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3 First Year College Student Resume Examples That Work in 2024

First Year College Student Resume

Formal first year college student resume, elegant first year college student resume.

• First Year College Student Resume Writing 101

You’re organized, have great time-management skills, and have studied hard to maintain excellent grades. 

As you’re looking to apply for educational opportunities or one of your first jobs, you probably realize you need a well-formatted resume to present your top skills . 

If you don’t have much work experience and are confused about where to start, our first year college student resume examples will have you covered. You can use them as a proven template for success in the process. 

or download as PDF

Related resume examples

• Freshman college student
• College student resume for internship
• College student resume no experience
• Current college student
• College student

What Matters Most: Your First Year College Student Skills & Work Experience

Many new college students tend to get very stressed when choosing the right skills to put on a resume . What can you list here if you haven’t worked much?

Thankfully, you can still list many skills, even if you don’t have tons of traditional work experience . Aspects like time management or teamwork will apply to many entry-level positions. 

Additionally, if you’ve completed any volunteer work or participated in school extracurricular activities, those will have equipped you with many applicable skills too. 

Here are some of the most popular first year college student skills for resumes . 

9 most popular first year college student skills

• Presentations
• Microsoft Office
• Customer Service
• Time Management
• Google Workspace
• Problem-Solving
• Conflict Resolution
• Multi-Tasking

Sample first year college student work experience bullet points

For many first year college students with minimal work experience , looking at the big section where you’re supposed to list your previous work achievements on a resume template can feel daunting. 

Fortunately, even if you’ve only worked at one or two jobs or none at all, there are still other experiences you can list that will show applicable abilities. 

For instance, you could include numerical examples of grades you achieved, how you performed tasks more efficiently while volunteering, or where you placed in extracurricular competitions. 

Here are a few samples:

• Scheduled time to study for 7 classes each semester, ensuring all assignments were completed on time for 2 years. 
• Collaborated with team members on the school yearbook club and divided tasks to get all yearbooks printed and ready 5 days before schedule.  
• Completed detailed research about advancements in ecologically friendly energy production for a sustainability research paper, earning a 96% overall grade. 
• Created an Excel spreadsheet with feeding and exercise schedules while volunteering at a local animal shelter to improve accuracy by 58%. 

Top 5 Tips for Your First Year College Student Resume

• While a one-page resume might seem daunting for college students without much experience, hiring managers still want to see enough examples of your achievements. Lean on education, school extracurriculars, or hobbies & interests as needed to provide enough information. 
• A resume objective is a great addition to first year college student resumes to show your top skills and how you’ll impact company success. For instance, you could say you’re a dedicated student who has maintained a 3.91 GPA for four years, and you’re ready to apply your detail-oriented abilities to achieve company goals. 
• When trying to present great academic ability, you want to ensure accuracy and organization throughout your resume. Proofread for any grammatical errors before submitting. 
• First year college students may include more soft skills when they don’t have much work experience. That said, aim for a mix here, adding some technical abilities like Microsoft Office or academic research you’ve gained through school. 
• You may have learned about using an active voice for more impact when writing essays. The same strategy can be used in your resume by using action words like “organized” or “researched” in your examples. 

Aim to limit your resume to a single page. Too many details can detract from your top skills , like presentations and time management, when hiring managers are quickly reviewing resumes. 

Think of the job description like a class syllabus. Each one will have some unique requirements based on the company’s specific needs, so you should customize your resume accordingly. For instance, one retail store may emphasize a team environment, whereas another will have you working more independently. 

Customizing your listed skills for each job and emphasizing examples with metrics like efficiency or accuracy will make your resume stand out. It’s similar to constructing a PowerPoint presentation with research, where you’d want everything to be data-based and targeted to a specific audience. 

11+ Best Student Resume Templates (W/ Examples & Resources)

Writing an impressive resume as a student with no work experience can be a challenging task, often resulting in a generic document that fails to capture your full potential. 

This challenge intensifies in the face of a sea of applicants vying for the same role as you, making it all the more critical to stand out. 

Fortunately, we’re here to solve this problem! 

This article presents a selection of impactful student resume templates and examples that will help transform your raw skills and academic accomplishments into an impressive, attention-grabbing resume. 

Here’s what we’ll cover: 

12 Student Resume Templates

3 student resume examples, 5 other professional resources for students.

Let’s dive in!

#1. Creative Resume Template

The Creative resume template offers a visually appealing and unique design that can greatly benefit students. 

With a modern and innovative layout that leverages eye-catching colors, this template allows students to showcase their skills, experiences, and achievements all on one page. 

The template's artistic element can help you stand out from the crowd and make a memorable impression on potential employers by highlighting your creativity, attention to detail, and ability to think outside the box, all of which are valuable attributes in today's competitive job market.

#2. Basic Resume Template

This resume template comes with a straightforward and clean design that offers numerous benefits to students. 

For starters, it provides a professional and well-organized structure that lets you present your skills, education, and experiences in a concise and effective manner. Not to mention, by positioning the skills section at the top of the resume, this template emphasizes your skills over your work experience (which is something you’re likely lacking).

This template can help any student, regardless of their standing, create a professional-looking resume that showcases their abilities and increases their chances of securing interviews and job opportunities.

#3. Combined Resume Template

Just like the name implies, this template is a perfect blend of two resume formats , namely the functional and the reverse-chronological format . 

This Combined template can arm you with a versatile and effective way to present your skills and professional experiences, as well as any relevant optional sections like certifications and personal projects. 

In a nutshell, the Combined template gives you the flexibility to leverage both the popularity of the chronological format and the impact you can make by emphasizing your skills and abilities. 

So, if you’re not sure which resume format works best for you or if you’re on the fence about a particular template, this stylish and impactful design might just be the choice for you. 

#4. Minimalist Resume Template

Novorésumé's Minimalist resume template offers a sleek and simple design that comes highly recommended for students. 

True to its name, this template aims to highlight only essential elements through clean aesthetics. Specifically, it lets students present their strong points and most noteworthy achievements concisely, eliminating unnecessary clutter. 

With a stylish color palette of pink and gray and a design that puts skills and work experience side by side, there’s no way you can go wrong picking this student resume template. 

#5. Traditional Resume Template

This template’s classic and time-tested design is guaranteed to work wonders for students looking to work in all fields, but especially those aiming for more traditional industries like banking or finance. 

Following a structured design that highlights all key resume sections, such as the resume objective , education, work experience, and skills sections, this template lets you include all your relevant information without your resume spilling over to page two . 

#6. General Resume Template

The General resume template is meant to offer you a versatile and adaptable format to showcase your qualifications, including your awards, your foreign language skills , your education, and much more. 

The header’s blue color is meant to grab recruiters’ attention to two of the most important resume sections–the contact information and the resume summary sections. 

Once you have their attention, you can wow them with other relevant sections such as your skills, work experience, and anything else you deem important. 

Easily customizable and practical to skim through, this resume template can make your application look good even if you don’t put too much effort into it. 

#7. Modern Resume Template

The Modern resume template is a great choice for students who want their resume to look sleek and stylish, and yet professional. 

By incorporating modern elements like horizontal lines and bold blue color, this template is a great choice for practically every field you apply to. 

By using the Modern template, students can present themselves as forward-thinking and professional candidates, increasing their chances of standing out from the competition.

#8. IT Resume Template

If getting into IT is your dream, then this resume template is for you! 

The team at Novorésumé specifically designed the IT resume template to cater to the needs of students in the field. Using a clean and modern layout , this template offers a comprehensive structure that highlights your relevant technical skills, certifications, and education history. 

And, if you have any professional experience in IT, even if it’s through freelance work, internships , or personal projects, this template can surely help you highlight it through the reverse-chronological format - a favorite among recruiters.

