resume of college students with no experience

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5 College Student No Experience Resume Examples & Templates [Edit Free]

College Student No Experience Resume

• College Student No Experience 2
• College Student No Experience 3
• College Student No Experience 4
• College Student No Experience 5
• Resume Writing 101

Sometimes, ambitious college students can’t wait to start working. Janee considered how to show value on her resume as a grad: Dreaming of working as a business analyst at Resource Data fueled her to research the company and think of relevant college achievements.

Janee recalled real projects from her degree in math and economics that saved a local manufacturer thousands. Even her stint as basketball captain highlighted her ability to organize, boost morale, and drive positive results.

Referencing her class movie recommendation project and the time her random forest model outperformed projections by 19 percent, Janee topped off her college student no experience resume with a career objective . Bam—hired. Try our resume templates for yourself; we can’t wait to applaud your success, too!

or download as PDF

College Student No Experience 2 Resume

College Student No Experience 3 Resume

College Student No Experience 4 Resume

College Student No Experience 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• Current College Student
• College Student Internship
• College Graduate
• Grad School
• College Student

What Matters Most: Your Skills & Background Experience

When you lack experience, your skills become more important than ever! As a college student, you now have a nice, clear understanding of what you can do, and recruiters want to know all about it.

Make sure you list skills that are relevant to your field. For example: If you’re eager to step into the world of business analysis, then prioritize technical skills and highly relevant abilities.

And make sure those skills are worded in a deliberate and specific way, too! The last thing you want is to sound too apathetic about your future role to dig deeper than the usual generic terms on your resume.

Here are some examples of more specific skills you can use to show off your potential:

9 Best College Student No Experience Skills

• scikit-learn
• Linear Regressions
• Logistic Regressions
• Data Reporting
• Google Sheets

Sample College Student No Experience Work Experience Bullet Points

Now we’re on to the fun part! No really: It’s time to get creative and look for some nifty spins to put on your past projects and internships. Class groups, teams, clubs, and volunteer initiatives can all be used to demonstrate your ability to make the most of your skills, too.

Just make sure that anything you include is highly relevant to the field you want to work in! Use those sharp, specific skills you honed earlier to recall examples of experiences when you used them.

And always measure the impact you had when you reached those milestones! Use quantifiable data to back up your achievements and make them look way more credible:

• Reported to executives during business analytics class and initiated re-evaluation of resource allocation, saving $47K in vendor costs
• Aggregated data from Rotten Tomatoes and used k-nearest-neighbors in scikit-learn to improve recommendation system for personal tastes, boosting positive feedback by 12%
• Organized a community outreach for the university basketball team to train at-risk high school students and boost morale, leading high school teams to win 92% of total games
• Compiled and prepped 4 years of fantasy football projection data from 8 independent sources into a MySQL database, boosting positive ratings by 14%

Top 5 Tips for Your College Student No Experience Resume

• I know, I know, we just talked about it, but this really is a crucial aspect of your resume! When you don’t have any job experience yet, you’ll really need to hand-pick the most relevant bits and pieces of as many projects and college teams as you can.
• Many people hear “one page” and assume that filling their resume page is as important as limiting themselves to one page only. But this isn’t the case: Just focus on your best relevant achievements and allow some white space for things to breathe.
• Get strategic about your skill placement. Group similar types of skills together, such as everything related to Python, followed by everything related to data analytics, and so on.
• By all means, try out as many of our resume templates as you can! But while you compare them, keep a deliberate eye out for which one makes your college and project history look the fullest and most impressive.
• Keeping your experience examples sleek and to-the-point demonstrates your ability to get things done and convey info efficiently. You don’t have time to ramble since recruiters have to read things quickly!

Honestly, this isn’t something to worry much about: As long as it’s all together in one place and easy for recruiters to spot at a glance, you’re fine.

Customize it for each job description . It’s easy: All you need to do is reference the job description again and grab some key phrases and buzzwords to switch out in your resume, and boom: You’re now delivering a hand-tailored resume that’s designed to impress!

In our honest opinion, writing a cover letter is better. You get the best of both worlds: Your project and educational history will be able to take center stage while you use your cover letter to detail your qualifications in greater depth than you’d be able to with an objective statement.

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

How To Build A Resume With No Experience As A College Student

Learn how to write a resume that will score you your first job out of college even with no prior work experience..

Building an all-encompassing resume is easier said than done especially if you don’t have prior work experience. It’s often assume having limited job experience hurts your chances of landing a job.

But this is untrue, and really, it simply comes down to having a well formatted resume that showcases relevant experiences and skills you have learned throughout college.

And quite frankly, regardless if you have work experience or not, you need to start somewhere if you want to successfully transition from college to adulthood.

Then once you gain your first job experience out of college, you’ll be able to start working your way to more professional and higher earning jobs .

In this blog post we are going to discuss how to create your first resume as a college student with no work experience.

The tips in this blog post will hopefully help you score a job after college or your first internship experience. So without further ado, let’s get started!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing a product or service through an affiliate will earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please read our Disclaimer Policy for more information about the use of affiliate links on this site.

How to format your resume for your first job out college

When it comes to creating a winning resume, format matters.

In fact, having an unorganized, unprofessional resume can send your resume right into the trash can before anyone can even read it.

According to HR Drive, job recruiters only look at resumes for an average of 7.4 seconds.

That means you need to format your resume in a way that grabs and holds the attention of job recruiters and hiring managers for an extended amount of time.

So what does this exactly mean in regard to resume formatting?

Simply put, you need to create a winning resume that is:

• To the point
• Highlights your relevant experience(s) in relation to the job you are applying for

In this section we will go into detail about:

• How long your resume should be
• What color(s) and font(s) you should use on your resume
• The general format your resume should follow
• Software options for creating and formatting your resume

How long should a resume be for a college student?

