Have you recently graduated or are you about to graduate? Well it is time to start thinking about your resume. This may be a daunting task. You may never have had to write a resume before. You may be worried that you do not have enough work experience to include in your resume. Here are a few tips to get you started.
It is about more than just paid work experience. Yes, your part time or casual roles should certainly be included but that is only one component. Have a think about unpaid internships you may have completed or voluntary roles you may have undertaken. These sorts of experiences add to your overall skill set which can be attractive to a potential employer.
Another important inclusion is your education. As you are a graduate, your educational qualifications are your most important asset. When detailing your education make sure you include the name of your degree, the name of the institution where you studied and the month and year that you completed your studies. Taking it one step further, you may want to list any subjects that you achieved strong results in as well as detail any significant projects you completed that may have seen you develop skills and gain experience that could be relevant to a future employer.
Including a couple of short paragraphs for your profile or career summary can also give a potential employer an insight into who you are and where you are wanting to head professionally. This is placed at the top of your resume. It is a snapshot to entice the employer to read on. Make sure this is written professionally with appropriate language. It should reference your educational achievements, touch on your work experience and highlight your interpersonal skills. Here is a starter for you:
'An enthusiastic and highly motivated business graduate, my studies are complemented by three years administration and customer service experience.'
Once you have completed the content for your resume, re-read it to identify areas where you can incorporate key words where appropriate. These should align with the key words that are in the job advertisement you wish to apply for. You may list some of these in your skill set list or they may be incorporated into the experience in your employment history. Examples of key words include, retail, compliance, customer service, research, data entry etc.
When you have completed drafting your resume, it pays to have someone else read your content. A second set of eyes can pick up any typos or inconsistencies in the flow of your writing. It is imperative to ensure your content is error free so make sure you edit it thoroughly. My suggestion is to complete and edit, leave it for a day and then edit again. It is amazing what you can pick up after stepping away from a document for a period of time.
Goodluck with writing your resume and always feel free to reach out if you need a hand.
Lucy