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How should I start my resume?
Next year I want to get my first job and I'm stuck on how I should start my resume.
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14 answers
Updated
Sony’s Answer
Your Resume starts with your name, contact info and email.
Next section you can add Brief objective statement which talks about your career goals and what made you choose this profession and apply for this Job posting.
Next comes skills and experience section. Here you can add any Internship you would have done, School/College projects that you have worked on, Volunteer experience, extra-curricular activities. Instead of focusing on the tasks you did, highlight your achievements, you can talk about your learnings, growth opportunities etc.
Next you can add your education qualifications, Technical and Inter personal skills.
Few more tips:-
- Read the Job posting you are applying carefully and think about the experience you had that is mostly relevant to
the position and add them to resume as needed to tailor it to the Job posting. Your Resume should stand out to
skim readers.
- Proof read your resume in order to correct any spelling mistakes, formatting ..etc
- You can either use word document (or) PowerPoint to prepare your resume
All the best!
Next section you can add Brief objective statement which talks about your career goals and what made you choose this profession and apply for this Job posting.
Next comes skills and experience section. Here you can add any Internship you would have done, School/College projects that you have worked on, Volunteer experience, extra-curricular activities. Instead of focusing on the tasks you did, highlight your achievements, you can talk about your learnings, growth opportunities etc.
Next you can add your education qualifications, Technical and Inter personal skills.
Few more tips:-
- Read the Job posting you are applying carefully and think about the experience you had that is mostly relevant to
the position and add them to resume as needed to tailor it to the Job posting. Your Resume should stand out to
skim readers.
- Proof read your resume in order to correct any spelling mistakes, formatting ..etc
- You can either use word document (or) PowerPoint to prepare your resume
All the best!
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Laa
Updated
Britney’s Answer
First Name, Last Name
Street Address Phone Number
City, State Zip Email Address
EDUCATION
Amazing University- City, State Graduation Month and Year
Bachelor of Science (B.S), Software Engineering GPA: 4.0
WORK EXPERIENCE
Position- Department Month Year – Month Year
Company- City, State
• Information about your duties, projects, and accomplishments. Use action words, such as lead, support, studied, audited, trained, facilitated, created, updated, revised, reduced, ensured, assembled.
• Speak in present tense if this is your current position, and past tense if you no longer work here.
• Give enough details and specifics that any recruiter in any industry can have an idea of what you did. They don’t need to fully understand the process, but they need to understand how your work bettered that process.
• Show examples of leadership, initiative, safety, teamwork, and cost savings.
• Always sort each section of your resume in reverse chronological order within that section.
• Arrange sections of your resume with the most impressive section first, except the first piece of information must be name, school and contact info.
• Make sure that all your formatting is the same and that your resume is ONE PAGE ONLY unless you have a lot of very impressive experience.
• The font should be no smaller than 10-point. If your resume looks empty, space out the sections more, increase the font (no bigger than 12 point), and insert a gap between your name and your contact information to fill out the space some more.
• Be consistent with formatting (italics, bolds, indents, bullet points, abbreviations, margins, spacing etc.). Adjust margins as needed.
• Constantly update your resume so that you don’t forget anything and are always ready to apply for jobs.
• Properly right align dates, GPA, and other things on the right side of the page. DO NOT just hit space bar a lot.
Position- Department Month Year – Month Year
Company- City, State
• Follow the same format as above.
• Remember reverse chronological order.
LEADERSHIP
• Leadership or Member Position, Organization Month Year – Month Year
• Leadership or Member, Organization Month Year – Month Year
PROJECTS
Algorithm Research- Computer Science Department Month Year – Month Year
Amazing University- City, State
• Studied [topic] in order to [explain the goal of this research.
• Accomplishments with this research project.
• Explain the goal of the project and its outcome.
• Explain the engineering and interpersonal skills used to complete this project.