Yes, that’s right–you have one page to make an impression to job recruiters and hiring managers and, hopefully, move forward in the hiring process.

If you have no prior work experience, the one page limit may even be a relief to you.

Even more so, having a one-page limit can help you showcase your most relevant experience and skills related to the job you are applying for instead of adding unnecessary fluffy that may hinder your job prospects.

What color(s) and font(s) should you use on your student resume?

The use and preference of which color(s) you should use on your resume is up for debate .

Some hiring professionals would say only use a black text on a white background, but others would say that it is ok to add some color.

However, it really depends on the job you are applying for and the nature of the workplace.

If you’re applying for a job as a graphic designer, using color on your resume would be more appropriate versus applying for a job as a secretary at a law firm.

In regard to font(s) , it’s simple: use an easy-to-read, clean font like:

• Times New Roman

Also, be sure to use that font consistently throughout your resume (aka no mixing and matching fonts).

Personally, I always stick to black text on a white background with Times New Roman font for all of my resumes (and cover letters).

The general format you should use

Resume creation doesn’t have to be complicated.

Written below is a format you can use for your resume that will keep your resume organized and make it easier for hiring recruiters to find the information they need.

General Format

• Mailing address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Overview or objective statement
• General experience (volunteering/school-related tasks)
• Achievements
• Job-related skills

Notice how this format does not include a section for work experience. As mentioned previously, it is possible to create a complete resume without job experience.

Instead, you can utilize the format to your advantage by fully fleshing out the relevant experience(s) that sheds light on your potential as a candidate for the job.

When you format your resume the right way, you’ll get noticed by recruiters and they will call you in for interviews.

Don’t let the fact that you don’t work experience prevent you from applying to jobs or make you feel you are less qualified. Instead, just make sure to spice things up and add as much value to your resume as possible.

What software can I use to create and format my resume?

Luckily there are plenty of options for creating your resume that are free and easy to use.

The most accessible one being Google Docs .

However, if you aren’t as tech savvy you can use an online resume builder like Resume.com (I personally have used this one).

I personally like using online resume builders because I don’t have to format the resume at all. Instead, all I have to do is focus on writing the text and making sure I have good grammar and punctuation.

The resume builder does the “heavy lifting” for me aka formatting and aesthetics. Plus, I can get the finalized resume as a PDF or Word Document, which is perfect for submitting on Indeed, Monster, or any other job listing website.

Need a physical guide that covers the ins and outs of resume building for college students? This book is my absolute favorite. And although it was written for college students majoring in psychology, the information can be applied to any college student seeking employment after college graduation.

Example resume with no experience

Before going into a few tips and tricks for resume building, below is a resume example for a college student who has no work or internship experience.

Instead, this imaginary student, we’ll call her Jessica Doe, is focusing on highlighting her volunteer and club experience to get her a job as a secondary education teacher.

7 tips for building a good resume with no work experience as a college student

How can you make your resume stand out when you have no work experience?

Here are 7 tips that will help you use your non-work experience to your advantage on your resume.

1. Include a complete summary statement

This is often termed as the “overview” or “objective statement” and it plays a critical role in defining the rest of your resume.

This statement should provide insight into what you are aiming for as a budding professional, your skillset, and what you are going to bring to the position you are applying for.

It should only be a sentence or two breaking down what you are going to provide to the employer.

However, remember, the average employer is not looking to learn more about your aspirations. These details don’t matter to them as much as you think!

Instead, they just want to know why you are a good candidate for the particular job listing. This is what you want to make clear in the overview or summary statement.

Here is a brief example taken from one of my resumes: Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Georgia with strong communication, organization, time management, and computer skills.

You can find more awesome career objective statement examples by clicking here .

2. Choose the right resume format

When you are fleshing out a resume, you want to format it in a way that showcases you as a job candidate the best.

In general, you are going to want to play around with different option(s):

• Chronological

The format you go with is ultimately up to you, but it is often recommended to go with a format that is easy to follow.

More importantly, if you are inconsistent with the layout, this is going to put you in a bad light professionally.

With a chronological resume , you are going to focus on listing everything based on a timeline. You start with the most recent experience you’ve done and work backward.

On the other hand, a functional resume tends to work well for those with no experience because it is going to focus on your skills.

If necessary, you are always welcome to play around with a hybrid resume format , where you list your skills and achievements while following a chronological order (from most recent to oldest).

3. Focus on grammar and punctuation

It seems silly to say, but you are not going to have as much leeway as a seasoned professional with years of relevant experience.

Employers are not going to be as forgiving when you have grammar or punctuation mistakes. And any grammar or punctuation errors are going to stand out in a bad way.

Even if your resume is chuck full of value, a single misspelling or weird grammatical error can send your resume to the trash bin.

So take your time to go through the resume multiple times. And have other people you know and trust read it beforehand.

I’d recommend getting your mom, dad, or even better, a professor or someone at your university’s career services center to read and critique it.

Having a second, third, or even fourth opinion about your resume can help you create an even better resume and make you stand out despite your lack of work experience.

4. List relevant achievements and or activities

Although you may not have work experience (or very limited work experience) that doesn’t mean you have nothing valuable to add to the workforce.

In fact, you may have a few achievements that would be relevant to the job(s) you are applying for. Or maybe you were part of a club or honor society in college that is relevant.

Whatever it is, make sure to mention it on your resume along with a few bullet points about the achievement or activity that highlights your responsibilities and or accomplishments related to that experience.

For example, if you are applying for an Information Technology (IT) job list any certifications you have obtained or personal projects you have completed.

Or maybe you were part of the gardening club in college and you held a leadership position in that club. On your resume, you can list the duties you had as a leader in the club that relates back to the job you are applying for.