#9. Simple Resume Template

Sometimes, a simple resume template can be just the way to let your personality and achievements shine through. 

This is exactly what the Simple resume template does for students. 

With a straightforward and reader-friendly structure that strays away from extravagant design elements and flashy colors, this template aims to let your achievements do the talking. 

So, if your professional journey is already rich in accomplishments or if you’re one of those people who think simplicity is always the right choice, then you just found your match. 

#10. Functional Resume Template

Just like the format it’s named after, the Functional resume template lets you highlight your skills and qualifications upfront, which is perfect if you don’t have enough work experience to list.

What makes this template even more impactful is the minty color that grabs recruiters’ attention, the perfectly aligned sections, and the way it leverages symbols to show your proficiency in say, foreign languages or technical skills . 

#11. Skill-Based Resume Template

The Skill-Based resume template does just what the name implies - it provides students with a valuable format that emphasizes their key skills and competencies. 

This template allows students to highlight their relevant abilities and qualifications, regardless of their work experience . By organizing their resume based on skills rather than professional achievements, students can effectively showcase their strengths and demonstrate their suitability for a particular role. 

This resume template lets you focus on your most marketable skills, making it easier for potential employers to quickly identify your strengths and match them with job requirements.

#12. College Resume Template

Are you a college student looking to land your first gig? Then the College resume template is just what you need. 

Specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of college students, this template offers a comprehensive structure that lets you highlight your academic achievements, extracurricular activities , internships, and relevant coursework.

The College resume template lets you effectively showcase your education, skills, and experiences in a concise manner and contemporary style. The resume’s design is tailored to the specific needs of college students, increasing your chances of impressing potential employers and securing your next entry-level position!

#1. High-School Student Resume

#2. College Freshman Resume

#3. Internship Resume 

Picking the right template for your resume is just a small first step toward landing your first gig. 

There are several other things you’ll need to do during your job hunt , such as networking with the right people, applying for the right positions for you, and continuously honing your skills. 

Here are some resources that are guaranteed to come in handy: 

• Professional Networking | What Is It & Why It Matters . Networking is an excellent way to lay solid career foundations and make professional connections you can even use down the line. This article outlines all the benefits of professional networking and gives you 9 essential tips to get it right.
• 30+ Jobs for Teenagers (Where & How to Look) . These jobs are perfect for students of all ages, from high school freshmen to college seniors, so start digging.
• 101 Essential Skills to Put on a Resume . Without a solid work experience section, your skills section is the most important part of your resume. Do it justice by going through the most essential skills every resume should have in 2024.
• How to List Computer Skills on a Resume . Nowadays, 92% of jobs require digital skills , according to the National Skills Coalition. Since students and younger professionals are more likely to be well-versed in digital skills, it’s good to know how to list such skills in your resume. Learn how with our article!
• How to Write a Cover Letter in 2024 . Cover letters are still an essential part of job applications, so you shouldn’t submit one without attaching a cover letter. If you think writing a cover letter is even harder than creating a resume, though, head over to our dedicated article to become a cover letter pro.

Conclusion 

By now, you should have realized how important it is to find the right student resume template if you want to land your dream job. 

We hope our list meets your preferences and can help you on your career path as effectively as possible! 

For more resources and career advice, make sure to visit our blog ! 

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How To Write A College Freshman Resume (With Examples)

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As a freshman college student, it’s likely that you don’t have much (or any) work experience in your field of choice. And while you may have had part-time work, you may not know how to describe this work along with other experiences in a way that shows off the full breadth of your ability.

Traditional resume tips and tricks can be helpful, but they are tailored towards those who have a slightly more established professional life. Most of your accomplishments are likely in the academic or extracurricular realm, or even in your personal projects and hobbies.

No matter what you’re applying for, you need a polished and well-thought-out resume to demonstrate your value as a candidate. This article will give you a basic rundown of what a freshman resume is, how you can create one of your very own, and an example resume that can help you get started.

Key Takeaways:

The sections of your resume should include:

Resume objective/summary

Education background and extracurriculars

Work experience

Relevant skills

To keep your resume to one page , write effective bullet points and keep them to two lines of text.

Make sure you proofread your resume for any spelling errors and grammar mistakes.

What Is a College Freshman Resume?

What to include in a college freshman resume, college freshman resume template and example, tips for writing a resume in college.

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A college freshman resume is a resume written by a first-year college student. As a college student, you’re only just beginning to figure out what it is you may want to do for the rest of your adult life. From your place in the career world to your own personal identity, there are a lot of things that you are working on gaining a clear vision for, especially as a college freshman.

In this transition between childhood and young adulthood, you are just beginning to gain experience, specialized skills, and an understanding of how to behave in the professional world. You don’t quite have the experience and know-how required for most industries yet, but you aren’t expected to either.

Resumes are crucial parts of so many different application processes. Reasons you may need a resume include:

Internships

Student Leadership positions

Scholarships

On-campus or part-time jobs

Typically, resumes only itemize adult, professional experiences. This means that high school (or prior ) information is left off. However, as a college freshman, many of your accomplishments may have taken place in high school, and it’s acceptable to include them. This is the key difference between a college freshman resume and a typical professional resume.

The following sections should be included in your resume as a college freshman:

Contact information. Your contact information is possibly the most crucial section on your resume, as it links all of the contents of the resume back to you as an individual. It should be the very first thing seen on your resume, in an easy to locate spot, and your name should be the largest piece of text.

You’ll want to include all of the following:

Your full name

Your address (on campus or at home, depending on what you are applying for)

Your phone number

Your email address

Your professional social media accounts (i.e., Linkedin )

Professional blog or portfolio if you have one

Resume objective/summary. Your resume objective or summary goes at the top of your layout. It gives a quick and compelling intro to the contents of your resume.

This section will be no more than 150 characters, and it will describe the goals you have for whatever you’re applying for, as well as your demonstrated skills and achievements that will help you meet these goals.

Education background. Your education section will likely be one of your most impressive sections as a college freshman, so feature it near the top. Lead with what you’re majoring in or your primary focus of study to help give your resume-readers a picture of the skills you’re working to build.

Under that, list the institution you’re attending and your expected date of graduation. Include any honors or awards you might have achieved in your academic career. To beef up your education and demonstrate your fit for a position, you could even list relevant coursework or classes.

Work experience. It’s quite likely and expected that you don’t have much (or any) professional experience in your field of choice. However, If you have any work experience at all, even if it doesn’t seem strictly relevant to the position, you should list it here.

Resume-readers of all types agree that one of the most important aspects of a resume is determining someone’s work ethic. If you’ve held a part-time or summer job or engaged in an internship during your schooling, that’s no small feat. Listing these jobs shows that you are hardworking and have begun developing your professional tool kit.

List your work experiences in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent will be first and the earliest will be last. Each entry should contain the following:

The title of your position

The period you worked there

The name of the organization

Key qualifications and responsibilities

Your most significant achievements in this position, in 2-5 bullet points

Relevant skills. This section will be used to highlight and name what you are good at. You can include hard skills – anything that requires teaching or training to learn, such as HTML coding – and soft skills – anything that comes naturally to you or is a part of your personality, such as interpersonal communication .

While soft skills are incredibly important in action, their subjectivity makes it hard to “prove” you actually possess them. Hard skills or technical skills are more concrete, so they tend to hold a bit more water on resumes.

Extracurricular activities. As a college freshman, it’s likely that a lot of your big achievements, valuable experiences, and learning moments have come from your extracurricular experiences. This could be sports, clubs, associations, theater, student government, etc.

