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Resume Advice 101 for College Graduates

Mar 03 2019

Most college graduates have already begun to send out resumes, and a few may even have job offers pending. If your resume is not drawing in interviews and seems to have vanished into a deep well, here are a few strategies for re-energizing your job search.

Get a second opinion. Do you know anyone in the field you are trying to enter? Ask if they would take a look at your resume. Often, college graduates send out a resume that is suitable for handing to companies who visit the campus but is not suitable for responding to job postings. Or the resume will overlook information vital to the industry and position the college graduate is interested in. If you do not have a knowledgeable source willing to review your resume, consider hiring Robin’s Resumes®. I have resume writing experience in many fields in many industries: I know what hiring managers and recruiters—and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)—are looking for.
Read, read, read. First, read your resume to make sure it is consistent and correct in format, grammar, and spelling. Never rely solely on online spell checkers and grammar checkers. Spell checkers will overlook words that are spelled correctly but are still wrong (for example, manger instead of manager or fiancé instead of finance), and grammar checkers will always lead you astray. Second, read job postings carefully to make sure your resume includes the key (and truthful) skills, experience, and accomplishments that employers are asking for. Again, if you are not confident about your grammar, spelling, formatting, or resume strategy, consider talking to me at Robin’s Resumes®.
Focus your search. Determine what you really want to do. Applying for everything — and taking the first job offered, without consideration may not be the right path for you. If you first determine what you want to do, and then write a resume that highlights those skills for an employer, you are most likely to find the job you want. Even though it may seem that writing a “general” resume would offer the most opportunities to you, I have found the folks who focus land jobs they want faster. Companies and people tend to hire folks they know want the job they are offering. If you need help in determining your career field, consider hiring Robin’s Resumes® for your career coaching needs.
Investigate other ways to apply. If you rely on your resume alone, you are overlooking networking, social media, and personal contacts as sources for information on jobs and ways to promote yourself. Based on numerous studies, you can increase your chances to get a job at least 80% if you network to it first. If you need advice on how to jump-start your search, I can help.
Take a different path. Sometimes you simply do not have the education, skills, and experience that employees want. You can rectify that by taking courses; volunteering for positions at nonprofits that will hone your skills; and accumulating experience that is transferrable to the field or industry that truly interests you. Your rise to the top of the resume pile may be slower, but it will happen.

Robin’s Resumes® is dedicated to helping college graduates survive and thrive in the marketplace. Let me know how I can help you.

Your Resume: No or Irrelevant College Degree

Nov 27 2016

With the rising costs of college, many articles have been published lately encouraging young people to curtail or skip college and enter professions that do not require a 4-year degree, such as plumbing, bookkeeping, retail, medical assistant, LPN, and website developer.

In careers that do require a degree, the good news is that the experience you gain over the years makes your degree (including the college you attended, your GPA, and your area of specialization) less and less important. People with liberal arts degrees end up in technical fields; people with technical degrees end up in sales or marketing: success over the long term is more important than what you studied and where.

When it comes to your resume, therefore, the lack of a degree or possession of an irrelevant degree is not automatically a reason to worry. A lot depends on what type of job you are aiming for and where you are in your career.

With the possible exception of resumes for recent college graduates, your resume should always discuss work history before education. Even recent college graduates should put their work history first if it is relevant to the positions they are applying for—in this case, work history includes internships, practicums, and volunteer work.

If you do not have a college degree, you should include any coursework you have taken towards a degree in the field, any professional workshops or courses you have attended (such as Lean, bookkeeping, or leadership courses), and any licenses or certifications you have earned (such as financial, computer, construction, or medical). Even college studies that have not led to a degree are important. Do not be afraid if you did not get a good grade. Even passing a course counts.

However, you should avoid degree mills–schools that are not accredited, have a very low job placement rate, and award degrees after little or no study. Degree mills abound in the United States. If you get a degree from an unaccredited school, and use that degree to get a job, depending on the state, you may be committing a crime. In New Jersey, this is a felony. If you get caught using a degree from an unaccredited degree mill or claiming a degree you do not have, you likely will lose your job and possibly your reputation, making it difficult to get another job.

Professional development is always important, and even a partial degree shows potential. The same advice holds for a degree that is not relevant to the job you want: highlight any part of your education and professional development that is relevant

If you do not have a college degree and do not have a work history, your most important step is to bring your resume directly into the hands of the decision makers—the hiring manager or owner of a business—so that you have an opportunity to sell yourself. You will need to network for a job in many cases. No matter how short it is, make sure your resume highlights your high school diploma or GED and any volunteer or extracurricular activities, and make sure it is completely free of errors.

For help in writing a resume that shows off your true value, contact Robin’s Resumes® today.

Recent College Graduates: You Can Have a Strong Resume

May 01 2011

If you have just graduated and have held very few jobs, you need professional help to make your resume stand out.

Do not mimic the recent college graduate with no experience who constructed a three-page resume by using 2-inch margins and a very large font, then centering all the text. That’s not a good idea.

I create resumes that make the most of a recent graduate’s education, skills and achievements.

Are you worried that your lack of experience will operate against you in a tight job market? You may have more experience than you realize if you have taken any sort of leadership role with a college group or local nonprofit. Your teamwork shows up when you volunteer, participate in a sport or club or help to organize an event. Your job skills are on display in every summer or part-time job, even those outside of your chosen field. And your college courses show your knowledge and willingness to learn.

Do not let yourself fall into the trap of thinking a college degree is not enough. At Robin’s Resumes®, we will help you find a position in industry or government that makes the most of what you have to offer—and we start by making sure employers know how much you bring to their table!