5. Highlight your academic history

One thing on your resume you can use to your advantage is your education.

Many employers love college graduates because they have learned the latest concepts and can add value and innovative ideas to their business.

With your academic history, make sure to highlight how it relates to the job listing.

For example, if you are studying computer science, you can list some core concepts that are related to the IT job that you are applying for. This can include specific coding languages you have learned, like CSS, HTML, Python, C++, etc.

You can also list upper-level classes you have take that relate to the job you are applying for.

But don’t list general education classes like World History or English. They’re too generic and don’t add any true value to your resume.

For example, when I applied for my job as a Vision Therapist, I listed upper-level psychology courses I took that taught me concepts that would be related to the field like Clinical and Counseling Psychology and Abnormal Psychology.

Also, if you have a high GPA (3.5 or above) , be sure to list it on your resume. It can make you stand out amongst the other college graduates applying for the same job as you.

6. Internships

If you had the opportunity to do an internship or co-op in college that relates to the job you are applying for, be sure to list it on your resume.

Internships are equivalent to work experience and can give your resume a nice boost.

However, if you do not have internship experience, consider getting an internship before entering the workforce.

Internships can be a great way to get your foot in the door in a competitive field and allow you to solidify your decision to commit to a long-term job in your field of interest.

7. Highlight your volunteer work

Volunteer experiences can be a great way to make your resume stand out, but again, it is important that this experience is relevant to the job you are applying for.

You for sure don’t want to get carried away with your volunteer experience.

Instead, your volunteer experience should be a small section of the resume and it should reflect that you are a well-rounded individual that cares about the world around them.

For example, if you volunteered at a soup kitchen for 2 years during college, you can list that on your resume and add short bullet points that state how you efficiently communicated with individuals from different backgrounds.

Or maybe you volunteered at a hospital. You could add a bullet point about your ability to work in a high-stress, fast-paced environment.

4 things not to include on your resume

It is very easy to ruin your chances of moving up in the hiring process by making these mistakes on your resume. Here are 4 don’ts when creating your resume with no work experience.

1. Writing samples or photos

Unless you are applying for a job as a journalist or at a publishing agency, there is no reason to submit a writing sample other than your cover letter and resume.

Additionally, submitting a photo of yourself can hinder your ability to get asked back for an interview or hired. Why?

For one, employers do not want to be accused of hiring (or not hiring) you based on your looks. This can be seen as discriminatory and result in legal consequences for the company.

Also, a photo takes up real estate on your resume that you could use to highlight your relevant experience and expertise or even prevent your resume from getting past the applicant tracking system .

2. Unprofessional email address

One of the easiest ways to turn off a hiring manager is to have an unprofessional email address on your resume like [email protected] or [email protected].

Your email address is a reflection of your professionalism, so it is important you keep it simple and professional, like [email protected] or [email protected].

3. Using the wrong keywords

As a job hunter, you may have a lot of difficulty gaining initial traction during your job search.

One of the reasons is because you aren’t using the right keywords in your resume.

As mentioned in tip #1 in this section, many employers now utilize an applicant tracking system (ATS).

This software analyzes and sorts resumes before being read by people who make the actual hiring process decisions.

The ATS is programmed to find resumes that have the right “keywords” in them.

So what does this exactly mean?

This means in your resume, you need to include the exact words used in the job description of the job you are applying for.

So if the job description says they want a “bubbly” individual you need to put that exact phrase in your resume instead of a synonym like, “kind” or “friendly” individual.

Although it does take extra time to comb through each job listing you are applying for and customize your resume to fit each one, it will pay off in the end when you’re getting follow-up emails and phone calls asking you to come in for an interview.

4. Not including a cover letter

Although many job listings do not require you to submit a cover letter, you always want to include a cover letter with your resume.

Including a cover letter that has been written specifically for the job you are applying for can make all the difference in your job search efforts.

It’s also a great way to describe your relevant experience, skills, or expertise in more detail than on your resume, which can help you stand out during your job search.

Final thoughts on how to build a resume as a college student with no work experience

Creating a resume as a college student with no work experience can be a daunting task. However, you should’t let your lack of work experience prevent you from applying to jobs in your field of choice.

In this blog post, we described and highlighted ways you can build your resume without work experience.

This requires you to dig into your education, volunteer, and relevant achievements and activities to curate a resume that shows off your abilities to perform the job you are applying for.

And if you need a more in-depth guide, check out this book written specifically for college students by college professors.

I truly hope this blog post has helped you see how possible it is to build a competitive resume as a college student with no work experience . And as always, good luck!

Related posts to post-grad life and career

• 20 Things You Should Know By Your 20s
• How To Quit Your Job Gracefully
• 9 Ways To Prep For Life After College
• 7 Things No One Tells You About Post-Grad Life

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If you’re looking for how to write a summary for your resume with no work experience , you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to walk you through exactly what to do, and then we’ll look at resume summary examples for entry-level job seekers, students and fresh graduates. 

How to Write a Summary For Your Resume With No Experience:

First, a resume summary is different than an objective . And it’s much better. Putting an objective on your resume is outdated and unnecessary. Resume objectives are useless because they don’t share anything the hiring manager doesn’t already know (such as “my goal is to obtain a position in the ___ industry”). So what we’re doing here is better and will help your resume stand out from people who simply put an objective. Whereas, the resume summary gives a quick highlight reel of your qualifications, education, and more. If you’re not sure what a resume summary actually is, check out this article on 10 resume summary examples . And while it’s easier to figure out what to put if you’ve built up some work experience, you can still write an effective resume summary with no work experience whatsoever.

So in this article, I’m going to show you how. What should go into your summary when you don’t have any work experience? 

