Where can I find really good examples of college level resumes?
I am a sophomore business major and I want to make a good resume. Subsequently, I tried to research examples online. The problem is that there are so many and I am not sure if they are leading me down the right track. They all look slightly different and I do not want to embarrass myself. #business
3 answers
Kim’s Answer
Lauren,
The website gotresumebuilder.com is free to students and people with library cards. It is the only resume template I have ever liked. It will create it in six or eight different formats, and let you re-name, rearrange, delete, or add sections. Extremely versatile! And it provides hints. For job descriptions, see onetonline.org.
From all the resumes I've seen, where people mess up is trying to create an autobiography, rather than selling themselves for the particular position they are applying for. It hurts to leave off my greatest accomplishments, but, sometimes they aren't relevant! Make a master resume, and then tailor it to the position.
What I have started telling people is to start from the perspective of answering this question: What is the purpose of business? (lots of people can't answer it!) It is to make money. Show how you are going to help a company to make, or save money. Safety, employee retention, employee morale, regulatory compliance, customer service, confidentiality of information, speed, accuracy, ability to put together successful teams (not easy!), etc.
The purpose of the resume is to get you the interview! It needs to present YOU in the best possible light, without lying or exaggerating. The format that works best for you can be uniquely yours. Just don't get too creative if the job is not in marketing/design/arts, etc. It's best to keep it conservative for most positions.
Just start doing it. The true test of the resume is if you are getting interviews. If not, change it up. Or, have two or three different versions, and keep track of which one lands you interviews and which does not! Computers are great!
Best of luck!
Kim
Carina’s Answer
All the other answers are great! I would add that your university's career center usually has people willing to review your resume for you. They are great resources to utilize again and again throughout your college career.
Carlyn’s Answer
It is great that you are thinking about putting together a resume while you are still in school. If you are attending a business program, I would suggest reaching out to the career office. They will more than likely have a template that you can work off of. Many schools also have programs where you can have your resume peer reviewed. Northwestern University has sample resumes for many different industries that are available here https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/job-intern-prep/resume-building/resume-samples/index.html
Some quick tips for your resume:
- keep it to one page
- use action verbs like implemented, completed, researched
- share results. For example if you did a research project think about what the impact of that research was. Was it shared with leaders at your school or company? did it help inform a decision?
- use numbers where possible. If you can quantify your results that's great. For example instead of saying "called on prospective clients" you could say "contacted 100 prospective clients over a 4 week period resulting in 10 new sales."
- I would also recommend adding your school, your GPA, your ACT or SAT test scores if applicable, any extra curricular organizations you are involved in, you can also add personal interests or skills such as musical instruments you play or other hobbies if they are important to you.
I would also recommend building a linked in profile. Here you can provide similar information as you would on a resume, but it can be a bit more descriptive and less formal. You also have more room to share about yourself, which can help potential employers get to know who you are.