Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from college! Some of you will be going on to graduate school but a majority of you will be looking for the first full-time job in your chosen career. Here are some tips and warnings that will help you toward interviews and ultimately a successful career.
- Highlight any work, volunteer, or leadership activity. Never dismiss part-time positions, even if they are not in your field, volunteer work, or leadership roles you have taken in college or community committees or organizations. Active work experience and organizational participation underscores your ability to work with others.
- Mention your GPA if you want and if it is high, especially in your major. Briefly list any courses you took that are most closely relevant to the career you want. Employers understand that you are a recent college graduate; they may not understand how prepared you are for your chosen career.
- List honors, awards, and promotions you have received, from employee of the month to a single golf trophy, even if you feel “embarrassed” by it or undeserving. Your future employer will be delighted to know that others thought well of you.
- Be careful of outdated advice. For example, you may be advised to write an objective instead of a profile, include a long list of keywords (visibly or invisibly), or add “references upon request.” Do not follow that advice.
- Take help when it is offered. You need someone to proofread your resume manually (do not rely on online spell-checkers and grammar-checkers). As a recent college graduate, you need to listen to suggestions for beefing up or toning down your resume—first-time job seekers often go to extremes, either claiming too much or too little.
- Know what you are looking for. This is probably the most important and most difficult of these tips for a recent college graduate. The generic resume, aimed at “any job,” will never capture the job of your dreams. If you do not know what you want, how can you expect recruiters and hiring managers to know?
Please consider using a professional resume writer. At Robin’s Resumes®, we understand that your first job after college may set the tone for the rest of your career. Our resumes help you find a job you will love.