Typically, these are left off of resumes (outside of exceptional circumstances), but for a college freshman, they can be a great demonstration of your personality and capabilities. List only significant experiences or extracurriculars you were involved with for an extended period of time.

Optional sections. There are some other options for appropriate sections you can include on your resume. You could even combine multiple sections from this category with each other or with your extracurriculars (just make sure to be clear).

Be sure that any information you include on your resume is both relevant and valuable to the specific position you’re applying for. Some optional sections you can think about incorporating include:

Hobbies and interests

Awards and honors

Volunteer work

Language proficiencies

Resume Template:

First Name Last Name [email protected] | (555)-555-5555 | City, State | linkedin.com/firstnamelastname (optional) RESUME SUMMARY Freshman university student majoring in [major] seeking to use skills in [hard skill] to excel in a [job title] role. A [soft skill] individual hoping to contribute to [company name]’s broader goals of [company’s publically-stated goals]. EDUCATION [Name of Major] | [X.X] GPA (only if over 3.0) [Name of College/University] | [City, State] Expected Graduation Year: 202X [Honors/Awards] [Relevant Coursework/Extracurriculars] [Name of High School] | [X.X] GPA (only if over 3.0) [City, State] Graduation Year: 20XX [Honors/Awards] [Relevant Extracurriculars] RELEVANT EXPERIENCE [Most Recent Job Title] | [Start Date] – [End Date] (Month, Year or MM/YYY) [Organization Name] | [City, State] [Impressive accomplishment] [Quantifiable experience] [Use present tense if still working this job] [Previous Job Title] | [Start Date] – [End Date] (Month, Year or MM/YYY) [Organization Name] | [City, State] [Use past tense verbs to start each sentence] [Strong action verbs work best] [Use numbers when possible] EXTRACURRICULARS [Brief 1-2 line description of your involvement with a relevant extracurricular activity] [Don’t include the same item twice; if you listed an extracurricular in your education section, don’t add more here] RELEVANT SKILLS [Hard skill 1] (Be specific with names of software/tools you’re skilled with) [Hard skill 2] [Hard skill 3] [Hard skill 4] [Soft skill 1] (Make sure soft skills are reflected in your experience, education, and summary/obective also) [Soft skill 2]

Resume Example:

Here’s an example of a college freshman resume utilizing all of the above tips. You can compare this example against your own during your resume-writing process:

Malia Davis Phone: 608-281-4823 |Email: [email protected] | Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/maliabdavis | Website: maliadaviswork.com OBJECTIVE Digital Marketing and Communications student with academic experience in social media content creation. Looking to utilize writing, marketing, and design skills to increase customer engagement with Pinecone Ltd.’s social media accounts. EDUCATION Digital Marketing and Communications Major, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 2020 – 2024 (expected graduation year) Relevant Coursework : intro to social media marketing, intermediate social media marketing, understanding algorithms, intro to graphic design Extracurriculars: Member of OSU writing group that meets weekly to practice and hone writing skills. Member of Marketing and Communications Fraternity, collaborating on monthly volunteer marketing projects Grand Rapids Montessori High, Grand Rapids, Michigan Graduation Date: 2020 GPA: 4.0 WORK EXPERIENCE Marketing Intern Lovepups Rescue Center , Wyoming , Michigan 2020-05 – 2020-08 Collaborated on a variety of marketing materials for print and web. Wrote and designed pamphlets and flyers independently to increase community awareness Organized digital marketing files Increased Lovepups membership rates by 20% Server/Team Member Starlight Cafe , Grand Rapids, Michigan 2018-06 – 2019-09 Managed customer orders in-person and via phone Balanced cleaning and customer service duties to ensure the best customer experience Influenced customers through promoting new items and special deals SKILLS Good knowledge of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram algorithms and content strategies Intermediate HTML and CSS coding Academic and professional writing Adobe Photoshop Great teamwork and collaboration skills Spanish language fluency Project leadership AWARDS AND HONORS Top 2% of graduating class of 100 at Grand Rapids Montessori High Achieved GRMH perfect attendance award for four consecutive years Earned Linda Everly Honors Scholarship, a competitive OSU scholarship for outstanding academic achievement

Here are three crucial tips for writing a great resume as a college freshman:

Strategically decide on sections. Before you even begin creating your resume, sit down, and have a huge brainstorming session about anything and everything you could possibly include. After you make your mega-list, go through and circle the things you think would be the most helpful to include.

Write effective bullet points. Within each section, consolidate the details and descriptive information into bullet points. When writing your bullet points, always keep in mind the words used in the job description (or in the description of whatever you’re applying for) and try to incorporate them.

Write in a concise, functional way focused on packing as much information into as few words as possible. Avoid using the first-person over and over again to describe your experiences, and just start directly with the verb (action word) that describes what you did. Use vivid, colorful verbs to amp up the power.

Use the right format. Your resume design and layout can help give resume-readers a better look at who you are and how you choose to present yourself. Pick colors and structures that speak to you and that you feel are best for the task at hand. However, there are some rules you should generally stick by.

Proofread your resume. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not reading over your resume before submitting it. It looks unprofessional if you send in a resume that has spelling and grammar mistakes.

Take a few extra minutes and make sure all the dates are correct and you aren’t missing anything. You can even have a friend or a professor look over it to catch anything you might have missed. This step could make the difference between you getting a job or internship and not getting it.

Stick to one page. A resume should only be one page . Employers don’t have much time to read over your resume so keeping it to one page and sticking with all the relevant information is important.

Get help if you need it. Don’t be afraid to go to your professor or the career services center if you need help on your resume. That’s what they are there for. The career center will be able to help give you a starting point and help you organize your resume for potential employers.

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Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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College Resume Templates

50 college student resume templates (& format).

When making a college resume template, keep in mind that your resume isn’t you. It’s merely a document that says something about you relevant to an objective you’re pursuing. A good resume should include important details about yourself even before including the usual contact information, education history, experiences, awards or honors, and any additional skills.

Table of Contents

• 1 College Resume Templates
• 2 What is the importance of a college resume template?
• 3 High School Resume for College
• 4 How to choose a college resume template?
• 5 College Resume Formats
• 6 Parts of a college resume template
• 7 College Student Resume Examples
• 8 Tips for writing a college resume template
• 9 College Resume Samples

What is the importance of a college resume template?

For admission in many colleges, you need a strong recommendation to submit along with your college resume template and an application letter. Some colleges, however, forbid this. To ensure that comply with requirements, so you know the kind of resume template for college students they prefer.

One of the most important things is to always keep a professionally-written resume as you can use this in many different ways:

• It gives your teachers and advisers a framework when writing their recommendation letters .
• It gives you a list of conversation points for when you have a scheduled admissions interview.
• It’s a requirement for several scholarships as well as internship or employment opportunities.
• Finally, a resume is almost like a business card. It has a tone of professionalism. Moreover, a good resume is something you can confidently submit to any school’s admissions department.

High School Resume for College

How to choose a college resume template?

Your college resume template should have that “IT” factor to leave a good impression on the reader. When composing your college resume format, always remember that looks matter. Here are a few pointers to think about for the design and format of your resume:

• Avoid using Helvetica and other casual fonts Helvetica refers to a widely used sans-serif typeface characterized with “no feet” at the bottom of the letters. The opposite is serif fonts which have, well, those “little feet,” The latter is more professional and traditional for use in a resume.
• Come up with a specific style for each of the levels of information There are many computer functions you can use to emphasize points in your resume . You can use bold or capitalized headings, italics or underlines when needed, bullet points for enumerations, and more. Consistency is the main key here. There’s no one standard way. Just select a specific style then stick with it.
• Make sure to limit your resume to a single page Keep your resume as short as possible but still containing the salient points. Being concise can already earn you extra points from college admission counselors who have read a lot of these wordy resumes.
• Make sure there is enough white space Margin formats always make an example resume college student clean and professional. One-inch margins are the standard. Keep a gap between the sections. White space is an effective design tool. It’s also gentler on the eyes of the reader.