1. Put academic accomplishments and leadership

What did you study? Did you just graduate with a degree? Mention that. If you took a leadership role in your class projects, or clubs/groups at your school, you can mention that too. Leadership doesn’t need to be in a job to get the hiring manager’s attention! Taking a leadership role in a sports environment is impressive as well. You’re not going to mention specific accomplishments in your resume summary usually (you can do that later in your resume), but you can say things like “proven leadership” or “natural leader”, etc.

2. Put your interests and passions

Are you passionate about startups and technology? Great, put that. Want to make a difference in the world, and focus your career on social impact? Mention that. This can include the grades you received, but also leadership positions you led, and clubs/groups you participated in.

3. Put “hard” skills

If you’re proficient in any tools, technologies, etc… you can include that in your resume summary. Don’t list 20 things. That’s what your “Skills” section is for. But pick the three or four things that are most relevant for the job you’re applying for.

Coming up in this article, we’re going to look at two resume summary examples for people with no experience. .. and in the second example, you’ll see how this would look.

4. Include soft skills

Are you great at analytical thinking? Do you love working as a part of a team? Are you great at multi-tasking and handling a fast-paced team environment? While these shouldn’t be the main focus of your resume summary section, they can be worth mentioning. It’s especially good to include soft skills that you see mentioned in the job description.

For example, if you see they mention wanting someone who’s great at multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, and you feel that describes you well, then your resume summary is the perfect place to include this.

5. Put statements that will grab the employer’s interest and make them want to ask you questions!

If you mention leadership they’ll want to ask you more about your leadership experiences. That’s a good thing. Remember, whatever you put, they’ll probably ask you about. So as you write your summary for your resume, try to think about what you want them to discuss with you, and what you want a chance to talk about. And try to “tailor” your resume to fit the companies you’re applying to. If you’re applying to large corporations don’t start your summary by saying “Startup enthusiast”.

3 Resume Summary Example for Students, Fresh Graduates and Entry-Level Job Seekers:

In this section, I’m going to share three examples of how to write a summary for your resume with no experience. You can use these resume summary examples as a student, entry-level job seeker, or any job search where you don’t have experience:

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #1: Economics Student

Enthusiastic, highly-motivated Economics student with proven leadership capabilities, who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges.

In this example above, you’re showing that you completed your Economics degree and have an interest in the subject, and you’re mentioning leadership and making the reader want to learn more about this. You’re also making yourself sound ambitious and motivated at the end, which is always a good thing (I’m referring to the part that says “who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges). Notice the format too. This is how I recommend phrasing it. Don’t say “I am a ___”. Just start with the descriptive words.

This is a simple yet effective resume summary example for students OR recent graduates.

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #2: Fresh Graduate in Computer Science

Computer Science graduate passionate about data engineering and machine learning. Highly-capable leader, having led multiple Senior class projects to completion. Proficient in a range of modern technologies including Python, Java and Scala.

This is another good example of a student or fresh graduate resume summary that still shows your skills and academic focus, even if you have no formal work experience.  In this entry-level resume summary example, you’re highlighting accomplishments and leadership as a student and you’re also showing that you’re passionate about your work. Saying you’re passionate about data engineering is much better than just saying, “Looking for a job in data engineering.” They’ll know you’re looking for jobs because you applied. Taking up space to say it is a bad use of this area of your resume, and is why I never recommend having a resume “Objective” section. The summary exists instead of an “Objective” and is much better.

The example above also included some great programming keywords (Python, Java, Scala) to help get past any automated application systems and grab the hiring manager’s attention very quickly when they first look at your resume. If you work with any tools or technologies that have names like these, you can include it in your entry-level resume summary if you’d like. Other examples of tools/technologies: Photoshop, MS Excel, etc.

If you decide not to include these on your resume summary, make sure to include them elsewhere such as your Education or Skills section .

Resume Summary Example with No Experience #3: Math Student Graduating Soon

4th year mathematics student passionate about statistics and data analysis. Proven project leader. Active member of Boston University’s Mathematics Club. Speaker at 2018 “New York Young Mathematicians Conference.”

This resume summary example for students shows how you can list accomplishments even if you’ve never formally worked before. Did you participate in any clubs at school? Have you led any class projects? These are impressive pieces you can add to your resume summary with no experience formally working. 

How to Write a Resume Summary For Students/Fresh Graduates – Quick Recap

• Skip buzzwords like “hard-working” and put real academic accomplishments instead, like projects you produced and tasks you led
• Include what you’re interested in and passionate about to show them why you are applying for this position
• Mention hard skills like “Java Programming” or “Excel,”  especially if they’re listed on the job description
• Include soft skills as well like, “excellent at multi-tasking”, especially if you saw these keywords anywhere on the job description
• Include statements in your resume summary that will catch the employer’s interest and make them want to talk with you and ask you more. Remember – the entire goal of your resume is to get invited to interview. So if you did anything unique like giving presentations, working in an internship , participating in a school club, etc., you can include this in your entry-level resume summary.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll have a great entry-level resume summary that will stand out and catch a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s attention so you can get more interviews.

After you write your entry-level resume summary, here are two more articles that may be helpful when job searching with no experience:

• The best times of year to job search
• How to create a great elevator pitch for job hunting

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), how to beat applicant tracking systems with your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, what happens when you lie on your resume 10 risks, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, guide to resume sections, titles, and headings, 12 resume formatting tips from a professional, how artificial intelligence (ai) is changing resume writing, 22 resume bullet point examples that get interviews, are resume writers worth it, 7 thoughts on “resume summary with no experience: examples for students and fresh graduates”.

This site was pretty helpful in guiding me throughout my school resume, would love other tips would do well.

This is a great guide. If only schools were actually interested in teaching children real life skills like this.

