Are you having a headache over how to make a resume for first job? It is essential to prepare a professional resume for first job, which often represents your first impression on the employer. It can demonstrate to the employer the skills, educational background, and working ability you possess, thus enabling you to be competent for the job. In this article, we will show you all the techniques and provide an example to help you understand the content of a resume more intuitively.
How to Make a Resume for Your First Job
Many companies require you to provide relevant experience. But if you haven’t worked before, it doesn’t mean you have no chance of getting this job. For your first job, the focus of your resume should be on introducing your academic achievements as well as any work, volunteer experience or extracurricular activity experience. The following steps can help you successfully make a resume for first job:
🟦1. Choose a format for your first resume
When applying for your first job, choosing a resume format that highlights your skills and educational background can enable your employer to quickly review your qualifications, making it more likely for you to get a job offer. You can choose to use the following ideas to build your resume for first job:
Reverse-chronological:
This type of resume list your educational background and relevant experience in reverse chronological order, such as volunteer work or internship experiences. This helps employers be the first to understand your recent achievements and experiences, thereby knowing your latest developments.
Functional:
A functional resume focuses on the skills needed for your first job. For instance, if the job you are interested in requires communication skills and time management skills, then you need to prioritise these two abilities at the top of your list. This resume format is suitable for fresh graduates or those who plan to return to the workplace.
⭐When comparing the two formats, I recommend you choose the reverse-chronological format more, as most resume formats are in this format. Although the functional format is more straightforward, this does not guarantee that all recruiters will appreciate it. You can combine the two formats to obtain a perfect resume format.
🟦2. Create a resume that complies with ATS standards
You need to have a thorough understanding of the keywords of your desired career, so that your resume can match the job you are applying for. Many employers use ATS software to review and screen interview applications based on keywords. Therefore, if your resume contains keywords that match the job description, your resume will smoothly pass the review of the ATS software and thus have a greater chance of getting an interview opportunity.
You need to use common words and phrases in your resume to ensure that it passes the ATS review smoothly.
🟦3. Provide accurate personal contact information
You need to fill in your personal information at the top of your resume so that employers and recruiters can quickly understand and contact you. You need to list your surname and given name in bold. Below your name, fill in your phone number, professional email address, and detailed address:
- First name and last nam
- E-mai
- Phone number
- Loction
In addition to the above necessary information, you can also provide the following information:
- LinkedIn: Employers often check the personal profiles of job applicants on this website. Therefore, it is a perfect choice to update the website information promptly and provide personal profiles on the resume.
- Relevant social media: Quora, StackOverflow or other blogs and other social media that can showcase your personal image and work ability can all be filled in on your resume. Rich personal experiences and accounts can show your positive side to employers.
🟦4. Refine your professional summary
Generally speaking, recruiters spend an average of seven seconds browsing through resumes to quickly decide whether to proceed to the next step of the interview process. You need to describe in concise language the career-related skills, educational background and experience you possess. This section is usually placed at the beginning of a resume and can quickly catch the employer’s attention with just two or three sentences. Your outstanding value will set you apart from a host of recruiters.
- Example: A bachelor’s degree graduate in Computer Science and Technology, proficient in programming languages such as Java and Python, holding a Computer Level 2 certificate and a Software Designer certificate. Has participated in multiple campus software development projects and possesses excellent teamwork and problem-solving skills.
🟦5. Describe your educational background
For you seeking your first job, the educational background section will be even more critical. You need to list your highest degree or diploma, as well as the name of the school or college. If you are still in school, you also need to write down your expected graduation date. To better attract the employer’s attention, you can also introduce courses, academic awards and honours related to your career to enrich your educational background information. Your outstanding educational background will be very beneficial for you to seek your first job.
- Example:
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
University: University of California, Los Angeles(UCLA)
Term: September 2021-June 2024
GPA:3.8/4.0
Relevant Courses: Data Structures and Algorithms, Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Computer Networks, Operating Systems
Projects:
AI-Based Image Recognition System: Developed an AI-based image recognition system using Python and TensorFlow, achieving a recognition accuracy of 95%.
Blockchain Application Development: Participated in a team project to develop a blockchain application for secure data sharing in a decentralised environment.
🟦6. Introduce your professional skills and relevant certificates
You need to highlight 5 to 10 relevant skills on your resume to emphasise your strengths. Skills are divided into Hard Skills and Soft Skills. Hard skills refer to your professional skills, namely, technical knowledge and the degree of mastery of specific tools. Soft skills refer to the traits that can help you adapt to the working environment, including your personality, social skills, communication skills, etc.
- Example:
Hard Skills
Programming Languages: Python, Java, JavaScript, C++
Frameworks and Tools: TensorFlow, PyTorch, React, Node.js, Git,Docker
Databases: SQL, MongoDB
Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, macOS
Certifications: AWS Certified Developer–Associate, Certified ScrumMaster(CSM)
Soft Skills
Communication: Effective verbal and written communication skills
Teamwork: Strong collaborative abilities and experience working in diverse teams
Problem-Solving: Proven ability to identify and resolve complex issues
Time Management: Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks
Leadership: Experience leading projects and mentoring junior team members
⭐Although employers nowadays are increasingly focusing on the soft skills of job applicants, we still recommend that you highlight your hard skills. When recruiters cannot determine whether you genuinely possess the above soft skills, you are more likely to pass the test.
