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• Land a job or a spot at school with our library of easy-to-use resume templates
• Make your resume in minutes with simple step-by-step instructions just for students
• Get pre-written examples and use expert tips to make the process a breeze

Level Up Your Student Resume With Professional Templates

Impress hiring managers and schools with a clean-cut, classic resume that makes your strengths and achievements shine.

Professional

Worried that your resume won’t be taken seriously as a high school or college student? This resume template’s sharp format frames you as an up-and-coming professional to watch.

With its compelling icons and thoughtful use of color, the Cool resume template is a top choice for anyone looking to create an attention-grabbing resume.

Charm hiring managers and schools with an ultra-modern student resume that instantly conveys why you’re a candidate worth interviewing.

Contemporary

You want to be a leader of tomorrow, so shouldn't your student resume look equally forward-thinking? The Contemporary’s eye-catching but refined looks can help you prove you’re a trailblazer.

Effortlessly stand out from the crowd with the Awesome resume template’s unique two-column design and easy-to-read format.

How to Write a Resume Objective or Summary for your Student Resume

In order to impress schools and hiring managers from the get-go, your resume needs to have a strong opening section. That’s why we strongly recommend including a resume summary at the top of your resume, underneath your contact information.

In the past, applicants for schools or jobs could choose between writing a resume objective or a resume summary. Now, resume experts generally agree that including a resume objective is no longer in line with best practice. The reason is that a resume objective essentially highlights your goals as a candidate. In contrast, a resume summary conveys how you will be able to support the school or company you’re applying for to meet their goals.

So what exactly is a resume summary, then? A resume summary is the first major section of your resume. It should succinctly present the case for why you’re an ideal candidate for the position or school you’re applying for. 

As it should only be two to four sentences long, you will need to focus only on your most relevant qualities and attributes that make you an attractive candidate or prospective student.

In order to write a strong resume objective or summary, you must make two things crystal clear:

• What the academic or professional position is you are applying for 
• What makes you the best person to fulfill it

Let’s start with the first part. You should clearly state the purpose of your application. For example, you may wish to:

• Study at a particular college or join a particular program/course 
• Be hired for a job at a college fair or internship fair 
• Be hired as an entry-level worker or summer worker

Next, you must summarize some of the standout qualities and attributes that make you worth considering for the given role. The qualities and attributes you highlight should be directly relevant to the role and should be expanded on in the other sections of your resume. You can mention such things as your:

• Educational background
• Academic achievements
• Soft and hard skills
• Work experiences
• Volunteer work
• Any other standout achievements

Try your best to use keywords from the job advertisement or school application to demonstrate that you possess the very qualities and attributes the hiring manager or school is looking for. 

Keywords are words or phrases within a job ad or school application that represent what the hiring manager or school are looking for from their ideal candidate. Keywords can include particular competencies, skills, experiences, attributes, studies, and so on.

How to Write a Work Experience Section for your Student Resume

The work experience section is perhaps the resume section that students dread the most when creating their high school resume or college resume. The reason is that many students don’t know where to begin or may not have held a job before. 

The good news is that writing a compelling work experience section really isn’t as difficult as it seems - even if you’ve never been in the working world before. In either case, the most important thing is to make sure your work experience section sounds as relevant as possible to the given job or educational opportunity you are applying for. 

If you don’t have any work experience at all, don’t stress! You can instead focus on your: 

• Volunteer work 
• School activities
• Side projects

Spend time brainstorming how to present these experiences in a way that makes them as relevant as possible to the job or school you are applying for. 

For example, did you demonstrate any soft or hard skills that will be useful to the role or your studies? Or maybe you achieved something that showcases what an excellent employee or student you will be? Remember, framing is everything when it comes to your resume! You can do this by integrating keywords that apply to your experiences throughout this section. This will help you to work out what professional experiences will capture the hiring manager or school’s attention. 

However, be sure to steer clear of ‘keyword stuffing’! This term is used to describe when people unnaturally add keywords to their resume in order to game the system. Always integrate keywords in a natural-sounding way and only use those that genuinely apply to your skills and experiences. 

It’s also important to think about this section as a way to showcase your very best professional achievements in each past position. That is, instead of just listing what you did, focus on conveying how your actions and skills made a positive difference.

In order to make your achievements shine, you will need to: 

• Start each one with a verb (action word).
• Make them short and snappy: Stick to one sentence each.
• Quantify them using numbers, percentages, and examples where possible.

For each position you include in this section, you will need to state the title you held, the company name, and the dates you worked there.

If you’re unsure of how to format your work experience section, simply use one of our expert-designed resume templates and our resume builder to ensure you get it right. You can also check out the expert tips for writing your work experience section we’ve included within our resume builder .

How to Write a Skills Section for Your Student Resume

Just like your work experience section, your resume’s skills section should be as relevant as possible to the position or educational opportunity you are applying for. 

Analyze the job ad or school application to identify skill-based keywords. You may wish to print out the job ad or school application and physically highlight these words to make it easier for you to work out which keywords to focus on.

Keep in mind that there are two types of skills to look out for:

• Soft skills: Those related to your interpersonal or communication skills.
• Hard skills: Technical, practical skills.

You will need to include a balance of both to show that you’re a well-rounded candidate. Think carefully about which ones are most applicable to your skillset and the job or school at hand, and list 6 to 8 of the most relevant ones in this section. 

Don’t forget you will also need to integrate skills throughout your work experience section too.

If you’re finding it hard to come up with relevant skills to add to your high school or college resume, don’t worry. Our resume builder has hundreds of examples of skills you can simply click and add to your resume.

Again, if you want to see how to effectively format this section, check out one of our many resume templates.

How to Write an Education & Coursework Section for your Student Resume

Your education & coursework section is one of the most important sections in your high school resume or college resume.

Even if an application does not specifically ask you to share your educational background on your resume, it is generally expected that you will. After all, your studies help to paint a picture of your knowledge, skills, interests, and academic abilities. 

As you can see from our library of resume templates, there are a few different ways that you can format your education & coursework section. That said, the general format of this section is as follows: [High School or College Name]

[Dates attended] 

[Subject studied (optional)]

If you want to guarantee you don’t make any formatting errors, just use our resume builder to create your resume! 

How to Write an Awards & Achievements Section for your Student Resume

Want to take your student resume to the next level? Adding an awards & achievements section is an easy way to capture attention. 

Before you say, “But I don’t have any awards or achievements!” take a moment to think back on your studies so far. Chances are that you have much more to highlight than you first realize. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:

• Your GPA (If 3.5 or higher)
• Being part of the student body
• Academic awards
• Professional awards
• Valedictorian and Dean’s lists
• Being in the top X% of your class/course
• Professional achievements e.g. selling X amount of products or increasing profits by Y%
• Relevant school/college societies or groups you are part of
• Scholarships
• Any journals you have been published in or research papers you have written
• Relevant non-profit work you have completed (such as volunteering and fundraising)

So how can you correctly format this section of your resume?

You can list each award or achievement, along with the date you received/achieved it and any other specifics that would help the person reading it better understand why the award or achievement is relevant. 

If you are short on space, you can feature your academic awards and achievements in your education & coursework section instead.

Related Student Resume Examples & Samples

Take a look at the following tried-and-tested resume examples and samples for inspiration.

When you’re ready to make your own impressive high school or college resume, our state-of-the-art resume builder will guide you every step of the way.

College Student Resume

High School Student Resume

Internship Resume

Student Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples

How To Write a Student Resume

• Resume Text Examples

Creating a strong, professional resume as a student or recent graduate can be challenging. Without hands-on work experience, it can be difficult to grab the attention of prospective employers and internships. Despite these obstacles, there are a number of strategies you can use to create an impactful resume that highlights the strongest aspects of your education. Throughout this guide, we’ll provide expert tips to help you market your skill set effectively as you pursue internships and entry-level jobs.

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

1. Create a profile by summarizing your student qualifications

As a student without years of hands-on work experience, you’ll need to create an impactful opening summary to grab the attention of prospective employers. Start by mentioning that you’re a recent graduate in a specific field, and then provide three to four industry-specific skills in your opening sentence. Be sure to incorporate key terms that match the job posting, as this will show hiring managers that you have their desired skill set, even if you lack industry experience.

Professional Profile - Example #1

A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in economics, specializing in finance, financial modeling, accounting principles, and risk assessment. Adept at forecasting long-term business outlooks and identifying financial risks.

Professional Profile - Example #2

A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, specializing in social media, communication, content writing, and brand messaging. Adept at developing and implementing engaging content to grow brand awareness and expand social media presence.

2. Outline your experience in a compelling list

If you’ve completed internships or held an entry-level position in your field, you’ll want to feature this information prominently in your professional experience section. Focus on your positive contributions to the organization and your cultivated industry knowledge. Suppose your work experience isn’t relevant to your field. In that case, you should still include it on your resume, as these jobs can still help to demonstrate your ability to interface effectively with diverse teams and customers.

Professional Experience - Example #1

Academic projects.

Financial Analyst Projects, University of Syracuse, New York, NY September 2022 – June 2023

• Developed financial documentation for a three-month simulation of a startup e-commerce business, which included translating hypothetical business events into financial reporting
• Created 12 pages of journal entries and financial statements using MS Excel, including reconciliations and month-end close

Professional Experience - Example #2

Professional experience.

Marketing Intern, Roque & Harmen Legal Associates, Seattle, WA February 2023 – June 2023

• Provided support to the marketing team for all digital initiatives, including copy for social media posts, blog content, and strategy development
• Contributed to a 150% increase in click rates and a 100% increase in followership on LinkedIn over a three-month period
• Attended meetings with the marketing department to discuss social media strategy

3. Make a list of your key skills and proficiencies as a student

In addition to your education, consider completing certifications to bolster your job applications. This information will also show employers that you’re furthering your knowledge of the field even without hands-on work experience. For example, if you’re a computer science student, completing a bootcamp course or obtaining a CompTIA certification will show prospective employers that you have a strong understanding of the basics.

Certifications

• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
• Social Media Marketing Certification, Hootsuite Academy, 2023
• CompTIA A+ Certification, 2023
• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Software Engineering
• MIAMI DADE COLLEGE, Miami, FL September 2019 – June 2023

4. Make a list of your student-related skills and proficiencies

Most organizations utilize Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to identify qualified candidates for job openings. If your resume lacks a certain number of key skills, you may be rejected before your resume reaches the hiring manager. To mitigate this risk, you’ll want to incorporate key terms directly from the job description into your profile, professional experience, and skills sections. Below, you’ll find a list of common keywords across a wide range of industries:

5. Highlight Volunteerism or Extracurricular Activities

Consider highlighting volunteer experience and extracurricular activities on your resume as a student, especially if you struggle to reach the one-page mark. Although much of this experience won’t be explicitly relevant to your target industry, it can help prospective employers better understand who you are as a candidate.

How To Pick the Best Student Resume Template

If you struggle to find the right template, you’re not alone. With such a wide variety of options, selecting the suitable template for your needs can be challenging. Find a well-organized template with a visual appeal that doesn’t distract the reader from your content. Ultimately, your qualifications, academic projects, and education will always determine whether the hiring manager decides to bring you in for an interview.

Student Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Allison Rosenberg (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio Seattle, WA 12345

• Social Media Marketing
• Copywriting
• Brand Marketing
• Communication

Student Social Media Coordinator, Seattle Central College, Seattle, WA January 2022 – May 2023

• Coordinated with a team of three students and a faculty advisor to schedule and write posts for university social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Created engaging social media posts to raise awareness of university events, groups, programs, and announcements, resulting in a 60% increase in followership

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing SEATTLE CENTRAL COLLEGE, Seattle, WA September 2019 – June 2023

Amar Singh (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio New York, NY 12345

• Financial Analysis
• Financial Modeling
• Microsoft Excel
• Forecasting

Financial Analyst Internship, Cadence Investment Firm, New York, NY January 2022 – June 2023

• Supported financial analysts in conducting financial reporting, evaluating business financials, and identifying risk factors for investors
• Coordinated with the finance team to create presentations on business intelligence reports and due diligence on businesses to determine investment viability

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Economics  UNIVERSITY OF SYRACUSE, Syracuse, NY September 2019 – June 2023

Anthony Gentile (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio Miami, FL 12345

A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in software engineering, specializing in Python, JavaScript, application development, and software development. Adept at creating scalable code to build high-quality software applications to support users and businesses.

• Software Engineering
• Software Development
• Application Development

Software Engineering Intern, StarTech Software Solutions Inc., Miami, FL January 2023 – June 2023

• Performed testing and supported the development of features for mobile applications in React and Android environments under the supervision of software engineers
• Attended meetings with the project team to expand knowledge of application development, discuss potential new features, and evaluate user needs and

Software Engineering Projects, Miami Dade College, Miami, FL May 2021 – June 2023

• Designed and developed a mobile application to aid users in scheduling and monitoring appointments with real-time alerts, which included testing functionality, identifying bug fixes, and programming using Python
• Developed a fantasy football application using JavaScript to enable users to analyze and compare player statistics in real-time to determine scoring percentages and trade value

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Software Engineering MIAMI DADE COLLEGE, Miami, FL September 2019 – June 2023

Frequently Asked Questions: Student Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for student resumes -.

It’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs during the resume-building process, especially as a student. Often there are only a limited number of verbs you can use to describe your academic projects, internships, and work experience. That being said, differentiating your usage of action verbs will keep your bullet points fresh and compelling. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of verbs you can use to build out your resume:

How do you align your resume with a job description? -

Aligning your resume with the job description is essential for generating interviews on the open market as a student or recent graduate. You’ll likely encounter strong competition, even for entry-level positions. As you craft your document, take the time to carefully analyze each job posting before submitting your application and incorporate skill sets and qualifications that match that organization’s needs.

For example, if a company is looking for a software developer with a firm grasp of application development, you’d want to highlight academic or independent projects demonstrating this knowledge. If you’re applying for an entry-level financial analyst role that is centered around business intelligence, you may want to showcase your knowledge of financial modeling. If you can’t showcase an internship or project, you should highlight skills and coursework that matches the role you’re applying for.

What is the best student resume format? -

Although a functional resume approach may seem appealing for a student with limited experience, you should still avoid crafting a resume that only highlights your skills. Providing details for your academic projects and even work experience outside of your target field is still important for differentiating yourself from the applicant field. Try using a combination approach that features your most relevant skill sets and coursework while providing hiring managers with enough information to assess who you are as a candidate.

Including a matching cover letter can help bolster your application as a student or recent graduate. Instead of industry experience, this is an opportunity to tell prospective employers who you are and why you’re interested in joining their team. Be sure to mention specifics about the organization’s mission statement, reputation, or culture and why this draws you to apply for the position. For more information, visit our student cover letter guide .

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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

Check Out Related Examples

Internship Resume Examples and Templates

Ph.D. Resume Examples and Templates for Industry and Non-Academic Jobs

High School Student Resume Examples and Templates

Build a Resume to Enhance Your Career

• How to Build a Resume Learn More
• Basic Resume Examples and Templates Learn More
• How Many Jobs Should You List on a Resume? Learn More
• How to Include Personal and Academic Projects on Your Resume Learn More

Essential Guides for Your Job Search

• How to Write a Resume Learn More
• How to Write a Cover Letter Learn More
• Thank You Note Examples Learn More
• Resignation Letter Examples Learn More

Student Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Whether you just graduated college or you’re taking a gap year before continuing your studies, one thing is for sure.

You’re looking for a job.

All that’s standing between you and your next position is a great resume.

But how can you write a resume that stands out from the crowd if all your experience so far is studying?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Creating a compelling resume to help you stand out from the crowd is easy, even if you’re just starting on your career journey.

And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how. 

Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• What Makes a Great Student Resume Example
• 9 Steps to Writing an Amazing Student Resume
• What to Include In Your Student Resume

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Student Resume Example

That’s a great example of a student resume.

Let’s get into the ins and outs of what it does right:

• Keeps everything on one page. Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes daily, so it’s important to stick to a one-page resume so they don’t discard your application straight away.
• Uses a reverse-chronological resume format. This is the favorite resume format for hiring managers worldwide since it puts your most recent achievements and experiences first.
• Includes professional contact details. This section should always contain your full name, a professional email address, phone number, location, and any relevant links to professional websites or social media profiles that might boost your application.
• Starts with an eye-catching resume objective. To grab the hiring manager’s attention, this student resume example starts with a strong resume objective to convey their top skills and their professional goal.
• Lists education first. Since this candidate is a recent graduate, their student resume places their education section at the very top and provides details on the relevant courses they’ve taken.
• Focuses on skills. The student resume example pictured above includes a tailored skills section that aligns with the job and shows what they can do for the employer.
• Organizes text in bullet points. This resume uses bullet points instead of large paragraphs, so the content of the resume is organized and easy to read.
• Includes optional sections. The candidate leverages optional sections such as languages and personal projects to add more value to their resume and stand out from other applicants with similar skills and qualifications.

9 Steps Toward the Perfect Student Resume

Now you know what an excellent student resume looks like.

It’s time to create your own.

First things first, let’s go over all the sections your resume should include .

The essential sections of a student resume are:

• Contact Information
• Resume Headline
• Work Experience

If you have leftover space on your resume, you can also use some of the following sections to make your application stand out:

Extracurricular Activities

• Personal Projects

Hobbies and Interests

• Volunteering
• Certificates

Awards and Recognitions

Publications.

As a student or recent graduate, don’t expect to include all of these sections in your resume. Instead, use them to your advantage. 

For example, you might not have any work experience, in which case you can replace that section with something else, such as an internship that helped you hone some essential skills for the job you're applying to.

We’ve split the process of creating your student resume into easy-to-follow steps, starting with:

#1. Pick the Right Format

Before you can fill out your resume, you need to decide on the best format for your job application.

There are three resume formats you can choose from:

• Reverse-chronological (also known as the chronological format)
• Functional (also known as the skill-based format)
• Combination (a mix of the reverse-chronological and functional formats)

For 99% of cases, we recommend that you choose the reverse-chronological resume format when making your student resume.

The reverse-chronological format is the most practical, since it lists your most recent experience and achievements first, making it the perfect format when you’re applying for a job.

It’s also hiring managers’ favorite format worldwide, so it’s what they expect to see in your application.

Here’s an example of what the reverse-chronological resume format looks like:

#2. Pay Attention to the Layout

Now that you have the formatting out of the way, it’s time to consider your resume’s layout .

Before the hiring manager reads your resume, they’re going to look at it. And if they see a messy, unorganized document, they aren’t going to be impressed.