Hi, I am a student who has been finding it very difficult to make resumes due to the lack of working experience. I am currently trying to find a job while studying at the same time. I am in University completing a certificate and will soon be applying for a BA in Psychology and Criminolgy. However, I wish to apply for a part time job in the fashion industry. Can you please leave me some tips about what I can do to ensure that I can find a job without needing experience.

Your page has really helped, Thank you.

Hi, I’m a job seeker with 2 years experience working as a cart collector at grocery store and an Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, is this a good professional summary?: “Reliable team member with a keen interest in information technology and other applications. Capable of handling multiple projects within deadlines. Eager to apply my professional and academic background as an Administrative Assistant at Bogdan Contracting.”

I’ve been job seeking since October 2018, I’m hoping I can start a career in tech support as soon as possible.

Hi Marcais,

I think it sounds pretty good. My least favorite part is the first word, though. “Reliable” sounds pretty average/boring. Sure, you show up, do your job, etc. That’s what I think when I hear “reliable”. But not much more.

I’d look for a better word to lead off with.

I would like to say thank you for making this article about writing a summary for a resume. For the past couple of months, I have been struggling to find someone who can help me with that because I don’t have a lot of experience in my field (i.e. engineering). I do have one question though. Is it appropriate to use first-person nouns in the summary section? I have seen people do that, but I find it quite odd.

Please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you.

Hi Frances,

I’d avoid saying, “I” if that’s what you’re asking.

Just say “Led team of 7 people to accomplish ___”

Just start without a pronoun.

Another example: “Highly-accomplished accounting professional who has ____”

Comments are closed.

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4 Resume Mistakes to Avoid When You Don’t Have Much Experience

• Irina Cozma

A good resume can set you apart and help you land that interview.

Understanding the common mistakes job candidates make on resumes, and how to overcome them, can set you apart from your competitors. The first mistake is including irrelevant work experience. Instead, only add roles that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. The second is customizing your resume. While it’s in your benefit to adjust your resume to better match the job description, over-tuning your resume for every application can be a waste of time — and end up slowing down your search. This is especially true if you’re focused on securing a particular position that has a standard job title like “marketing coordinator” or “sales associate.” The third is overdesigning your resume. Recruiters only spend a few seconds scanning it, so keep the format simple and straightforward. The fourth is coming off as a novice. For example, don’t use an ancient email address — update it to something that sounds more professional, and give your resume a specific name so it’s easier to identify.

Resumes. Love them or hate them, you will probably need one when you apply for a job. The resume has a specific tactical role to play in your search — to get you the interview. You need to make sure it checks a few boxes to do that work because, even if you take advantage of your network, sooner or later, you will need to share your resume with the hiring manager.

• Irina Cozma , Ph.D., is a career and executive coach who supports professionals to have better career adventures. She coached hundreds of Fortune 500 executives from global organizations like Salesforce, Hitachi, and Abbott. Irina also coaches startups and the Physicians MBA at the University of Tennessee. Download her free career guide to help you prepare for your next career adventure.

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College Resume - Examples & Writing Guides for 2024

You’ve just sat down to write a college student resume.

An A+ resume that converts.

Whether you need a part-time job to cover your bills or a college internship for more experience, we are here to help.

This guide will take you through a simple step-by-step process of creating a college student resume. 

• An example of a finished college resume that works
• How to write a college resume that’ll fill up your interview diary
• How to make your college resume stand out [with top tips & tricks]

For some added inspiration, here’s a college student resume example, created with our very own resume builder :

The above example gets serious results, and yours will too. Simply follow the steps below.

Check out some of these related resume examples that you might be interested in:

• No Experience Resume
• Internship Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• High School Resume
• Teacher Resume

How to Format a College Student Resume

The first step when creating any resume is to pick the best resume format.

Formatting has a number of benefits, but mostly it allows the hiring manager to read your resume with ease.

The most common resume format for a college student is “functional” or “skill-based”, which allows the hiring manager to immediately see the benefits in hiring you. We recommend college students starting with this format.

Students will usually have stronger skills than their work history, which makes the functional resume a good choice. It’s also ideal for those who have gaps in their employment history.

Now that you have the best format, you need to organize your resume layout .

Use a College Student Resume Template

Before you go ahead with crafting your college student resume, you may want to use a college student resume template.

A resume that is neat and orderly will be a breeze for recruiters to read.

Oh, and it’s the best way to prevent formatting issues.

What to Include in a College Student Resume

The main sections in a college student resume are:

• Contact Information
• Volunteer Experience
• Extracurricular Activities

Want to go a step further? You can also add these optional sections:

• Awards & Certification
• Personal Projects

Interests & Hobbies

But what should you write for each of these sections? Read on to find out.

Want to know more about resume sections? View our guide on What to Put on a Resume .

How to Correctly Display your Contact Information

Now, this section doesn’t require flair, but it must be factually correct. Messing up the contact section can mean the recruiter can’t contact you – oops! 

The contact information section must include:

• Title - In this case, “College Student” or “High-school Graduate”
• Phone Number – Proofread this multiple times
• Email Address – Use a professional email address ([email protected]), not one from your childhood ([email protected]).
• (Optional) Location - Applying for a job abroad? Mention your location.
• Abigail Pearce - College Student. 101-358-6095. [email protected]
• Abigail Pearce - Student. 101-358-6095. [email protected]

How to Write a College Student Resume Summary or Objective

So, this is a job you really want.

This may even be a job you NEED.

However, your competition is fierce. 

And with so much competition, you need to convince the hiring manager within the first few sentences.

To do this, use a resume summary or objective .

These are short paragraphs that go on top of your resume, just under your contact information. They give an overview of your entire resume.

But what is the difference between the two sections?

A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence summary of your professional experiences and achievements.

