Resume Tips for College Students

Resume Tips for College Students

When hiring managers and recruiters attend lecture exhibitions, they often meet dozens - or even hundreds - of bright-faced students who hope to be employed by them. While a five-minute private conversation can give the impression, the best thing that these professionals can expect is a good resume. Here's how you can stand out from the pile.

• Stick to the rules

While it may be tempting to go naughty and create a truly unique and memorable resume, it is important to stay within the time-honored guidance when doing so. Students and recent graduates especially keep in mind that resumes should be no more than one page if they want them to have a chance to read.

• Do your research

Depending on the size of a career fair, it may be that certain industries - such as technology, engineering, or marketing - or a range of different career areas. Students should try to know which companies are coming, make a list of the products they are most interested in doing, and then conduct extensive research on how each company works and what their expectations are for employees. These elements must be accounted for in your resume. By entering as a knowledgeable potential candidate who can talk about the needs of the company, hiring managers are more likely to note and want to know more.

• Create multiple versions of your resume

After researching the companies that will be present, the most organized and focused students create individual resumes that highlight the skills and experiences most desired by the recruitment manager. For example, if a company focuses on marketing, creating a resume that describes your previous work with social media, advertising, writing, or website management helps take you to the forefront. In the same way, if a company employs a human resources position, these skills may not need to be at the top of your resume.

• Immediately continue the reader to your personal site

Because the resume can only be one page in length, using space to pull it in is very important. After compiling a resume that makes them want more, make sure you are able to provide it. Consider creating a personal website that provides more in-depth information, such as sample writing, recommendations, awards or volunteer examples. If you do not have the time to create a website before a career expo, tidy up your LinkedIn page and enter a web address into your profile.

• Provide a backup resume

Just because your resume needs to be short does not mean you can not carry supporting documents. If you find yourself in a conversation with a recruitment manager who wants to know more about you, your work ethic, or your experience, it's important to have some documents available to support your claim. Consider printing reference lists, letters of recommendation, your latest transcripts, and even project portfolios so hiring managers to get instant access to who you are and what you've accomplished.

• Interview Tips

Even experienced professionals agree that the interview phase of any recruitment opportunity can be very stressful, but this is especially true for new graduates. Instead of letting the worries get the best out of them, students can do a lot of help just be prepared when they achieve a fair career.

General Interview Suggestions

� Dress for success.

Jeans and t-shirts may be the norm in everyday campus activities, but it is very appropriate for a student to think more about their clothes on a fair career day. Remember that this is a chance for recruiters to imagine you in their organization, and careless or informal appearances may not fit with their corporate culture. The University of Texas at Austin has an informative guide on the various levels of business clothing.

� Organized

Whether it means making your resume, updating an existing version, printing a copy, or purchasing a professional-looking briefcase or briefcase, make sure you prepare everything to make sure you come across as an organized and accomplished candidate. Most recruitment coaches suggest that students stay modest in terms of what they should take to career exhibitions, with the majority saying they should only carry resumes and supporting documents.

� Create the first impression count.

When it comes to how a student should attend an interview, the VP for Personal & Career Development at Wake Forest University says that students should focus on four things: attitude, enthusiasm, humble confidence, and personality. Things like strong eye contact, corporate handshakes, warm smile, and professional body language help communicate to your recruiter your readiness for the workplace.

Focus Field

� Refine the elevator pitch.

For the uninitiated, the elevator pitch refers to a one to two-minute information capsule that helps recruiters and hires managers to quickly sense who you are and what you bring to the table. With the premise that you should be able to give your promotions in the time it takes to ride an elevator with someone, this quick speech should include unique information about your hard and soft skills. Some topics to be considered in elevator promotion include education; an experience of volunteers, internships, or employees; special skills and areas of expertise; and an explanation of the purpose.

� Review the general interview questions.

You can pretty much assume that at some point in an interview, the hiring manager will ask questions about your strengths and weaknesses, how you handle challenging situations, what you bring to the table, and why you want a particular job. With careful and thorough answers to these questions, help the students to be unnoticed and appear unprepared.

� Make a lasting impression.

As the recruitment managers start packing up their stations at the end of career expositions, what can you do to become one of the candidates they think about when reviewing the day? With dozens of candidates, all hoping to be memorable, finding the unique angle that sticks in the minds of business representatives is a tall order, but it can be done. Forbes reminded potential employees about the importance of researching a company before a face-to-face meeting. Ask questions with insights and information, helping an income manager know that you have done your homework, while offering a knowledgeable answer of what you can bring to a specific role, helping them see how much value you will add to the company.

Inside Scoop on Getting Hired

One of the most common questions students have about career exhibitions is related to the types of participating entrepreneurs. Campus-sponsored work outfit usually runs entirely in terms of types of industries and organizations - including for-profit, nonprofit agencies, and government agencies. With local and national organizations usually present, students have the opportunity to learn about choices in their backyard and across the country - or in some cases, in the world.

The majority of roles are entry-level in nature, although those offered in the postgraduate career ladder may be more advanced. Recruiters usually look for bright-eyed students who are knowledgeable, hardworking, and show an interest in staying with the company for at least a few years.

Internships and scholarships are also often found in college exhibitions at colleges and give students the opportunity to get their feet at the door while still in school. Many of these opportunities - especially those that provide compensation - are highly competitive in top companies.