College Resume Formats

Parts of a college resume template

A college resume template usually has four basic sections. Make sure that you include all of these sections in your resume template for college student. There should be a separate section if you have received many awards and honors. Here are brief descriptions of the basic sections of a college resume template:

• Contact Information This includes the following details: Your name Make sure to use the same name as the one on your application. Again, the key here is consistency. Your professional email Make sure to check this email frequently. If you don’t have a professional email, create one. If you still use your email from high school, create a new one too. Your mobile phone number
• Education This involves a bit more work as it includes: The name of the High School you attended, the City, the State, and the inclusive years. Your GPA both unweighted and weighted. Your highest test scores including, ACT, SAT, and others. Any relevant coursework. This part would give you the opportunity to talk about any additional classes, which you’ve taken back in high school which also reflect your interest in the course you plan to major in.
• Experience This section allows you to state the reasons why you’re qualified for admission, that it isn’t just about responsibilities but accomplishments as well. But what is the difference? An illustrative example can explain this. Maybe you were a class president responsible for presiding over meetings, planning events , organizing fundraisers , and more. But if you didn’t accomplish any of these, then you should not include these in your college resume format. You need to consider both accomplishments and responsibilities in any of your endeavors, whether it be in a team, a club, a service project , and more. Also, try to think of your accomplishments in terms of numerical figures. Think about your choice in words when writing your college resume. Use active words to come up with a description of what you did exactly. Remember, this is the chance to explain that you have led, managed, created, organized, problem-solved, maintained, coached, budgeted, produced, presented, scheduled, written, built, traveled, bid, sold, developed, delivered, and so on. As you can see, these are all action words. Here are some helpful tips for writing this part of the resume: It’s recommended in any example resume college student to list experiences and education in reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent experiences and work backward. For each of the activities, list the business or organization (on-the-job training included), where it’s located, the position you held, and when these activities occurred. These dates show how much time you’ve spent on those activities. Avoid talking in the first person. Better to say “led,” rather than saying “I led.” Practice consistency in your verb tenses. If you’re still part of an activity, use the present tense. If not, use the past-tense.
• Awards and Honors You can compare this section to your trophy case at home. If you won an essay-writing contest in a school-wide competition or you won first prize in a science fair or your miniature horse got a best-of-show award, then you can include all these in this section. As for experiences, take some time to make the details of your experiences brief while still capturing your awesomeness. Make sure to include the following: Naming the award gives credence to it. Make a brief description of what the award is all about. List all of the organizations you have been a part of, the positions you’ve held, and the dates when you received your awards. If possible, provide the month and the year. Being very specific and using numbers is highly recommended. Lastly, avoid using the first person.

College Student Resume Examples

Tips for writing a college resume template

A good college resume template should emphasize your education and work history. You may also include abilities and skills by citing as examples your participation in extracurricular activities and volunteer work. Here are some helpful points that can make your resume template for college student stronger:

• Focus on your education Since applying for admission to college, your education history matters most. Emphasize the important points of your educational history. Aside from the usual name and degree, also include your achievements, like any academic awards or a high GPA. Also, mention any courses you’ve taken that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
• Include any relevant jobs You should now know with the experiences and skills required for the job you’re applying for. You can include the skills you’ve developed while performing other jobs in your resume. Even if your work experiences aren’t directly related, try thinking of ways to highlight those experiences. For instance, being a cashier before could have developed your skills in leadership or customer service .
• Include your extracurricular activities For beginners, they may have limited experiences in terms of work. Here, they can emphasize non-working activities like a club membership , sports, volunteer work, babysitting or community service . Although these involve no compensation, they can show your abilities and skills.
• Include your leadership experience If you have held a position that entails leadership in a sports team, a club or in previous jobs, these would be worth mentioning in your resume as these are an indication of your ability to lead.
• Utilize action verbs This is a useful way to show responsibility. These become very effective when you describe your achievements. These words can depict your experiences in a compelling and energetic manner.
• Quantify whenever possible Using numbers usually can highlight, if not enhance, your achievements. For instance, you can say that you have worked as a teller in a bank managing amounts of over $300,000 each day or you’ve worked in a retail shop helping out about 75 – 100 customers on average per day.
• Keep editing as needed Never forget to carefully proofread the resume you’ve created before submitting. A finished one should be error-free spelling and grammar-wise. It should also comply with professional standards. As a double-check, ask a relative or friend to read your resume as well.
• Download example resume college student You can use a college resume template as a guide when making your own. This greatly helps in deciding the content to include and how you should format it. Just make sure that the template you select will fit your own education, experiences, and the position you’re applying for .

College Resume Samples

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College Freshman: Templates, Examples, & Essential Skills

We’re proud of you.

You’ve worked hard and you managed to achieve a place at university .

Not only that, you’re looking at how to make a resume as a college freshman .

That already sets you apart from the pack.

While lots of freshmen spend their first year of college focusing only on friends, partying, and school, you’ve decided to already plan for your future and look for an internship or work placement.

This is a great way to get a head start on your after-college career, and there’s no better way to start this search than with a professional freshman resume .

What Is a College Freshman Resume Template?

A college freshman template is a simple style of resume design for first-year college students. You can use this document to apply for in-industry work experiences and internships.

These resume templates make it much easier to play to your strengths as a freshman and adapt your profile to fit your experience level.

What Is Unique About a Freshman Template?

The biggest difference between a freshman template and a typical design is that it is more focused on other areas , rather than work experience. It’s normal that in your first year of college, you won’t yet have much of that.

Adapting to your lack of career history is key in this scenario. The freshman resume template can help you bring out other important traits that make you qualified for a competitive internship role.

This is done by focusing more on career goals , transferable skills, and your educational history in comparison to other kinds of resumes.

Why to Use a College Freshman Resume Template

When you’re just starting out in college, looking for internships and other professional placements can feel alien. As a college freshman, it can be hard to know how to find a position with little-to-no real work experience.

A college freshman template will solve this issue for you. No one is expecting you to be a career professional in your freshman year but you still need to show why you’re right for a position.

Not only that but a freshman template can demonstrate how you will adapt well to your chosen sector or position. It will do this by emphasizing important career skills needed in the role.

Who Should Use a Freshman Resume Format?

Getting a college freshman resume right involves a few different steps . In the following sections, we explain what these are in more detail.

Sections to Include in Your Template

Getting the structure right is critical to ensure your freshman resume is successful. First of all, you must add a number of necessary sections, which in clude:

• Contact Details
• Career Objective Statement
• Works Experience

However, to show everything you’re capable of, you will need to add a bit more than just the essentials. Use any scholastic or personal achievements to your advantage and relate these to the position with the following optional sections:

• Achievements
• Honors and Awards
• Clubs and Societies
• Volunteering
• Hobbies and Interests

How to Write a Freshman Student Resume

When you write a freshman or a student resume your main focus should be highlighting your potential rather than past experience. This will mean promoting your education and skills more than you would normally.

However, your second focus needs to be on making everything easily readable for the recruiter. Keeping your resume concise is key, so avoid long sentences at all costs and keep focused on highlighting your achievements.

You should break everything up into bullet points to do this. When detailing the work experience you’ve done, each point should be about a sentence in length and must focus on a key achievement, skill, or duty you’ve managed.

As always, what you include should be relevant to the position you’re chasing. This is especially important in your 2-3 sentence summary at the top of the page.