Dependable marketing sophomore with 1 year part-time experience in a marketing internship to oversee marketing campaigns that maximise profit. Experience includes PPC campaigns, SMM, web design, brand development, and more.

A resume objective is a 2-4 sentence snapshot of what you want to achieve professionally.

Current undergraduate sophomore in marketing with hundreds of classroom hours in marketing and sales related courses. Passionate about maximizing revenue with effective marketing campaigns. Experience includes creating campaigns for my own personal projects in my first term at College X. Skilled in WordPress, Facebook Ads Manager, Photoshop, ClickFunnels, and more.

So, which one is best, summary or objective?

Those with some work experience should go with a resume summary. On the other hand, those who seriously lack work experience should go with a resume objective.

How to Make Your College Student Work Experience Stand Out

Recruiters like to feel confident that you can do the job. There is no easier way to do this than to list your work experience .

Here’s the best way to structure your work experience section:

• Position name
• Company Name
• Responsibilities & Achievements

The Pizza Cabin

03/2019 - 01/2020

• Served food to 40+ people a night and multiple tables at a time.
• Educated customers on menu items and daily specials.
• Received 98% positive customer feedback.
• Engaged customers in a personal, yet professional manner, which helped me to win “Employee of the Month” 4 times.

To separate your resume from the competition, you should focus on your achievements instead of daily tasks. This will allow the recruiter to see the obvious benefits in hiring you.

Instead of saying:

“Served customers”

“Served food to 80+ people a night and multiple tables at a time”

Simply, the first statement is way too vague. There zero chance the recruiter will be impressed by this.

The second statement shows that you were able to serve 80+ people and multiple tables at a time. This tells the recruiter that you are able to work under pressured conditions and to time constraints – impressive!

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Now, not every applicant will have worked in a similar job before.

If this is you, there is a simple way to get around this.

Simply call-upon crossover skills from any previous jobs.

For example, if you held a customer service role at a local pizza restaurant, you can talk about any crossover skills and experiences. Just like a sales associate, you would be able to show you used strong communication and sales skills.

As a student, make sure to check out our student resume guide!

How to Correctly List your Education

Next, it’s time to talk about your education.

Whether it’s a college junior resume or college sophomore resume, your education section is crucial.

There’s nothing too complicated with this section, just simply enter the information for your in-progress degree in the following format:

• Degree Type & Major
• University Name
• Expected Graduation
• GPA, Honours, Courses, and anything else you might want to add

Majoring in Marketing

University of Chicago

2019 - Present

• Relevant Courses: Principles of Marketing, Managerial Communications, Quantitative Methods, and Macroeconomics.

Now, you may have some questions on this section. If so, here are the answers to some of the most frequent questions that we get:

• What if I haven’t completed education yet?

As we mention above, you should still mention your current place of education, despite not finishing yet

• Should I include my high school education?

If you have not yet finished your college degree, you should also include your high school education

• What do I put first, my education or experience?

Experiences are the priority, so those go first

Want more information? Check out our guide on how to list education on a resume .

Top 10 Skills for a College Student Resume

You’ve got all the skills.

But here’s the thing –

Your competition is well-skilled too!

Show the hiring manager that you’re the top candidate by listing your best skills.

But what are the best skills for a college resume?

Create a list of hard skills and soft skills that you have developed so far in life, such as the following:

Hard Skills for a College Resume:

• Microsoft Office
• Typing Speed
• Copywriting

Soft Skills:

• Creative Thinking
• Communication
• Time-Management
• Team Player
• Decision-Making

Tailor your skills to the job description. You can have the best skills in the world, but the recruiter won’t appreciate them if they’re not relevant to the job.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of 100+ must-have skills this year.

What Else Can You Include?

We’ve now covered every essential resume section .

But the school bell hasn’t rung just yet.

You need your resume to stand out!

Acing the above sections should be enough to get you shortlisted, but adding the following sections could give you a further advantage over the other applicants.  

Awards & Certifications

Have you ever won an award?

Have you completed any third-party courses?

Do you hold any specialized certifications?

Regardless of what it is, if there is anything that you’re proud of, be sure to include it here.

Here’s an example:

Awards & Certificates

• Food Handlers Card & Food Safety Manager Certification 
• “Critical Thinking Masterclass” – Coursera Course

Need to speak multiple languages at your new job?

Yes or no, being able to speak a second language is impressive.

And with so much competition, this could be the difference.

Add a language section if you have space. 

Rank the languages by proficiency:

• Intermediate

Now, you may be wondering, “why would a recruiter want to know that I’m a part of the football team?”

Well, it allows the recruiter to get to know who you are on a personal level.

But it doesn’t stop there…

Certain hobbies demonstrate that you have soft skills, like teamwork and communication. 

Here’s which hobbies & interests you may want to mention.

Include a Cover Letter with Your Resume

Your resume should now be ready to send.

No application is complete without a convincing cover letter.

In opposition to a generic resume, a personalized cover letter shows that you care about working for this specific company .

Here’s how to structure a winning cover letter:

You should complete the following sections:

Personal Contact Information

Your full name, profession, email, phone number, and location

Hiring Manager’s Contact Information

Full name, position, location, email

Opening Paragraph

It’s no secret that recruiters skim through their pile of resumes. As such, use concise language to mention:

• The position you’re applying for
• Your experience summary and best achievement to date

With the recruiter intrigued, you can get deeper into the following specifics:

• Why you chose this specific company
• What you know about the company
• How are your top skills relevant for the job
• Which similar industries or positions have you worked in before

Closing Paragraph

Don’t just end the conversation abruptly, you should:

• Conclude the points made in the body paragraph
• Thank the recruiter for the opportunity
• Finish with a call to action. This is a good way to keep the conversation going. A simple “At your earliest opportunity, I’d love to discuss more about how I can help you achieve X” will work

Formal Salutations

End the letter in a professional manner. Something like, “Kind regards” or “Sincerely.”