Follow these tips to make sure your student resume makes a good first impression:

• Keep it on one page. A good resume should never exceed one page, especially if you’re a student with limited experience. Hiring managers only want the most important details about why you’re the right person for the job.
• Set the line spacing. Make sure your text is easy to read by setting appropriate line spacing. Use 1.0 between text and 1.15 between double lines and after subheadings.
• Adjust the page margins. To make your resume look neat, set your resume’s margins to one inch on all sides of the page. Otherwise, you might end up with a stretched-out or empty-looking document.
• Choose a professional font. Another important aspect of your resume is the font. Pick something professional but not overused. Instead of Times New Roman, go for something understated like Roboto, Lora, or Ubuntu.
• Save it to the right file format. Unless the hiring manager asks for another format, your resume should always be saved as a PDF file . This way, your student resume’s layout is going to look the same across any device or software that the hiring manager uses to open it.

Use a Professional Resume Template Instead

Getting the format and layout of your resume just right can sure get tricky. 

You’ll have to spend hours tweaking the margins, adjusting font sizes, and fixing the line spacing – all the while having to make sure nothing spills over to page two. 

What if you could skip all the hassle?

Just use one of our free resume templates and create your student resume in minutes.

Each of our professional templates is designed in cooperation with HR professionals from around the world to make sure your application is ATS-friendly, easy to read, and beautiful to look at.

Not to mention, you can choose a resume template that shows off a bit of your personality while adhering to industry standards. 

Just look at how one of our templates compares to a standard text editor resume:

#3. Add Your Contact Information

Once you’re ready to fill in the contents of your student resume, it’s time to start with your contact information.

This usually goes in a designated resume header , so it’s easy for the hiring manager to find it at a glance.

Here’s what to include:

• Full Name. (E.g.: John Smith )
• Professional Title. We recommend matching the title to the job you’re targeting (E.g.: Paralegal) or specifying your education. (E.g.: Graphic Design Graduate )
• Email Address. Use a professional email address, not a quirky handle from your World of Warcraft days. (E.g.: write down [email protected] , not [email protected] )
• Phone Number. If you’re applying abroad, always include the dialing code in front of your phone number.
• Location. The city and state/country are enough information.
• Relevant Links. Any other information, such as a link to your LinkedIn profile, GitHub, or a portfolio website, is optional and depends on the job you’re applying for.

Ultimately, your contact information section is the easiest, yet most crucial, section of your student resume.

If you make a single typo in your email or phone number, the hiring manager won’t be able to reach you, and you’ll miss out on an opportunity.

So, before submitting your resume, make sure to double-check, and even triple-check that everything in this section is up-to-date and accurate.

John Smith - Graphic Design Graduate

+1 907 446 1234

[email protected]

linkedin.com/in/john.smith

Fairbanks, Alaska

90744461234

[email protected]

#4. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)

Hiring managers have to look at countless resumes daily.

So, they won’t spend more than six seconds on each before deciding if it’s worth reading in detail.

This is where a snappy resume summary or objective can make a difference.

Your resume summary or objective is a brief paragraph at the start of your resume that tells hiring managers who you are and what you bring to the table, in just 2-4 sentences.

Depending on your experience, you can take one of two routes:

• Resume summary. If you've got a bit of professional experience under your belt, write a resume summary. It's your chance to give a quick snapshot of your experience, skills, and what you've accomplished so far.
• Resume objective. If you're just starting, a resume objective is the right choice for you. It outlines your skills, any relevant experiences, and your professional goals.

To paint a clearer picture, here’s what a student’s resume summary with more experience might look like:

Recent college graduate with a B.A. in English from University X seeking an entry-level job as a content writer. Previous experience includes working as an English tutor for 2 years at University X, where I worked with 100+ students, helping them improve their essays. Additionally, I managed a personal blog about tech, publishing over 40 articles in the last 3 years.

But if you’re still a student, you probably don’t have a lot of work experience to rely on for your resume summary.

Don’t worry! You can still write a fantastic resume objective, like so:

Enthusiastic recent graduate with a degree in Environmental Science, aiming to secure an entry-level position at Green Solutions Ltd. Experienced in conducting field research and using GIS software through university projects and internships. With a strong passion for sustainability and environmental advocacy, I’m looking to apply academic knowledge in a practical, impactful way.

This goes to show that even without any work experience to leverage, you can still write a job-winning resume .

#5. List Your Education First

While the work experience section is what your resume would usually start with, the rule is reversed when you’re a student or a recent graduate .

If you’re applying for a job in the same field as your education, you want to emphasize the knowledge and skills you’ve gained so far.

So, the less work experience you have, the more detailed your education section should be.

Here’s the most important information that you should include when listing your education :

• Degree Name. (E.g.: BSc in Business Administration )
• University Name. (E.g.: Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania )
• Location. (E.g.: Philadelphia, PA, USA )
• Years Attended. (E.g.: 09/2018 - 06/2022 )

You should always list your degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with your newest degree (such as a Ph.D. or MBA) and ending with your oldest.

Next, there are a ton of optional details that can look great on your student resume. These include:

• Honors and Awards. Your resume is a great place to show off a little. List any awards or acknowledgments you received during your education. (E.g.: Summa Cum Laude )
• Relevant Coursework. List a few courses that are directly related to the job you’re applying for. (E.g.: Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Surgical Nursing )
• Thesis or Dissertation. We recommend that graduate and post-graduate students include this, especially if applying to research-heavy fields like data science .
• Minor. If you minored in another field and it’s relevant to the job, include it. (E.g.: BA in Political Science, Minor in Economics )
• Grade Point Average. Include your GPA on your resume if it’s impressive. Anything below 3.5 isn’t worth listing.

Here’s an example of what this looks like on a resume:

There’s no need to list your high school education unless it’s the only degree you have.

#6. Expand on Your Work Experience

The first thing hiring managers usually want to see is your work experience section .

It’s probably the most important section of your whole resume, and it’s where you need to wow the hiring manager. Here’s how to format it correctly:

• List jobs in reverse chronological order. Start with your latest work experience and work your way back to older roles. Just don’t go too far back – your part-time job over summer break probably doesn’t belong on your resume.
• Add your exact job title. Be accurate when describing your previous job, and avoid buzzwords . If you were a babysitter , say that instead of trying to be witty and going with ‘toddler whisperer.’
• Include the company details. All you need to add are the most important details, such as the company’s name and location. If it’s not a well-known business, you can describe what it does.
• Specify the employment period. Use the mm/yyyy format throughout your student resume instead of specifying the exact dates you started and quit.
• Mention your responsibilities and achievements. Use several bullet points, no more than 5-6 for your most recent work experience and 2-3 for older roles.

Here’s an example of what that looks like in practice:

What If My Work Experience Isn’t Relevant?

If you’re applying for a job in the field you’ve been studying for, you might have picked up a part-time job while you were a student.

So, you’re probably wondering - is that summer gig you did worth mentioning in your resume?

The answer is yes.

Even if your only work experience so far seemingly has nothing to do with the job you’re applying for, it’s probably better for you to include it.

For example, if you worked as a cashier at your local supermarket and now you’re applying for a job as an accountant , there are enough similarities between the two jobs for you to make a great resume.

Just focus on the transferable skills from your time as a cashier. Both jobs require working with numbers, being good at mathematics, and attention to detail.

Usually, showing you have some work experience is better than presenting a resume with zero work experience.

What If I Don’t Have Any Work Experience?

If you’re still a student or you just graduated, you probably don’t have any work experience to leverage.

Don’t worry - most college students don’t.

But that doesn’t have to stop you from writing a great resume!

Hiring managers know that most candidates applying for entry-level jobs aren’t super experienced, and that’s okay.

So, instead of work experience, you can focus on any of the following sections:

• Internships. If your program included any internships or hands-on experiences, mention them. Internships can be super useful on your resume, especially if they help you develop skills for the position you’re applying for, and they can look better on your resume than any part-time job in an unrelated field.
• Volunteering. Having a cause that you care about and are willing to work for shows hiring managers that you’d be a dedicated employee, and that’s why volunteer work looks great on a resume. Whether you spent some time at a local soup kitchen or just helped collect trash in the parks, you can always mention it in your application.
• Projects. Any project you’ve participated in can go here, so long as it’s relevant to the job. Your graduation thesis, coursework, or personal projects can all make a difference. For example, if you’re an aspiring animator and you make funny flash animations that you upload on YouTube for your friends, that’s always a great addition to a first-time job application .

Here’s an example of a student resume that focuses on volunteer experience and personal projects instead of work experience:

Do you want to join a cause you’re passionate about? Learn how to write a volunteer resume here.

#7. Emphasize Your Relevant Skills

The skills section of your resume should tell the hiring manager what your expertise is and why you’re the perfect candidate for the job.

There are two types of essential skills you can mention:

• Soft skills. These are a mix of social skills, characteristics, and other personal traits. For example, leadership, critical thinking, time management, and so on.
• Hard skills. These are your measurable abilities. So, anything from baking cupcakes to complex coding skills.

Your resume should aim for a mix of both soft and hard skills.

If written correctly, the skill section can look something like this:

Now, when listing skills on your resume, here are a few essential tips to keep in mind:

• List hard skills with experience levels. For each skill you list, you can mention your proficiency, from beginner to expert. This tells the hiring manager how much training you might need if they hire you.
• Keep it relevant and tailored to the job. You might have some awesome and rare skills, but they’re not always going to be useful. Your Photoshop skills won’t make a difference in an application for a job as a writer .
• Include some universal skills. Some skills can be useful anywhere. These include both soft skills (like communication ) and hard skills (like using Microsoft Office or Google Office Suite).
• Back up your skills. Instead of just listing skills as buzzwords (like “critical thinker” or “problem-solving-master”), make sure you prove what you’re saying. Give examples of when you’ve put those skills to good use, such as in your work experience section.

And for a student resume, here are a few of the top skills almost every single employer will value:

• Verbal and Written Communication
• Adaptability
• Punctuality
• Organizational skills
• Flexibility
• Conflict resolution
• Problem-solving abilities
• Time-management

#8. Leverage Optional Sections

So far, we’ve covered the essential information for your student resume.

But if you have any leftover space, there are a few other sections you can add.

Imagine this: the hiring manager has to decide between you and another candidate, but your resumes are nearly identical. You have very similar experiences, backgrounds, and credentials.

This is where some less essential resume sections can tip the scales in your favor.

Optional sections can help you backup your skills and experience and set you apart from candidates with the same professional background as yours.

These sections include:

Are you fluent in more than one language?

If you’re bilingual or even trilingual, you should always mention that in your resume!

Even if the position you’re applying for doesn’t require any specific language skills, it can still come in handy at some point.

Companies are becoming increasingly international, and you never know when you might end up working on a project or a client where you can put your knowledge to good use.

To list languages in your resume , simply write them down and include your proficiency level:

• Intermediate

Optionally, you can also use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency scales.

And remember - you should never lie about your language skills. You never know when the interviewer might turn out to be fluent in the language you claim to know!

As you might remember from your college application , extracurricular activities look great on a resume.

Different after-school projects and clubs can help you gain practical skills and increase your chances of landing a good job right after college. For example, if you were part of a debate team and you’re applying for a job as a lawyer , that could give your resume a boost.

Some activities, like student council responsibilities, show maturity and leadership skills that would translate well to a work environment. 

Here’s an example of how to list extracurricular activities on your resume :

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

Public Speaking Club

Founder and President

09/2018 - 09/2019

• Founded a club to help fellow students improve at public speaking and promote discussion-based events.
• Organized 5+ public speaking lectures.
• Brought in professors from the university and organized 2 speaking workshops.

But regardless of whether they’re related to the job or not, extracurricular activities still show the hiring manager that you’re hard-working and committed.

If you want the hiring manager to get a more well-rounded idea of you as a person, you can include hobbies and interests on your resume .

While this section isn’t going to get you hired, it could tip the scales in your favor.

When the hiring manager is looking at two near-identical resumes from two equally qualified candidates, the deciding factor might come down to something as minor as your personality and interests.

For example, imagine that the company you’re applying to values teamwork and promotes health amongst its employees. If your resume says your hobbies include team sports like basketball, that could convince the hiring manager that you’d be a good cultural fit for their team.

Certifications

The best investment is always in your future, and hiring managers love candidates who do just that.

If you have any extra qualifications or certificates , add them to your resume.

For example, if you graduated with a BA in Marketing, and you’re applying for a Digital Marketing role, that’s great. But it’s even better if the hiring manager sees that you completed an advanced SEO course and that you’re ready to roll!

Do you have a piece of paper with your name on it that says why you’re so smart and qualified? If so, add it to your resume.

It could be an award from a competition or some other recognition of your excellence - academic or otherwise.

For example, you might have been selected for a very rare scholarship , or your hard work as an illustrator won your project a nomination.

You don’t need to be modest on your resume - if you earned something cool, show it off. Any awards can back up your expertise and show the hiring manager that you’re worth a chance.

Have you worked on your university’s student paper? Maybe you’re a freelance writer or a distinguished academic .

Whatever the case is, publications are always impressive on a resume.

Include them under a designated “Publications” section and provide a URL so the hiring manager can check out your work.

#9. Include a Cover Letter

Cover letters are essential for a successful job search , and your student resume won’t be complete without one.

Forbes reports that 56% of hiring managers prefer that applicants include a cover letter with their resume.

Crafting a great cover letter tells the hiring manager that you have an eye for detail and that you’re ready to go the extra mile to join the team. You’re not just randomly sending out the same resume to every job listing you find.

So, to learn how to write your own , let's explore what makes an effective cover letter:

Here are some straightforward tips to make your cover letter great:

• Check your contact information. The information in your cover letter’s header should be the same as what’s on your resume, so double-check for any mistakes.
• Use the hiring manager’s name. A little research can help you find it, and it helps establish a more personal connection than just writing “To Whom It May Concern.”
• Start with a strong opening. Mention a couple of your best skills or achievements right at the start to grab the hiring manager’s attention.
• Go into more detail in the body. Talk about your accomplishments or skills in more detail, and mention anything you couldn’t fit on your resume, like explaining why you want to work remotely .
• Conclude by asking them to reach out. A good closing paragraph includes a call to action that asks the hiring manager to do something, like contact you or arrange an interview.
• Sing it like a professional. Choose an appropriate closing line, like “Best regards” or “I look forward to hearing from you.”

Here’s a great example of a student cover letter :

5 Student Resume Examples

Looking for more resume inspiration?

Check out the different student resume examples below to see what a job-winning resume might look like.

#1. Recent Graduate Resume

#2. Experienced Student Resume

#3. Internship Student Resume

#4. College Freshman Resume

#5. High School Student Resume

Key Takeaways

And there you go!

That’s how you create a powerful student resume from scratch.

Now, let’s quickly summarize what we’ve learned so far:

• Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day, so you want yours to grab their attention immediately. Write a brief paragraph in your resume header to tell them who you are and why you’re perfect for the job.
• Unlike in most resumes, where work experience goes first, if you’re a student, your education should be at the top of your resume.
• Don’t worry if you don’t have any work experience yet - when you’re applying for an entry-level job, hiring managers don’t expect you to.
• Instead of work experience, you can focus on internships, volunteering, personal projects, or extracurricular activities to show off your skills and fill in your resume.
• Your skills could make or break your job application. Research the most in-demand skills for the job you want and list the ones you have in your resume.
• Always add a matching cover letter to your student resume to show the hiring manager you’re ready to go the extra mile for the job.

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Student resume examples & templates

Optional sections

How to write resumes for applicant tracking systems (ats), the word cloud method.

As a high school or college student, you may be a bit more focused on the homework due tomorrow than on paving the way to career success by preparing a student resume. But there’s no time like the present, and the sooner you draw up a resume, the closer you’ll be to the financial independence that employment can bring.

A little bit of freedom, a paycheck, a huge boost in confidence and real-life knowledge — these are just a few examples of what you can get from your first work experiences. Any work experience is a huge asset at this stage of your journey.  This student resume example and guide, along with our convenient resume builder tool , will help you to:

• Learn the basics of preparing a great resume
• Craft your first impressive and creative student resume (even without work experience)
• Find out about modern hiring practices (software-based and human hiring psychology)
• Arm yourself with useful sample sentences, tips and tricks to greatly increase your chances of landing an interview

Let’s dive in.

How to write a student resume: what to include, what to avoid

Here are the basic elements to include (or not) in a student resume:

• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

• Order sections by importance (Summary > Education > Experience > Skills)
• Think about your potential employer and include information/experiences that are the most relevant.
• Expand your resume beyond one page. This will reduce the likelihood that the entire thing will be read.
• Expand low-priority sections to the point where the important sections get reduced.
• Languages . If you know one foreign language (especially at a basic level), this should just go on the skills section of your resume. However, if you know three or more languages, and some of them at a high level, you can move them to a separate resume section. If you have language certifications, be  sure to list them.

Including additional sections in your resume from the ones listed here will depend on how robust your resume is overall. If you feel like there’s enough info already, just include things like languages in the skills section. Include any certifications in the education. But if you’re really struggling to fill out the page, more sections may help you out.

• Extracurricular activities. The reason this one is optional is because most of your relevant activities will go into experience. You only need the extracurricular activities section if your interests and out-of-school life are so robust that they don’t fit into one section.
• Hobbies. This section should usually be avoided. It’s a last-ditch effort to fill out space on your resume. If you are desperate to add something more to your resume, mentioning you are an active jogger and bicycle rider, for example, can at least hint you are energetic and disciplined.

Don’t list hobbies or activities that have no application in work or don’t demonstrate positive qualities. The line can be blurry here but try to think objectively. Playing in a hobbyist theater troupe, for example, demonstrates you are social and open with people.

Need additional inspiration? Please view our other helpful related educative resume examples:

• Early Childhood Educator resume sample
• College Student resume sample
• High School Student resume sample
• Academic Librarian resume sample
• Health Educator resume sample
• ESL Teacher resume sample
• Tutor resume sample
• Teacher Assistant resume sample
• Substitute Teacher resume sample
• Middle School Teacher resume sample
• Elementary School Teacher resume sample
• College Professor resume sample
• Internship resume sample
• High School Teacher resume sample
• Academic Tutor resume sample
• College Admissions resume sample
• Teacher resume sample

Summary resume example: a positive portrait

If you don’t have a lot of work experience, that’s not a deal-breaker. The summary, sometimes known as a personal statement, provides a positive image, describes your qualifications and gives the reader a sense of your determination and drive. This is why it’s doubly important to craft your summary with care in a student resume. Avoid clichés and vague statements. When you’ve written out your profile section, ask yourself: If I read this resume, would I hire the person described here?

