University of Alabama Parent Guide
Tips for Helping your Student Build A Resume
With the economy headed towards challenging and uncertain times, your college student needs to carefully build their resumes in order to be better prepared to find a job or an internship in an increasingly tough market. Many students start college with little or no work experience and virtually nothing else to put on a resume. Regardless of you student’s career path, there are certain fundamental things they can do to build an effective resume from scratch:
- Focus on Education:
With the economy headed towards challenging and uncertain times, your college student needs to carefully build their resumes in order to be better prepared to find a job or an internship in an increasingly tough market.
Many students start college with little or no work experience and virtually nothing else to put on a resume. Regardless of you student’s career path, there are certain fundamental things they can do to build an effective resume from scratch:- Focus on Education:
Students should be proud of their educational achievements; besides just including the name of their college or university, its city and state, anticipated graduation date, your student should also list extracurricular activities and courses related to their job target. Additionally, if their GPA is 3.0 or higher, they should include that too. - Volunteer Work:
If your student is looking for a way to make their resume stand out above the rest, volunteer opportunities can provide a great avenue – and there are many volunteer opportunities that can be worked around your student’s busy schedule. - Be Creative in Describing Unrelated Jobs:
Many students have part-time, seasonal or temporary work experience that is unrelated to future career goals. Students should detail the most important aspects of their work experience to show leadership, drive and determination. - Internships:
Prospective employers love to find job candidates who are already trained. If possible, students should find an internship or co-op directly in the line of work they are pursuing. If a directly-related job is not in the works, any job in the same field would suffice. - Participate in Student Organizations:
Student organizations offer easy avenues to gather job-related skills for college student resumes. They offer leadership positions, team-building activities, and networking events. - Start Early:
Your college student should not wait until their senior year to start building their resume. Their senior year is too late to rescue a flailing GPA, gain any depth of experience or prove leadership abilities.
Encouraging your student to prepare throughout their college career will better improve the quality of their resume when they need one. Rather than waiting to build a resume, your student will be prepared for opportunities that will arise throughout college – such as employment, internships and fellowships. They'll also be able to update their resume easily and apply for jobs quickly when they graduate.
Sources:
http://education-portal.com/articles/Building_Your_Resume:_Resume_Tips_for_College_Students.htmlhttp://charityguide.org/volunteer/motivation/resume-building.htm
www.independentmail.com/news/2008/dec/13/tips-parents-helping-college-graduates-find-employ/
- Focus on Education:
