Not sure where to start? It’s normal to be unsure of where to start when creating a resume, or to think you do not have anything to put in a resume, especially early on in your college career. Most of the time, you have important experiences or skills that you might have forgotten about, didn’t think were important, or didn’t know how to include on your resume.
Brainstorm
Think of everything you have ever done and jot it down onto a piece of paper. If you are not sure if something is important, jot it down anyway. This could include:
- Jobs or volunteer work
- Clubs, athletic teams, or leadership roles
- Software or computer skills, independent projects, languages, honors or awards
- Academic courses or projects that are relevant to your field
Research
Learn more about the jobs you are seeking. Read through job descriptions of positions that interest you. What are the skills and qualifications your prospective employers are looking for?
Strategize
Review the list of experiences and skills that you brainstormed. What from that list best matches the information you found in your research? Categorize and display your information accordingly. Your goal is to highlight those skills and experiences that make you a qualified candidate for the position.
Need Help Brainstorming New Verbs? Try these!
| achieved | drafted | originated |
| acquired | edited | oversaw |
| adapted | eliminated | performed |
| addressed | enforced | planned |
| administered | established | prevented |
| analyzed | evaluated | produced |
| anticipated | expanded | programmed |
| assembled | explained | promoted |
| assisted | forecasted | provided |
| audited | formed | publicized |
| budgeted | founded | published |
| calculated | generated | recruited |
| centralized | guided | reorganized |
| changed | hired | reported |
| collaborated | implemented | researched |
| composed | improved | resolved |
| condensed | informed | reviewed |
| conducted | insured | selected |
| constructed | interpreted | separated |
| contracted | interviewed | set up |
| converted | launched | simplified |
| coordinated | maintained | solved |
| created | managed | surveyed |
| cultivated | marketed | staffed |
| demonstrated | minimized | supervise |
| designed | motivated | taught |
| developed | negotiated | tested |
| devised | obtained | trained |
| discovered | operated | used |
| doubled | organized |