In the case of your freshman template, this summary will focus more on your career goals than explaining what you’ve done so far. Explain why your aims match the company’s and back it up with any evidence you can add to show you’re serious about these goals.

How to Format a Student Resume Template

As mentioned, one of the most important features your resume must have is to be easy to read . Imagine that you’re a recruiter having to read hundreds of new resumes every day, would you be happy to receive a complicated and unintelligible resume?

Probably not. So let’s make sure your resume is a smoother read than that last homework paper you procrastinated on.

The formatting can help you do this and our resume builder can help you get this right.

Not only do you need to keep the text short but you’ll need to use visual tricks to get the best results. This includes using the following:

• A little neutral color
• Clear and easy to read fonts
• Consistently sized text
• Correct margin spacing
• PDF and .TXT file formats

Where Can I Get a Freshman Resume Template?

ResumeGiants is here to help you prepare your very first freshman template . Our resume builder tools will give you all the support you need to create an accomplished and effective document.

Unlike many other “free” resume builders, we don’t charge extra for any premium features and we provide you with all the necessary tools to create a successful resume.

Prepare your college freshman resume using professionally designed templates, easy-to-follow instructions, and expert guidance.

What Are the Advantages of ResumeGiant’s Resume Builder?

The resume builder we provide is an all-in-one tool and is free to use . It will help you every step of the way towards a smart and successful resume. It will also save you time so that you can get back to all the great things that college has to offer.

The main benefits of our service include:

Step-by-step resume building instructions

ATS optimized modern templates

Pre-written options you can add to your layout

Access from any PC or mobile device

A modular template design to make editing easier

It’s free to use!

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Resume Summary Examples for Students (With How-to Guide)

Writing a great resume summary can make a big difference when you're a student looking for a job. This short overview of your skills is the first thing employers see, so it's important to get it right. Even if you don't have much work experience, you can create a strong student resume summary showing employers why you'd be a great choice.

This guide will show you how to write an effective resume summary. We'll give you resume summary examples for students and useful tips to help you stand out when applying for jobs.

What is a resume summary?

A resume summary, also called a professional summary, is a short statement at the top of your resume that shows your main skills, qualifications, and career goals. For students, it's a chance to highlight your school achievements, important classes you've taken, and any internships or volunteer work that relates to the job you want.

A good resume summary is usually two to four sentences long and should:

• Get the reader's attention
• Show your most important qualifications
• Explain why you'd be valuable to the company
• Match what the job description asks for

For students, a well-written summary can make up for not having much work experience by focusing on skills you've learned and things you've achieved in school.

How to write a student resume summary

Writing an excellent student resume summary takes some thought and planning. Here's a step-by-step way to create an effective summary:

• Read the job description carefully: Look at what skills and qualifications the employer wants.
• Think about your strengths: Consider your school achievements, relevant classes, projects, and any internships or volunteer work.
• Choose what to focus on: Pick 2-3 main points that match what the job needs.
• Start with a strong first sentence: Begin by introducing yourself and saying what you're studying.
• Talk about relevant skills: Mention skills that fit the job description, including both specific and general skills.
• Include achievements: Mention any important things you've done in school or extracurricular activities.
• Share your career goals: Briefly say what you want to do professionally, especially if it fits with the job or company.
• Keep it short: Aim for 2-4 sentences that really show your value.

Remember to change your resume summary for each job you apply to. Don't use the same general statement for every application. Instead, focus on what makes you a good fit for that specific job.

What to include in a resume summary

When writing your student resume summary, think about including these things:

• Your current education: Mention your degree, what you're studying, and when you expect to graduate.
• Relevant skills: Talk about both specific and general skills that fit what the job needs.
• School achievements: Include things like a high GPA, being on the dean's list, or any awards you've won.
• Relevant classes or projects: Mention any courses or projects that show skills the job requires.
• Internship or volunteer experience: If you have any, briefly talk about work experience that relates to the job.
• Career goals: Say what you want to do professionally, especially if it matches the job.
• Personal qualities: Highlight traits that make you a good fit for the role and the company's culture.

Here's an example of how these parts might come together:

"Hardworking Computer Science student at XYZ University with a 3.8 GPA, looking for an entry-level software development job. Proficient in Java, Python, and C++, with experience in mobile app development for school projects. Exceptional problem-solving skills and a love for developing efficient, user-friendly apps."

Professional resume summary for college students

To help you understand how to write your own resume summary, here are some resume profile examples for students for college students in different fields:

• Business Administration Student: 

"Third-year Business Administration student at ABC University specialized in Marketing. Skilled at analyzing data and using social media for marketing, shown by successfully promoting campus events. Looking for a marketing internship to apply what I've learned in class in a real-world setting."

• Nursing Student: 

"Caring Nursing student in last year at DEF College with a 3.9 GPA. Have over 500 hours of experience in different healthcare settings. Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in high-pressure environments. Seeking an entry-level nursing job to help provide patient-centered care."

• Engineering Student: 

"Creative Mechanical Engineering student at GHI Institute with hands-on experience using CAD software and 3D printing. Led a team project making an energy-saving prototype, showing good leadership and problem-solving skills. Looking for an internship to learn more about sustainable design."

• Education Student: 

"Passionate Elementary Education major at JKL University with experience tutoring diverse learners. Skilled at putting together engaging lesson plans and using technology for teaching. Searching for a student teaching position to apply innovative teaching methods and foster a positive learning environment."

• Graphic Design Student: 

"Creative Graphic Design student at MNO College with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite. My portfolio shows brand identity projects and digital drawings. Great at managing time, learned from doing freelance work. Looking for an internship to learn and bring new ideas to a dynamic design team."

These examples show how to make your resume summary fit your field of study and career goals. Remember to change your summary for each job you apply to, focusing on the skills and experiences that matter most for that specific job.

Writing an exceptional resume summary as a student is an important skill that can really help you get a job. By following this guide and looking at the resume profile examples for students we provided, you can write a strong summary that shows your potential and makes you stand out from other applicants.

Remember, your resume summary is just the start. To make a really standout resume, you need to pay attention to every part. If you want help writing your resume, use Aithor , a versatile writing tool that can help you polish your writing and ensure that your resume looks professional.

With practice and persistence, you can write a professional summary for a resume college student that opens doors to exciting job opportunities.

Good luck with your job search!

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Scholarship Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

Scholarship Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)

Most popular scholarship resumes.

• College Student
• High School Student
• Resume Text Examples

How To Write a Scholarship Resume

• Athletic Scholarship
• Student Scholarship
• College Scholarship

College Student Resume Example

High School Student Resume Example

10 Student Resume Examples

Scholarship Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Anthony Gentile (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Detroit, MI 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

An All-American student athlete with a strong history of success in high school football and basketball. A dedicated team captain with a proven track record of leading championship teams. Seeking the John Atkins Athletic Scholarship at the University of Michigan to pursue a college football career and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy.

Professional Experience

Quarterback , Ithaca High School, Ithaca, MI | August 2021 – December 2024

• Completed 229 of 315 pass attempts, achieved a 68% completion rating, and generated 3,210 passing yards, 490 rushing yards, and 37 total touchdowns during the 2024 season
• Led the Ithaca Warriors to a 13-2 regular season record and a state championship, resulting in recognition as an All-American Athlete
• Served as a team captain for the varsity football team from 2021 to 2024, which included mentoring junior athletes and increasing team morale throughout the season

Point Guard , Ithaca High School, Ithaca, MI | November 2021 – March 2022

• Acted as a team captain for the junior basketball team during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, contributing to a semi-final appearance in the state tournament
• Generated 17 points per game (PPG), 13 PPG, and five offensive rebounds PPG as a point guard
• Attended charity events with the team to raise funding for community initiatives such as food drives and Toys for Tots
• Team leadership

High School Diploma Ithaca High School, Ithaca, MI | 2024

• All-American Football Award | 2024

This scholarship resume is effective because it highlights the candidate’s athletic achievements using impactful numbers and hard data. The bullet points also convey who the applicant is as a team leader, which strengthens their overall application.

