How To WOW the Colleges with Your Resume Experiences

As you consider college and start to narrow down your list of favorite schools, it’s time to work on your applications, cover letters and resume. Your resume should reflect, highlight and summarize your relevant skills and experience as it pertains to your college major, school of choice and your character. However, many college-bound students get stuck on filling in the experience section of their resume; often claiming not to have any experience. Here are 5 tips to keep you moving if you find yourself in this situation.

Any experience can be applicable if you consider it carefully. For instance, babysitting requires skills such as; time management, leadership and attention to detail. After all, it’s a challenge and requires skill to get kids to bed on time, influence them to do what you need them to do and all while keeping them from harming themselves or siblings. Mowing lawns, cleaning bathrooms and cooking all require similar skills as well as skills like operating machinery, customer service, meeting deadlines, planning and preparation. Get creative – break down your experience into general terms. Have a parent or another adult help you – most adults have been doing these kinds of tasks for years and can easily help you translate household skills into practical, general skills worthy of listing on your resume.
Find a part time or summer job or internship. Of course, if you have the opportunity to intern or work during summers or part-time after school, you’ll have additional skills to list on your resume. Get online and check out local companies for opportunities that will work with your schedule. Check online job boards or walk into businesses and ask to speak with a manager to find out if they’re hiring. Ask friends, family, etc. to keep you in mind for opportunities and follow up with them regularly. Don’t get too hung up on what you’re doing as much as getting some work experience. Hard work, reliability and commitment are highly valued qualities and will translate well to any situation. Research internships online – now’s your chance to work on your research skills. It’s best to make a plan and stick with it when looking for a job or internship. Commit to 30-60 minutes a day after homework to research, network, follow up, etc.
See a need and fill it. Do you know how to clean a house, mow a lawn, wash a car, care for animals or teach a skill or sport? Ask around and find out who needs one of these services. Put together a simple proposal that speaks to how you could fulfill a need – place an ad at your church, local newspaper or café to generate interest in your skill or service. Volunteer at a daycare, animal shelter or nursing home. Get creative.
Job search skills are valuable additions to your resume. Don’t forget about the skills and experience you learned and used to land a job. Maybe you talked with your parents, their friends and relatives and asked them to connect you with a work/internship opportunity – skills such as networking, follow up, research, writing, etc.
Record your experience for a valuable resume. Take some time to think about the skills and experience you’ve used and developed to find and do a job and list them on your resume. If you’re working for someone, ask if they have a job description and take the job qualifications and duties from there and list them on your resume. If there isn’t a job description – think about the work you are doing and write down what types of skills and experience have come in handy for you to do this job. Perhaps you could write a job description or ad for the job as an exercise in listing skills and experience you’ve gained, used or had in each of your jobs.

However, you decide to go about adding to your skills and experience section on your resume; do so with thoughtfulness and creativity. Problem solving, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit are also great qualifications to have on your resume. Your resume is your first impression as well as the hallmark of your college career and beyond.