In a more practical sense, here are some examples and tips to follow when creating a resume for a student:

• The summary shouldn’t be shorter than two or longer than four mid-sized sentences.
• Use action verbs , concrete and energetic language on your resume. Instead of “High school student looking for a job” write “Self-disciplined and hard-working student looking for a workplace to contribute to a team, to learn and to grow as a professional.”
• Provide context and specific facts where possible. Instead of “Finished high school. Have a variety of hobbies.” write “Excelled in algebra and Spanish in high school. Developed social skills and openness in improv theater.”
• Insert a couple of skills and qualities that might be interesting to an employer. Knowing languages, how to use computer spreadsheets or how to organize your schedule, or always being punctual, for example, are relevant skills and qualities.

Tailor your description based on what type of job you’re applying for. If you’re looking for work in service jobs (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.) use your resume to emphasize the social part of your character. If you’re applying for a job in an office, mention how your school / project experienced helped you gain skills applicable in an office setting.

More and more employers (especially medium and large companies) are using this software to manage the hundreds of resumes they receive. So, what is an ATS system and why is it relevant for your student resume? Applicant Tracking Systems are software programs/environments that process and analyze resumes before any human manager even gets a chance to see them. 

How do Applicant Tracking Systems work and how do you adapt your resume to them? ATS operate based on keywords or phrases that hiring specialists or managers determine beforehand. These can be as simple as “high school diploma” and “time management” or as complex as terms for coding languages or medical certifications. These keywords are used to rate your resume against other applicants and to either filter them out or pass them on to human recruiters.

Wondering whether the job application you’re looking it as processed by an ATS? Small businesses may not use these programs, but some 95% of large companies and 50% of medium companies use ATS software. Consider the chances and act accordingly.

In most cases, there is no way to know the exact words the ATS will be looking for on your student resume. But there are two simple and powerful methods to get an educated guess:

• Analyzing the job listing/description
• Researching the employer’s website / social media

According to data from Youtern, just 35% of candidates are qualified for the jobs to which they apply. Eye-tracking tests and surveys show that the average time spent by a candidate reading a job description is only 50 seconds. Do NOT just skim over these listings, as this will greatly reduce your chances of creating a winning resume . The better you understand the position, the higher your chances.

If you’re struggling to evaluate what qualities are more important to an employer based on a description, there’s a way to simplify things. In case the listing is too vague or wordy, there are tools to help you visualize the patterns. Use services like worditout.com or wordclouds.com (or similar ones) to turn messy job texts into sample visual representations. Just copy-paste the text you’re having trouble with and you’ll get an image where the more frequently used terms will be larger. Use this to spot patterns and analyze what’s important.

Pay attention to the exact terminology used in the job description. People tend to describe the same skills, jobs, educational degrees and so on with different words depending on where they live, work and so on. Make sure to use the same terminology as your potential employer.

Enthusiastic and motivated university student with a strong interest in pursuing a career in customer service. A quick learner with a commitment to meaningful customer interactions. Eager to apply my commitment to customer satisfaction and effective communication in an academic environment.

Education example: the core of your resume

As a student, education is what you’ve spent the most time on prior to getting a job. Make use of this. Instead of thinking about education as a given, make it shine on your resume page. 

According to research from the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics, companies are actively hiring students. This is more common at the college level (81% of part-time undergraduate students were employed in 2018), but high school students can still get hired for simple jobs, especially in the service industry.

So, what should you include in this section? As this is a segment built on a bullet-point list (like every other resume section except the summary), the general method is this: list educational experiences as bullet points. However, there are some exceptions, like these:

• If you’re a college student: List your college and your high school (and any other learning activities) as bullet points. For each one, provide a sub-description with samples of achievements in specific subjects, school projects, scores and evaluations.
• If you’re a high school student with additional educational experience: Same as above, just excluding the college part.
• If your only educational experience is a single school: List your school as a heading and make a bullet point based on your subjects, achievements, school projects, etc.

On average, each entry-level position receives 144 applications. Each professional position gets 89 per a single listing. Some large companies may receive many thousands of resumes per week. The better the job, the higher the competition. Making your resume impress both the ATS and the hiring manager is vital.

The trick to making this section look good on your resume is to view your education as work with its own results. 

Bachelor of Communications, University of Oxford, Oxford  October 2021 - Present 

• Working towards a Communications degree.

3 A level qualifications, Winchester College, Winchester  September 2013 - July 2021  

• A grades in French, Business Studies and English Literature.

Employment history or experience section: an overlooked gem 

Many students writing their first resume don’t bother with anything except the education section. With no job experience, it seems pointless. But even if you’re young, you have lots to offer. If you do have job experience, however, you can call this the “employment history” section, otherwise, you may choose to name it the “experience” section. But if done right, this section can make you look more vibrant, active and creative.

What can you write in the experience section of a student resume? Here are some ideas:

• Summer or temp jobs. You mainly want to show the employer you’ve already been part of the workforce. You know what a job is.
• Internships. If you have these on your list, it’s one of the greatest advantages possible. Internships usually take place at more complicated jobs and are related to more advanced professions.
• Social / volunteer work . This demonstrates your ability to cooperate with other people and work towards a goal.
• Other projects (personal passions, community initiatives). Anything that didn’t land in the above categories (or the education section) goes here. Examples: Websites you ran with friends, local community events you helped with.

Make sure to use the same approach as in the education section: provide detailed descriptions of your duties, results, projects, interactions and any pertinent information. Even if it doesn’t seem that impressive to you, on your resume it shows that these were real activities and/or work experiences . 

Sales Associate at Big Apple Bookstore, Oxford  September 2022 - Present 

• Greeted customers and assisted them with finding books.
• Offered literary suggestions based on the needs and desires of the customer.
• Followed directions from my supervisor and managed projects with precision.
• Organised books and adhered to the policies and mission of the bookstore.

Editorial Internship at Sky News, West London  January 2021 - December 2021 

• Assisted Senior Editors with a variety of clerical and administrative tasks.
• Utilised my passion for journalism to pitch interesting story ideas.
• Ran spellchecks and edited stories.

Online English Literature Tutor, London  September 2020 - April 2021 

• Offered online tuition to GCSE students in English Language and English Literature.
• Helped five students to achieve top grades and secure places on AS level course.

If your lack work experience, consider adding your GPA on your resume . An impressive GPA can give hiring manager a good impression of how well you will perform. 

Choosing the correct CV format and resume template

People are visual creatures. We all like beautiful things. Anything messy or cluttered skews our objectivity, even in the professional world. A template can help you create an attractive CV or resume format and make sure the visual part of your resume works for you, not against you.

Solid CV or resume formatting is important both for the ATS and for hiring managers. Here are some golden rules to abide by:

• Use consistent fonts everywhere on your resume.
• Use the “chunking” method of CV formatting. White space between paragraphs and a variety of visual forms can keep a hiring manager reading to the end of the resume. Templates can make appropriate spacing easier.

Don’t get too creative. Strange colors and excessive decoration of your resume will make it look unprofessional. When in doubt, choose a more reserved template, like these simple options from Resume.io. These types of templates work great for a variety of entry-level positions.

Pay attention to visual design. If you’re an enthusiastic designer or are studying to become one, resume formatting might be a task you’d like to attempt yourself. But if not, there’s a huge number of professionally designed, beautiful and research-tested resume templates out there (for example on this very website). All you need is to fill them in with your info. A great template = no hassle.

21% of U.S. resumes don’t pass the ATS filter due to buggy formatting, or get ignored by recruiters due to confusing charts, layouts, or images. To avoid this, use professionally designed templates.

Skills section example: your best tools and qualities

This is the resume section that most depends on the job for which you’re applying. Different companies look for different skills in their employees. You are sure to have some great skills . Just choose them well. There are two main things you need to know for this section of the student resume:

• What is a master list and how to use one
• The difference between hard and soft skills and where each is best

The master list method entails brainstorming every possible skill you think you might have naturally or have picked up in school, projects or temp jobs. Write them all down, even if they seem unlikely or you are unsure that they fit. Keep this list in a separate document. You’ll return to it every time you’re writing a new resume. It’ll get richer and bigger the more experience you get. Once you have a master list, the idea is to cherry-pick the best skills that are appropriate for a specific job and add them to that particular resume. And here’s where we get to the hard/soft skills . 

Hard skills relate to specific tasks, concrete knowledge, physical objects, sciences or tools. Knowing how to use Excel spreadsheets or Microsoft Word are hard skills . Knowing a programming language or a foreign language are hard skills. Soft skills have to do with social interactions, self-organization, intellectual and emotional qualities and so on. Time management and scheduling is a soft skill, as is team collaboration. Most entry-level positions (for example in service jobs) tend to favor soft skills. 

• Customer Satisfaction
• Microsoft Office
• Motivated Attitude
• Social Media Management

Key takeaways

• Getting a good job, even without past experience, is an attainable goal. Just make sure to tailor your student resume to a specific position and employer.
• CV formats and resume layouts are extremely important to pass the ATS and impress the hiring manager. Resume templates can make this step easier.
• Education is the core of a resume for a student. Make it detailed, and list results and numbers if you can.
• The summary is your free-form professional profile on your resume. Be a little creative here, but also describe your best work-related qualities, experience and achievements here.
• Use professional resume-building tools and templates to avoid hidden pitfalls in resume formatting. It makes your life much easier.

And if you want the perfect tool to save time and get a great job, use the resume.io builder tool with professionally made and recruiter-tested templates !

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Dive Into Expert Guides to Enhance your Resume

The Student Resume

Create an A+ resume to help you land your first role or acceptance into the college of your dreams.

When you are a Student or just finishing up college, it’s normal to have eyes fully on the job market. 

But since you probably haven’t worked a full-time job in your field yet, you might be wondering what do you put on a resume with no experience ? 

If that’s the case, you’ll need to tailor your qualifications with the correct Student resume format, sections, and more. 

In this article, you’ll get tips on:

• How to write a Student resume
• Choosing the best resume format for Students
• Skills and keywords to create your resume
• How to use AI to draft your resume

We’ll also show different student resume examples to give you a better idea of what should be included .

You may be a college or high school Student, but that doesn’t mean you should be rejected for your lack of experience, find out how to make your strengths stand out with our AI resume builder and tips.

Tips for Writing a Student Resume

In a survey done by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, over 80% of employers stated that they believe higher education prepares college graduates for success in the workforce. 

However, they also mention that Students lack skills. 

For that reason, you’ll want to not only focus on your education, but demonstrate that you have some relevant experience and skills . 

Student resumes should be optimized by adding the focus to the following elements if they are relevant to the role you want to apply to and if you lack work experience :

• Awards, honors or sponsorships earned
• Projects developed
• Leadership experience
• Research or internships carried out
• Extra IT or language skills
• Relevant coursework or volunteer experience

For example, here is how you can write a resume summary and mention relevant coursework and experience in a Student resume for a creative director :

Driven College Student with a strong foundation in Graphic Design, Marketing, and Media Studies, enhanced by a hands-on internship at a premier advertising agency where I contributed to a 20% increase in campaign engagement. Proficient in concept development, branding, and digital media, I excel at marrying creative vision with strategic insights. Eager to bring innovative ideas and lead projects to success as a creative director.

What Is the Best Student Resume Format

Depending on if you’re still a high school or College Student, you may want to structure your resume one way or another. 

However, you will want to go with a reverse-chronological order , listing your most recent experience first . 

However, a Student resume layout is somewhat different from the structure of a professional resume , as Students often have little to no work experience.

As a Student, if you don’t have relevant experience, you should put more focus on the following :

• Internships
• Certifications
• Education and GPA (if over 3.5)

With a unique Student resume format , you’re much more likely to attract attention and catch the hiring manager’s eye with your experience and relevant qualities.

Tips for Writing High School Student Resumes

It’s never too early to create a high school Student resume . 

Whether it’s for a summer job or to prepare to start working full-time, there are some basic things to keep in mind. 

• Begin by listing your various achievements, either academic or otherwise and organize them chronologically.
• Add to this list any memberships you’ve had or associations you’ve been a part of, whether social, academic, or athletic.
• Make a note of all your paid and unpaid or voluntary positions, including other less formal work such as babysitting or menial work around your neighborhood.
• Add descriptions to each aspect of your Student resume that explain your responsibilities and highlight any contributions or leadership roles taken.

Here’s how an extracurricular section can look if you apply these tips:

Extracurricular Activities

Student Government Association, Vice President September 2023–June 2023

• Collaborated with school administrators to address concerns of over 80 Students and improve school policies.
• Led organization of school events, including fundraisers, dances, and community service projects.

Tips for Formatting a College Student Resume

If you’re in college, you’ll need a resume ASAP to prepare for your quickly approaching professional life. 

You may be limited in the amount of work experience you have, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of aspects to be considered.

Here are some tips to help you out:

• Include all relevant work experience, whether paid.
•  Put more emphasis on areas of leadership, dedication and participation in projects, clubs or community services.
• Use quantifiable examples in their resume descriptions as a way of demonstrating your worth as an employee for a business.
• Adapt college resumes to the sector or business that you have chosen, by including only relevant experience and skills.

Based on these tips, here’s how you can write your education section :

Bachelor of Science in Marketing University of Arizona, Expected Graduation: May 2025

• GPA: 3.8/4.0
• Relevant Coursework: Consumer Behavior, Digital Marketing Analytics, Brand Management

Resume for College Applications

Some colleges may ask applicants to provide a resume during the admissions process . It is therefore essential to be able to distinguish between a resume to apply for a job and one for entering college.

In both a Student resume for a college application, it is vital to include your work experience , whether through paid work or voluntary positions. 

Some jobs, school role, or volunteer positions colleges love to see on these types of resumes are:

• Community service
• Camp counselor
• Team captain 
• Club member

College application resumes also often include a cover letter or letter of recommendation , scholarship applications or portfolios to give evidence of a Student’s accomplishments.

Using AI to Improve Your Student Resume

It will be obvious to employers that you’re lacking experience since you’re a Student. It can be a bit difficult to know exactly what you can add to your resume sections that will impress recruiters when you don’t have much of a work history. 

With our resume builder that offers AI-created suggestions, you can come up with clever ideas in seconds for how to list your:

• Skills relevant to the position
• Internship and volunteer experience
• Accomplishments

With our editor’s AI-generated suggestions, you’ll be able to make sure that the most important sections in your resume will be clear and highlight ATS keywords .

You can then use our Student resume template to ensure that your resume flows nicely and highlights the skills you need to cover for your lack of experience .

By combining the template with these suggestions, you’ll make the process even simpler .

To win over any hiring manager, you need to play to your strengths. If you keep the tips we’ve mentioned in mind, you’ll give yourself a great chance!

Simply remember to:

• Highlight any relevant internship or research experience
• Focus on your skills and achievements if you have no experience
• Mention volunteer and community work, especially when applying to college
• Use AI to complete your resume

Take advantage of our customizable templates and editor to make sure that your resume is ready to help you land a spot in college or your first professional role.

Struggling with Resume Writing?

Ease the process with our templates

• Career Blog

Student Resume: 12 Best Examples & Templates for 2024

As a student, creating a resume may seem like a daunting task. However, a well-crafted resume can be your ticket to success in landing your dream job or internship. In this guide, we’ll explore the top 12 best examples and templates for a student resume.

A student resume typically includes information such as your education, extracurricular activities, work experience, and skills. The purpose of a student resume is to showcase your qualifications and make you stand out to potential employers.

Importance of Student Resume

Having a strong student resume is crucial in today’s competitive job market. It provides employers with a quick snapshot of your skills, experience, and accomplishments. Additionally, a well-crafted student resume can highlight your unique strengths and help you stand out from the crowd of other applicants.

How to Use This Guide

In this guide, we’ll provide you with 12 of the best examples and templates for a student resume. Each example includes a detailed description and explanation of why it works. By following the guidance in this guide, you’ll be able to create a winning student resume that will set you apart from other candidates.

This guide is designed to help you create an effective student resume that showcases your unique qualifications and strengthens your job or internship applications. With the guidance provided in this article, you’ll be one step closer to achieving your career goals.

Top 10 Key Components of a Student Resume

When it comes to crafting a student resume, there are certain crucial components that can make or break your application. Here are the top 10 key components that should be included in your student resume:

A. Contact Information

Your contact information should be at the very top of your resume, and should include your full name, phone number, email address, and mailing address. Make sure that your email address and phone number are professional and active, as these will be the primary ways that employers will contact you.

B. Objective or Summary Statement

The objective or summary statement should be a brief, attention-grabbing statement that provides an overview of your skills, experience, and career goals. This statement should be tailored to the specific job or industry that you are applying for.

C. Education

List your academic achievements in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree or diploma. Include the name of the institution, your major, the dates of attendance, and any relevant honors or awards.

D. Relevant Coursework

This section provides an opportunity to highlight any relevant coursework that you’ve completed, particularly if it is relevant to the job or industry you are applying for.

The skills section should include any technical or transferable skills you possess that are relevant to the job you are applying for. This may include computer software, social media management, marketing, or other technical or transferable skills.

F. Work Experience

List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. This section should include the company name, your job title, dates of employment, and key responsibilities and achievements.

G. Extracurricular Activities and Achievements

Include any extracurricular activities or achievements that demonstrate your leadership, teamwork, or other soft skills. This may include involvement in clubs or organizations, volunteer work, community service, or awards and honors.

H. Volunteer Experience

Highlight any volunteer experience you’ve had, as this can demonstrate your commitment to community service and leadership skills.

I. Certifications and Awards

If you have earned any certifications or awards related to your industry or field of study, be sure to include them in this section.

J. References

Include references from professional or academic contacts who can speak to your skills and experience. Make sure to obtain permission from your references before including their contact information.

By including these key components in your student resume, you can ensure that your application stands out from the competition and presents you as a strong candidate for the job.

How to Write a Student Resume: Step by Step Guide

When it comes to creating a student resume, it’s important to follow a step-by-step guide to ensure that you cover all the essential elements. Here are the key steps to keep in mind:

A. Analyze Job Requirements

Before you start writing your resume, it’s important to analyze the job requirements for the position you’re applying for. This will help you identify the skills and experience that the employer is looking for, which you can then highlight on your resume.

B. Choose the Right Resume Format

Next, you’ll need to choose the right resume format. Depending on your work experience and the job you’re applying for, you may want to use a chronological, functional, or combination format.

