When you were at school, you might’ve often heard your teachers and parents talking about building and creating your resume. It might not have seemed too relevant at the time, but now that you’ve started college, things are starting to get much more real! A resume is a vital component of your educational life that will grow and expand as you progress through college and your career. All employers and recruitment agencies will look at your resume first and foremost when they are searching for the ideal candidate for a vacant role, so it’s extremely important to keep it relevant and up to date.
Gaining experience while in college is the first way to start creating your resume and acquire impressive credentials before you even graduate. Your future self will thank you for putting in the work now, as it will be so much easier to get a good job when you leave college if your resume is full of suitable experience and qualifications. So, if you’re looking to kickstart your resume as you embark on your college experience, here are a handful of useful ideas to get you on the road to success.
Start Working While in College
Having a good work ethic during your university years is important, so finding a job early on will be hugely beneficial for you. Even if you find a job that is completely unrelated to your field of work, it shows that you are responsible and able to keep up with a busy lifestyle. There will usually be plenty of opportunities to pick up bar work, restaurant jobs, or roles in retail, so take a look around your local area and see what would be the best fit for you and your skills. Everything that you do in your customer-facing job will provide you with experience and a wealth of transferable skills that will be perfect to include in your resume. For example, if you’re working in a fast paced environment such as a restaurant, this would be great to talk about if you’re hoping to enter a similarly busy career path such as journalism, office management, or even nursing.
Gain Internship Experience
Keeping an eye out for internships is always a good idea when you’re in college. Gaining firsthand experience in real-life working environments will give you an advantage when it comes to applying to similar roles in a couple of years’ time. Even if you don’t find an internship that is directly related to what you’re studying, there is so much to be learned from freelance opportunities in professional fields. Not only will you discover what you like and dislike about certain industries, but you will also start to build connections in your chosen field. Being able to maintain these professional relationships during your time at college will also serve you well as you may be offered interviews for full-time roles in that workplace in the not so distant future. Adding this experience to your resume and discussing what you’ve learned during your time in an internship is hugely important for building your portfolio of work.
List Your Education and Skills
When creating your resume, you will need to list out your education, qualifications, and industry-related skill sets that may help you in your future career. For example, you should write down the dates that you are attending high school and college, as well as list out your majors and any completed degrees. It may also be important to note down any other notable qualifications or studies that can help you acquire a job in your chosen industry. Don’t forget to talk about your skills with information technology, social media, or other industry-specific equipment or software you may need in order to excel in your career path.
Add Extracurricular Courses or Organizations You're Part Of
Your resume is the ideal place to talk about all of your achievements, organizations, and extracurricular activities you took part in during your college life. Whether you’re part of the student government or head of a sports team, employers are always looking for someone who is hard-working and has experience with a team during their college years. Even if your extracurricular activities are not directly correlated with what you want to do in your future career, there will always be scenarios that can be related to real life work environments. When writing these down on your resume, try to think creatively about how your outside skills and experience may be perceived from a professional working in a specific job.
List Your Contact Information
One of the most important elements you can’t forget when creating your resume is your contact information. Now would be the perfect time to create a professional email address (not the embarrassing nickname-centric one you created in high school!). Your email address can give off an instant impression about who you are as a person, so keep this in mind at all times. You also need to include your full name and phone number so that you can be contacted at any time. Depending on the type of industry you’re going into, you may also find it appropriate to include your social media handles (as long as they’re professional!).
Find the Ideal Place to Stay During Your College Life
Choosing the right place to live during your college experience can enhance your future in multiple ways. When you live in a motivating, lively, and fulfilling environment there can be many more opportunities available to you that can ultimately enhance your resume as you live your college life. While studying at BYU-I, you should consider Sunrise Village as your place to stay, which offers both modern and classic apartments with a whole host of amenities for you to enjoy during your time off. Forming friendships, making connections, and living a fulfilling college life starts at your college apartment, so apply for your place at Sunrise Village today. It will be easy to thrive and grow an impressive resume as you embark upon your college experience.