| Millions of job seekers looking for great career | | | | really means nothing to the recruiter. Eliminate "I" & |
| opportunities pound the pavement and troll the on-line | | | | "II" and try "English, 2 years" instead. It saves space |
| job boards monthly with resumes in hand. | | | | and gives a sense of advanced studies. Include |
| Unfortunately many of those resumes will be less than | | | | non-trivial projects and coursework that demonstrate |
| perfect. Frankly, most will be bad. | | | | your ability to work with teams or practically apply |
| Despite the volume of FREE resume writing advice on | | | | your knowledge. |
| line, in college career centers and libraries stocked with | | | | 6. Graduation Date - Many college students, grads and |
| FREE job search resources, most job seekers still do | | | | anew alumni will add the date they started college, but |
| a last minute rush job with their resumes and hope for | | | | omit the date they will actually graduate. Do not leave |
| the best. | | | | the recruiter guessing about your graduation date. This |
| If you are an upcoming college grad trying to write a | | | | is important especially if you are not on the 4-year or |
| targeted resume here are some pointers to focus | | | | 5-year college track anymore. |
| attention on the Education section of your resume. | | | | 7. Status - If you are a college student are you a |
| 1. Move Education close to the top of the resume - | | | | Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior? If you started |
| The EDUCATION section on the college resume | | | | college, but did not finish your program, state the |
| immediately follows the RESUME OBJECTIVE, if you | | | | number of credits accumulated. This really gives |
| choose to have one. It should not go to the bottom of | | | | recruiters a sense of how much knowledge you might |
| the resume or after your EXPERIENCE. The fact that | | | | have already acquired and therefore what internship |
| you are completing your college degree is the single | | | | roles within the company might be best for you. |
| most marketable thing that employers are interested in | | | | 8. GPA - Is it a requirement for the college students' |
| right now. It needs to be in the top 30% of your | | | | resume? NO it is not. Will it work against you if you |
| resume. | | | | omit it from your resume? It very well could. The fact |
| 2. High School Activities - As a rule, do not mention | | | | is that recruiters want to know what your college |
| High School beyond your college Sophomore year | | | | GPA is. If low, it is better to let them know up front but |
| unless you had a significant and outstanding | | | | have an explanation for why it is low, rather than try to |
| accomplishments there. For example if you held | | | | hide it. Without an explanation, the recruiter might |
| leadership roles, set academic or athletic records and | | | | second guess your qualifications or think that you have |
| you can add them without exceeding a page - go | | | | a poor work ethic. State both Overall GPA and a |
| ahead and include them. If you are in college and | | | | Major GPA if it tells a better story. |
| beyond your Sophomore year, you should have had | | | | 9. Certifications, Honors and Awards - Did you gain |
| enough activities in college to replace the ones from | | | | any certifications throughout your college experience? |
| high school. If you do not, make that your goal. If you | | | | Food Safety, CPR or technical certifications like Cisco |
| are a skilled worker without a college degree, try to | | | | Certification are a great way to showcase a |
| focus on any on-the-job training or apprenticeships you | | | | commitment to go above and beyond. Highlighting |
| have done. | | | | academic honors and awards you received will go a |
| 3. Can You Name Your Degree or certificate? Visit | | | | long way to set you apart from other candidates as |
| the Registrar's office on campus to find out the | | | | well. |
| correct name of your program. Did you receive a | | | | 10. Language and Technical Proficiencies - Do NOT |
| Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a | | | | claim technical or language proficiencies that you do |
| Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration or a | | | | not possess. It only takes a simple conversation for a |
| Bachelor in Business Administration? Is it a BS, BA or | | | | recruiter to spot a fake quickly. It is so much more |
| BBA? You should know this and state it correctly on | | | | powerful to leave it off the college resume, but |
| your college resume. | | | | mention knowledge of a language or technical skill in |
| 4. Major - What was your area of emphasis within | | | | the interview. |
| your degree? Was there an emphasis? Did you | | | | Once your resume is complete, have it proof read by |
| double major? Did you have a Minor? | | | | a career professional. Many online services are |
| 5. Coursework and Projects - When listing relevant | | | | available to help you with FREE resume critiques and |
| coursework on the college resume, avoid repeating the | | | | can offer feedback to help you increase positive |
| subject names. Listing both English "I" & English "II" | | | | response to your resume. |