Resumes for Graduates

As a recent college graduate, you won’t have a lot of job experience. Hopefully you will have done a few externships or internships or had other part-time experience in your field before you graduate, but if you don’t, you will have to play up certain features of your resume while downplaying your lack of experience.

If necessary, you could take a position in your chosen field on a part-time basis as an intern or in a low-paying position in order to get some experience. This experience will be extremely valuable on your resume. If you can’t do this, you will have to emphasize your educations and skills.

Emphasize Your Education

A lot of applicants will have some experience but no degree. If you have a degree in your field, it’s very important to emphasize this as much as possible. Don’t worry about putting your GPA or class position unless it was absolutely stellar, but you should definitely emphasize any extracurricular activities that might have prepared you for the position.

If you are applying for a marketing position and you were in a marketing club in school, this will show the interviewer that you have a passion for the topic and some additional experience outside your educational experience.

Mention Awards and Contests

If you have ever won a contest or award in your field, you should mention this. If you are applying for a position as a writer for a newspaper, and you won a national award for your writing work on your school newspaper, you should definitely emphasize this.

Show a Passion for your Field

If you don’t have experience, you need to show the interviewer that you have a very strong passion for your chosen field. If you can convince the person reviewing your resume that you have a deep love for the field, you will have a major leg up on the competition who may be in the field simply for money.