Additional Tips for College Students Writing Résumés

Oftentimes, college students have a difficulty in deciding what they should or should not include in their résumé. Perhaps this is the first résumé you are putting together and making a decision on what to include and what not to include can be a daunting task.

Regina Pontow, author of Proven Résumés, provides the following information as guidelines for college students in what to include in your résumé:

• Internships or practicums you have completed, emphasizing skills you have gained that match the jobs you want.
  
• Skills you have developed in paid employment or volunteer positions that match and support your job objective. It may be important to use skill headings rather than job titles.
  
• Number and titles of staff you worked for or with in each internship, volunteer, or paid position. Emphasize titles of staff that are like the staff you will work with in the job you want.
  
• Number and titles of staff you may have trained and the range of job functions you trained them in. Show how the training you provided relates to skills needed in the job you want.
  
• Size of organizations you interned or worked for, such as total number of employees, Fortune 500 ranking, or total revenues.
  
• Key terms used in your career field to describe the primary job duties you were responsible for, or areas of knowledge you developed, that in some way relate to the jobs you want.
  
• Systems or procedures you implemented or improved.
  
• Length of each internship or number of hours completed, if impressive.
  
• Grades, commendations, or recommendations you received because of internships completed.
  
• Major papers you wrote and research conducted, primarily if they relate to your career goal.
  
• Awards you received if they in some way relate to the jobs you want. Why you received them and how many people you competed against to win each award.
  
• Scholarships for education or learning activities