C. Customize Your Resume

To make your resume stand out from the crowd, you’ll want to customize it to the job you’re applying for. This can include tailoring your professional summary, highlighting relevant skills and experience, and including keywords that the employer is likely to be looking for.

D. Highlight Your Key Accomplishments

Make sure to highlight your key accomplishments, such as projects you’ve worked on or awards you’ve received. These can help demonstrate your skills and experience to potential employers.

E. Use Strong Action Verbs

When describing your experience, make sure to use strong action verbs to help convey your skills and accomplishments. Examples include “achieved,” “managed,” and “collaborated.”

F. Keep it Concise, but Complete

Your resume should be concise and easy to read, but also complete enough to give potential employers a good sense of your skills and experience.

G. Tailor Your Resume to the Job You Want

In addition to customizing your resume to the job you’re applying for, it’s also important to tailor it to the specific company or organization you’re interested in. Researching the company and using their language can help your resume stand out.

H. Proofread and Edit

Finally, make sure to proofread and edit your resume carefully. Typos and errors can be a major turn-off for potential employers, so it’s important to make sure your resume is error-free and polished.

By following these steps, you can create a strong student resume that highlights your skills and experience and helps you stand out in a competitive job market.

12 Best Student Resume Examples and Templates

Are you a student looking for a job or internship? Crafting an impressive resume is essential to stand out from the competition.

Sample Resume 1: Education-focused

This resume template is perfect for students who want to highlight their academic achievements and coursework. It includes sections for education, relevant coursework, and academic honors.

Objective: Detail-oriented and motivated student with a passion for education seeking opportunities to apply knowledge and skills in an educational setting. Committed to creating a positive and engaging learning environment for students.

Education: Bachelor of Education XYZ University, City, State Graduation Year

Relevant Coursework:

• Educational Psychology
• Classroom Management
• Curriculum Development
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Special Education Strategies

Academic Honors:

• Dean’s List, Fall 20XX – Spring 20XX
• XYZ Scholarship, Academic Year 20XX-20XX
• Strong knowledge of educational theories and teaching strategies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proficient in using technology for instructional purposes.
• Ability to create engaging lesson plans and adapt to diverse learning styles.
• Effective classroom management and organization abilities.

Sample Resume 2: Experience-focused

If you have work experience, this resume template is ideal for showcasing your skills and accomplishments. It includes sections for work experience, skills, and accomplishments.

Objective: Results-driven and experienced professional with a proven track record of success in [relevant field]. Seeking a challenging role where I can leverage my skills and experience to drive organizational growth and achieve strategic objectives.

Work Experience: Job Title Company Name, City, State Dates

• Led and managed [specific responsibilities and achievements].
• Implemented [specific projects or initiatives] resulting in [quantifiable outcomes].
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to [describe collaborative projects or achievements].
• Developed and maintained [specific skills or achievements relevant to the job].
• [List of relevant skills, such as leadership, project management, problem-solving, etc.]
• [Include any specific software or technical skills related to the job]

Accomplishments:

• [Highlight notable achievements or contributions in previous roles]
• [Quantify achievements where possible]

Sample Resume 3: Combination style

This template combines elements of both education and experience-focused resumes. It includes sections for education, work experience, and skills.

Objective: Motivated and versatile professional seeking a challenging role that allows for the application of strong educational background and relevant work experience. Committed to delivering high-quality results and driving organizational success.

Education: Bachelor of [Field of Study] XYZ University, City, State Graduation Year

• [List of relevant coursework]
• [Include any additional certifications or training]
• [Highlight specific responsibilities and achievements]
• [Focus on transferable skills and accomplishments related to the job]
• [List of relevant skills, including technical skills and soft skills]
• [Include any specific software or tools relevant to the job]

Sample Resume 4: Undergraduate Student

This resume template is tailored specifically for undergraduate students who may not have extensive work experience yet. It includes sections for education, relevant coursework, and extracurricular activities.

Objective: Highly motivated and dedicated undergraduate student seeking an opportunity to gain practical experience in [relevant field]. Eager to apply academic knowledge and develop skills in a professional setting to contribute to organizational success.

Education: Bachelor of [Field of Study] XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

• [Include any relevant research projects or academic achievements]

Extracurricular Activities:

• [List of involvement in clubs, organizations, or volunteer work]
• [Highlight leadership roles or significant contributions]
• [Include any certifications or training]

Sample Resume 5: Recent Graduate

If you recently graduated, this resume template is perfect for showcasing your education, skills, and any relevant work experience. It includes sections for education, work experience, and skills.

Objective: Highly motivated and enthusiastic recent graduate seeking a challenging role in [relevant field]. Strong educational background combined with practical experience in [specific area]. Committed to continuous learning and professional development.

Sample Resume 6: High School Student

High school students can use this template to highlight their academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and relevant coursework. It includes sections for education, extracurricular activities, and skills.

Objective: Dedicated and motivated high school student seeking opportunities to develop skills and gain experience in [relevant field]. Committed to academic excellence and active involvement in extracurricular activities.

Education: High School Diploma XYZ High School, City, State Graduation Year

• [List of relevant coursework or academic achievements]
• [List of relevant skills, including soft skills and any technical skills]

Sample Resume 7: Business Student

This template is designed for business students who want to show their business knowledge, skills, and work experience. It includes sections for education, work experience, skills, and relevant coursework.

Objective: Highly motivated and detail-oriented business student seeking a challenging role to apply knowledge and skills in [specific area, e.g., marketing, finance, management]. Committed to delivering exceptional results and contributing to organizational success.

Education: Bachelor of Business Administration XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

• [List of relevant skills, including business skills and soft skills]
• [List of relevant coursework or business-related projects]

Sample Resume 8: Computer Science Student

This resume template is tailored for students in the field of computer science. It includes sections for education, skills, certifications, and relevant coursework.

Objective: Highly motivated and analytical computer science student seeking opportunities to apply technical knowledge and skills in [specific area, e.g., software development, data analysis]. Committed to continuous learning and staying updated with emerging technologies.

Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

• [List of relevant programming languages, software, and technical skills]
• [Include any certifications or projects]
• [List of relevant coursework or projects]

Sample Resume 9: Nursing Student

If you’re a nursing student looking for a job or internship, this resume template is perfect for you. It includes sections for education, clinical experience, skills, and certifications.

Objective: Compassionate and dedicated nursing student seeking a hands-on experience to apply theoretical knowledge and develop clinical skills. Committed to providing exceptional patient care and making a positive impact on healthcare outcomes.

Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

Clinical Experience:

• [List of clinical placements or internships]
• [Highlight key responsibilities and skills gained]
• [List of relevant nursing skills, such as patient assessment, medication administration, and clinical documentation]

Sample Resume 10: Communications Student

This template is designed for students in the field of communications. It includes sections for education, work experience, skills, and relevant coursework.

Objective: Motivated and creative communications student seeking opportunities to apply skills and knowledge in [specific area, e.g., public relations, marketing]. Committed to delivering compelling messages and engaging target audiences.

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Communications XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

• [List of relevant communication skills, such as writing, public speaking, social media management]

Sample Resume 11: Creative Student

If you’re a creative student looking for a job or internship, this resume template is perfect for you. It includes sections for education, skills, relevant coursework, and design portfolio.

Objective: Innovative and passionate creative student seeking opportunities to utilize artistic talents and develop skills in [specific area, e.g., graphic design, photography]. Committed to delivering visually captivating and impactful work.

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

• [List of relevant artistic skills, such as design software proficiency, photography techniques]
• [Include any certifications or notable projects]
• [Include any awards or exhibitions]

Design Portfolio:

• [Include a link to an online portfolio or samples of work]

Sample Resume 12: STEM Student

This resume template is tailored for students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It includes sections for education, relevant coursework, skills, and projects.

Objective: Highly motivated and detail-oriented STEM student seeking opportunities to apply technical knowledge and problem-solving skills in [specific field, e.g., engineering, science]. Committed to innovation and making a positive impact through research and development.

Education: Bachelor of Science in [Field of Study] XYZ University, City, State Expected Graduation Year

• [List of relevant technical skills and methodologies]
• [Include any certifications or research projects]
• [Include any academic achievements or awards]
• [List and briefly describe significant projects or research work]

Tips and Tricks

Crafting an impressive resume is essential for college students who are about to embark on their career journeys. While the basic structure of your resume may remain the same, there are certain tricks you can use that make your resume stand out. Here are some tips and tricks to help you create a compelling and effective student resume:

Use action verbs

Instead of using passive phrases, make sure to use action verbs that give a clear picture of what you have accomplished. For instance, instead of saying “worked on a project,” use phrases like “initiated a project,” “coordinated a team,” or “improved performance.”

Highlight your accomplishments

Don’t just list your job responsibilities, but make sure to highlight your achievements as well. Use numbers and data to quantify your accomplishments. For instance, if you worked on a project that improved the company’s revenue, mention the percentage of revenue increase.

Customize your resume for the job

It’s essential to customize your resume according to the job you are applying for. Identify the skills and experience required, and highlight them in your resume. This shows the hiring manager that you understand the company’s needs and are a suitable candidate for the job.

Use Keywords

Make sure to use relevant keywords throughout your resume. Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes. Using relevant keywords increase the likelihood that your resume will be selected for further evaluation.

Use formatting

Use bullet points, bold, italic, and underline in your resume, but do not overdo it; keep it simple and easy to read. Use white space to make your resume look more appealing and legible. Make sure to use the same font type and size throughout your resume.

Proofread your resume

Make sure there are no errors in your resume. Typos, grammar mistakes, and formatting issues can be a quick turn-off to the hiring manager. Take the time to proofread your resume or have someone else check it for you.

Keep it concise

Limit your resume to one or two pages, and make sure you include only the relevant information. Avoid adding irrelevant details or long paragraphs. Keep your resume concise and to the point.

Include volunteer work and extracurricular activities

Including volunteer work and extracurricular activities in your resume is crucial, especially if you have limited work experience. This shows your work ethic, leadership skills, and your involvement in the community.

Use Social Media

Use LinkedIn and other social media platforms to promote your resume online. Create a professional profile that highlights your skills, experience, and achievements. Connect with potential employers and industry professionals to expand your network.

These tips and tricks can help make your student resume stand out and become more effective. By highlighting your accomplishments, customizing your resume, and using relevant keywords, you can impress hiring managers and increase your chances of landing your dream job.

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Free resume template for students and new grads

Download this professional resume template and get started building your resume.

Creating your first professional resume can feel intimidating. So, we’re here to help make it easier! We’ve created this free resume template to get you started. Just follow the steps to download, and then plug in your information to create a resume that recruiters will notice. And check our guide to creating a student or new grad resume with tips on what to include, and some important do’s and don’ts.

Want personalized guidance on your resume? Don't forget to consult your school's career services center !

The resume template includes:

Contact information: Type your first and last name, city and state, phone number and email address. Additional links, like an online portfolio, that are relevant to the roles you’re applying for also go in this section.

Summary: While optional, this “highlight reel” can help grab the employer’s attention and show why you’re a great candidate.

Education: Include your school name, major, degree, and your graduation month and year (or expected date). You can also list academic honors or awards, and courses you’ve taken or major projects completed that are relevant to the job.

Experience: List your experience in reverse chronological order—meaning the most recent experience goes first. If you don’t have a lot of previous work or internship experience, emphasize your involvement with clubs and organizations, volunteering opportunities, and other ways you’ve taken on leadership positions.

Skills: Include technical skills and soft skills—employers are looking for both in potential job candidates.

To create your resume:

• View the free resume template document .
• Click File in the upper left-hand corner.
• You can Make a Copy in Google docs or Download as a Word document.

4. If you made a copy, create a name for it and click OK .

5. Fill in your information. 6. Save your resume as a PDF and upload it to your Handshake profile !

Find the right jobs for you. Get hired.

Related stories, most recent stories.

How to Make a Resume for Students

Make a Resume for Students | How-to & Tips

Quick Navigation

What is a student resume?

What to include in a student resume, how to make a resume for students, tips for student cover letters.

Current students or recent graduates can showcase their education, limited work experience, and skills in a student resume. Student resumes are different from traditional resumes because students usually have more education than they have work experience. In this article, discover how to showcase your education and skills properly in your student resume.

A student resume summarizes a job applicant’s education, work experience, and other applicable skills and qualities. Most students use a student resume to apply for work while finishing their degree or just after graduation. Student resumes focus equally on a student’s education and work experience or solely on their education and related skills if they do not yet have any work experience.

Here are the recommended categories of information to include in your student resume.

Standard information

All resumes should include basic information such as contact information, experience, and education. Include an objective to explain the job or career path you are interested in. A list of your relevant skills can demonstrate that you are a good fit for the position.

Examples of standard information:

• Contact information
• Work experience

Additional information

Student resumes should include extracurricular accomplishments to provide the hiring manager with a well-rounded picture of the student’s abilities and skills.

Examples of additional information:

• Relevant coursework
• Honors and awards
• Volunteering experience
• Certifications

Follow these steps to create a student resume.

1. First, add your contact information

At the top of your resume, add your full name, phone number, and email address. Make sure the phone number you list has voicemail set up with a professional message. Finally, use an appropriate email address, ideally one that includes your first and last name. Left align, enlarge, and bold your contact information so that hiring managers can quickly find it.

Pat Brown 555.555.5555 [email protected]

2. Second, identify your objective

An objective statement is a great way for students with little work experience to highlight their education skills. Your objective should describe your current work or education experience, applicable skills and name the position you seek. Focus on explaining how your skills and experience will support the company for which you are applying. Objective statements should be in paragraph form and are usually two or three sentences long.

Detail-focused undergraduate student studying English literature seeking an entry-level position with Harper Publishers. Will use strong organizational and customer service skills to assist Harper Publishers with administrative support.

3. Next, describe your education

List your education in descending order, meaning you should list your most recent education first with the previous education below. Include the degree earned, the college or university name and location, date of graduation, and any graduation honors, such as cum laude. Consider including your GPA if it is over 3.5. Some students with little or no work experience benefit from including additional academic information, such as the name of their thesis or academic achievements that do not fit in another category.

Duke University Durham, North Carolina Bachelor of Arts: English literature, May 2020 GPA: 3.9: magna cum laude Thesis: How the Bronte sisters challenged the patriarchy through their writing

4. Then, list your work experience

List your work experience, such as your educational history, in descending order. Include the name and location of the company, your position title, dates of employment, and a short, action-focused bullet point list of your main job duties and applicable skills. Quantify your list if possible to show the value you brought to your past employer.

Abby’s Booktraders Akron, Ohio Sales Associate June 2018 – August 2019

• Assisted customers with book suggestions
• Managed the cash register
• Organized bookshelves
• Created book displays

5. Next, add your skills

List your applicable skills here. The skills you include should align directly with the job you are applying for. Scan the job posting and mark the skill-related words in the qualifications section if you are not sure which skills to list in your skills section. Be specific so that the hiring manager can quickly skim and see how your skills align with the job.

• Word processing
• Grammar and usage
• Organization
• Customer service
• Communication (written and verbal)

6. Then, consider honors and awards

This section is optional. If you have a significant number of honors and awards from your educational experience, list them here. If you don’t, skip this section. List the name of the award, the institution that provided it, the date you received it, and any other relevant information that may give the award more context.

• Mary White excellence in research award, Duke University, 2020
• Paul S. Anderson academic scholarship, Duke University, 2016 – 2020

7. Next, describe volunteer experience

Like skills, volunteer experience is an optional category to add if you have relevant experience. Include the name of the organization you volunteered for, your title (if you had one), and the length of your volunteer experience. Include bullet points if you have space using action words to describe what you did while volunteering.

Sun Valley Nursing Home Durham, North Carolina Volunteer Greeter October 2018 – Present

• Conversed with residents
• Organized a monthly outing for residents

8. Then, list certifications

Some students may earn certifications while in school. Only list the certifications if they are relevant to the job for which you are applying. You should include the name of the certification and when it was earned.

• CPR and first aid certification, March 2019
• Lifeguard certification, June 2018

9. Finally, include hobbies

A section devoted to hobbies or interests can help fill out a student resume if needed. The hobbies you include should describe additional skills or personal development related to the job you are applying for. List the hobby and give a brief description to explain it.

• Triathlons, I compete in a triathlon quarterly
• Book club, I lead a book club devoted to personal development monthly
• Cooking, I take a cooking class once a week

Use these tips to craft your cover letter:

• Do your research.  Read the job description closely so you can refer to specific qualifications. Know about the company and mention how you can specifically help achieve the company’s mission.
• Match skills to qualifications.  Identify the skills you have that relate directly to the qualifications for the position. Use language from the job posting to show that you are an excellent candidate.
• Personalize the letter.  Make sure you personalize each cover letter you send out for the specific job you are applying for.
• Format appropriately.  Keep paragraphs short so that hiring managers can quickly skim the content for keywords and accomplishments.
• Quantify your achievements.  Use numbers to quantify previous work or projects to show the value you would bring to the company.
• Highlight leadership.  Mention leadership opportunities you have had and use action-based language to describe the specifics of your leadership.
• Mention awards.  Discuss awards you have earned that might set you apart from other applicants.

An excellent cover letter should accompany a strong resume for a student’s best chance of receiving their ideal job. Student cover letters allow applicants to expand on their skills and accomplishments while showing how they will support the company.

If you need help writing a resume, use our data-backed resume builder .

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Student Resume Examples & Writing Guide for 2024

Diving headfirst into job search when you have little to none practical experience can be petrifying. But don't worry! Our guide is here to simplify the daunting task of writing your student resume .

Let us lead you through the process step by step with our practical tips , sleek resume templates , and  detailed examples .

Keep reading to learn all about:

• Delving into valuable student resume examples
• Choosing the right format for your student resume
• Writing a resume summary that expresses your best skills
• Including relevant hard & soft skills in your student resume
• Describing extracurricular & volunteer experience in your work history
• Using powerful action words throughout your student resume
• Listing your academic credentials & awards properly
• Including valuable extra sections in your resume
• Avoding common mistakes in a student resume
• Pairing your resume with a relevant student cover letter
• Understanding the labor market trends for recent college graduates
• Accessing top resources for job-seeking students

Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.

University student resume example

Why does this resume example work?