• Address any special awards or recognition that this project received.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
• Computer Software
• On-hands skills
• Licenses or Special Training
• Bilingualism
Street Address Phone Number
City, State Zip Email Address
EDUCATION
Amazing University- City, State Graduation Month and Year
Bachelor of Science (B.S), Software Engineering GPA: 4.0
WORK EXPERIENCE
Position- Department Month Year – Month Year
Company- City, State
• Information about your duties, projects, and accomplishments. Use action words, such as lead, support, studied, audited, trained, facilitated, created, updated, revised, reduced, ensured, assembled.
• Speak in present tense if this is your current position, and past tense if you no longer work here.
• Give enough details and specifics that any recruiter in any industry can have an idea of what you did. They don’t need to fully understand the process, but they need to understand how your work bettered that process.
• Show examples of leadership, initiative, safety, teamwork, and cost savings.
• Always sort each section of your resume in reverse chronological order within that section.
• Arrange sections of your resume with the most impressive section first, except the first piece of information must be name, school and contact info.
• Make sure that all your formatting is the same and that your resume is ONE PAGE ONLY unless you have a lot of very impressive experience.
• The font should be no smaller than 10-point. If your resume looks empty, space out the sections more, increase the font (no bigger than 12 point), and insert a gap between your name and your contact information to fill out the space some more.
• Be consistent with formatting (italics, bolds, indents, bullet points, abbreviations, margins, spacing etc.). Adjust margins as needed.
• Constantly update your resume so that you don’t forget anything and are always ready to apply for jobs.
• Properly right align dates, GPA, and other things on the right side of the page. DO NOT just hit space bar a lot.
Position- Department Month Year – Month Year
Company- City, State
• Follow the same format as above.
• Remember reverse chronological order.
LEADERSHIP
• Leadership or Member Position, Organization Month Year – Month Year
• Leadership or Member, Organization Month Year – Month Year
PROJECTS
Algorithm Research- Computer Science Department Month Year – Month Year
Amazing University- City, State
• Studied [topic] in order to [explain the goal of this research.
• Accomplishments with this research project.
• Explain the goal of the project and its outcome.
• Explain the engineering and interpersonal skills used to complete this project.
• Address any special awards or recognition that this project received.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
• Computer Software
• On-hands skills
• Licenses or Special Training
• Bilingualism
Updated
Jah'Shae’s Answer
In addition to the advice above, I recommend finding one to three people in your network (yes-- you have a network no matter where you are in your career journey!) to review your resume and offer focused advice. You can ask someone who knows you professionally -- a mentor, a coach, a teacher/professor, or a career/college counselor! Naturally, as we write, proofread, revise, and repeat, we miss small errors that a fresh set of eyes will pick up before we do. Having one to two people cold read your resume and give you quick tips will help you through the polishing and final presentation stages. Additionally, you will increase your chances of having someone read your resume if you ask at least three people, given varying schedules and availability times.
Later on down the road, you will probably include references -- people you will ask to talk to a prospective employer about your work traits, habits, and your character -- in your resume that will be able to attest to your ability to do the job you seek. If you feel comfortable about the set of people you choose to review your resume, do not hesitate to ask (politely :) ) if they "would be comfortable with being listed as a reference in my application for [insert name of role]" This will be a bonus as you are actively entering the workforce and developing your conversational skills.
I have included some next steps below on how you can have your resume reviewed as a student and gather potential references that will be able to speak to your abilities! I hope this all provides a clear road map for you!
Best,
JN
Draft the first version of your resume utilizing Sony and Frank's advice above.
Conduct your resume review: compare your resume to the advice above and make any edits.
Contact 2-3 people in your professional network who know you well and politely ask for "a resume review" (ask three!).
Conduct your resume review utilizing the feedback from your network (don't rush this, ask questions!).
Follow up (politely) with your network (this can be one person) and ask for a final review. After that, it's time to put the resume to the test and submit it!
Later on down the road, you will probably include references -- people you will ask to talk to a prospective employer about your work traits, habits, and your character -- in your resume that will be able to attest to your ability to do the job you seek. If you feel comfortable about the set of people you choose to review your resume, do not hesitate to ask (politely :) ) if they "would be comfortable with being listed as a reference in my application for [insert name of role]" This will be a bonus as you are actively entering the workforce and developing your conversational skills.
