I first started writing resumes in high school for my early jobs. Quite frankly, I didn’t need to because ninety percent of my high school jobs hired me on the spot, but there are several things that I look and cringe at from my first resume and cover letter. I feel that many of us have this shared experience, am I right? As we move into internship season, most of us may need a refresher on how to nail a resume and cover letter to better the chances of a follow-up. So, I’ve compiled two articles of tips for each one. Stay tuned for my tips on a cover letter.
- Keep the resume to one page
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Most employers receive hundreds of resumes and don’t want to take the time to read through a five-page resume. If you keep your resume short and sweet, you up the chances that the employer will see it. Not only this, but you want a resume to be eye-catching. Have things on the resume that will catch the employer’s eye and tailor it to the job. If it is a social media marketing position, it may be helpful to have a creative resume that isn’t too cluttered but displays your online talent and creativity.
- Include contact information
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This one might seem like a given, but you may be surprised at how often people tend to forget to add contact information. Things such as a cell phone number, email address, or social media handles are helpful for employers to contact you in the future. Social media contact information is especially important for media jobs, so the employer can get a feel for how you handle your online presence. An address isn’t always necessary but is still nice to have, especially if explicitly stated within the job posting.
- Only include the necessary information
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Tying back to keeping the resume at one page, it’s also important to only include the most important information about yourself. It’s typically a good idea to start with your education and job history, but only include what is imperative to the job – and start with the most relevant and recent information first. If you’re applying to a job that will require teamwork, include things on your resume that reflect that. Were you a tour guide? That shows you have excellent public speaking and teamwork skills and is important to include in a job resume.
- Look for keywords in the job posting
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Lastly, most job postings will have preferred skillsets within their description. Pay attention to these; if you have any of them, be sure to include them on your resume and include the amount of expertise you believe that you have. It’s good to include your skills after your education and past employment.
Happy internship hunting, and be sure to check back later for my tips on a successful cover letter!