How to Write a Resume for College Students

How to Write a Killer College Resume

Landing that internship or first job? It can feel tough. But a great resume? That's your secret weapon. This guide shows you how to build one that really impresses employers.

The College Student Resume Challenge

It's tricky writing a resume when you're still in college. You might not have tons of work experience, right? Don't worry! Your classes, clubs, volunteer work—even personal projects—all count. It's all about showing what you can do.

Picking the Right Resume Style

There are three main types: chronological, functional, and combination.

Chronological Resume: This is usually best for college students. It lists everything in order, showing your progress. Think of it like a timeline of your accomplishments.

Combination Resume: This one mixes things up. It highlights your best skills first, then shows your experience. Great if you have awesome skills but your work history is a bit shorter.

Functional Resume (Not Usually Best): This focuses only on skills, not on jobs. It's rarely the best choice for students, because it hides your (limited) work experience. Use this only if you're really short on work experience but have amazing skills.

What to Include in Your Resume

1. Contact Info: Your name, phone number, email, LinkedIn (if you have one), and city/state. Keep it simple and professional.
2. Summary/Objective (Optional but Great!): A short paragraph highlighting your skills and goals. A must for recent grads. For students, a focused "objective" statement might be better. Tailor it to each job.
3. Education: Your school, degree, major, GPA (if it's above a 3.5), graduation date, and any awards. List relevant courses, too, if they fit the job.
4. Experience: This is huge. Internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work, projects—it all counts! Use numbers to show how great you were. For example, instead of "Helped with events," try "Organized 5 events, increasing attendance by 20%."
5. Skills: List both hard skills (like coding or using software) and soft skills (like teamwork and communication). Match these to what the job wants.
6. Awards and Honors (Optional): Scholarships, awards, etc. Show off your achievements!
7. Projects (Optional): Personal projects, coding, design work, research papers—anything that shows you’re awesome.
8. Extracurriculars (Optional): Clubs, sports, etc. This shows you’re well-rounded and a team player.

Making Your Internship Shine

Internships are amazing for your resume. Use the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. It helps you show how great you were.

For example: Instead of "Helped with marketing," try "Ran three social media campaigns, boosting engagement by 20%."

More Resume Tips

• Use Action Verbs: Start each bullet point with a strong verb (managed, created, improved, etc.).
• Quantify Your Stuff: Use numbers! (Increased sales by 15%, managed a $5,000 budget, etc.)
• Tailor It: Change your resume for each job. Read the job description carefully!
• Proofread!: Typos kill your chances. Seriously.
• Use Keywords: Use words from the job description. This helps computers find your resume.
• Keep it Short: Aim for one page, especially if you're early in your career.
• Get Feedback: Ask a professor, career counselor, or friend to look it over.
• Look Professional: Use a clean font (like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri).

Example Bullet Points

• Instead of: "Worked as a cashier." Try: "Processed 100+ transactions daily with 99% accuracy, exceeding customer satisfaction goals."
• Instead of: "Member of the debate team." Try: "Competed in regional and national debates, placing second in regionals and developing strong public speaking skills."
• Instead of: "Volunteered at the animal shelter." Try: "Volunteered for two years, helping with animal care and fundraising, increasing donations by 15%."

The Bottom Line

Writing a great resume is totally doable! Follow these tips, and you’ll create a resume that shows off your awesomeness. Remember to tailor it to each job, and get feedback. Good luck!