Whether you’re looking to land a student job or step into your first professional role, this college student resume guide and the adaptable example it contains will help you create a great application, step-by-step.
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Stepping out into the professional world as a college student or fresh graduate can seem difficult and confusing, with so many options on the path to a good job. You can give yourself a winning edge with the right methods for creating an awesome college resume. You might actually get a dream job right out of the gate, with a little luck and a toolbox of insights.
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Writing a resume for a college student is different from one for an established professional. You’ll need to highlight varied experience from internships, academic positions, volunteer work, and more. Remember, other college students have the same coursework and degrees to show, so your resume is key to proving why you’re the best candidate for a competitive position.
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This resume guide and corresponding college student resume example will cover the following:
The very first step in writing your college student resume is understanding what sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:
Lack of work experience is what usually makes student or graduate resumes inherently different from most job seekers.
But, you can still build a strong professional profile to impress anyone! To create a persuasive narrative, gather as much information as possible about the job you’re applying for, the skills needed, and the people doing the hiring. Identify the company’s needs and showcase how you’re the person who can fulfill those needs.
To craft a great college student resume, stick to this winning formula:
Optimize for the ATS
Automated recruiting technology is a reality in today's job market and hiring practices. You'll need to understand the nature of applicant tracking systems (ATS) to pass this technical barrier to getting an awesome position.
ATS software is designed to help recruiters and hiring managers sort through hundreds of resumes. This is done by automatically processing, analyzing, and scoring your resume based on keywords. As a result, certain vital sections of your resume will require extra attention.
The terms that describe job qualifications and requirements are often the same ones that the ATS searches for when processing your resume. So, pay attention to what’s obvious and give yourself an easy advantage. Stay consistent with the employers' terminology in your resume wording.
U.S. survey results show that, in general, 75% of resumes are never seen by human eyes. Automated screening technology can become a resume black hole. If you're sending your resume through an ATS channel, keywords may be the deciding factor whether a recruiter will actually get to see it. To learn more about conquering the ATS, check out our article Resume ATS optimization.
The most commonly used chronological resume format is designed as a straightforward way for job candidates to organize their experience and qualifications below employer headings and dates, in order from most recent to earliest. But, for college students or recent graduates who lack work experience, other resume formats may be more suitable.
Like every consideration when preparing your resume, the format you choose should depend on the type of job and industry, and how best to present yourself as an ideal match.
In cases where specialized knowledge and skills are just as important as where you have worked until now—if not more so—a functional resume may be your best bet. It offers greater flexibility to emphasize your most relevant strengths up front in a section labeled “Experience.”
A hybrid, or combination, resume format offers even more versatility. Job seekers can integrate chronological and functional elements in the most applicable manner, and perhaps even put their education section higher up on the page.
Never underestimate the importance of a distinctive resume header to set yourself apart from other candidates. An eye-pleasing header design gets your resume noticed for the right reason. Not only does it contribute to the document’s overall reader-friendliness but also readily identifies who you are and how you can be contacted for an interview.
The most important goal is that your contact information is easily accessible. Just as important, however, is that it’s professionally presented.
Rarely does a college student or new graduate have much to showcase in the way of rich work experience. But, what you can have is a college student resume that paints a picture of a determined, positive, and productive personality.
This is what your summary is for. It's your personal story. In fact, it may be your best chance to stand out from hundreds of other applicants, including college students with similar educational backgrounds.
So, make sure not to squander this valuable opportunity by merely copying and pasting a block of generic text. Instead, catch the recruiter's eye off the top, in the very first line of your resume summary. Show that you've done your homework and that you have what it takes to succeed.
The whole point of the resume summary is to project a certain character and image, which is relatively easy to do in this more flexible freeform resume section. Since we're dealing with first impressions and perceptions, that image needs to be purposefully crafted. Here are some examples of possible content:
Need inspiration for your summary? Check out our related resumes:
You can find adaptable college student resume example summaries below:
Business student adaptable resume summary/profile exampleEager and ambitious business administration student with a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. Demonstrated leadership abilities through involvement in student organizations and extracurricular activities. Strong academic foundation in finance, marketing, and management, supplemented by hands-on experience gained through internships in the business sector.
Copy to clipboard Sociology student adaptable resume summary/profile exampleCreative and empathetic sociology student with a keen interest in cultural studies and social justice. Proficient in critical thinking, research, and written communication, with a focus on exploring complex societal issues and promoting diversity and inclusion. Seeking opportunities to apply my interdisciplinary perspective and storytelling abilities in roles that foster social change and promote understanding across diverse communities.
Copy to clipboard Computer science student adaptable resume summary/profile exampleEnthusiastic and driven computer science student with a passion for technology and innovation. Possesses a solid foundation in programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++, coupled with coursework in algorithms, data structures, and software engineering. Experienced in developing web applications, mobile apps, and software solutions through hands-on projects and internships.