Aliya Jackson (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Philadelphia, PA 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

A high school student with a 3.97 GPA and a proven track record of performing community service and supporting social justice issues. Seeking the William Morris Scholarship at Temple University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Volunteer Experience

Volunteer, Youth Volunteer Corps, Philadelphia, PA| September 2021 – June 2024

• Collaborated with diverse teams of student volunteers and coordinators to execute a wide range of community service projects within the Greater Philadelphia Area, including building a new youth recreation center
• Performed over 500 hours of community service, which included volunteering at food pantries, mentoring grade school students, and supporting charity events

Student Volunteer , North Philadelphia High School | June 2020 – June 2024

• Served as a student volunteer for over 40 public service initiatives at North Philadelphia High School in support of equitable causes, including cancer research, social justice awareness campaigns, and food drives
• Community service
• Communication
• Relationship building
• Fundraising

High School Diploma North Philadelphia High School, Philadelphia, PA | 2024

In this scholarship resume example, the applicant showcases their commitment to community service. Highlighting the number of hours they volunteered and the types of initiatives they supported helps to paint a compelling image of their background for the reader.

Hideo Araki (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Seattle, WA 12345 LinkedIn | Portfolio

A college student with a 3.96 GPA and two consecutive years on the dean’s list. A proven track record of executing innovative academic projects within the computer science field exploring AI and ML. Seeking the Morgan Technology Scholarship to continue pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Washington.

Academic Experience

Computer Science Major, University of Washington, Seattle, WA| September 2022 – June 2024

• Achieved recognition as a finalist in the Technovation Competition for a project exploring novel methods for training AI using deep learning and semi-supervised learning techniques
• Executed an academic project to build a calendar management mobile application with a UX design centered on improving accessibility for senior citizens
• Achieved a 3.96 GPA over four semesters and two dean’s list awards

High School Student , Seattle Central High School | September 2018 – June 2022

• Achieved a 760 score in the Silver Division of the USA Computing Olympiad in 2022
• Maintained a 3.92 grade point average, served as a member of the National Honor Society, and led the Seattle Central High School Computer Science Club
• Software development
• Application development
• Technology innovation

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Computer Science University of Washington, Seattle, WA | Expected 2026

• Dean’s list | 2022 – 2024

High School Diploma Seattle Central High School, Seattle, WA | 2022

• USA Computing Olympiad Silver Division | 2022

This scholarship resume is effective because it explores the candidate’s unique academic achievements within the computer science field at both the high school and college levels. The document shows that the applicant has a genuine passion for technology and has continually gone above and beyond to excel.

To write an effective scholarship resume, start by organizing your academic accomplishments, extracurriculars, and volunteer experience. Scholarship applications are evaluated based on a wide range of factors, but highlighting these aspects of your background is the best way to differentiate yourself from other candidates. Below, we’ll walk you through each step of the resume writing process.

1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications

With the sheer number of candidates applying for scholarship programs, it’s essential to make a strong first impression on the reader. Introduce yourself and explain your academic goal. In the subsequent sentences, emphasize impressive accomplishments that demonstrate why you’re deserving of this opportunity.

For example, if you consistently achieved high grades, start by featuring your grade point average and academic awards. If you excelled in an extracurricular activity such as sports, theater, or music, display these achievements in your summary.

Strong Profile Example

A college student with a 3.96 GPA and two consecutive years on the dean’s list. A proven track record of executing innovative academic projects within the computer science field exploring artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Seeking the Morgan Technology Scholarship to continue pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Washington.

Weak Profile Example

A college student with an excellent GPA and a strong work ethic. Passionate about computer science and academia. Seeking the Morgan Technology Scholarship.

2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section

In a scholarship resume, your content needs to be centered around your most impressive academic achievements, extracurriculars, and community service contributions. It’s impossible to know the exact preferences of any individual scholarship review board, so focus on emphasizing key aspects of your high school and college career that can help you stand out from other applicants.

Strong Academic Experience Example

Computer Science Major, University of Washington, Seattle, WA | September 2022 – June 2024

• Executed an academic project to build a calendar management mobile application with a user experience (UX) design centered on improving accessibility for senior citizens

Weak Academic Experience Example

• Completed difficult computer science courses and projects on time
• Maintained a high GPA over four semesters
• Worked well with professors and fellow students in the computer science program

3. Include relevant education and academic awards

Feature your high school degree and any relevant academic awards you’ve garnered on your scholarship resume. Be sure to mention your GPA and any other academic distinctions that can bolster the strength of your application. You could also feature memberships in extracurricular clubs, organizations, or honor societies in this section.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Computer Science
• University of Washington, Seattle, WA | Expected 2026
• Dean’s list | 2022 – 2024
• High School Diploma
• Seattle Central High School, Seattle, WA | 2022

4. List pertinent key skills

It’s unlikely that a university or scholarship board will be using an applicant tracking system (ATS) to identify candidates during the selection process, so you won’t need to optimize your document for keywords. That said, still provide a list of your most impressive skill sets on your scholarship resume. Below, you’ll find a range of different key skills to consider adding to your document:

How To Pick The Best Scholarship Resume Template

To send the right message to the scholarship board, you need a professional resume template that organizes and presents your information effectively. Avoid formats that are overly reliant on visual elements, as this might draw the reader’s eye away from your academic achievements and extracurricular activities. Opt for a straightforward template with a top-down structure that displays each section of your scholarship resume in a sequence.

Frequently Asked Questions: Scholarship Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for scholarship resumes -.

Incorporating action verbs can add a unique and engaging element to your bullet points. That said, it’s easy to use the same words repeatedly during the resume-building process. We’ve compiled a list of action verbs to diversify your language and enhance the impact of your resume content.

How do you align your resume with a scholarship description? -

Adjusting your resume to match the scholarship you’re applying for is the best way to strengthen your application. As you begin building your content, start by researching the organization and what they’re looking for in a scholarship recipient. Feature key aspects of your background that match that description.

For example, if a university values students with extensive community service experience, emphasize these projects and initiatives heavily on your scholarship resume. If an organization is primarily interested in extracurricular activities, make those the focal point of your document. By tailoring your resume to each application, you’ll maximize your odds of receiving the scholarship.

What is the best scholarship resume format? -

A combination format is generally best suited for a scholarship resume, as it’s unlikely that your work history will be a key factor in the application. This allows you to reorder your education, volunteer experience, skills, and academic achievements depending on the scholarship. A reverse chronological approach can be considered if you have an impressive internship or relevant work experience you think is valuable.

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Most scholarship applications will require a matching cover letter. To make a strong impression on the reader, explore unique aspects of your background that you wouldn’t normally include on a resume. For example, you could explore your cultural background and personal challenges you’ve overcome. You might also convey why you’re passionate about a particular academic field, sport, or extracurricular activity. For additional information, visit our internship cover letter guide .

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

Check out Related Examples

College Student Resume Examples and Templates

High School Student Resume Examples and Templates

Student Resume Examples and Templates

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18 Résumé Writing Tips to Help You Stand Out

By  Allison Pohle

Updated May 11, 2021 2:15 pm ET

• A résumé isn’t just a list of every job you’ve ever had. It should demonstrate your accomplishments.
• Mirror language used in the job posting so your résumé isn’t discarded by an applicant tracking system.
• Use a clean and simple format. 