🟦7. Add certifications and licenses
Suppose the profession you are applying for requires specific professional certifications or licenses, such as nursing, teaching, and accounting. In that case, you can include the certificates you have obtained in your resume to highlight your advantages. The order of listing is as follows:
- The name of a certification, course or license
- The name of the certification body or organisation
- The specific date of obtaining the certificate
- Certificate expiration date (if necessary)
- Unfinished courses (estimated completion dates)
Example:
Certified ScrumMaster(CSM)
Certification Body: Scrum Alliance
Date Obtained: March 15, 2023
Expiration Date: March 15, 2025
🟦8. Relevant experience
The above parts of your resume fully demonstrate your professionalism. Therefore, the following sections are designed to allow the recruiter to showcase your rich practical experience. You can showcase your practical experiences to everyone from various perspectives, such as internships, roles in student organisations, community service, volunteer experiences, and personal projects. These experiences will enable recruiters to gain a deep understanding of your abilities and achievements.
- Volunteer service: If you have some volunteer service experience, please be sure to include it in your resume! Most recruiters will appreciate the dedication and sense of purpose you have demonstrated in your volunteer work.
- Language: If your company is highly international, then multilingual proficiency is also a very prominent feature.
- Hobbies: You can list some hobbies to express your strong interest in the profession of this major.
- Awards and Certificates: Any certificates and awards that can enhance your personal image can be added to your resume.
Resume Formatting Tips
The standardisation of resumes is also an important aspect. A professional and concise resume appearance will leave a deep impression on recruiters. Here are the suggestions we offer:
- Use a two-column layout: A two-column resume layout enables your resume to accommodate more content easily
- Use standard fonts: We recommend that you use Arial Calibri, Helvetica and Times New Roman. Standardised fonts will leave a good impression on recruiters.
- Use bullet points to describe your experiences: Appropriate use of symbols may make it easier for recruiters to identify key points in your resume.
- The content should not exceed one page: Condensing your rich experiences into a one-page resume will enable the recruiter to get to know you quickly.
- Page format: Set the margins around the document to 1 inch and align the page content to the left.
- Start a sentence with an action verb to describe your skills and experiences: It can directly highlight the key points in your resume, such as designed, guided, led, improved, established, managed
- Customize your resume for different positions: Each position has different keywords and requirements. You need to customize some parts of your resume according to the position you want to apply for, such as the opening summary and relevant professional content, etc.
- Proofreading: You must, must ensure that there are no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors in your resume! Basic mistakes can affect the initial impression that recruiters have of you. If possible, you can ask a friend or family member to help you correct it.
- Save: You need to give the document a professional file title and save it in a file format suitable for the position. You should review the job description to understand the best file format. If no specified file type is provided, both .doc and .docx are safe choices. The file name of the resume we recommend is “Name – Position – Resume – Company Name – Date”.
Key Takeaways
After understanding the specific content and format of the resume, we would emphasise some key points for you:
- If you don’t have rich work experience, a functional resume is more suitable for you because it highlights the skills related to your work experience.
- If you have no work experience, then transferable skills would be more suitable to be written in your resume. The transferable skills usually refer to those skills that can be universally applied across different industries and occupations. These skills are equally important for career development because they can enable you to succeed in different roles (especially when changing careers or getting promoted).
How to Make a Resume for Your First Job Checklist
We have prepared a list for you, allowing you to check whether your resume contains all the key information quickly!
- Whether the resume format complies with the ATS standards
- Is the personal contact information accurate
- Is there a professional summary at the beginning
- Does it highlight your educational background
- Have the relevant skills been listed
- Are there any professional certificates or licenses
- Whether relevant practical experience has been demonstrated
- Have you carefully proofread your resume
- Whether the resume is saved in the correct format
Conclusion
Writing your resume for first job is not only an opportunity to showcase your professional skills and experience, but also a crucial step to start your career. At the same time, you need to find an ideal student apartment. A comfortable, safe and convenient living environment is crucial for maintaining a good state of study and work. uhomes.com can offer you student apartments with community amenities, rich community activities and convenient transportation, allowing you to relax and enjoy life after a busy study and work schedule.
In conclusion, both a first job resume and a suitable student apartment are essential for you to move towards an independent life. Through careful preparation and wise choice, you can lay a solid foundation for your future.
FAQ
Should I use a resume template?
If you want to write a resume easily, a beginner resume template would be a perfect choice. Templates usually summarise your experiences in a format that is easy for ATS to understand. And professional design will add style to your resume with no experience at all.
Should I put references on a no-experience resume?
You can prepare a separate list of references, but you still need to use extra space on your resume to showcase your qualifications.
How do I write a resume as a teenager with no job experience?
If you are applying for your first job during your teenage years, I recommend that you refer to the resume template for teenagers. You need to fill in your contact information, goals, educational background, skills and extracurricular activities first. Although you have no work experience, you can demonstrate the practical experience you have accumulated at school. If you participate in volunteer services, it will be an excellent advantage.
Is a resume necessary for a first job?
Whether it’s your first job or your twentieth, I suggest you prepare your resume carefully because recruiters need to know about you and your experiences.
Do I need work experience to land my first job?
If you are a fresh graduate, you definitely have no work experience at all. Most employers do not require job applicants to have many years of work experience, either. They will pay more attention to your internship, extracurricular activities and professional project experiences, etc., to determine whether you are suitable for this job.