I have included some next steps below on how you can have your resume reviewed as a student and gather potential references that will be able to speak to your abilities! I hope this all provides a clear road map for you!
Best,
JN
Jah'Shae recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Irene’s Answer
Hi Laa, I understand you will be looking for your first job and need to write your first resume. First question for you would be, where do you want to work? Where are you looking for resumes? What are your skills? I recommend using Indeed to search for positions. When writing your resume consider the 3C's 1. Concise: should not be too long 2. Clear: should include relevant information for the position, with a clear division of each section and easy to read 3. Credible: should include honest information that can be verified.
The goal of a first job resume is to demonstrate your value as an employee and show employers why hiring you would benefit their company:
Review the job description: note any specific skills you have or requirements you can fulfill.
Include relevant information for the job: How do your strengths align with the employer’s needs? Which are your soft skills (character traits and interpersonal abilities that determine how well you work, collaborate and communicate with others) and technical skills (job-related, technical knowledge)
If you do not have work experience, highlight your education. You may want to put your education section at the top of your resume since it may be the most relevant experience you to highlight to employers.
The goal of a first job resume is to demonstrate your value as an employee and show employers why hiring you would benefit their company:
Review the job description: note any specific skills you have or requirements you can fulfill.
Include relevant information for the job: How do your strengths align with the employer’s needs? Which are your soft skills (character traits and interpersonal abilities that determine how well you work, collaborate and communicate with others) and technical skills (job-related, technical knowledge)
If you do not have work experience, highlight your education. You may want to put your education section at the top of your resume since it may be the most relevant experience you to highlight to employers.
Updated
Pantea’s Answer
Let's start with the job description , search on Linkedin or Google and search for the Keywords in the job description. Use those keywords in your resume ideally on the top half to allow for Human Resource Information Systems to easily match your resume to a job description after you apply.
Leverage websites that help clean up your resumes, there are lots of resources to help with your resume so you don't get overwhelmed. Research the resume formate you want to use, find the right template for you.
Show casing your skills and abilities in a conscience story, make sure to speak about metrics and outcomes where ever is possible to show and make sure to use action verbs/vocabulary. Aim for 10 years of experience in 1 page, this is a long term goal.
Search for keywords on Youtube to learn about a day in the life of a specific role.
Make sure you have recent recommendations from peers and managers you have recently worked with.
Leverage websites that help clean up your resumes, there are lots of resources to help with your resume so you don't get overwhelmed. Research the resume formate you want to use, find the right template for you.
Show casing your skills and abilities in a conscience story, make sure to speak about metrics and outcomes where ever is possible to show and make sure to use action verbs/vocabulary. Aim for 10 years of experience in 1 page, this is a long term goal.
Search for keywords on Youtube to learn about a day in the life of a specific role.
Make sure you have recent recommendations from peers and managers you have recently worked with.
Updated
Frank’s Answer
If you have no formal job experience in the field you are applying, I recommend starting your resume with your education. Next, include other experiences unique to you that could showcase your background. These could include: 1) classes that could be relevant (especially if honors or AP); 2) clubs, sports, or activities in which you have participated; 3) any type of organized activity outside of school such as scouts, martial arts, or sports; 4) volunteer experience of any type; 5) non-paid household/family jobs such as lawn care, childcare, or elder care. If you have no job experience to put on the resume, these things can help attest to your character.
Updated
Chris’s Answer
Look up templates on google and chatGPT based on the area you are focused on. Example : looking for a job in marketing. Search marketing resume templates. I highly recommend a one page resume and you shouldn’t need a cover letter unless required by job posting. Average resume is reviewed within 30 seconds by a recruiter so make it standout with accomplishments.
Your resume is a tool for you to proceed to a phone interview. So just write it to sell your highlights and accomplishments. If you are entry-level, then list your skills and how you can contribute to an organization .
Good luck! And don’t stress about it. Get feedback from others and enjoy the process!
Your resume is a tool for you to proceed to a phone interview. So just write it to sell your highlights and accomplishments. If you are entry-level, then list your skills and how you can contribute to an organization .
Good luck! And don’t stress about it. Get feedback from others and enjoy the process!