For more inspiration, read our step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter .

Key Takeaways

Building a college resume doesn't have to be hard.

Follow the tips in this guide for a college resume that is head & shoulders above the competition. 

Here are our best tips on how to create a college resume:

• Make your resume easy to read by formatting it correctly. Prioritize the reverse-chronological format, and then follow the best practices on content layout
• Use a resume summary or objective to hook the recruiter
• In your work experience section, highlight your most notable achievements to date
• Include a convincing cover letter to separate you from the competition

Suggested Reading:

• How to Make a Resume with No-Experience [21+ Examples]
• 21+ Essential LinkedIn Profile Tips For Job-Seekers
• Use Resume Keywords to Land the Job [880+ Keywords]

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Career Development Denise Alexander

My Career: Pierce College graduate turns her experience into thriving career

May 14, 2024 1:41 pm

In 2015, Shontieka Adeogun was a student at Clover Park Technical College studying nursing. She’d already finished earning her GED from CPTC but was starting to feel like nursing wasn’t for her. That’s when she was introduced to Pierce College’s emergency management program.  

“When I started in emergency management, I had no idea my career would end up where it is now,” Adeogun said. “I thought I'd be a planner in the background, doing exercises here and there, but my career has taken off.”  

Adeogun is now the chief emergency management program officer for the City of Tacoma. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of disaster preparation and coordination, organizes dozens of departments and hundreds of people to best prepare the city and its partners for disruptive events. Her job is not only about disaster management, but also about preparing for day-to-day emergencies.

In 2018, Adeogun was the very first graduate of Pierce College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Emergency Management program.

“When I started going back to school, I had no idea that I would want to continue my education,” Adeogun said. “I knew I couldn’t keep working menial jobs, but I was in my late twenties and considering going back to school – I thought I would be too old.”

Adeogun says now that she’s started her career, she is constantly looking for opportunities to educate herself further – such as certification programs, and, maybe one day, a master's degree.  

At Pierce College, Adeogun said she got essential hands-on experience and training as a student that prepared her for a successful career as an emergency manager. Just a few months into her internship with Thurston County Emergency Management, Adeogun got to experience Cascadia Rising 2016 – a joint national-level exercise held in Olympia to evaluate FEMA’s coordinated response plan to a massive Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and resulting tsunami.  

During Cascadia Rising 2016, Adeogun – then in her first year of classes at Pierce College – got to be in the Thurston County Emergency Operation Center, surrounded by professionals from state, city and national groups.  

“It opened up my eyes to my new reality that this would be what my life would be like if I did this career,” Adeogun said. “It also opened my eyes to the impact events like this could have.”  

Adeogun said that the staff and faculty at Pierce College were essential to her success as a student. From the Pierce College grant writer who first introduced her to the emergency management program, to the professors who were willing and ready to support her even if she wasn’t a part of their program.  

“Pierce College gave me a start that I never thought I would have in my life,” Adeogun said. “When I didn’t believe in myself there were people who believed in me. At Pierce, I never felt like I was behind.”

One professor who had an impact on Adeogun was emergency management department chair Sarah Miller, who said Shontieka “epitomizes what this profession should be.”  

“Sarah took the time to have a conversation with me about why she graded my papers the way she did and what she was looking for from me,” Adeogun said. “If I didn’t have that, I wouldn’t have grown as a student. She made me a better student.”  

On advice for future students, Adeogun said to take advantage of all the hands-on opportunities at Pierce College.

“I never would have seen what I could be if I hadn’t started at Pierce College,” Adeogun said. “You may not see it yet, but dreams do start here, and they’ve started here for a lot of students.”

The Emergency Management program at Pierce accepts applications on a rolling basis and students can begin at any time. Whether you are interested in making this your first career or transitioning from an existing job, the program at Pierce is focused on giving you real skills and experience that will help you find a job.  

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EMCC STEM Students Pursue Pollinator Projects

Undergrads Study Wildflower Growth; Conduct Native Bee Survey

Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) STEM students are busy, busy bees having engaged in Undergraduate Research Experiences, or UREs this semester. Some of our Mountain Lions just wrapped up a study of wildflower growth across different soil types while others are conducting a native bee survey — two things that can’t live without the other.

The wildflower study started last fall when  Quail Forever , a wildlife habitat conservation group, donated a rather large sum of wildflower seeds to EMCC Biology Professor Dr. Catherine Parmiter to use in her classes. They couldn’t have come at a better time as her colleague, Professor Thasanee Morrissey, who also teaches biology and is the Program Analyst for the STEM Center, just happened to be looking for a research opportunity for her students.

They decided to create a URE for five of their students and the Pollinator-Wildflower Research Initiative was born. The goal of the initiative was to determine which type of soil wildflowers would grow best in, with the understanding that more healthy wildflowers attract pollinators such as bees.

First, with the help of their Life Sciences Division colleagues Drs. Neil Raymond, Rachel Smith, and Jarod Raithel, along with the Facilities Department, an area was cleared next to the EMCC Community Teaching Garden where they constructed 16 research plots with four different soil types — native soil, pea gravel, compost, and sand. Next, they asked the MakerSpace to create some appealing signage to mark off the area. Then they planted nine different varieties of wildflower seeds and turned on the irrigation. After that, they monitored the plots weekly and kept track of the plants’ growth with written observations and digitized images.

Natalia Quinones, one of Dr. Parmiter’s students who is graduating this spring with an Associate in Biological Sciences and then transferring to  Arizona State University (ASU) to study microbiology, said one of the reasons she signed up for the URE was to boost her resume.