Copy to clipboardEven as a student, your work experience section needs to shine. Luckily, “experience” can be defined as more than just transitional employment. Let’s look at how this resume section can give you an edge by reflecting your life experience and your vibrant, productive personality.
List your current (or most recent) job at the top of this section and work your way back to your first job. Only go back as far as you’ve been in college and stick to experience that is directly related to the role you are applying for.
Under each employer and role heading, describe your contributions in concise bullet point statements, omitting “I.” Start each bullet point with an action verb like led, motivated, orchestrated, collaborated, or managed.
Make sure to focus on results and concrete information that demonstrates tangible outcomes as opposed to generic duties. This will impress the employer and help them see why you’re a cut above other college students.
Take a look at the college student employment history resume sample below:
Adaptable resume employment history exampleSales Associate at Coffee Grinders, Boston
September 2015 - June 2018
Remember, no employer is expecting to see a 10-year work summary on your college student resume. Concentrate on projecting a positive, productive image to make a strong first impression.
If you have no experience, your summary can be a goal statement—perhaps a bit more imaginative but still relevant and focused. Just aim for a general description, combining a variety of past projects, personal qualities, and life experiences.
In your employment history section, showcase your involvement in extracurricular activities such as clubs, organizations, sports teams, or volunteer work. Describe your roles and responsibilities within these activities, highlighting any leadership positions or notable achievements.
Finally, include a skills section where you can list any technical skills, languages, software proficiency, or certifications that are relevant to the jobs you're applying for. By focusing on your academic achievements, skills, and extracurricular activities, you can create a compelling resume that demonstrates your potential as a college student with no prior experience.
The skills section of a college student resume should be defined by the job you're looking to attain. Even at this early stage of life, job seekers often have more relevant skills and professional qualities than they give themselves credit for. The trick is to choose and describe them correctly on your resume.
Start by creating a master list. The master list is a free-form document—electronic or even a piece of paper—where you write down every skill and quality you can think of. Keep your master list handy for reference whenever a new job opportunity arises. Grab it for easy cherry-picking to tailor each new version of your specific resume to the job application.
Once you've found an actual job application or opportunity, tailor your resume and skills section to the job listing. We've talked about keywords already, and the point of this step is to satisfy both the hiring specialist and the ATS.
Pay attention to the skills terminology used in the job description and ensure your skills outline matches the same wording if possible. This may seem trivial but may become the difference between getting a job interview and being filtered out.
Expert tipMake sure to understand the difference between hard skills and soft skills and how to assess their relative importance to specific jobs and employers. Hard skills are pragmatic tools used in daily duties (for instance, computer skills or math aptitude) while soft skills relate to social interactions, self-management, teamwork, and so on.
Check out a college student resume sample for the skills section below.
Key Skills and ProficienciesAs a college student, your education is likely the most consequential experience you’ll have to show on your resume. That’s why it’s important to carefully complete this section with the right details to impress the hiring manager or scholarship committee.
As with your employment history section, you’ll want to list each degree from most recent to oldest. Create a subheading with the degree name, university, dates attended, and location. Since you’re likely still studying, you can add “present” instead of an end date.
Underneath the subheading, you should add 2-3 bullet points that describe your most impressive academic achievements, relevant coursework, and leadership roles. It’s also a good idea to include your expected graduation date if you’re still a student. Your GPA is also an essential piece of information, but only list it if it’s 3.5 or above. If your GPA for your major is significantly higher than your overall score, include that instead.
If you’re still in college, you can add your high school education in much the same way as your college one. If adding a GED, simply include the date completed. Once you’ve completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, remove your high school details to make more room for professional experience on your resume.
Check out our adaptable education resume sample below and learn more about adding your education to your resume.
Adaptable example for education and certificationsBachelor of Film and Media Studies, Boston University, Boston
August 2016 - Present
High School Diploma, Regis High School, New York
September 2012 - May 2016
Layout, design and formatting considerations are vitally important for a successful college student resume. There are two main reasons for this: visual perception by humans and processing compatibility with automated systems.
Make it easier on recruiters. Employ chunking, which makes the text more readable and digestible by breaking it into bite-sized pieces. This is achieved through the use of white space and graphical elements such as boxes, lines, images, and other formatting that improves legibility.
Recruiters are likely to pay a lot more attention to your resume if you apply a visually attractive, suitably-formatted template based on research-backed design principles. Just as you should customize the content of your resume for each position you apply to, your layout and design should also match the image of the employer or opportunity.
Professionally designed resume templates make it easy to create a perfectly formatted layout and give you the ability to switch between styles with ease.
You can get an awesome job as a college student. Your college student resume is a hugely important instrument for that. The summary section provides the best opportunity for your college student resume to stand out and show personality.
The education section is a focal point for most college student resumes. Your resume skills section will be defined by the job you are pursuing within a specific industry. Tailor it to the job description and your knowledge of the industry.
Our online resume builder makes the process of college resume creation much easier and helps avoid hidden technical pitfalls.