• Detailed work experience with recognition: The work experience section effectively describes the candidate's role and contributions as a Software Intern at Intel Corporation. The inclusion of specific tasks such as developing software applications, coding, and testing features provides a clear picture of the candidate’s hands-on experience. Additionally, receiving recognition as Employee of the Month highlights exceptional performance and dedication, making the candidate stand out.
• Strong academic background: The education section showcases the candidate’s academic excellence, particularly highlighting a GPA of 3.96 in Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. This strong academic record, combined with participation in relevant clubs and societies, demonstrates the candidate’s commitment and well-rounded skills in their field.

What could be improved?

• Lack of quantifiable data in achievements: While the resume provides a good overview of the candidate’s responsibilities and recognitions, it lacks specific quantifiable achievements that could strengthen the impact. For example, in the work experience section, instead of just stating "enhancing Intel's website functionality," the candidate could provide data such as "enhanced Intel's website functionality, resulting in a 15% increase in user engagement and a 10% reduction in load times."

Business student resume sample

• Leadership and initiative: The resume effectively highlights the candidate’s leadership skills and initiative, particularly in the education section where the candidate served as President of the Adam Smith Business Club. The mention of developing and implementing a new growth strategy that resulted in a significant increase in membership from 120 to 350 within one academic year showcases their capability to drive growth and manage teams effectively.
• Strong academic and extracurricular accomplishments: The applicant's perfect GPA of 4.0/4.0, coupled with the Best Graduate Award, reflects strong academic performance. Additionally, leadership roles in various student organizations, such as Vice President of the Debate Club and Social Media Manager for the Swimming Club, indicate a well-rounded profile with a balance of academic and extracurricular achievements.
• Lack of specificity: The resume lacks specificity in some areas, particularly in the statement "Managed a team of seven individuals." While this indicates leadership, it does not provide enough context about what the team was responsible for or what specific achievements were accomplished under the applicant's leadership. 

IT intern resume example

• Presence of interpersonal skills: The resume effectively highlights the candidate's soft skills, such as communication , team playing , and time management . These skills are crucial in collaborative environments and set the candidate apart as someone who can work well with others and manage their time efficiently. This is particularly important in IT roles where teamwork and communication are essential for project success and troubleshooting.
• Recognition and awards: The candidate’s achievements are well-documented, including being recognized as Intern of the Month at Saratech Corporation for exceptional performance. Additionally, the Best Graduate Award from high school and maintaining a high GPA at Princeton University with a placement in the top 10% of the program demonstrate the candidate’s dedication and excellence in their academic and professional pursuits.
• General descriptions without context: While the resume lists various responsibilities, it often lacks context that would make the candidate's contributions clearer. For instance, "Contributed to the development of new web pages" could be enhanced by specifying the scope and impact of these contributions. A more detailed explanation such as, "Successfully developed and implemented three new web pages, which increased site traffic by 15% over the summer internship period," would provide a clearer picture of the candidate’s impact and the value they brought to their employer.

1. Choose the best format for your student resume

No matter if you're a high school, college, or higher education student, the first crucial step to writing your student resume is to choose the best format for your needs.

Generally, applicants who are current students will have limited formal work experience, but an extensive academic background. Along with coursework, this may include extracurriculars, student assistantships, internships, and volunteer work.

The best format for this type of experience is the functional resume . Functional resumes do not focus on work experience as a standard reverse-chronological resume would. Instead, this format focuses much more heavily on education, skills, and unpaid experience .

Of course, if you do have some work experience, you may want to opt for the more traditional reverse-chronological resume or a hybrid resume format. Reverse-chronological resumes focus on your most recent job first and work backward from there, making the work experience section the largest on the document. Hybrid resumes, by contrast, spread the focus out more evenly between all sections.

Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.

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2. write a resume summary that expresses your best skills.

Your resume summary is a short statement that summarizes your best attributes as a professional or as a student . This can include your credentials, accomplishments, or goals, but should always focus primarily on providing compelling details to catch the attention of the reader.

To help illustrate how to write a strong resume summary, here are two contrasting examples:

Bad student resume summary example

Current high school student who is looking for part-time employment in the automobile and mechanic industry. Has taken multiple shop classes working directly with automobiles and can provide a recommendation from the teacher. Strong and hard-working football player.

Why is this bad?  Firstly, it lacks clarity and focus, jumping between unrelated points like shop classes and football. It doesn't highlight any specific skills or accomplishments that are directly relevant to the job in the automobile and mechanic industry. Additionally, mentioning "strong and hard-working football player" seems out of place and unprofessional, as it doesn't tie into the job target. Finally, it fails to convey enthusiasm or a clear objective, making it less compelling to potential employers.

Good student resume summary example

Hard-Working High School Student with a strong interest in beginning a career as a mechanic. 2+ years of experience working with automobiles in a supervised classroom setting, with a letter of recommendation from supervising teacher available upon request. Team-player with strong leadership and collaboration skills.

Why is this a good example?  In this corrected example, the student includes a lot of the same information but with greater context and specific facts to back up their claims. The sentences have a better overall flow that gives the person reading the summary a clear oversight of who this student is and what their goals are.

Crafting a powerful resume summary is essential to making a great first impression. By focusing on relevant skills, providing specific examples, and maintaining clarity, you can create a summary that captures the attention of potential employers and effectively communicates your qualifications and aspirations.

3. Include relevant hard & soft skills in your student resume

As a student, you have probably heard your teachers or professors say you need to hone your skills — but did you know there are two distinct types of skills you can have?

These two types of skills are known as hard skills and soft skills .

Hard skills refer to your technical and learned abilities, such as athletics or computer skills. These abilities take time and commitment to obtain, making them key qualifications for specific jobs.

Soft skills , comparatively, refer to your interpersonal and intellectual abilities that allow you to collaborate with others and understand the world around you. These can be both inherent and learned, and include things such as people skills and communication.

Including both types of skills on your resume shows the person reading it that you understand the importance of having both kinds. With this in mind, here are 10 ideas for both hard and soft skills that are great for a student’s resume:

The best student hard skills to put on your resume

• Athletic ability (strength, stamina, specific sports, etc.)
• Computer skills (typing, web browsing, researching, etc.)
• Computer software (Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud)
• Google workspace
• Mathematics
• Fluency in foreign languages
• Creating presentations
• Public speaking
• Critical reading & note-taking

Effective soft skills for your student CV

• Teamwork & collaboration
• Written & verbal communication
• Calmness under pressure
• Determination
• Problem-solving
• Professionalism

All in all, including a balanced mix of both hard and soft skills in your student resume is crucial for demonstrating a well-rounded skill set. This comprehensive approach can significantly increase your chances of standing out in a competitive job market. 

Find out your resume score!

4. Describe extracurricular & volunteer experience in your student work history

Crafting a work experience section for a student resume can be challenging, especially if you’ve never held a formal job. However, you can still create a compelling resume by highlighting part-time jobs, volunteering, and extracurricular activities .

Employers hiring students understand that your work history might not be extensive. What's crucial is demonstrating your skills, commitment, and experiences through various roles you’ve undertaken.

Bad example of a work experience entry from a student resume

Grayson County High School High School Sports Team Captain August 2020 - Present

• Worked with the team
• Did research for games
• Was Captain for a year

Why is it so bad? This example is vague and doesn’t provide specific details about your responsibilities or achievements.

Good example of a work experience entry from a student resume

Part-Time Jobs

Green Store, New York, NY Cashier June 2021 - August 2021

• Assisted an average of 50 customers per shift, ensuring a positive shopping experience.
• Managed cash transactions totaling $2,000 daily and maintained accurate sales records.
• Trained two new employees on customer service protocols and sales operations.

Volunteering Activities

Be Good Center Community Center Volunteer September 2020 - Present

• Organized community events for up to 100 attendees, including fundraising activities and workshops.
• Developed and led a weekly after-school program for local children, focusing on educational and recreational activities.
• Coordinated food donations, distributing meals to over 50 families each week.

Extracurricular Activities

Grayson County High School Debate Team Captain August 2020 - Present

• Organized a team of 30+ students to meet and practice debating weekly.
• Researched and fact-checked more than 100 debate drafts, providing corrections and feedback when needed.
• Re-elected for the captain position in May 2021 for the 2021-2022 school year.

Why does it hit the mark? This example provides detailed and specific descriptions of each role, highlighting relevant skills and accomplishments. By including part-time jobs, volunteering, and extracurricular activities, it shows a diverse range of experiences and capabilities. Each entry uses quantifiable data, such as the number of customers assisted or the percentage increase in sales, which demonstrates concrete achievements.

In essence, employers value all forms of experience, not just formal work history. By effectively highlighting part-time jobs, volunteering, and extracurricular activities in your work experience section, you can create a well-rounded resume that emphasizes your skills and experiences. Be specific and detailed in your descriptions to make a compelling case for why you’re the right candidate for the job.

5. Use powerful action words in a student resume

Using powerful action words in your student resume can make a substantial difference. These words help to vividly describe your accomplishments and responsibilities, making your resume more dynamic and engaging.

They convey:

• Clarity and precision:  Action words provide clear and precise descriptions of your tasks and achievements, eliminating any ambiguity about your role and contributions.
• Impact: They create a strong and vivid picture of your experiences, making your resume stand out to hiring managers.
• Professionalism: Well-chosen action words demonstrate confidence and a proactive attitude, essential traits in any job seeker.
• Variety: Using varied action words keeps your resume from becoming monotonous and repetitive, maintaining the reader's interest.

Here are some valuable action words for your student resume to choose from:

Leadership and initiative

• Coordinated
• Supervised  

Achievements and results

Communication and collaboration.

• Communicated
• Collaborated

Technical skills

• Troubleshot
• Implemented  

Problem-solving and creativity

Volunteering and extracurricular activities.

• Volunteered
• Participated
• Contributed
• Facilitated

Including powerful action words in your student resume is crucial for creating a compelling and professional document. Not only do they clarify your roles and achievements but they also make your resume more dynamic and impactful. By carefully selecting and implementing these words, you can effectively convey your skills and experiences, making a strong impression on potential employers.

6. List your academic credentials & awards on your student resume

On a standard resume for established professionals, the education section should generally be kept short and sweet. However, student resumes often lack extensive work histories, leaving more room to expand on academic credentials and experience.

When listing an ongoing diploma or degree, it is important to note this to employers using an “Expected Date of Graduation” bullet point. Even though you have not graduated yet, this will give employers a better idea of when you will graduate and how your school schedule may affect the work schedule.

Additionally, it can be useful to include your GPA(s) when writing a resume while still a student, as this can help to illustrate your work ethic to employers.

You may also want to include relevant coursework and school activities, providing employers with a better understanding of the skills and knowledge you've acquired. Highlighting these elements demonstrates your commitment to your field of study and involvement in extracurricular activities, which can be just as valuable as work experience.

Here's an example of a well-crafted education section on a student resume

Wilkes Community College, West Jefferson, NC Associate’s in Business Administration

• Expected Graduation: 2023
• Current GPA:8
• Relevant Coursework: Principles of Marketing, Financial Accounting, Business Ethics, Organizational Behavior
• President of the Business Club, Member of the Student Government Association

Ashe County High School, West Jefferson, NC High School Diploma

• Graduated: 2020

Certifications

• First Aid & CPR, American Red Cross, 2024
• Lifeguard Certification, American Red Cross, 2024

Remember, expanding your education section to include relevant coursework, school activities, and academic awards can make your student resume more compelling. These elements provide a fuller picture of your academic background, skills, and extracurricular involvement, helping to compensate for a lack of extensive work experience.

7. Include valuable extra sections in your student resume

When crafting a student resume, including extra sections can be a valuable way to highlight your unique experiences, skills, and achievements beyond traditional academic qualifications.

These sections allow you to showcase your involvement in extracurricular activities, leadership roles, community service, and relevant projects. By including these extra sections, you can demonstrate your well-roundedness, transferable skills, and personal qualities that make you a standout candidate. Some examples of extra sections to consider for a student resume include:

• Leadership and Involvement : Highlight your participation in student organizations, clubs, or sports teams, emphasizing any leadership positions held and the impact you made.
• Volunteer and Community Service : Showcase your dedication to giving back through volunteering experiences, community projects, or service-learning initiatives.
• Projects and Research : Highlight any significant projects or research work you have undertaken, showcasing your problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and hands-on skills.
• Awards and Recognitions : List any academic or non-academic awards, scholarships, or honors received, demonstrating your outstanding achievements and dedication to excellence.
• Professional Development and Certifications : Include relevant workshops, online courses, or certifications you have completed, emphasizing your commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

Here's an example of how to effectively list your volunteer and community service

• Volunteer, Local Animal Shelter, 2019-Present

Assist in daily operations, including animal care, adoption events, and fundraising activities, promoting animal welfare and community engagement.

• Organizer, Annual Food Drive, XYZ High School, 2017-2020

Coordinated a team of volunteers, collected and sorted donations, and delivered food to local shelters, contributing to hunger relief efforts in the community.

8. Avoid common mistakes on a student resume

Creating a student resume can be challenging, but avoiding common mistakes can make a significant difference in how potential employers perceive your application. Here are some key pitfalls to avoid and tips on how to ensure your resume stands out:

• Being too vague: Using generic descriptions that don’t provide specific details about your experiences and accomplishments won't help your case. Use clear, detailed descriptions and quantify your achievements. Instead of saying “Worked on school projects,” try “Led a team of four classmates on a marketing project that increased social media engagement by 20%.”
• Typos and grammatical errors: Submitting a resume with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or incorrect information is a red flag for any hiring manager. Proofread your resume multiple times and consider using proofreading tools . Ask a friend, family member, or mentor to review your resume as well — fresh eyes can catch mistakes you might have missed.
• Overloading with irrelevant information:  Don't include too much information that isn’t relevant to the job you’re applying for, such as unrelated hobbies or excessive personal details. Focus on experiences and skills that are directly relevant to the position. Tailor your resume for each job application by highlighting relevant coursework, activities, and experiences.
• Lack of clear structure: Creating a resume that is hard to read and navigate, with inconsistent formatting and structure is another big mistake. Use a clean, professional layout with consistent fonts, headings, and spacing. Organize sections logically, making it easy for employers to find key information quickly.
• Ignoring keywords: Failing to incorporate keywords from the job description makes it harder for your resume to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS). Carefully read the job description and incorporate relevant keywords naturally into your resume. Match your skills and experiences to the qualifications listed in the job posting.

Avoiding common mistakes on your student resume is crucial for making a positive impression on potential employers. By being specific, proofreading carefully, focusing on relevant information, maintaining a clear structure, and using appropriate keywords, you can create a strong, professional resume. This approach increases your chances of landing the job and sets you on a path to career success.

9. Submit a relevant student cover letter with your resume

When applying for a job, internship, or any professional opportunity, it's often beneficial to include a cover letter along with your student resume. Understanding the difference between the two documents and ensuring they are cohesively designed can significantly boost your chances of making a strong impression.

A cover letter provides a personalized, narrative introduction to your application. It allows you to explain your interest in the position, highlight your most relevant skills and experiences, and convey enthusiasm for the role. It should be tailored to each specific job, focusing on how you meet the needs of the employer.

A resume, on the other hand, is a structured and concise summary of your academic background, work experience, skills, and accomplishments. It is a factual document designed to allow the hiring manager to quickly assess your qualifications and suitability for the role.

When to include a cover letter?

• Job applications: Always include a cover letter when applying for jobs unless the employer specifically states otherwise. It provides context that your resume alone may not fully convey.
• Internships: Like job applications, internships benefit greatly from a cover letter. It gives you the space to explain why you're interested in the field and how your academic experiences prepare you for the role.
• Scholarships and academic programs: When applying for scholarships or specialized academic programs, a cover letter can highlight your passion, dedication, and relevant achievements.

Having a matching design for your cover letter and resume creates a cohesive and professional appearance. Consistency in fonts, color schemes, and layout not only shows your attention to detail but also strengthens your personal brand.

Tips for consistent design:

• Fonts and colors: Use the same fonts and color schemes in both documents to create a harmonious look.
• Headers and footers: Align the headers and footers of your cover letter with those on your resume. This includes using the same style for your contact information and any additional elements like page numbers.
• Layouts: Ensure consistent spacing, margins, and overall layout to provide a uniform and polished appearance.

Remember, including a relevant cover letter with your student resume is essential for presenting a well-rounded application. This attention to detail not only conveys professionalism but also enhances your personal brand, making you stand out to potential employers.

Create your cover letter fast with artificial intelligence.

10. labor market outlook for fresh graduates.

The labor market for fresh graduates remains strong, though uncertainties persist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the economy added 303,000 jobs in March, surpassing expectations and contributing to a low unemployment rate of 3.8%.

However, recent college graduates have faced challenges in securing jobs, indicating a mismatch between their qualifications and job market realities. As of October 2022, recent college graduates had an unemployment rate of 7.3% . 

On a more positive note, there are still some sectors filled with job opportunities for new graduates. The industries experiencing significant employment gains include healthcare (+72,000), government (+72,000), construction (+39,000), and leisure and hospitality (+49,000).

As for the salary outlook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that positive job outcomes for the class of 2022 had returned to pre-pandemic levels. Approximately one-fourth of graduates received a bonus , with men more likely to receive one (32%) compared to women (24%). However, there remains a gender disparity in bonus amounts, with women receiving about $3,200 less than men.

While the labor market presents a promising picture for fresh graduates, disparities in unemployment rates and salary bonuses highlight ongoing challenges. By focusing on industries with robust growth and being mindful of market realities, recent graduates can better navigate their entry into the workforce.

11. Top resources for job-seeking students

Crafting an effective student resume is your first step toward landing that coveted internship, part-time job, or entry-level position. However, knowing where to look for these opportunities is equally important. To complement your freshly polished resume, here’s a curated list of top job search resources specifically designed for students like you:

• Online job search engines: Websites with broad focus like Indeed , SimplyHired , Glassdoor , and ZipRecruiter are great entry points to your professional journey. 
• Job boards for students: Platforms like Handshake , Aftercollege , College Recruiter , or Internmatch offer internships, part-time jobs, seasonal work, and entry-level career opportunities in a wide range of industries. 
• University career services: You should also take advantage of your college or university's career services! These can help you with job placement, resume writing workshops, mock interviews, and attending career fairs. 
• Networking events and career fairs: Attend career fairs and networking events hosted by your university or your local industry groups. These can be great opportunities to meet employers face-to-face and learn about job openings.
• Company websites: You can go straight to the source! If you already have a particular company in mind, search through their official website to find out if they offer internships or entry-level positions. Or reach out to them with your resume and cover letter and enquire about possible collaboration. 
• Continuous learning: Learning doesn't stop the second your feet leave the academic soil! Online platforms like Coursera , edX , Khan Academy , or LinkedIn Learning offer a wide selection of courses that can expand your skills and increase your chances of getting hired.

