How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Application Process

Our counselors answered:

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

40questions in this category
Rebecca Joseph
Executive Director & Founder getmetocollege.org

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Resumes for college are not about jobs--they are about activities and engagement. Of course, jobs are not as they reveal maturity and responsibility. To make an impressive resume, you need to begin early with activities-in and out of school. Try different activities and commit to a few. Try to get responsibilities and show your leadership and initiative. You can built a resume through your willingness to participate in different activities.

Nancy Milne
Owner Milne Collegiate Consulting

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Don't make something out of what doesn't exist. There are a lot reasons why students don't have work experience. Represent yourself honestly and save the "domestic engineer" label when you really were just a babysitter.

Tira Harpaz
Founder CollegeBound Advice

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

First of all, find a resume template that works for you (there are many examples online). Next, instead of having a category called "Work" or "Work Experience", just include a category called "Experience." You can list volunteer activities in this category in which you have had a significant role. If you were the President of a club, mention your accomplishments (i.e., club doubled its membership during my tenure). Also, list relevant coursework and skills related to the job you are seeking. Most employers will understand that you may have limited work experience, but your resume should highlight the skills you have acquired and the leadership and commitment you have shown.

Karen Ekman-Baur
Director of College Counseling Leysin American School

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Most colleges/universities do not ask applicants to submit resumes. Instead, students will be requested to provide on their applications the information that the institutions are interested in knowing. Someone writing a recommendation for a student, however, may find it quite useful to have a resume of that student's past accomplishments. While resumes/CVs for people who have been in the work force will focus on their work experience, the expectations for students (who, in most cases, will have had little or no work experience) are different. Other aspects of a student's life experience will come into play. Things you might consider including, when applicable, are: - Identifying and contact information (always) - Foreign Language Proficiency, indicating language(s) and esimated level(s) of expertise, number of years studied - SAT/ACT Score Results, with dates of various test sittings - School/Extracurricular activities (Indicate applicable years) - Academic awards received - Student government involvement, including offices held - Sports participation, including name of sport(s), leadership roles, awards received - Art activities, including exhibitions, awards received - Music activities, including instrument, musical groups - bands, ensembles, awards received - Drama activities, including names of productions, roles played or backstage contributions, awards received - Club and organization involvement - Social or academic clubs, including leadership roles - Community service involvement, including nature of service, leadership roles - In-school volunteer activities - Other - Non-School activities (same criteria as above) - Sports - Music - Drama - Volunteer work - Organizations: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc. - Other - Work experience, if any, indicating name of employer, type of work, length of employment - Additional interests, hobbies, skills This should give you a good start on crafting an effective resume. As you begin to collate information about your various accomplishments, you may think of some other things you would like to include which are not mentioned above.

Zahir Robb
College Counselor The Right Fit College

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Don't forget to include volunteer activities and leadership responsibilities. You are young, and your work experience is most likely limited. However, never underestimate the experience you have gained as a volunteer or member of an organization.

Reecy Aresty
College Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & Author Payless For College, Inc.

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

If this is a job resume, simply list what's on your academic resume, but summarize, since it shouldn't be more than 1 page. This question isn't specific enough to really answer it properly. An academic resume w/minimal job experience is perfect.

Steph Hart
Owner, Principle Consultant Essential Elements: Comprehensive College Planning

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Employment is but one aspect of the information that a student should submit as part of his/her resume for college admission and/or scholarship. Other categories of activities and accomplishments might include athletics, in-school clubs/organizations, out-of-school endeavors (church, music, etc.), and community service. Not all high school students have held a job, but every student should have interests and passions that can be demonstrated through this document. The quality of what a student has done is far more important than the quantity of activities, whether or not that list includes employment.

Lin Johnson III

How should a student with little job experience go about crafting a resume?

Having little job experience is not an issue, but it is quite expected. Other than job experiences, you have extracurricular activities, community services, competitions, summer programs, travels, awards/honors, and art presentations to highlight in your resume. A clear and consistent story of your leadership and passion should be evident in your resume. You should use various parts of your high school experience to build the right story and not focus simply on one thing like job experience. Consequently, the amount of activities is not the most important thing in crafting a great resume, but rather the quality of your contributions and your passion.