Writing Entry Level Resumes Tips
Read these 6 Writing Entry Level Resumes Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Resume tips and hundreds of other topics.
Not Enough Work Experience to Fill a Resume?
Volunteer at something somewhere worthwhile. This will give you the opportunity of skills development, as well as contacts with people who can help you. If you're right out of school, no one expects you to have a knock-out resume, but everyone is looking for skills.
Entry Level Resume Booster
If you are looking for a way to improve your resume right out of college, you have several options to consider. Securing an internship may be the best means to improve entry level resumes for recent college grads. Writing entry level resumes is similar to other resume writing except you do need some guidance of what to incorporate and what to leave out.
Although college provides you with a lot classroom experience, it doesn't necessarily translate into practical experience. Not only will internships make you more marketable, they may lead to permanent employment at the place of your internship or to a valuable recommendation from your internship supervisor.
Additionally, if you choose a truly relavant internship, you are really giving yourself a practical leg up in the industry of your choice. Not only are you getting valuable work experience, you can never start networking too early!
Entry Level Resumes Truth
Having a college degree these days is often a prerequisite for applying for a job, but it isn't the only way in the door. Whatever you do, don't lie if you haven't completed your degree. The discovery of such a lie would lead to your dismissal from the screening process and if you get the job and you aren't qualified, you are setting yourself up for failure.
If you haven't completed your degree, you can still put yourself in a positive light. Denote the name of the school and the nature of the degree, but add “anticipated” or “in progress.” You can also write a strong cover letter that supports your candidacy and highlights your work experience rather than your education. In many instances, hiring managers want people with work experience and folks with terrific references!
Entry Level Resume Objectives
When you are setting out on your first job hunt you should target entry level positions. If you apply for more advanced positions, you are bound to be looked over almost immediately. You don't want to place yourself out of a great company by applying for the wrong position!
The first thing that an employer looks for on an entry level resume is a focus, so make sure that you have a clear, specific objective. Consider tailoring your objective for each position for which you are applying. There is nothing wrong with having several completed resumes for various jobs.
You shouldn't use a vague objective statement in the hope that this will make you seem qualified for a broader scope of position. It will only make you appear uncertain about your career objective.
If you aren't sure how to write a strong objective statements there are a lot of resources out there to help you. Review sample resumes to get a sense of how your objective statement should look.
Entry Level Resumes Length
Looking for the right length for your first resume? As a rule, don't bulk it up with fluff, be honest and don't make the font huge to lengthen your resume.
If you think about it, due to a lack of job descriptions, an entry level resume should only be one page long. The resumes of experienced professionals are often only one page long, so someone who is applying to an entry level job shouldn't be able to justify a two-page resume.
Hobbies on Entry Level Resumes
Experienced professionals are advised to avoid listing hobbies and activities on their resumes, but it is more acceptable to do this when writing entry level resumes.
Employers don't have much job experience to refer to on an entry level resume, so a discussion of your hobbies and activities may give the employer a better sense of who you are.
This is particularly true of team sports, writing hobbies, volunteer opportunities and situations where you may have shown leadership abilities. You should also denote any awards, scholarships or honors you may have won.