Updated
Judy’s Answer
Laa,
It can be intimidating to start your first resume when you don't have experience to display. Here's what I recommend:
1. Skills (Hard and Soft skills)
Everybody has them whether they have had a job or not. Being able to speak to what your strengths are will help the recruiter/hiring manager understand you as a candidate and potential employee. Look into your school work, projects, volunteer experiences and find up to 10 skills and strengths to display.
2. Translate your school, project and volunteer work to relateable-- transferrable skills through non-transferrable experience.
Your experience in school, project and volunteer work matters. Go ahead and deep dive into those projects and jot down the wins. Don't forget to add the s- for example: How long did you work on this? How many were positively impacted by the work you did? Did you process xyz, if so, how many and how long did it take you?
Never let yourself look down upon your own experiences. They are valuable to developing your brand and self.
It can be intimidating to start your first resume when you don't have experience to display. Here's what I recommend:
1. Skills (Hard and Soft skills)
Everybody has them whether they have had a job or not. Being able to speak to what your strengths are will help the recruiter/hiring manager understand you as a candidate and potential employee. Look into your school work, projects, volunteer experiences and find up to 10 skills and strengths to display.
2. Translate your school, project and volunteer work to relateable-- transferrable skills through non-transferrable experience.
Your experience in school, project and volunteer work matters. Go ahead and deep dive into those projects and jot down the wins. Don't forget to add the s- for example: How long did you work on this? How many were positively impacted by the work you did? Did you process xyz, if so, how many and how long did it take you?
Never let yourself look down upon your own experiences. They are valuable to developing your brand and self.
Updated
Jordan’s Answer
Its always great to start with your name your address, your age etc. Then feel free to jump into your most relevant and impactful work experience. Then you can move on to older and less relevant work experience and end with skills you have such as excel, power point, bilingual etc.
Updated
James’s Answer
Hello Laa,
There's an abundance of excellent resume templates on the internet that you can utilize, tailored to the job you're aiming for. Let's say you're pursuing a business analyst role, you could search for resumes of successful business analysts online and mirror their layout.
There's an abundance of excellent resume templates on the internet that you can utilize, tailored to the job you're aiming for. Let's say you're pursuing a business analyst role, you could search for resumes of successful business analysts online and mirror their layout.
Updated
Bhupendra’s Answer
1. It's advantageous to incorporate an objective or initial statement in your resume, outlining the kind of work you're interested in or how you can contribute to the company's success.
2. Review sample resumes relevant to the job you're seeking. Contemplate and jot down pertinent details such as your current and former employment history, education, relevant skills, certifications, volunteer activities, personal hobbies or preferences, and references. At the start, it doesn't have to be perfectly formatted, but it should serve as a useful guide.
3. Resumes should be adaptable, allowing you to customize them according to the specific job for which you're being interviewed.
2. Review sample resumes relevant to the job you're seeking. Contemplate and jot down pertinent details such as your current and former employment history, education, relevant skills, certifications, volunteer activities, personal hobbies or preferences, and references. At the start, it doesn't have to be perfectly formatted, but it should serve as a useful guide.
3. Resumes should be adaptable, allowing you to customize them according to the specific job for which you're being interviewed.
Updated
Yaz’s Answer
I would search on google for some format ideas.
This is also a great website to help you build a resume too: Create a Professional Resume and Cover Letter that Stands Out (resumehelp.com)
This is also a great website to help you build a resume too: Create a Professional Resume and Cover Letter that Stands Out (resumehelp.com)
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Laa !
Creating a resume can be a fun activity but should be organized and complete with all necessary information to reflect your work history, volunteer and internship experience, in chronological order beginning with the most recent. I know you've received much wonderful information here and I would like to share some personal thoughts about employment application materials with you.
You can opt for a resume or a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a Cover Letter. The website Novoresume has a good article about what the differences are between a resume and a CV and I have left that article link for you below.
Based on my own experience from years ago to current day, I have always obtained interviews without an Objective on my resume. I have always stated the objective within the body of a cover letter as part of the letter. We all want a good opportunity and I just always felt that an objective was something that looks better being discussed within the body of the cover letter.