Companies increasingly  rely on software  to sort through applicants, which is why it is essential to tailor your résumé to ensure it makes the cut. Applicant tracking systems sort, scan and rank applicants by looking for keywords in applications. Although these programs can save time and money for employers, about 60% said such tools cause them to miss some qualified candidates, according to a 2016 survey of 1,200 job seekers and managers by CareerArc, a human-resources technology company, and Future Workplace, a research firm. Here’s how to make your résumé stand out to robots and humans alike. 

1. Highlight your achievements in your résumé. 

A common mistake job seekers make is believing a résumé is a recap of your career, when in reality, it should convey what you have accomplished, says Christy Noel, a career expert and author of “Your Personal Career Coach.” 

“I always say, spend less of your real estate describing your job, and more time describing your results,” says Ms. Noel.  

2. Customize your résumé.

Read over the job posting, and think about the work experience you have had that is most directly relevant to the position you are pursuing. You can leave out some past jobs and internships if the experience you had wasn’t related. Whatever you do: Don’t submit a generic résumé to dozens of postings. “Even if you have the best experience, if your résumé isn’t speaking directly to the position in which you are applying, there is a strong chance you’ll never even get an interview,” says Demisha Jennings, a certified professional résumé writer and founder and owner of She Assists LLC.  

The same applies to your cover letter. It is your chance to provide more detail on how your experience will help you succeed in the job.  Read our cover letter guide  for how to write one that makes you stand out.

3. Decide how to format your résumé.

Most of the time, a chronological résumé will work well for communicating your past experience. But, in some cases, a functional or hybrid résumé might be more appropriate.  Read more about résumé formats here.

4. Make your contact information easy to find.

Include your name, phone number, email address, city and state. It may also be appropriate to include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. You want it to be easy for hiring managers to reach out.

In addition to making it easy to connect with you, it is important to your job search that you grow your network.  Read our networking guide  for tips on how to do so.

5. Consider adding a summary. 

Many résumé templates leave space for an objective statement, outlining career goals, but that approach is outdated, says Ms. Jennings. Instead, consider a carefully worded summary. The summary is often the first place a hiring manager will look, and gives you an opportunity to introduce your skills high up on the page. You can also work in relevant keywords from the job description. “Recruiters are looking for what you can bring to the table and what you’ve done, rather than you saying, ‘I’m seeking a position,’” Ms. Jennings says. 

6. Great résumés should stand out to skim readers.

Most recruiters spend just a few seconds skimming through a résumé—with an average in one study of  7.4 seconds.  

To have the best chance of making an impression, ensure your job titles, company names and dates of employment are easy to read. The sections of your résumé should be adequately spaced, too, says Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder and director of Brooklyn Resume Studio. 

For additional ways to make a good impression on recruiters and headhunters, read  our guide on how to work with headhunters .

7. Make your résumé robot-friendly. 

Structure your résumé to meet the requirements of an applicant tracking system to give yourself the best chance of having it reach an actual human. Ms. Leavy-Detrick suggests the following:

• Optimize keywords.  Use the same words and language that are in the job description. For example, three different companies might describe the same role as “programmer,” “developer” or “software engineer.” 
• Use a straightforward format.  Avoid tables and text-based graphics, which might not get picked up by a scan of the résumé. Sans-serif fonts such as Arial or Helvetica are also best to ensure readability.
• Think about order.  When formatting each line item of work experience, list the company name first, followed by the job location (city, state), your job title, and your start and end dates. Some résumés can get lost if the dates are listed before the job title. 

8. Prioritize relevant keywords. 

Tailoring your skills to include language from the job posting is an important way to let both the applicant tracking system and, eventually, a hiring manager, see how your prior qualifications tie into the job requirements. But just because you have a résumé full of keywords doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get an interview. “The ATS isn’t there to help the job seeker, it is there to help the employer review your skills against their most important qualifications,” says Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. 

9. Craft compelling and concise bullet points.

The goal of a résumé is to list your accomplishments, rather than every duty you performed in the role. Résumé-writing experts recommend including no more than five bullet points per prior job listed. 

• Don’t focus on tasks.  Many job seekers describe what they did every day, such as answering phones or creating marketing materials, Ms. Watkins says. “Simply copying and pasting the job description doesn’t account for the things you did great, that you did above and beyond your peers,” she says.
• Instead, explain what those tasks achieved.  Emphasize your results. Ms. Watkins suggests asking yourself “Did I save [the employer] money? Did I save time? Did I improve a process? Did I build a relationship?” These will help you format your bullet points.
• Use metrics.  Say what you achieved, then contextualize it—with figures if possible. You might not be able to put a monetary value on every accomplishment, but you can frame it by sharing details like the time it took or how many people were involved. “If you raised sales 50% in two months, that means a whole lot more than ‘I’m in charge of sales,’” Ms. Watkins says. 
• Don’t omit accomplishments that aren’t quantifiable.  Not every achievement will have metrics to show success. If there are figures, you might not always have access to them. But that shouldn’t stop you from including them, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. Perhaps you had a positive impact on the culture of an organization, or improved a struggling relationship with a client. These efforts could help to demonstrate your  soft skills.

10. Focus on transferable skills if you lack experience.

If you are applying for a job in a new field or you are an entry-level applicant and don’t have much direct experience, don’t worry. Highlight transferable skills you have developed in the past that will serve you well in the position, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. For example, you could play up leadership skills you developed participating in an extracurricular activity or time-management skills you learned in a prior job.

11. Go beyond your work history, and include all relevant experience.

If you are new to the workforce, or are job-hunting after being laid off, you could also include related experience that was outside of a traditional full-time job, says Ms. Watkins. For example, you can highlight volunteer work, consulting projects or educational training, all as part of making the case for your unique value, she says.

12. Don’t worry too much about gaps in your résumé.

The Covid-19 pandemic economy resulted in many people being laid off or furloughed. Ms. Watkins says the 2020 job market reminds her of 2008, when she worked as a recruiter. The expectation at that time, she says, was that candidates would have  gaps  on their résumés or list more short-term positions. While it isn’t necessary to directly address the gaps in your résumé, you should be  prepared to talk about them in an interview . “The focus should not be centered on the fact that you were furloughed or laid off, it should be focused on you and your skills and what you do that impacts the company’s bottom line in a positive way,” Ms. Watkins says.

While it is common to list the months and years you started and ended positions in the job history section, you could just use years. This will draw less attention to a six- or eight-month gap, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. 

13. Highlight relevant skills.

It is common to  add a skills section to your résumé , outlining expertise relevant to the position. You can include languages you speak, technical skills or courses you have done. If you lack experience, you can also complete some trainings, which you can find on LinkedIn and elsewhere, related to the job you are applying for and add the courses in this section, says Ms. Jennings.

14. Prioritize work experience over education.

The professional experience you have had is often more relevant to the position than your education history, which is why the work experience should be listed first. In the “Education” section, you should list where you attended college, if applicable, or the highest level of education you have attained. If you graduated with honors, you can flag that, but it isn’t necessary to list your GPA.

15. If you are early on in your career, a key résumé tip is to limit it to one page. 

If you are early on in your career, you should limit your résumé to one page. It is OK to start spilling onto a second page after you have eight to 10 years of experience, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick. 

16. Add some color for a stylish résumé that sets you apart. 

Your résumé should look clean and professional and you should keep applicant tracking systems in mind when formatting the document. But, if it is appropriate, you can add subtle accents of color in the section headings or in bars that separate sections as a way to differentiate your résumé. Ms. Leavy-Detrick doesn’t overstress the need for good design with her clients. “But it can definitely help,” she says. “When I say design, I don’t mean crazy graphic design. I mean having a polished application,” she says. “Think of it the same way you would coming dressed to an interview, it is part of your presentation, and so many people overlook this on the résumé.”