Remember, the job search process can be competitive and tiring, especially for students with less work experience. It's more like a marathon than a sprint, really. So don't exhaust yourself at the very beginning. And don't forget to always update your resume with every new skill or experience you gain. Good luck!

Student Resume FAQ

What is the importance of a student resume.

Basically, your student resume is something like your ID in the workforce. It shows the recruiters who you are and what you can do. It's an opportunity to showcase your skills, academic achievements, and experiences. Having a resume is a must for anyone active on the job market. Without a resume, you won't be able to apply for job postings, because it's an essential part of any job application. Just as important, it's a chance to stand out amongst the competition and make that all-important first impression.

How can I tailor my resume to match the job description?

Understanding the job description is key. Go back to the job posting and read it thoroughly. Look for any key phrases and words relating to particular skills that are required from the candidate. Understand what the employer is looking for and make sure your skills and experiences align. Next, match keywords from the job description in your resume to show that you're a great potential fit. But, you should never lie on a resume!

What common mistakes should I avoid in crafting my resume?

One common mistake is submitting a generic resume. Each and every job application should have a specifically tailored resume and cover letter. Also, avoid mentioning irrelevant information and unnecessary filler words. Lastly, be wary of any spelling or grammar errors. Typos can easily ruin your first impression. But, an AI powered resume builder can take care of these minor errors for you.

Should my resume be one page or two pages long?

As a student, your resume should be one page long. With limited professional experience, one page should be enough to highlight your skills, education, volunteering, awards, and accomplishments.

Should I include references on my resume?

Undoubtedly, positive references from tutors or mentors can be an excellent guarantee of your skills when you don't have much real-life work experience to back them up. But ŕeferences don't usually belong on your resume. Instead, make a separate document with your references and be ready to produce it when asked to do so by the recruiters. You can also include a short note like “ References available upon request ” at the end of your cover letter .

Julia Gergelova

Julia is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW™) and an active member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC™). She is also a passionate translator and graphic designer. Julia holds degrees in translation and interpretation and has international work experience in various countries across Europe, as well as in China and Panama. Julia formerly taught academic writing and contributed as a graphic designer to outlets such as The Business of Business. You'll often find her with a book in one hand and a specialty coffee in the other, always on the lookout for new insights.

Subcategories

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• High School Student
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• Student Internship
• Natural Sciences Student
• Professions And Applied Sciences Student
• Social Sciences Student
• University Student

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Resume Examples & Samples

The ultimate guide to writing a student resume [examples].

Adi Gaskell

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Table of Contents

The resume must-knows.

• Contact Information
• Resume Summary or Objective

Work Experience and Core Sections

• Internships
• Transferable Experience
• Extracurricular Activities
• Projects and Portfolio

Creating a student resume can be a daunting process. Chances are, you’ve never had a professional job before, which leaves you staring at a blank piece of paper hoping that a resume would magically appear.

While having a degree is great, you should know that your entire graduating class has that. As does the previous graduating class, and the graduating class of the university nearby.

At the end of the day, what’s really going to set you apart from everyone else is your resume, which is why you have to make it perfect.

In this guide, you’re going to learn:

• What sections to include
• How to list basic information on your resume (contact, education)
• How to sell yourself without any work experience
• Using internship experience to set yourself apart
• Using somewhat “irrelevant” work experience to your advantage
• How university activities can lead to professional skills

# the-resume-must-knows

Whether you’re a student or a professional with 20 years of experience, you’ll have to start off your resume the same way.

The must-have sections in any resume are:

• Summary or Objective

VelvetJobs Expert Tip

You might want to start working on your student resume right now - it's much easier to apply everything you learn as you read on. Give our resume builder a try.

CONTACT INFORMATION

# contact-information.

While the contact section of your resume might seem simple, it’s very important to get it right. Imagine spending weeks sending out your resume and not getting a response because you've got a type in your e-mail!

Always make sure that your contact section is 100% accurate.

The contact information section consists oF :

First Name / Last Name

Phone Number

Address (City, State, Zip Code)

Most of those entries are pretty self-explanatory . The one thing you should pay extra attention to is the e -mail address.

When it comes to e-mail, make sure to use a professional one. Use [First Name] + [Last Name] @ EmailProvider.com , or any variation of that.

[email protected] may be funny but the recruiter will see it as extremely unprofessional.

Make sure not to use your university email because those accounts tend to expire after graduation.

Depending on your major , there are some additional things you could mention.

• Behance - if you’re a design student, it’s a good way to showcase your portfolio
• GitHub - If you’ve been studying programming, you probably have a lot of projects or games you’ve worked on. That’s something the recruiter would love to take a look at - and GitHub is a good place to store those.
• Blog, Website - For any job that requires a portfolio - be it design, coding or writing, you can always create a personal website from scratch.

Contact information is important - you don't want to lose your dream job because the recruiter couldn't contact you. Learn how to include contact information in your resume with our guide!

RESUME SUMMARY OR OBJECTIVE

A good way to begin your resume is with either a summary or an objective . This will be the first thing a recruiter sees the factor that determines whether they’re going to read the rest of it.

The summary is your professional overview and it goes first, followed by the objective which explains what you’re trying to achieve with the resume and why you're a good fit for the job.

As a student, you probably don’t have much of a professional career, so what you need to go for is an objective.

How to Write a Resume Objective

As we’ve mentioned before, the idea behind a resume objective is to show the recruiter why you’re applying for the job, and how it’s going to beneficial for the company to hire you. Let's look at a bad and good example.

WRONG Example:

I studied accounting because my parents thought it was cool. I want this job because I like cozy offices, nice pay , and being able to repay my $100,000 student loans

This is NOT what the recruiter is looking for. The more specific you are, the more likely the recruiter will take you seriously.

While there are no strict “rules” on how you create a resume objective, you should keep in mind that the general standard is having it written in 3rd person .

To help make it easier to create a resume objective, we came up with a super-simple formula:

Now, let’s look at each of the ingredients one by one, so it’s easier to apply it to your case.

• University Degree - Which school you’re going to, what your major is, and any honors or distinctions.
• Extracurricular Activities - The “work” you did during school. This can entail the clubs you participated in or the competitions you won.
• Application - This portion explains how you've put your degree and activities to use in real life.

To make that more understandable, let’s turn it into something more practical:

RIGHT Example:

Energetic and passionate Business Administration graduate from Boston University [University Degree] . Record of excellence in finance, having won 2nd place on the MadeUpFinanceCompetetion [Extracurricular Activities] . Looking to leverage the knowledge and skills gained from the university in a career in finance [Application] .

A resume objective shows the recruiter that you're passionate about the company. Want to learn more about creating a killer resume objective ? Check out our guide!

# education

This section is where the last 4 years of your life go.

here's how to format the section:

Type of degree + Field of study

University name + Duration

Honors and Distinctions

This section is very straoghtforward. T here’s no “wrong” way to list your education.

The one thing you should consider is the GPA . You want to use it only if it works in your favor. List it only if it's a 3.5+ / 4.0.

check out this examplE :

B.A . Accounting

Cornell University, 2012 - 2016

3.76 / 4.0 .

• Awarded merit-based MadeUp Scholarship
• Graduated with Honors in the field of Accounting

Have more questions about listing your education ? Maybe you dropped out from school, and are unsure about whether to mention it. Or maybe you're wondering how to mention honors and distinctions? Learn all that and more with our guide!

# work-experience-and-core-sections

Once you’ve got all the basics of the resume down, but you still don't know how to go about work experience .

Maybe you've even heard the popular trope...

Requirements:

• 20+ years of experience in marketing
• Experience in managing marketing budget of $20,000+
• Results-driven , able to make us rich

The job is paid in exposure, good vibes & a potential for a normal job (eventually. If we like you. Maybe.)

Well, here’s some good news - that’s not exactly how it works. The “needing work experience to get a job, needing a job to get work experience” trope is actually a myth.

As a student, what sets you apart is not your years of experience. The recruiter knows that you’ve probably never worked before, not a lot of people applying for an entry-level job have.

What HR is looking for is your willingness to learn and there are plenty of ways to show demonstrate that on your resume, including having all the core information put together in one of these successful resume templates .

To be more specific:

• Internship Experience - These days, many universities make it mandatory to complete an internship before graduation. Internships can help prepare you for a career in your field, and get you the skills you need for your first professional job.
• Transfera ble Experiences - Chances are, you’ve worked some sort of part-time blue-collar job. Think a cashier, waiter, or a customer support rep. While those positions might seem a bit irrelevant in comparison to a professional job, they give you transferable skills that help set you apart from the competition.
• Extracurricular Activities - Your college adviser has probably told you that extracurricular activities are good for your student resume. I t’s true - they tend to give you applicable skills (think editing, photography, writing, administration).
• Projects & Portfolio - You’ve probably had some side-projects in school. Maybe it’s a game you’ve developed in your free time or concept-art you’ve been working on. Mentioning them in your resume proves that despite your lack of work experience, you’re completely capable of working in the field.

We’re going to go through them one-by-one , and explain how they can fit into your resume.

If you can make your work experience work for you, you're a shoe-in for the job! Learn everything there is to know about listing your work experience with our complete guide!

# internships

Internships.

If you’ve done an internship in college, it's going to be a lot easier to find a professional job after school. You list internships on your resume exactly the same way as work experience - in a reverse chronological order and with simple formatting.

internship formatting:

Position + Dates

Company Name

Responsibilities & Accomplishments

Check out this example:

• Underwent training in digital marketing, specifically for SEO , PPC & Content Marketing
• Published 3 posts on the company blog, each receiving 100+ shares
• Managed an AdWords account of $2,000 , under the supervision of the PPC manager
• In charge of the execution of blogger outreach, establishing 5+ contacts with influencers

Quantification is king - whenever you have the chance, talk about your experiences in numbers .

To get a better idea, look at the following example ...

Closed monthly deals of $5,000+

Which one sounds more “convincing?”

The first case, the recruiter would see dollar signs - this guy can sell , and he’ll make us some real money. In the second case, there’s really nothing to be impressed by.

# transferable-experience

Transferable experience.

Let's say you've held a summer job between college semesters.

At a glance, a summer job as a server might seem like it can't help you in any way. Why should a recruiter care about the time you spent waiting tables? Is that something you’d even mention on a resume?

Well, it depends - in some cases, mentioning the experience might be what sets you apart.

Which one do you think would win between these two examples?

Worked 60+ hours a week as a server during summer holidays to pay for school

My family paid for my university, and I’ve never worked a day in my life

Itt’s always better to mention some work experience as opposed to none . It shows initiative and willingness to get things done.

If you don’t have enough internships or extracurricular activities to fill up a page, then you might want to add any kind of work experience you have.

Temporary jobs could give you transferable skills which can be directly applicable to the full-time position you're applying for. For example, let’s say the job you’re applying for requires dealing with customers .

If you’ve done anything that put you in charge of ensuring client satisfaction, then that experience might be relevant for the job. Some examples are:

• Waiter / Waitress
• Sales Assistant
• Customer Support

So if you’re applying for a job in sales , you’d want to mention any of these in your work experience section.

• Worked 20 to 30 hours a week as a server to help university bills
• Interacted with 30+ customers on a daily basis
• Ensured 100% customer satisfaction , catering to their every need
• Voted employee of the month during months of Aug, Oct .

This shows that the job-seeker is familiar with hard work and managing to put in long hours while attending school.

Plus, they’ve interacted with customers before which immediately puts them ahead of anyone who hasn’t .

Want to land your internship resume? Learn how to create an internship resume with our complete guide & get ahead your competition!

# extracurricular-activities

Extracurricular activities.

It’s a fact - extracurricular activities are good for your resume. Think of them as a “ simulation ” of real work. You go to meetings, organize events, and interact with “ co-workers. ”

University clubs can teach you hard skills like photography, video editing, public speaking, or soft skills like being organized, interpersonal, negotiation, and thinking on your feet. The section for extracurricular activities works as “work experience” would on a more seasoned resume.

If you’ve worked consistently at a club, then you want to mention the exact things you’ve done.

Extracurricular activities formatting

Organization Name

This is according to the same principles as your typical work experience section. Make sure to quantify your achievements whenever possible.

Check out the example below:

2016 Sep - 2017 Jan

• In charge of managing communications with different influencers & business people
• Oversaw a team of 4 , mentoring new members and ensuring all events went as scheduled
• Organized events for students interested in entrepreneurship, bringing in guest speakers & holding simulations
• Established relations with 5+ local companies , sponsoring food & drinks for club events).

If you haven’t done much at the club, however, or if it’s something you really can’t count as an experience , then you can do a simple line…

Minor entry

Club + Position + Dates

This kind of experience also works . Say, you’ve played soccer for 4 years in school . That means you’re physically fit and have some endurance. Really demanding jobs such as business consulting, for example, need some real serious endurance .

Member of the University Soccer Club, Sep 2015 - Feb 2017.

# projects-and-portfolio

Projects and portfolio.

Depending on what you studied in school, you might have worked on some side-projects . For example, a web developer might have coded a website at a university club.

If you’re a designer , maybe you’ve done fan-art for your favorite TV shows. Or maybe you’re an entrepreneurial business student , starting a mini-business on your college campus.

If you're worked on any digital projects, you can upload them in an online portfolio and include a link to it in your contacts section. If on the other hand, it’s a real-life project , then you might want to create a separate section for it in your resume.

In that case, you’d want to structure it as is “ work experience ,” but with some minor differences.

Project formatting

Project Name

Project Description

Experience, Achievements, etc.

Now, let’s turn that into a practical example:

Independent Projects

CampusFoods

On MadeUpUni campus, there was a lack of a delivery options from local restaurants. I started CampusFoods to solve the problem, employing students to do delivery runs for a % of profits from the restaurant.

• Bootstrapped the entire project, initially handling the deliveries personally.
• Created a delivery schedule, allowing for low-cost food transportation.
• Hired 3 university students part-time , managing and coordinating them on a daily basis.
• During the entire business life-time , earned over $10,000 + in revenue.

Need some inspiration? Check out these resume templates .

Skills can be a very important section in your resume - but it can also be literally nothing .

There are 2 different types of skills you mention on a resume:

• Hard Skills - These are the technical stuff - anything that you can empirically prove. Think Photoshop , web design, C++ , etc.
• Soft Skills - Everything less tangible. Think, people skills, critical-thinking , and leadership.

Hard skills are essential for any good resume. If the employer is looking for someone skilled at Photoshop , it’s a must that you mention that you’re proficient at it. Otherwise, you're just going to get skipped.

Never, ever lie about your skill level. If you start a job as a web developer and realize that you have no idea how to do basic layout, it’s going to be awkward for everyone.

You can divide hard skills into 3 different levels:

• Beginner - Just starting out, <1 year of experience
• Intermediate - 1 - 3 years of experience.
• Expert - 3+ years of experience, less if you have achievements to back up the claim

Listing them on a resume is also extremely simple - simply mention the skill & your level of expertise.

for example:

Photoshop - Intermediate

Illustrator - Intermediate

Excel - Beginner

UX Design - Beginner

Soft skills, however, aren’t nearly as simple . They also happen to be something that most students mess up with.

Since soft skills aren't tangible , anyone can claim that they have them, regardless of whether it's a sophomore in college, or a manager with 10 years of experience.

So when a student needs something to fill up their resume, they just list different soft skills they supposedly possess, thinking that the recruiter will just believe them at a glance.

Imagine seeing this as on a student resume:

Soft skills example

Critical Thinking

This says nothing substantial about you as a candidate. Listing theoretical things such as “critical thinking,” “leadership,” etc., doesn’t work, since everyone else can do the same. You have to back up these claims with evidence of achievements.

Held managerial positions in 3 student clubs during the time in the university, managing teams consisting of up to 10 people .

Here, on the other hand, you have solid proof of your leadership experience - and that’s something the recruiter might ask you as a follow-up in an interview.

Now let's look at a complete example:

Once you have everything down, it’s time to proofread your resume and start your first professional job-search . In terms of proofreading, it’s always good to have a friend take a look at it. There might be some minor mistakes that have slipped by.

If your university has a career center , then you might want to have them take a look at it, too.

It’s important for your resume not to have any spelling or grammatical mistakes . It shows that you’re actually serious about your career. Plus, attention to detail is one of those things any future boss will value. So, you might want to run your resume through Grammarly , or any other spell-checking tool.

If you can't get in touch with your career center for whatever reason, you might want to give our experts a try!

Do remember, though, that your first job-search might seem a bit discouraging at times. There might be times when it seems hopeless, with no one getting back to you after you sent out hundreds of e-mails.

Remember that until you've mnaged to build a solid career, job-search is a numbers game. All you have to do is keep applying.

If you’re applying for jobs at bigger corporations , this might even be tougher, since they (sometimes) don’t send out rejection letters .

If, however, you’re going for small to medium-sized companies, you can use an email tracking tool such as BananaTag , which gives you information on whenever your emails are opened.

To make it even more high-tech , you can use DocSend to store your resume online and send a link. In that case, DocSend will notify you whenever someone takes a look at your resume & how long they’ll be looking at it.

Now that you're a master at creating a student resume, how about putting your knowledge into practice. Head over to our resume builder and get the job-search going!

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3 Steps away from an amazing resume... Absolutely FREE!!

1. choose a resume template.

Select a resume format from our diverse collection of templates.

2. Feed Info

Populate the selected template with your personal, professional and educational information.

3. Download Resume

Download your resume populated with your information in the template of your choice with just a click on Download button!

Online Resume Maker Free for Freshers and Experienced

A professionally created resume is the foremost requirement to land your dream job. This piece of document summarizes a person’s background, education, skills, and accomplishments. A resume can decide whether you are eligible for a job or not. A professional resume creates a long-lasting impression but unfortunately, many people face difficulty in creating a good resume. If you are one of them then no need to worry as free online resume maker for freshers and experienced Resumemaker.in is here to help you in this task.

With resumemaker.in, resume making is no longer a daunting task as all your resume-related problems are solved here. It is the best free resume maker that you will find. Its clean and easy-to-use interface makes it a reliable online resume maker platform for freshers and experienced. The distinguishing feature of this platform is that it is absolutely free to download a resume and that too without any watermark.

