Learn more about the best way to compile your resume ahead of looking for your very first job.
Looking for your very first job can be exciting. However, it can also be very daunting!
These days, the market is as competitive as ever. There are many potential candidates applying for the job you dream of, and some of them might have more experience than you. If you are looking for the best way to increase your chances at landing a great first job, you should never underestimate the huge potential of having a great resume.
You can make a very nice impression, even with a little experience under your belt. In fact, a concise, well-written resume might highlight your credibility, as well as assist you with backing up your skills. Keep reading to learn more about how to make a resume for your very first job!
– Be honest and don’t fluff it up.
Since you’re looking for your very first job, it’s safe to assume that you don’t have extensive employment experience, if any at all. If you don’t have much working experience, don’t worry! Your resume can still be impressive, especially because some companies are actively seeking fresh, young people who are entering the job market. Instead of trying to put too much emphasis on working experience (that you might not even have), don’t fluff up your bio and pamper it with inflated information.
Keep in mind that the people who will review your resume probably do this every day. If you’re trying to overplay your experience, they’ll know. As a result, your credibility might be undermined from the get-go.
One of the most important things you can do is to “work with what you have.” For example, consider John.
John wants to work as a journalist, so he is sending his resume to various magazines and online publications. He has never worked before, so he doesn’t really have much to show in terms of previous employment. On the other hand, he has written articles as a volunteer for a his local University publication. While this isn’t a job experience per se, John can still list this experience to leverage his affinity for the industry and his skills.
– Manage your references well.
As you might know, references are quite important as well. Just as you might not have a lot of professional experience while you’re looking for your very first job, it is also true that you might not have many references to share. If you don’t have any references from previous employees, you might be able to use some references from your education. Teachers or school representatives could serve you as very good references. In addition to that, you might even include references from other activities, such as volunteering. In John’s case, as described earlier, he could actually list the editor of the University paper he collaborated with as a reference!
– Education
If you’re fresh out of college or University, you should make sure to highlight that by properly listing dates and timelines when you include your education. You can also include any other related activities, such as extra-curricular commitments, other classes or courses you might have cleared outside of your school duties.
In conclusion, looking for your first job is a very important step. Don’t try to fill your resume with to the brim just so it looks like you’ve been very busy. Instead, bring value to what you have, even if your experience might seem very minimal. Remember that it is all about quality, not quantity!
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