7 Tips for Writing an Impressive First Resume
As a first-time job-seeker, it is natural that you may spend anxious moments before writing your first professional resume. You may end up editing your resume multiple times over as it may not look impressive or if it has only information for one page. You must remember that a recruiter does not expect a lengthy resume when hiring fresh graduates. You can still impress them if you don’t forget these tips while building your first resume:
Gather information
The first tip is to gather information about job postings relevant to your educational background and skills. You can also browse job postings that do not consider academic qualifications and hire employees with any background. Though the internet is the best place for job search, you can also look at local newspapers, classified advertisements, or employment offices if you are looking for jobs in your community or locality. You can also look for any job postings in your alumni network or office of the dean or reach out to your placement officers. Note down the type of candidates and key skills that are in demand.
Make a list of keywords
List the keywords and tags that are commonly found in job postings. When you build your resume, include those keywords, particularly in the resume summary and the section where you list your key skills. Recruiters typically search for resumes in their database using keywords. Using popular keywords increases the chances of your resume being noticed by the recruiter.
Create section heads before you start writing
An organized, clutter-free, well-formatted resume can catch a recruiter’s attention. They typically go through hundreds of resumes in a day, and there is a possibility that they may ignore a poorly drafted or poorly formatted resume. Upgrade to a newer resume format when you rise in seniority. Do not forget to update the resume if you change jobs, get a degree or certification or acquire a new skill. The must-have sections of a resume are:
Header with personal information and contact details
Resume summary
Educational qualification with optional GPA information
Technical and soft skills
Internships/Apprenticeships/Exchange programs
Achievements
Build your resume section by section
Start building your resume from the header section. Use the same font for the entire document. The font size of the header can be larger than the body sections. You can use bold fonts for the section heads. Avoid using colorful fonts, emoticons, and exclamation marks in the resume. Once you complete all the sections, proofread the resume several times and correct any errors.
Add every valuable information in the education section
Since this is your first job, you must showcase your education and achievements in the resume. Keep in mind the following tips while building the education section of your resume:
Include the name of the degree and the institution in the qualification section.
Include any achievements like scholarships or if you have made it to the dean’s list.
If you have a high GPA, add that to impress the employer
Include details of every internship or apprentice position that you have held.
If you have been part of college exchange programs, add this under this section.
Add responsibilities and experience so far
Besides education, recruiters may attach importance to any internship or apprentice roles you have worked on. Students quickly learn skills from these experiences, and recruiters may be keen to know if you have any transferable skills. List every internship or apprenticeship along with the name of the organization and the duration of your internship. List your responsibilities for every internship as bulleted points.
Know what to avoid in your first resume
First-time job seekers tend to exaggerate and add information about themselves that may not be relevant to a job. While internships are crucial to a resume, information about every competition you have won in school or college may be irrelevant. Do not build the first resume longer than two pages.