So, you need a job, but wait… To apply for one, you need a resume first. Writing a resume can be a daunting endeavour. Follow these steps to write a killer resume even with no experience.
Step One: Read the job ad and analyze the job requirements
Before writing a resume and attending a job interview, you need to read the job ad very closely. What skills, job experience and education are needed for this job? Analyze the requirements and the things you can bring to the table. If there is something you lack, is there a way to replace it with something else? For example, if you lack on-the-job teamwork skills, you may be able to mention your school teamwork skills while completing a school project. There may be many skills you have acquired while volunteering, participating in school activities or being part of a club or organization.
Here are three types of skills you should consider mentioning when writing your resume:
- Soft skills: these are the interpersonal (or people) skills needed to work with people on the job. Soft skills include communication skills (verbal and non-verbal), listening skills, time management, problem-solving, leadership, and empathy.
- Hard skills: skills that you learn by doing a particular job, for example: ability to use tools, equipment and software. Being able to do research or use Power Point effectively is a hard skill.
- Transferable skills: are skills that you can transfer from one job to another. They may be soft skills like time management, or hard skills like doing research.
Step Two: Choose a resume format
There are three resume formats that you can choose from depending on your job experience:
- Functional: in this format, entries are organized by skills, knowledge and accomplishments. This format is best if you have little job experience or are changing careers.
- Chronological: lists each job in a chronological order starting from the most recent. It is appropriate if you have several years of experience in the same field and you plan to continue in that field.
- Combination: lists work history in chronological order, but also specifies skills and achievements. It is good for anyone.
Step Three: Choose a resume template
A resume template is a great tool you can use to organize your resume. There are many resume templates. You can find one that best suits your needs here.
Step Four: Write your contact information on the top of the resume
Your contact information should be on the top of the page where it is easy to find. It should include your full name, your phone number, your professional e-mail address and city and postal code. You do not need to include full address. Also, skip your photo that is customary on a CV, but should be avoided on a resume.
Step Five: Write a resume summary or objective statement
Below your contact information, there should be either a summary or objective statement.
A resume summary is a short summary of your experience and best skills. The purpose of a summary is to impress your recruiter and encourage them to look at your resume in detail. It should be no longer than five concise sentences. Anyone with a lot of job experience should write a resume summary.
An objective statement is for people who do not have ample job experience. It should inform the hiring staff about what you intend to do for the company and what skills, education and experience make you qualified to do it. An objective statement is for people who are just starting out or changing fields.
Step Six: Make a skills section on your resume
If you do not have a lot of job experience, you need to highlight your hard skills or transferrable skills that you may have acquired at school or at a different job. You also want to draw your recruiter’s attention to your soft skills. They are very important these days. The most valued soft skills are:
- Curiosity: employers want to hear you asking questions, inquiring about how things work, and see you try to improve processes, do research and problem-solve.
- Ability to learn quickly: employees who pick up skills and knowledge quickly are very valuable to employers. Include skills like decision making and multitasking to show that you are a quick learner.
- Motivation to continually grow: you want to demonstrate that you are interested in continually learning, overcoming challenges and solving problems. You also want to plan out your growth, so make sure you invest in your self-development and inquire about additional training or mentorship opportunities.
- Critical analysis: if you show that you are able to think out of the box, offer unique solutions and ask informed questions, you will spark the recruiter’s interest.
- Collaboration: being able to communicate effectively and work on a team is essential in today’s work environment as many tasks are completed collectively with others.
Do not include too many skills in the skills section. A maximum of five per skill type is enough. For example, including five carefully chosen (and tailored to the job requirements) transferable and five soft skills is plenty to attract the recruiter’s attention.
Step Seven: Add your education
Education part should be highlighted on your resume, if you have no experience. This will be the most important part of your resume. You need to accentuate your greatest achievements like GPA, graduating magna cum laude or summa cum laude or graduating with honours. If you participated in a study abroad or took special training, it should also go on this section of your resume.
Step Eight: Emphasize licenses and certifications
Include any licenses and certifications relevant to the job. Licenses are required for nursing, accounting or teaching jobs. Without them, it is much harder, if not impossible, to find a job. This section should be titled: ‘Licenses and Certifications’ and it should be organized in a bullet-form. Each certification should have the following information in a bulleted form:
- The title of the certification or license.
- The name of the agency or body that certified you.
- The exact date you got each certificate or license.
- If your license has expiry date, mention it as well.
- If you are still in the course of completing your study, write “In progress” and the expected date of completion.
Step Nine: Add experience to your resume
If you do not have experience, you can add one of these as an example of job-related experience:
- Internships
- Student teaching
- Coaching, mentoring or tutoring
- A role in a student organization or club
- Community service
- Volunteer experience
- A personal or school project
Whichever job-related experience you choose, highlight your measurable achievements, not your responsibilities. Use action verbs to do that. Here is a list of action verbs you might want to consider:
Step Ten: Add optional sections to strengthen your resume
If you have more space on your one-page resume, add optional sections such as your academic or community awards, scholarships, personal or school projects, language proficiency and job-relevant hobbies. Adding those to your resume will present you in a good light and make you a more desirable job applicant.
Step Eleven: Check your resume for content errors and proofread it. Then save it.
Always check your resume before printing. Check dates, names of awards, and places of study completion. Check your resume for grammar, spelling and capitalization errors. If you do not do this final step, your negligence may cost you a job. It is safest to have your friend take a look at your resume with fresh eyes before printing it or saving it.
If you are sending your resume out, use this formula to name your resume: Your Name-Job title-Resume-Company Name-Date. If you are sending the resume by e-mail, you can put that name in the subject line of the e-mail.
Below is a resume writing checklist. Be sure to check yourself against it:
Good luck!