It may be appropriate to incorporate a more creative and graphic-based layout depending on the field in which you work and where you are applying. If you are applying for a position in a creative field, and you are emailing your résumé directly to a hiring manager, then it can be appropriate to use more designs, says Ms. Jennings. But if you are applying to a large company that uses an applicant tracking system or job portal, she says it is best to avoid using graphics unless you are working with a résumé writer who can help you get your resume through the system.

17. Proofread and double-check the formatting.

You may be eager to send your résumé or submit your application, but you should take the time to first check for typos and grammatical errors. You could also have a friend or family member look over it. When you are checking for errors, be sure to double-check the formatting. Sometimes the spacing can get thrown off when you save the file, so check how it looks as a saved document and, if you can, save it as a PDF before sending. 

18. Make sure the saved file name includes your name. 

Make less work for the hiring manager by including your full name in the file name of the résumé document.

What to read next

• How to Prepare for a Job Interview
• What Questions to Ask During a Job Interview
• Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
• How to Dress for a Job Interview
• How to Write a Thank-You Email After a Job Interview  
• How to Negotiate and Counter a Job Offer
• How to Negotiate Salary for a New Job: The Do’s and Don’ts
• Severance Pay: What It Is and Why You Should Negotiate a Package Before Accepting a Job

Corrections & Amplifications Ashley Watkins is a résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said Write Steps LLC. (Corrected on Nov. 20)

Copyright ©2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Appeared in the November 23, 2020, print edition as '11 Résumé Tips to Help You Get Noticed

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Looking to build your resume? Think HURA

Posted: August 29, 2024

There is an open call for Harbaugh Undergraduate Research Assistantships (HURA) where students can help faculty advance their research to market.

Applications for Harbaugh Undergraduate Research Assistantships (HURA) are being accepted for students who wish to work on commercializing innovative research in the college. If you have a professor in mind who may need help to commercialize inventions and you wish to be involved, HURA may be for you.

The College of Agricultural Sciences Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program is calling for project proposals in the college from faculty who are engaged in the process of advancing research with commercial potential that seek to have students involved. A total of $4500 per student position is available.

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Watch CBS News

Supreme Court keeps Biden's SAVE plan on ice. Here's what that means for people with student loans.

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Alain Sherter

Updated on: August 29, 2024 / 4:11 PM EDT / CBS News

When President Joe Biden unveiled his administration's new student debt repayment plan a year ago, he heralded it as "the most affordable student loan plan ever." Now, it also may qualify as one of the most stymied repayment plans ever created.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to reinstate the program , called the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, as an appeals process over its legality plays out.

The SAVE plan was created to fix some long-standing problems with earlier income-driven repayment plans, or IDRs. It also debuted a month after the Supreme Court  blocked  Mr. Biden's plan to erase up to $20,000 in debt per student borrower. Because SAVE also promises to lower monthly loan payments — to as low as $0 for some low-income borrowers — it proved immediately popular and today has 8 million enrollees.

The SAVE plan "was Team Biden's creative response to an earlier Supreme Court decision rejecting its use of the COVID-19 emergency to broadly forgive student loan debt," noted Jaret Seiberg, an analyst at TD Cowen, in a research note. "That creativity made it susceptible to legal challenge."

Here's what to know about the next steps for people with student loans enrolled in SAVE. 

What is the status of the SAVE plan?

Right now, SAVE is on hold due to a sweeping injunction issued last month by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. That ruling prohibited the Biden administration from implementing the parts of the plan that were not already blocked by two lower court rulings.

In those cases, judges in Kansas and Missouri in June had ruled in favor of several Republican-led states that argued the plan overstepped the Biden administration's authority. The states also claimed that offering borrowers relief before a loan had matured could cause financial harm to lenders and loan servicers.

The upshot: Because the Supreme Court left the appeals court ruling in place, the SAVE plan is essentially frozen for the time being.

What does that mean for SAVE participants? 

Following the 8th Circuit's July ruling, SAVE's 8 million enrollees saw their loan payments suspended. With the Supreme Court's order keeping that ruling in place, those borrowers will remain in forbearance, Department of Education officials noted.

While in forbearance, SAVE participants don't have to make monthly payments, nor will they accrue interest on their loans during that time,  according to the agency. But the time someone stays in forbearance won't count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) or IDR loan forgiveness, it added. 

People enrolled in these plans can earn forgiveness after repaying their loans for a number of years, with the PSLF enrollees qualifying after 10 years of repayments, for instance. But because the time spent in forbearance won't count toward that, it could ultimately take some borrowers more time to earn forgiveness. 

What is the Biden administration doing about the court rulings?

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told "CBS Mornings" on Thursday that the Biden administration is continuing to dispute the decisions in court. 

"We're going to continue to fight for borrowers," he said. "Student debt shouldn't be a life sentence."

In the meantime, the Supreme Court said in its order that it expects the 8th Circuit to soon issue a fuller decision on the SAVE case. That could trigger an appeal to Supreme Court later this year, although a high court decision likely wouldn't come until 2025, noted TD Cowen's Seiberg. 

Could the presidential election have an impact on the SAVE plan? 

Quite possibly. If Democratic candidate Kamala Harris wins in November, the Education Department is likely to continue to litigate to protect the SAVE program. Her administration could also create a new repayment program designed to withstand legal challenges. 

If Republican candidate Donald Trump wins, it's likely his administration would drop the legal battle and allow the court orders blocking SAVE to stand. A Republican win, in other words, would likely kill off SAVE for good, while forbearance would come to an end for its 8 million enrollees, Seiberg said.

For now, forbearance is likely to "stay in effect at least to the inauguration," he said. "And a Harris win likely means it is in effect for longer."

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Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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APA Style for beginners

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What is APA Style?

Why use apa style in high school, how do i get started with apa style, what apa style products are available, your help wanted.

APA Style is the most common writing style used in college and career. Its purpose is to promote excellence in communication by helping writers create clear, precise, and inclusive sentences with a straightforward scholarly tone. It addresses areas of writing such as how to

• format a paper so it looks professional;
• credit other people’s words and ideas via citations and references to avoid plagiarism; and
• describe other people with dignity and respect using inclusive, bias-free language.

APA Style is primarily used in the behavioral sciences, which are subjects related to people, such as psychology, education, and nursing. It is also used by students in business, engineering, communications, and other classes. Students use it to write academic essays and research papers in high school and college, and professionals use it to conduct, report, and publish scientific research .

High school students need to learn how to write concisely, precisely, and inclusively so that they are best prepared for college and career. Here are some of the reasons educators have chosen APA Style:

• APA Style is the style of choice for the AP Capstone program, the fastest growing AP course, which requires students to conduct and report independent research.
• APA Style helps students craft written responses on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT because it teaches students to use a direct and professional tone while avoiding redundancy and flowery language.
• Most college students choose majors that require APA Style or allow APA Style as an option. It can be overwhelming to learn APA Style all at once during the first years of college; starting APA Style instruction in high school sets students up for success.

High school students may also be interested in the TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students , an annual competition from the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools for high school students to create a short video demonstrating how a psychological topic has the potential to benefit their school and/or local community and improve people’s lives.

Most people are first introduced to APA Style by reading works written in APA Style. The following guides will help with that:

Many people also write research papers or academic essays in APA Style. The following resources will help with that:

Instructors will also benefit from using the following APA Style resources:

In addition to all the free resources on this website, APA publishes several products that provide comprehensive information about APA Style:

The APA Style team is interested in developing additional resources appropriate for a beginner audience. If you have resources you would like to share, or feedback on this topic, please contact the APA Style team . 

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