Congratulations! You finally graduated from college. Naturally, the next move is to find the right kind of job to kick off your career. It can be tougher out there in the real world compared to school campus life; but first things first. You’ve long figured out that you’re going to need a killer resume in order to make a dent on the job market; and that’s what you’re out to make. Good for you! Question: Do you know what your resume should focus on to make it conspicuous enough for employers to notice it? Resume writing can be a bit of a challenge for fresh graduates if you are practically clueless about what to highlight on your resume. To help you out, here are some points you should consider when creating your resumes.

Emphasis on Educational Accomplishments and Coursework. Prospective employers recognize the fact that new graduates may not have sizable amounts of hands-on experience so your education is your first calling card and primary selling feature. Employers perceive education as training ground to efficiently perform possible assigned tasks in the position. The assumption is you’re capable of accomplishing these tasks in a specific period of time and will eventually contribute to the good of the company. Employers expect to see indications that you can be trained, and have acquired the basic knowledge and skills in a particular field; include your GPA (if it’s 3.0 or higher) which also adds value to your application.

On-the-job training/internships. Believe it or not, these experiences are relevant to your application. Most employers prefer fresh grads that have undergone on-the-job-training and internships to gauge their determination and passion for working. Be sure to include certificates of completion and have references handy (in case they are requested).

Extracurricular activities that have given you the opportunity to hone transferable skills. You may have very little to no work history, but your college experiences have presumably provided you with skills that are vital to the workplace. Unpaid volunteer jobs that showcase transferable skills also count. The main point is you can add skills you’ve gained to your resume even if they are not directly relevant to the position you’re seeking. Focus your statements on skills, responsibilities and accomplishments that the future employer may benefit from.

The format of your resume. Some job seekers may think that format isn’t such a big deal but for fresh graduates with limited relevant work experience, format does matter. A hybrid format that has both functional and chronological elements would be ideal. It allows you to accentuate your transferable skills and tone down the perceived inadequate professional experience.

The ultimate key to a winning resume may be largely influenced by the weight and effectiveness of your presentation. You’ve hurdled a good number of years to get this far; you can definitely identify the strengths and skills you have acquired. It’s time to present them on your resume and make them work for you. Good luck with your job search!

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 3rd, 2010 at 12:44 pm and is filed under Applying for a Job, Job Search Tips, Resume, Resume Do's and Don'ts, Resume Help, how to write a resume. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.