), you should omit it. The hiring managers will ask you about it in the interview, but then you can charm them to overlook that.
When it comes to coursework, there is no need for you to list that in the resume. You can break out only super-relevant coursework if you wish.
Include Relevant Experience
If you don’t have any work experience, don’t worry. You can use this section to list your other relevant experience.
The relevant experience can be:
- Internship
- A member of an organization or a club
- Volunteering
- Part-time jobs (that helped you polish skills relevant to this job position)
- Freelance work
Aside from listing your experiences, you should state what you have learned and accomplished in those roles. Be as specific as you can.
Let’s say that you were responsible for swimming team fundraising. Instead of just mentioning that, write down what you have achieved.
For example: Raised $4,000 at the swimming team fundraising event, 20% more than the last year.
Turning your achievements into numbers makes your experience more credible and notable. Show to your potential employers that you bring results.
List Out Your Skills
This is where you need to pull out all you’ve got. If you do this properly, you can convince the hiring managers that you are an individual who embodies the perfect skills for the job.
Again, it is very useful if you check out the job description to see what they are looking for exactly. Then, tailor your skills towards their requirements.
The skills you need to list are:
- Soft skills (problem-solving, leadership, social skills, openness to feedback, etc.)
- Computer skills (specific programs you know how to use)
- Foreign languages
Don’t start to elaborate on how you acquired these skills. You can discuss that in your job interview. At the moment, you just have to use the list of skills as an indicator of what you bring to the table.
Edit and Proofread
Lastly, you need to ensure that your resume is well-written. Everything you write will become irrelevant if the hiring managers come across grammar and spelling mistakes. No one wants an employee who isn’t capable of sending an error-free resume.
Since you’ll be sending out the same resume (possibly with some minor changes), you can get professional writing services like TrustMyPaper and BestEssaysEducation to edit and proofread your resume. This will leave you with a flawless resume corrected by experts.
However, if this is something you want to do on your own, you should run the document through an editing tool like Grammarly. No one doubts that you are a detail-oriented individual, but a proofreading tool might notice something you haven’t.
Final Thoughts
Getting the first job when you are fresh out of college can be a big challenge. However, with a great resume in your hands, the process will be less overwhelming.
Aside from writing a resume that will get the hiring managers to notice you, there is something else you’ll need. That’s determination and confidence.
Send as many resumes as you need and don’t give up until you get the job you want. It’s out there, you just have to be persistent.