Make Resume Online for Free with Pre-built Resume Templates for Freshers and Experienced

Resumemaker.in is a free resume maker website where you can make a professional resume online in a few minutes using pre-built resume templates. Whether you are fresher or experienced, our resume builder fulfills the needs of every job aspirant and thereby increases the chance of getting selected for the job. Here you can make a resume for a job easily and effortlessly with clear instructions at every step to help you build a perfect resume.

Our resume templates are suitable for every type of job including marketing, teaching, information technology and banking to name a few. Also, it is optional whether you want to sign up or not. But if you sign up, your data will be saved such that if you return back to the website again in future, you will not have to fill the data again. This is the advantage of this online resume maker website. There are different types of resume formats . You can find template for different formats on this platform.

With resumemaker.in your search for ‘where can I get resume templates for free’ is complete.

How to create resume for freshers?

Resume writing is always a challenging task for those who have recently graduated from colleges or universities and are making their way to the professional world. They have little or no work experience to list in their resume and their resume is termed as a fresher resume.

So, how to create a resume for freshers?

Since a fresher person has little or no work experience to show, the resume for fresher should emphasize on skills and education of the person. Freshers should use functional resume format. This resume format focuses on skills and abilities of the candidate rather than work experience. A resume for freshers should include these sections: Contact Information, Summary Statement, Skills, Education, Experience if any.

With resumemaker.in, you don’t need to worry about how to make resume for job fresher. It is an online resume maker for freshers with pre-built resume templates for fresh graduates. It is an easy and user-friendly creative resume maker platform that can be used even on phone. The major feature of this is that it is completely free to use. All the templates on this resume maker for freshers are free. Candidates can prepare their resume for job with ease on this website.

Resume Maker for Students

Our resume maker is suitable for students with no work experience. The students from India or from any other country who have recently passed out from the college and are looking to step into the professional world can also use this online resume maker for students .

We provide simple and ready-to-use resume templates for students. After passing out from college, many students start hunting for jobs. For appearing for a job interview the foremost requirement is a well-formatted resume which many students fail to create due to lack of guidance. Also, students do not have any formal work experience in the beginning making it further difficult for them to come up with the content for the resume.

Our free resume maker online comes to the rescue of students in such a situation. Resumemaker.in is one of the best free resume builder sites that provides resume templates for students that emphasize on education, GPA scores, awards/honors. Step-by-step instructions are provided to help students in building a professional resume.

In the resume for students, the main area of focus is academic scores, projects, and achievements. While scanning the resumes, the hiring managers have an eye on these sections. With our resume builder for students, who will be joining as freshers, you will be able to elaborate these sections in detail.

How can a student make a resume?

Our online resume maker for students is extremely easy to use with detailed instructions laid out for every section. Our resume templates for students are built according to the industry standards by ensuring that the students enter the job market with the best entry-level resume.

Just try our online resume builder for students for free and move one step forward towards landing on your first job. Easy-to-use templates and expert tips will make the whole process of resume making smooth. In order to impress the hiring managers in your student resume, your starting section i.e., your resume objective should be strong.

In our resume maker for the students of India and other countries, you can find a list of strong resume objectives which you can include in your resume. The resume for students is somewhat different from that of experienced professionals. Experienced professionals have relevant work experience to list in their resumes while students or freshers have no such experience to list.

Resumemaker.in is the resume builder for students with no work experience. We have easy-to-use templates for students, freshers, and experienced. It is ideal for students looking to create their first resume. Students no longer need to search for ‘How can a student create a resume for free’ . All their resume related queries are sorted out at this online resume builder.

Here you will get exactly what you need to land on your dream job as a student, fresher, or experienced person. This online resume maker comes with built-in tips and readymade content prepared by industry experts. You will get suggestions in every section that will further increase the chances of your resume being shortlisted for job interviews. So, maximize your chances of landing on your dream job with our free online resume maker for students, freshers, and experienced.

How can I make a resume online for free at resumemaker.in?

You already know how crucial a resume is for landing a job. It should not only be impressive but creative and well-formatted also.

So, how do I make a resume for free?

If you are looking for a creative resume maker online free for freshers, experienced or students, then you are at the right place. It is quite easy to make a resume at resumemaker.in that too without spending any single penny. It is the best free resume builder to assist you in making a complete resume in the format that hiring managers often look for. Here is what you need to do make a resume here:

How can I create my resume?

• Click on the Create Resume button to get started with our online resume maker. Sign-up is optional.
• Now choose the template for your resume. There are a wide range of customizable resume templates including with photos and without photos. Select the template that best fits you and your industry.
• All the resume templates are free to use and can be customized. These are designed keeping in mind best resume practices and industry standards.
• Now feed your information into the blank fields in the template chosen by you. There are different sections in every resume template that are to be covered including Contact Details, Work Experience, Skills, and Education.
• Fill in each detail correctly and clearly. Remember, don’t ever lie on your resume. Lying in a resume in any manner can cost you later.
• Now you have filled the details, it’s time to download the resume. You have the option to download it in doc or pdf format anytime and anywhere. The resume is saved automatically in your account.
• That’s it! A professional resume is created in a matter of minutes. Now you are a step closer to your dream job with a perfectly designed resume.

Benefits of using our Online Resume Maker

During a job interview, a resume is the first thing that a recruiter goes through. A recruiter takes an average of six seconds to accept or reject a resume. A poorly made resume creates a bad impression and lowers your chance of getting selected in the interview. You should make sure that you have the right elements in your resume that recruiters often look for. A well-organized and well-formatted resume is a must to grab the attention of the hiring managers.

Resumemaker.in helps you create a perfect resume with the desired elements required in a resume. This online resume maker is free for freshers, professionals, and every other job aspirant. Years of experience has helped us to know what recruiters generally look for in a resume. Our CV and resume builder is designed on the latest software technology that instantly generates a well-formatted resume for you to download. In short, you can make a resume and download it for free. Here are some other benefits that this online resume builder offers:

• Easy to use platform for resume building.
• Mobile compatible resume maker.
• More than 50 pre-built resume templates for students, freshers, and experienced.
• Easy to customize templates.
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• Easy editing, formatting, and rearrangement of the sections.
• Fully automated with suggestions at every step.
• Resume saved online in the user account which makes it easy to update and download a resume anytime and anywhere.
• Personal data fully secured and protected.
• No watermark of any type on the resume.
• A resume can be shared online on job portals and with employers.
• Also, it is the best free resume maker.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. where can i create my resume for free.

With resumemaker.in, it is easy to create resumes for free. This platform is very easy to use with pre-built resume templates for students, freshers, and experienced professionals. You can easily customize your resume templates with a few clicks.

2. What is the best website to build a resume

Resumemaker.in is the best website to build a resume free of cost. It is trusted by thousands of users.

3. What type of resume is best for freshers?

Reverse chronological format and functional format are the best resume formats for freshers. These resume formats will work even if you don’t have much of work experience.

4. Are CV and resume the same?

CV and resume are different from each other. A resume is generally one or two pages long while a CV has no such limit of length. In a CV, there is broad information about everything including work history, education, and achievements. On the other hand, a resume is a short and precise document specifically created for applying to aparticular job position.

5. Are there any completely free resume builders?

Although most of the resume builders are paid, there are a few completely free resume builders also. Resumemaker.in is one such completely free resume builder online with access to pre-built professional resume templates.

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High School Student Resume: Step-by-Step Complete Guide

Think resumes are just for the working world? Think again! While high school students might not have extensive professional experience, a well-crafted resume can be a valuable tool for college applications. 

This blog will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to create a standout resume that shows your accomplishments, extracurriculars, interests, and academic achievements. Keep reading to learn the key differences between traditional resumes and those for college applications and discover valuable tips for crafting a document that sets you apart from the competition.

Is a High School Resume Important for US Students?

Not all college applications require a resume; however, a well-crafted resume can offer valuable benefits for your application. While some college admissions experts emphasize the importance of a resume, others consider it less crucial.

For example, the Common App only requires an activity list. However, you can still submit a resume to provide a more comprehensive picture of your academic achievements, involvement outside the classroom, and personal interests. The Coalition Application also allows uploading a resume to the locker section.

Regardless, a well-crafted resume presents your academic achievements, work and volunteer experiences, and contributions to potential colleges. This allows them to see beyond grades and test scores and understand your full potential as a student and community member.

Highlight specific accomplishments and experiences that set you apart, using action verbs and quantifiable results whenever possible. Avoid generalities and clichés, as they can dilute your impact.

Furthermore, a well-prepared resume can benefit your recommenders by providing a clear overview of your achievements, making it easier for them to write compelling recommendation letters. Additionally, some scholarship applications might also request a resume.

How to Write a Resume for High School Students

College application resumes differ from professional resumes in several ways. We’ll discuss these differences and explore what to highlight in your college application resume.

Contact information

While your resume header should prominently display your full name, it’s important to exercise caution when sharing additional personal information, like your home address. Here’s what to include in this section, prioritizing professional and easily accessible methods of contact:

• Full name: Include your first and last name and middle initial if desired (especially for common names). 
• Email address: Use a professional email address that is easy to remember and spell. Avoid using email addresses with nicknames or irrelevant information.
• Phone number: Include your phone number with the appropriate country code, if applicable. Consider your comfort level with receiving professional calls on this number. 
• Website: If you have a personal website showing your work, skills, or experience, you can include the URL.
• LinkedIn profile: Include the URL to your professional LinkedIn profile if it effectively highlights your qualifications and achievements.

Education and academic accomplishments

In this section, you can list the name of your high school and the dates you attended. You can also provide additional information, such as your GPA, class rank (if available), and any relevant standardized test scores (e.g., ACT and SAT), if you believe they will strengthen your application.

If you have taken any Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, you can mention them here, as they can demonstrate your academic rigor and preparedness for college-level work.

Work experience

For high school students, this section shows both paid and unpaid work and/or volunteering experiences that demonstrate your skills, work ethic, and commitment. 

• Internships: Gain real-world experience in an industry you’re interested in. 
• Part-time jobs: Develop responsibility, time management, and communication skills through paid work. 
• Job shadowing: Observe professionals in your desired field to gain insights into their daily activities and responsibilities.
• Community engagement: Shows a willingness to contribute to your community and make a positive impact.
• Passion and interests: This highlights your dedication to specific causes and areas you care about.
• Leadership potential: Look for opportunities to lead projects, manage volunteers, or mentor others.

Be sure to mention any leadership positions you held or currently hold within any work or volunteer experiences. This shows your ability to take initiative, work collaboratively, and inspire others.

Read Also: 10 Best Summer Internships for High School Students in USA

Extracurricular activities

Colleges seek well-rounded individuals who actively participate in and contribute to the vibrant life of their campus communities, extending their engagement beyond the classroom. While academic achievement remains a crucial factor, involvement in various activities shows your personality, diverse interests, and potential to contribute meaningfully to the college environment.

This section allows you to show your accomplishments and demonstrate areas where you excelled. Include any academic awards received from your school, ranks or titles achieved from external organizations (such as Eagle Scout from the Boy Scouts of America or Gold Award from Girl Scouts), and any noteworthy athletic achievements.

By providing specific details and context, you can make this section more impactful. For instance, instead of simply stating “academic award,” you could mention the specific award name, the subject area it was awarded in, and why it was significant to you. This will help potential readers gain a deeper understanding of your skills, dedication, and commitment.

Skills and achievements

This section is an opportunity to show your well-roundedness. Here, you can highlight:

• Languages: List any languages you speak fluently or are proficient in. 
• Computer skills: Mention your expertise in various computer programs, software, or hardware. 
• Soft skills: Show your strengths in areas like teamwork, communication, and leadership. Briefly describe situations where you utilized these skills effectively.
• Hobbies and Interests: Share your passions and interests, particularly if they connect to your intended college major . This can provide insight into your personality and potential career aspirations.

Read Also: When Do College Applications Open in 2024?

5 Essential Tips to Write a Resume for College

How you structure and write your resume is almost as important as what you include. For instance, resumes for college applications should list all achievements, jobs, volunteer experience, and awards in reverse chronological order. This means the most recent experience should be listed first, followed by the previous one, and so on. This makes it easier for admissions officers to scan and find your most relevant experiences. Here are five essential tips on how to write a high school student resume:

1. Use a professional email address for college applications

Colleges do not explicitly penalize you for using an unprofessional email address in your application. However, creating a dedicated one can enhance your overall presentation and demonstrate thoughtfulness and attention to detail. Here are some suggestions for crafting a professional email address:

• First and Last Name: The most straightforward and reliable option is to use your [email protected] mail format. This format is clear, easy to remember, and readily identifies you.
• Initials and Last Name: If your first name is common and the “firstname.lastname” combination is unavailable, consider using your initials and last name. 
• Portfolio Integration: If you have a personal portfolio website, you can use an email address associated with your domain, like [email protected] . This approach adds a touch of personal branding, but make sure that the domain name is appropriate and professional.

2. Highlight your education first

While professional resumes prioritize work experience, college applications take a different approach. Recognizing that first-year applicants likely have limited professional experience, colleges prioritize your academic background. As educational institutions, they primarily assess your potential for success based on your academic performance.

3. Use bulleted lists for improved readability

Replace paragraphs with bullet points when listing information in your resume. This approach enhances the clarity and scannability of your document, making it easier for busy admissions officers to grasp your qualifications.

• Enhanced readability: Bullet points visually break up the text, creating a more organized and inviting layout for the reader.
• Improved scannability: Admissions officers often have limited time to review applications. Bullet points enable them to quickly identify your key skills and experiences.
• Focus on achievements: Bullet points naturally encourage concise and action-oriented statements, highlighting your accomplishments and contributions.

4. Utilize strong action verbs

Infuse each bullet point in your resume with strong action verbs. For instance, instead of simply stating “worked as the manager at Target” during your summer job, write a more impactful statement like “directed a team of five employees in daily operations and customer service excellence” or “trained five employees on company policies and procedures, ensuring consistent service delivery.”

5. Keep your high school resume on one page

A concise resume ensures you highlight your most relevant skills and experiences, avoiding unnecessary fluff or filler. This focused approach makes a stronger first impression. Writing a one-page resume hones your ability to communicate effectively and efficiently, a valuable skill not just for future job applications but also for writing in college and beyond.

At the high school level, college admissions officers generally expect a concise overview of your qualifications, which can be effectively presented on a single page. Longer documents, like CVs, are typically reserved for more experienced professionals.

Read Also: Class of 2028 Regular Decision Notification Dates Unveiled

From the Desk of Yocket

Resumes for college applications are a chance for you to show your accomplishments, experiences, and interests beyond what traditional application forms may allow. A well-crafted resume can provide admissions officers with a more comprehensive understanding of who the applicant is academically, personally, and professionally. There’s no doubt that resumes can enhance college application process by providing a more holistic view of your background and accomplishments. They should be approached as strategic documents that complement, rather than duplicate, the information provided elsewhere in the college application.

Therefore, you need to approach resume preparation with thoughtfulness and attention to detail. Rather than simply randomly listing activities or achievements, you should prioritize relevance and significance. Your resume should focus on experiences that best illustrate your personal growth, leadership potential, and contribution to your communities. By crafting a compelling resume that effectively highlights your achievements, interests, and aspirations, you can increase your chances of standing out in a competitive admissions process and presenting yourself as a well-rounded individual poised to make meaningful contributions to your chosen academic institutions. Also, yocket is here to assist you with your high school resume.

Frequently Asked Questions

What format should i use in my resume for college applications.

Use a clear and easy-to-read format with consistent fonts, headings, and bullet points. Opt for professional fonts like Times New Roman or Arial with a size between 10 and 12 points.

What shouldn’t I include in my resume?

Avoid including irrelevant information like personal opinions, religious beliefs, or hobbies that don’t connect to your academic or professional aspirations. Grammatical errors and typos also create a negative impression.

Should I tailor my resume to each college?

It’s not necessary to create a completely different resume for every college. However, you can slightly adjust the content to highlight experiences and skills relevant to the specific program or institution you’re applying to.

How long should my resume be for college?

You should aim for one page. Focus on the most impactful experiences and achievements, leaving out irrelevant information.

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5 Ways To Maximize Your Academic Summer Program For Ivy League Admissions

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Participating in a rigorous, merit-based academic program over the summer is a fantastic way to build your resume and meaningfully engage with your subject of interest. While prestigious programs enhance students’ applicant profiles, the degree to which they set students apart from other applicants largely depends on students’ willingness to take initiative and make the most of their summer program. Simply attending adds an impressive line item to a CV, but it does little to make an application memorable in a sea of applications submitted by other talented and well-qualified students.

Whether the Yale Young Global Scholars , the Summer Science Program , or the Kenyon Young Writers Workshop , there are a plethora of opportunities for talented students to deepen their knowledge over the summer. Afterwards, it is imperative to showcase your involvement in such programs to Ivy League and other top colleges beyond listing them on your Activities List. If you want to stand out to your dream school, here’s how to make the most of your academic summer experience and elevate your college application profile in the process:

1. Build Your Network

Summer programs offer a valuable opportunity to build a network with reputable scholars in your field of interest. While attending a merit-based program at a particular school will not in itself increase your chances of acceptance to that university, getting to know the school’s resources and esteemed faculty can offer you a window into what studying there would be like and provide a network of people who can answer your questions about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, the connections you make with your peers can follow you through your collegiate career and beyond.

In order to establish these relationships while participating in a summer program, show genuine interest in your peers’ perspectives and contributions, and identify instructors or mentors who inspire you. Ask thoughtful questions, seek advice, and express your gratitude for their guidance. When the program comes to a close, be sure to collect contact information from your peers and academic mentors, and share updates as you embark on the college admissions process. You should also take the time to set up and update your Linkedin profile so that they can passively keep up with your progress over time.

2. Make Your Voice Heard

An academic summer program may be a student’s first foray into rigorous, college-level academics, and as such, it can be an intimidating experience. Many such programs take place on college campuses, and the prestigious environment filled with knowledgeable professionals can make you doubt yourself and retreat into the crowd, but resist this urge! Remember that attending a rigorous summer program is a special milestone in your academic journey, and you will get out of it what you put into it. The more you use your voice, ask questions, and put yourself out there, the more likely you’ll be to establish lasting relationships, have your questions answered, and enrich your knowledge.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 3. log your reflections.

Meaningful self-reflection can help you understand what you have learned and how you have grown from your experiences, as well as prepare you to articulate these insights in your college essays and interviews. To do this effectively, keep a daily journal during the program. Write about what you learned each day, how it made you feel, and any new interests or goals that emerged. Reflect on challenges you faced and how you overcame them. At the end of the program, review your journal entries to identify key moments of personal and academic growth and consider how the program shaped your aspirations and influenced your future plans. You can also use your reflections to brainstorm ideas for your college application essays or a passion project related to your area of interest. Admissions officers appreciate reading students’ genuine, thoughtful insights about their experiences and development, and having a collection of your reflections will ensure that your application materials genuinely reflect your takeaways from your summer academic experience.

