As per the University World News, enrollment of students is forecasted to globally more than double to 262 million by 2025 in higher education. It means that the competition for fresh graduates is only going to get fiercer to seek a brighter financial future.
To begin with, you need an impeccable resume that can introduce you to potential employers and recruiters for any targeted job profile or internships. So read on to learn how to write a job-winning resume after your college.
Listed below are the main features of a resume and how they can be implemented to help you curate the perfect resume:
Gather all your details in a master folder
The first step you need to follow is to create a master folder wherein you can list all your details and pieces of information.
Simply create a master resume and gather all the details of your educational qualifications, contact information, additional information, etc. here.
As a fresher, you will not have enough professional experience to list on a resume but in case you already have any internship or volunteer experience, make sure to list these details in your master folder.
You can also list something as simple as your productive hobbies or even better if you have practical talents such as functional knowledge of more than one language then do not forget to mention it in the additional information section.
Keep in mind that this folder is not your actual resume and can be used anytime, both for drafting your present resume as well as for your future resume updates.
Take this fact into account and do not hesitate in dropping down any details that you may feel are unnecessary in your current resume as it might prove to be helpful in future updates.
Create a suitable resume outline
As someone right out of college you will not have enough professional experience and so you need to highlight your most significant skills to the recruiters in the most effective way possible by creating a suitable resume outline.
Create a separate section and list all the similar points under relevant skills on your resume. This way you can divert the recruiters’ attention towards your skills and help them focus on what you can contribute towards the organization rather than be skeptical about your lack of professional experience.
Also, make sure to use the keywords used by the recruiters in the job description of the targeted job profile in your resume.
This can help you rank high on the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) which most of the recruiters use to filter through resumes and pick the most suitable one which contains the required keywords.
Your resume outline should be based on your educational qualification and any other relevant certifications, skills, additional pieces of information, etc.
List the details of your educational qualification
You need to create a resume outline that covers your educational qualifications to make the recruiters recognize the level of your potential through the course that you have pursued and the skills you acquired during your studies.
Simply list the details of the following in your education section:
- Name of the course you pursued.
- Name of your school/university.
- Location of the school/university.
- Dates of your enrollment and completion.
Mention suitable certifications
Mention the details of any certifications you have acquired as it can help you backup your educational qualification.
The recruiters can recognize you as an applicant who took the trouble to get certifications to enhance one’s knowledge and polish one’s professional skills even before getting into a job.
For instance, let’s say that you have certifications that validate your knowledge of computer tools then it can help you communicate yourself as an applicant with computer knowledge. And it can raise your chances of being shortlisted by the recruiters.
Frame relevant additional information
In case you speak a language apart from English, make sure to mention that in your resume because it can enhance your value as a suitable applicant.
Example: If you are applying for a job in hospitality, speaking more than one language can add value to your communication skills. And hence make the recruiters recognize you as a potential candidate for the targeted job profile.
You can also add any healthy hobby you keep that reflects your productivity. No recruiter would prefer a candidate who idles away one’s time over someone productive.
Example: If you are applying for a job as a librarian, then you can mention your healthy hobby of reading or book collection. This way the recruiters can take into account that your productive hobby can help you execute your roles and responsibilities.
Provide your contact details and current location
Let us picture that the recruiters loved your resume and decided to shortlist you for the targeted job profile.
Now, how do you expect them to get in touch with you if you have not provided any details of contact?
Your chance to land your 1st job just went down the drain.
Avoid this unfortunate situation by making sure that you provide your active contact number and official email address for the recruiters to get in touch with you for any likely shortlist. They may even want to interview you over the phone so you cannot afford to miss this opportunity.
In case you are applying for a job outside your country or willing to relocate, then mention your state and country. Else, you can simply mention your city and state of residence.
Provide only the required details and avoid making careless mistakes while framing this feature in your resume.
Compose an effective resume objective
A perfectly framed objective can help you sell your skills to the recruiters. It is effective because it can make them recognize your potential as an eligible applicant despite your lack of work experience.
Try to convince the recruiters into accepting the fact that you are willing to give your best in contributing to the higher goals of the targeted organization.
Mention about how you are willing to make use of your knowledge and skills to achieve positive results if given the chance to shoulder the job profile that you are applying for.
Key Takeaways
With the end of our article, lets us read though the following key takeaways to curate the perfect job-winning resume that can help you climb the ladder of success throughout your career after you finish college:
- Always create a master folder to gather all your details and pieces of information.
- Create a suitable resume outline that effectively highlights your educational qualifications and skills that you acquired as a student.
- Provide the details of your education and certifications to validate yourself as an eligible applicant.
- Make sure to give clear details of your contact and current address on your resume.
- Give an overview of your resume by composing an objective that highlights your skills.