There are different types of resumes for various professions as well as for people in high school or people with no experience. I have left some links below for examples you can read or search for the specific type of resume for what type of job you are looking for. Become familiar with the formats and choose what you like best and one that will also reflect your skills and experience.
You will be asked to send a cover letter with a resume for most applications, so it's also a good time to become familiar with what a cover letter is. I have left a link for you about this below so you can familiarize yourself and plan your application process to be ready to apply for many jobs. There is a wealth of information about resumes and cover letters on line through doing a search and you also can find video presentations about them as well.
I hope that this has been an additional help and I wish you all the best !
RESUME OR CV ? https://novoresume.com/career-blog/cv-vs-resume-what-is-the-difference
RESUME EXAMPLES AND TEMPLATES https://resume.io/resume-templates
RESUME EXAMPLES AND TEMPLATES TO CHOOSE FROM https://www.myperfectresume.com/resume/templates
RESUMES FOR VARIOUS JOBS AND INDUSTRIES https://www.livecareer.com/resume-templates
HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER https://novoresume.com/career-blog/how-to-write-a-cover-letter-guide
Creating a resume can be a fun activity but should be organized and complete with all necessary information to reflect your work history, volunteer and internship experience, in chronological order beginning with the most recent. I know you've received much wonderful information here and I would like to share some personal thoughts about employment application materials with you.
You can opt for a resume or a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and a Cover Letter. The website Novoresume has a good article about what the differences are between a resume and a CV and I have left that article link for you below.
Based on my own experience from years ago to current day, I have always obtained interviews without an Objective on my resume. I have always stated the objective within the body of a cover letter as part of the letter. We all want a good opportunity and I just always felt that an objective was something that looks better being discussed within the body of the cover letter.
There are different types of resumes for various professions as well as for people in high school or people with no experience. I have left some links below for examples you can read or search for the specific type of resume for what type of job you are looking for. Become familiar with the formats and choose what you like best and one that will also reflect your skills and experience.
You will be asked to send a cover letter with a resume for most applications, so it's also a good time to become familiar with what a cover letter is. I have left a link for you about this below so you can familiarize yourself and plan your application process to be ready to apply for many jobs. There is a wealth of information about resumes and cover letters on line through doing a search and you also can find video presentations about them as well.
I hope that this has been an additional help and I wish you all the best !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Nitin’s Answer
Hello Laa,
Starting your resume on a strong note is crucial as it establishes the tone for the rest of the document. Here are some guidelines to assist you:
Firstly, ensure your contact information is prominently displayed at the top of your resume. This should include your LinkedIn profile or any other professional websites you'd like to showcase. Following this, your educational background should be outlined in the second section.
The subsequent section should concentrate on your most recent experiences. Prioritize highlighting your latest roles and experiences, as these are most likely to be pertinent to prospective employers. If you're just starting your career, don't forget to spotlight any side projects you've been involved in.
For those applying to tech positions, it's beneficial to include a link to your personal GitHub account in your resume. This allows potential employers to see your work firsthand.
Ensure your contact and education details are accurate. It's also important to tailor your resume to the specific job you're applying for, including all relevant information.
Lastly, don't forget to mention any relevant certifications or courses you've completed that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
I hope these tips prove useful. Best of luck!
Starting your resume on a strong note is crucial as it establishes the tone for the rest of the document. Here are some guidelines to assist you:
Firstly, ensure your contact information is prominently displayed at the top of your resume. This should include your LinkedIn profile or any other professional websites you'd like to showcase. Following this, your educational background should be outlined in the second section.
The subsequent section should concentrate on your most recent experiences. Prioritize highlighting your latest roles and experiences, as these are most likely to be pertinent to prospective employers. If you're just starting your career, don't forget to spotlight any side projects you've been involved in.
For those applying to tech positions, it's beneficial to include a link to your personal GitHub account in your resume. This allows potential employers to see your work firsthand.
Ensure your contact and education details are accurate. It's also important to tailor your resume to the specific job you're applying for, including all relevant information.
Lastly, don't forget to mention any relevant certifications or courses you've completed that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
I hope these tips prove useful. Best of luck!