4. Start a Blog or Vlog About Your Experiences

Creating a blog or vlog will allow you to document your journey, showcase your communication skills, and demonstrate your passion for learning. It will also provide tangible evidence of your engagement and accomplishments, and may allow you to connect with others who share your interests. WordPress , Wix , and YouTube are great platforms for beginners to share insights from their classes, projects they are working on, interviews with peers or instructors, and reflections about their experiences. Doing so can be a great way to not only make your resume more compelling and cutting edge (as many are increasingly converting their resumes into web portfolios), but also to connect with others who share your interests and provide a window into your personality for admissions officers.

5. Publish your work.

Depending on the summer program you attend, you may have the opportunity to produce or publish written work, whether research, creative writing, or critical essays. Even if this is not a formal aspect of the program, students should consider how they can develop their ideas and publish them on a platform that accepts high school students’ work. This could be through a literary magazine at your school, a research publication , or an online blog. Doing so will not only showcase your writing and research skills but also your dedication to sharing knowledge and contributing to your community. If your work is published, be sure to mention it in your college applications, and include links when possible (the Common App Additional Information Section is a great place to do this). This will impress admissions officers and show that you have taken your summer academic program seriously, translating your experiences into tangible, shareable achievements.

With intentional strategy and effort, your participation in a rigorous summer program can enhance your college application profile and offer a tangible example of your commitment to your core passion. By taking an active role in your own learning, you will build confidence, maximize your connections, and gain valuable insights for the college application process and your future career.

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How to Create Your Teacher Resume: FAQs and Best Practices

06/27/24 | by Shelbie Goodnow

Navigating the world of teaching can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially when it comes to crafting the perfect resume. As a former teacher and someone who works with educators worldwide daily through Moreland University, I know how intimidating this step can be. 

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned educator, creating a compelling teaching resume is crucial for highlighting your achievements and standing out in a competitive job market. This FAQ-style guide aims to answer common questions and provide valuable tips to help you build a standout teacher resume.  

1. What should I include in my teacher resume? 

A well-structured teacher resume should include the following sections: 

• Contact Information: Include your full name, phone number, and email address. You may also wish to include your LinkedIn profile or professional website that illustrates your teaching practices and experience. This is also a great place for Moreland candidates to highlight the e-portfolio they create during the TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program .   
• Professional Summary: Near the top of your teacher resume, it can be helpful to include a brief compelling statement highlighting your teaching philosophy, key skills, and career goals.  
• Education and Certifications: List your degrees, certifications, and any relevant coursework. Don’t forget to mention any teaching credentials or licenses, and be sure to include the state, subject area, and grade level. This is also a great place to highlight professional development courses or special training. 
• Experience: Detail your teaching experience, including clinical learning or student teaching, tutoring, internships, and volunteer work. Highlight key achievements and responsibilities from these roles. This is also a great place to add any extracurricular events you have experience chairing or chaperoning at your school.  
• Skills: It’s important to include both hard and soft skills relevant to teaching, such as classroom management, lesson planning, and communication. You should also include your skills with educational technology and/or artificial intelligence in the classroom — skills Moreland equips candidates with in our online programs.  
• Professional Affiliations: List any memberships in educational organizations or associations. 
• References: Although not always necessary on a resume, be prepared to provide personal and professional references upon request. 

2. How should I list my teacher certification on my resume? 

When looking at how to list teacher certifications on a resume, placement is key. You want any teacher certifications to be clear and prominently displayed on your resume.  

You can do this by creating a dedicated section titled “Certifications” or “Teaching Certifications” on your resume, or you can combine this section with the “Education” section of your resume.  

When noting a teaching certification on your resume, include key information such as the full name of the certification, the issuing body, and the date of completion or expiration.  For instance, you might write, “State of Georgia Professional Teaching Certificate – Elementary Education, issued by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, June 2023.” 

If you completed your educator preparation program (EPP) requirement through an esteemed, accredited institution like Moreland University, be sure to prominently highlight this information within the education section of your resume as it adds credibility and highlights your professional training.  

This approach ensures hiring managers can easily verify your qualifications and see that you meet the required standards for the teaching position. 

3. What if I’m a career changer entering the teaching profession? 

If you are a career changer going from an industry job to a teaching role, it’s important your resume showcases:  

• Transferable Skills: Highlight skills from your previous career that are transferable to teaching, such as project management, leadership, and communication. 
• Relevant Experience: Emphasize any volunteer work, tutoring, or coaching experience that demonstrates your commitment to education. 
• Education: If you’re completing a teaching certification program like those offered by Moreland University, be sure to include that in your education section. 

4. How can I make my teacher resume stand out? 

• Tailor your resume for each job application by emphasizing the experiences and skills that match the job description. 
• Start each bullet with strong action verbs like “implemented,” “developed,” or “collaborated” to convey your impact. 
• Quantify your achievements , when possible, by using numbers to highlight your accomplishments (e.g., “increased student test scores by 15%”). 
• Highlight your educational technology skills , which are increasingly important in modern classrooms. Moreland equips our candidates with educational technology and artificial intelligence (AI) skills, so they are prepared to be successful teachers today and tomorrow.  
• Proofread your resume to ensure it’s free of typos and grammatical errors. A polished resume reflects your attention to detail and professionalism. 

5. How should I format and design my teacher resume? 

When it comes to formatting and designing your teacher resume, simple is best. Use a clean, professional design and avoid overly fancy fonts or graphics. Use bullet points to organize information and make it easy for hiring managers to quickly read. Maintain a consistent layout throughout, paying attention to font size, spacing, and headings.  

The length of your teaching resume is often dependent on experience. Aim for a one-page resume if you’re early in your career. Two pages are acceptable if you have extensive relevant experience. 

6. How can Moreland University help in building a strong teacher resume? 

Moreland University offers comprehensive teacher preparation programs that equip aspiring educators with the skills and credentials needed to excel. Here are some ways an education from Moreland can enhance your resume: 

• Accredited Programs: Moreland’s programs are accredited and recognized, which adds credibility to your educational background. 
• Practical Experience: Our university emphasizes practical, hands-on teaching experiences — including 12 weeks of clinical learning embedded in our certification pathways. This helps ensure you have substantial classroom experience to highlight on your resume. 
• Educational Technology: Moreland prepares its candidates to excel at educational technology and AI — factors that are increasingly important in modern classrooms.  
• Global Perspective: With a focus on global education, Moreland prepares you to teach in diverse, multicultural environments — an asset in today’s interconnected world. 

7. What common mistakes should I avoid on my teacher resume? 

• Generic Statements: Avoid vague statements that don’t add value, such as “responsible for teaching students.” 
• Irrelevant Information: Keep the content relevant to the teaching position you’re applying for. Exclude unrelated jobs or experiences. 
• Lack of Specificity: Be specific about your duties and achievements. Instead of saying you “taught math,” mention that you “designed and implemented a new math curriculum for 6th graders.” 
• Overloading with Jargon: While it’s important to use industry-specific terms, avoid overloading your resume with jargon that might be unclear to non-educational professionals reviewing your resume. 

Creating an effective teacher resume is about showcasing your qualifications, experience, and passion for education in a clear, professional manner. By following these tips, you can craft a teacher resume that highlights your strengths and sets you apart in the job market. Whether you’re just starting your teaching career or looking to advance it, a well-prepared resume is your first step towards success in the educational field. 

Prepare for a rewarding career in education with Moreland University 

With online alternative teacher certification pathways and master’s programs, Moreland helps current and aspiring educators obtain their U.S. teaching certification and thrive throughout their careers. To discover how we can help you achieve your teaching dreams, visit moreland.edu or request more information .  

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How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” with Examples

June 30, 2024

You’re sitting down for your interview and the interviewer says, “Tell me about yourself.”  What’s the first thing you think of when you hear those words? It’s a question about who you are, so it’s bound to be easy. Right? “Tell me about yourself” is often the very first thing you’ll hear during your interview. After all, you and the interviewer are both new to each other. What they do know about you so far consists of details on your resume, cover letter , or possibly, already, recommendations. They’re posing this question to get to know you as a person, and you’ll most likely be asked this for every new interviewer you have, from the first introductory screening up until the very last interview with the head of the department. Let’s dive into the very nature of this question and explore how to answer “Tell me about yourself” (examples below) successfully.

Why do they need to hear my answer when they already have my resume and cover letter?

Just as you’re figuring out who your interviewer is, your interviewer is doing the same. The interview will begin with friendly small talk to get you both situated. “Tell me about yourself” then becomes a way to ease into the rest of the interview. It can help inform the interviewer on how to steer the next questions.

What you say can catch enough of their interest to ask a relevant question. Or they’ll move on from it. The details and the story you choose to share will help them assess what types of questions they should ask you. Throughout the entire time, they are noticing what makes you different from other candidates.

Other ways they’ll ask “Tell me about yourself”

During the interview, you could hear those exact words, or the interviewer can say:

• “Tell me a bit more about your background.”
• “Could you summarize your most important achievements?”
• “I’m going through your resume, but would love for you to walk us through it.”
• “I already looked at your resume and cover letter, and it’d be great to know more about who you are.”
• “Describe your journey so far.”
• “Is there something unique you’d like to share about who you are?”

It’s challenging to decide how to answer “Tell me about yourself” because you need to be confident about the examples you’re choosing. Much like a personal statement, you’re giving them a snapshot into your life. You’re in control of what you choose to say.

Know how to answer “Tell me about yourself”

Choosing the right parts of your life to talk about can pave the way for a successful interview. Let’s dive into the key points you should cover:

1)Talk about the experiences, achievements and skills you have that are relevant to the job. This then leads into how you would be the best candidate for the position.

2) Explain the previous jobs you’ve held and how that led you to your current one. Then go into how your current job has brought you to this new role you are applying for. This can also be a good opportunity for you to mention what your goals are in the future.

3) Show your personality while you’re speaking, making sure you’re communicating clearly and positively, while giving examples of how you’ve connected with people throughout this time. Presenting this proactive side of you will only strengthen your profile.

4) Demonstrate what you’ve researched about the company by explaining how you see yourself in the job. Share about what you’re most looking forward to in the job and the company.

“Tell me about yourself” in the past, present and future

Finding the right flow in relaying your own narrative can be a tricky task. It’s helpful to have a general format of which times of your life you’re pulling your examples from.

Two recommended ways of how to “tell me about yourself” in an organized format are:

1) Present – Past – Future

• You can begin by describing what your current job entails and what your responsibilities and accomplishments are. Then you can share how you got to where you are with your current job, which will lead you to describe more of your professional background. To conclude, you’ll then talk about what your goals are and why you’re so interested in this new position.

2) Past – Present – Future

This format would have you begin with how you arrived at your current job, giving you a chance to explain your professional history right away. You can also mention what has always inspired you to become who you are today. This leads right into what you do in your current role, what responsibilities you have and what achievements you’ve accomplished. Then you’ll finish off, just like the “tell me about yourself” format above, with why you’re the right person for this new job.

Tell me about Yourself Examples (Continued) 

There’s no “fixed” order for how to tell this to your interviewer, but it’s important to choose the examples that highlight your best skills and attributes relevant to the new job. What’s most crucial is to always tie it back to the new job and the new company you’re applying to. This means that if your past work experience ties more directly to the new job, then it makes sense to begin there. Similarly, if your most recent work experience is more related to the new role, then you can start with that example.

The interviewer is there to assess whether or not you’re the ultimate fit for their team. In that sense, it’s always helpful to end your “tell me about yourself” story with why you’re the right person for the job.

Key advice for “Tell me about yourself” answers

Now you’ve got a general timeline structure set in place. But before we dive into “tell me about yourself” examples, let’s look at some quick ways to strengthen your response:

1) Your first impression will make a difference.

2) You are your own curator.

3) Understand who your interviewer is.

4) Remember this is a professional interview.

5) Tone can influence the entire conversation.

6) Stay focused: everything should point towards the new job.

7) Be authentic but prepared.

8) Speak with positivity and enthusiasm, but don’t overdo it.

“Tell me about yourself” examples

Every “tell me about yourself” answer will be different depending on the person, but having some examples on hand can help. Take a look at these examples below that make for a strong answer.

1) You are applying to a completely new industry:

For over seven years, I’ve worked in business development and have focused on building longstanding relationships with clients. My most recent role was as the senior manager for a startup tech company that ran a database platform for journalists around the world. I helped connect the right partners to our company and promoted our mission on global trips across Africa, Asia and Europe. Now I’m interested in branching outside of business development and stepping into fundraising to broaden my scope. Fundraising is a field I’ve worked very closely alongside throughout my career and have always found fascinating. I’ve been wanting to join a team where I could apply my business development skills into a fundraising leadership position, and this is why I’m so interested in this role at your company.

How to Answer “Tell me about Yourself” Examples (Continued)

2) If you are searching for a similar job to the one you have now:

Since I was in college at the University of Michigan, I’ve been absolutely passionate about journalism and media . As you can see on my resume, I was the editor-in-chief of our student newspaper and I helped to create an incubator on campus for students who wished to become investigative journalists. This only spurred my love for journalism, and upon graduating, I began working as an intern at the Los Angeles Times, assisting some of the lead journalists covering politics across the Southern Californian region and eventually being able to help write and edit copy for newsletters.

I worked my way up to become an assistant editor, which made me fall in love with the editorial process and editing for a large newspaper. After working as an assistant editor for the past three years, I knew I wanted to start finding work as an editor. With what I’ve learned as an intern and assistant editor at the Los Angeles Times over the past several years, I always imagined myself covering news back home in Michigan. When I saw this opening for the editor position, I knew I had to apply because it’s been a dream of mine to work with your company.

 3) Maybe you are going from an agency to an in-house position:

I’ve been an account manager at Paris Parties for five years now, and I’ve been responsible for overseeing our top client accounts. I’ve established long-lasting relationships with each of Paris Parties’ biggest clients, as going above and beyond for our client has always been my first priority. Prior to Paris Parties, I worked at Hollywood Events, where I managed over 50 of their largest clients across the creative sector. I always loved the work I did as an account manager at both agencies. But I’ve been looking for a new challenge, to step into more of a leadership role, so as soon as I saw the opening at your company, I knew I had to go for it.

4) You’ve just graduated and you’re applying to your first job

I graduated from New York University in May, and I majored in English and American literature and minored in Spanish. I always knew that I wanted to work in a nonprofit organization that helped promote literature around the world. Throughout my time at NYU, I volunteered and interned at several nonprofits such as UNICEF, where I helped organize events for donors in New York City to help raise funding for girls’ education. One of the greatest experiences I had while interning was when my team and I were able to increase our donations from last year by 35%, compared to the 12% the previous year.

We were able to send more books and educational materials to girls around the world who otherwise would have not had access to these resources. It made me wonder what else I could do with my English literature degree, my foreign language skills and my passion for education. I wanted to truly make a difference. Since then, I became passionate about fundraising for children’s rights and access to education, which is what led me to apply for the associate fundraiser role at your organization.

 5) Searching for a new role in the healthcare sector:

My work experience in customer service had unexpectedly led me to pursue a career in the healthcare sector . Working as a waitress for three years made me understand how to listen to the needs of people. When I was serving a table of pediatric nurses one day, I heard them talk about their work and I knew I had to explore this field. I’ve always been someone interested in improving the lives of others, whether it’s through providing perfect customer service. After three years at the restaurant, I was promoted to restaurant manager because my supervisor noted my dedication and passion for serving others.

Every night after work, I studied on my own to see how I could enter the healthcare industry as an administrator. And that’s how I went back to school. Upon graduating, I began to build my career in health administration, working my way up to get to where I am today at Mountainview Hospital. I’ve been overseeing the office and managing staff and patient relations for nine years now.

This past April, I worked with the interns and senior management to create a “career day” to bring our office closer together. It has been an immense pleasure to hold our weekly meetings and regularly involve the IT team to ensure our computer systems are all up to date. As it’s now the end of my ninth year at Mountainview Hospital, I’ve been searching for new ways to branch out, grow and contribute. And I was incredibly interested when I learned about this position at your hospital.

 6) If you’re looking to change careers:

For over a decade, I’ve worked in marketing as a marketing director, leading campaigns and amplifying my current company’s messaging through high-level engagement. Throughout the past five years, I’ve been leading a team of fifty in our marketing department to reach and surpass our monthly, quarterly and yearly goals in ROI. It has been one of my greatest joys to watch the employees under my care grow into the professionals they are today, and it’s always fulfilling to see such professional and personal development. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching my team work across departments to ensure that we meet our goals, and especially, working closely with the public relations department.

Since I first came to my company as a marketing associate, I learned quickly how intertwined the marketing and public relations teams are, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had the career in marketing that I’ve managed to build. The more I worked with our public relations director, the more I also realized that I’ve gravitated towards developing more creative, media-facing solutions to campaigns for the company. Together, we were able to create significant events and turnarounds for our entire team, and I found myself eager to focus on media strategies and improving our company’s public image. After much consideration, and with our public relations director’s recommendation, I know that making this switch into public relations is the path I’m now meant to pursue. And I can’t think of a better place to work for than your company, which combines the best of both worlds.

Show them who you are

So where do you even start? How much should you actually say about yourself in an interview? Prepping for the inevitable “Tell me about yourself” can be a stress-inducer, especially for a job with a heavy workload. But it doesn’t have to be, even if you’re applying for one of the happiest jobs in America . Hopefully, with the information shared above, you’ll now have a better idea of where to begin.

Remember, you don’t want to share with the interviewer every single detail from your professional life. However, you do want them to know about certain experiences that have shaped you to be the professional you are today. Striking the right balance is key.

How to Answer “Tell me about Yourself” Additional Career-Related Resources

•   Sample Resignation Letter 
• How to Reschedule an Interview
• Condolence Messages for a Coworker – 60 Samples 

Joanna Hong

With a BA from Pitzer College and an MA from University College London, Joanna has worked in London, Berlin, and Los Angeles covering many cultural and political issues with organizations such as Byline Media, NK News, and Free Turkey Media. A freelancer for The New York Times, her work has also appeared in Newsweek, Dazed and Confused Magazine, and The Guardian, among others. In addition, Joanna was the recipient of the 2021 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship in Fiction and is currently completing her first novel.

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