“I hope that this experience will allow me to join other research projects when I transfer to ASU,” she said.

Dr. Parmiter said the selection process for research opportunities at the university level is very competitive.

“Gaining research experience at the pre-Associate Degree level is essential for students such as Natalia as she navigates her transfer to ASU and later to medical school,” Dr. Parmiter said. 

For this URE, Natalia and her lab partner were responsible for identifying the types of flowers in each substrate of soil and measuring the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and pH content in each plot. 

“I learned more about plant growth and development,” Natalia said. “I gained more knowledge and new vocabulary about the subject. And I learned how to edit and rewrite procedures.”

Dr. Parmiter said Natalia’s field observations and attention to detail were an asset to the team.

“She is an excellent student researcher,” Dr. Parmiter said.

Natalia also works as a part-time lab technician in EMCC’s Life Science Lab, another gold star on her resume.

“I started as a student worker in September 2022 and the lab technicians were always patient and allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them,” she said. “And since they knew I wanted to pursue an education in microbiology, they educated and taught me skills that would apply to my field of study.”

Students who participated in the Pollinator-Wildflower Research Initiative will earn  Western Alliance to Expand Student Opportunities (WAESO) scholarships after they submit their research summaries.

“This scholarship is encouragement for all of the hard work that has gone into this project,” Natalia said. “It also shows that the school supports undergraduate students to work outside the classroom and gain hands-on experiences.”

Cierra Herrera, one of Professor Morrisey’s students who participated in the Pollinator-Wildflower Research Initiative, is also big on hands-on experiences. 

“I learn best when I am doing, and I learned a lot,” Cierra said. “I love to learn and put that knowledge into practice and that is exactly what UREs do.”

Cierra, who is also one of EMCC’s  Animal Ambassadors , will graduate this spring and then transfer to the  University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa . She plans to double major in Animal Science and either Plant and Environmental Protection Services or Marine Biology.

“I’ve always been caring and conserving before I even knew what that meant,” she said. As unusual as it might sound for a 10-year-old, I hated wasting paper, always recycled, loathed littering, and it always hurt me to see animals suffering, especially because of us, and when we can do something about it. As I continued to go to school and learned more about biology, endangered species, and why they are being endangered, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to help these animals.”

Naturally, when Cierra heard about the native bee survey URE, she signed up for that one, too. A perfect complement to the Pollinator-Wildflower Research Initiative, the EMCC Native Bee Project officially kicked off in March. It’s part of a collaborative effort with community colleges in Arizona and California conducting surveys to find out how many different types of bees exist across the two states, something that is currently unknown.

“One out of every three bites of your food you owe to bees,” Dr. Raithel said. “We don’t even have a baseline to know how many bees we have. They are crucial to our survival, yet we know so little about them.”

The EMCC Native Bee Project began over spring break with Drs. Parmiter, Raithel, and Smith spending four days at the  College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif., learning how to identify, or “key,” native bees so that they could pass that knowledge on to their URE students. Since then, they have begun teaching their students how to catch, clean, dry, pin, key, and photograph native bees caught on and around campus. It’s a lengthy and sometimes nerve-racking process, but for Cierra, the keys are the bee’s knees.

“Looking at the bee under the microscope is my favorite part,” she said. “They are majestic creatures and so beautiful. It is crazy to see the variation of bees in our lab! They are all so unique.”

The  National Science Foundation -funded native bee URE will last three years with six students participating each semester. The data collected will be verified and entered into  Symbiota , a public database, and each bee will have an identification number that corresponds to the student who keyed it.

“It is mind-blowing just thinking about the fact that a native bee that I, myself, keyed will go into a national database with my name!” Cierra said. “That’s absolutely surreal to me, but it is really happening. It makes me a little emotional just thinking about it because I see it as a big deal and I’m only 20 years old and this is happening along with my fellow peers. I can only think about my future and what it has in store for me.”

Cierra’s professors describe her as a problem solver who never hesitates to roll up her sleeves and dive into the action.

“She was like our wildflower research group’s secret weapon — always diving fearlessly into problems and asking all the right questions,” Professor Morrisey said. “With her sharp critical thinking skills, she was like the Sherlock Holmes of our research team! But what’s even better is her team spirit — she’s the ultimate collaborator, bringing fresh ideas to the table.”

Professor Morrisey’s students wrapped up their wildflower growth URE and presented their findings at the  Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science Annual Meeting on April 13 at Glendale Community College. 

“They did great and had a great experience at their first science conference,” Professor Morrisey said.

Cierra said she was nervous but ultimately enjoyed herself.

“It was really good!” she said. “One of the judges said our poster was eye-catching and easy to follow. He was really happy with our experiment in the design aspect — how we eliminated a lot of bias, controlled all of our variables well, and the quadrat sampling. It was really rewarding to hear that feedback.”

Are you an Estrella Mountain Community College student who would like to join the EMCC Native Bee Project or any other STEM Undergraduate Research Experience? Email Dr. Catherine Parmiter at  [email protected] . 

Arkansas student shares experience of surviving Russian invasion of Ukraine

PINE BLUFF, Ark. (KAIT/KARK) – A nursing student attending the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff shared his experience of surviving the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Kennedy Abanihe, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, said he went to Ukraine to become an anesthesiologist.

“When I left Lagos, Nigeria, I thought it was just going to be a smooth journey, ‘Oh! Six years in Ukraine? Easy.’ And it didn’t happen that way,” he told content partner KARK . “The war happened. I had to leave and stay with my cousin in Germany for a while.”

While living with his cousin, he began applying for schools in Germany and the United States. Eventually, he settled with UAPB.

Abanihe said many international students will ask why he kept going after leaving so much behind.

“Perseverance. I had to focus on where I wanted to be, and I didn’t let the distractions get me off track,” he said.

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