You’ve got a lot on your plate. Having that job on the side while you’re studying as a student would definitely help, especially if you’re broke.
With that extra money, it can help many students in university or college pay for food, rent, and expenses. Even if you keep those leftovers on the side as savings or for whatever you’d like to use it for, it would be reassuring to know that you have a source of income.
It comes back to the same thing though: writing a powerful student resume.
Without much work experience, you might feel like you’re at a disadvantage.
But, we’re all human. And some employers tend to make exceptions when they can see potential from an applicant.
In this guide, we’ll be going through step by step how to write a student resume and break down some proven examples.
You can skip ahead at any point using the links on the side
How Can a Student Write a Resume With No Experience?
Students can still write a good resume with no experience.
Despite not having the ideal requirements for the job, there are still things you can talk about to portray your value such as:
- Hard and soft skills
- Achievements
- Qualifications
- Education
- Testimonials
- References
Quite a lot of different things you can look at!
In our examples listed later in this article, we’ve included a resume template that helped a student graduate land an interview with Sony. They had no work experience but still managed to fit quite a lot into their resume work experience section with an alternative aspect to focus on.
How Do You Write a Student Resume?
Student resumes are not too different from a usual resume. Like anything, you’ll have to work around your strengths, e.g. talking about the relevant jobs you’ve worked in the past or your academic background.
One thing you’ll need to do without question though is to beat the applicant tracking system.
We’ll cover everything you need to know about how to write a student resume. It doesn’t matter if you’re still in high school, university, or a new graduate. If you optimize your resume so that it’s tailored to the job description and company values, you’ll find yourself one step closer to landing your next job.
1. Use The Right Resume Format
Your resume should be in the ATS resume format so that it’s readable for the resume scanners the company is using.
However, you also need to consider what type of resume to use.
In the scenario of having limited work experience, you may want to use the functional resume format. With this particular approach, it puts your skills as the main spotlight in your application rather than your employment history.
This gives you the chance to conceal the gaps in your career timeline and to focus on your other strengths. It’s a good way to show you’re qualified for the job position.
2. Include Contact Details In The Resume Header
The resume header only needs to be one line long. Anything more than that is unnecessary and a waste of valuable space.
Your contact details belong in this part of your resume too. That includes:
- Full name
- Location
- Email address
- Phone number
- Your website/LinkedIn profile (optional)
3. Resume Summary / Resume Objectives
Usually, a resume summary or objective section isn’t essential. But, when you don’t have much to talk about then it’s worth using this to add content into your application.
This is where you can outline your professional goals and objectives.
When the hiring manager can see you align with their values, it can give you a competitive edge.
Be sure you’ve done the background research on the company too. You can use those details to personalize and tailor this section to the company culture so it’s aligned with their mission and values.
Employers would rather hire those who they can see more valuable in the long term.
4. Work Experience Section
An applicant tracking system will detect section headers in your application. The resume work experience is one good example of what it will be looking out for.
If you’ve had any relevant experience from previous jobs, include those in this section.
You should also mention your job position, the company you worked for, and the dates of employment.
The main purpose is to show hiring managers you’re familiar with taking responsibility in completing your job to a good standard and with what the workforce environment is like.
You can use the following:
- Relevant jobs you’ve worked in the past
- Internship placements
- Corporate education
- Extracurricular activities
- Volunteer experiences
5. Education Section
The education section is composed of your academic background and achievements, e.g. a university bachelor’s degree or professional diploma.
You should also include where you graduated, as well as the date you completed your studies.
You can include your GPA as long as it’s at least a score of 3.0 to show you’ve passed. It can be effective when you’re only just entering the job market as noted on CNBC.
6. Skills Section
There are two main types of skills: soft skills and hard skills.
You’ll want to include the resume skills your prospective recruiter wants to see. Check against the job description for what skills and jargon have been mentioned. For example, you may see things listed such as good communication, leadership, or social media marketing.
Hiring managers are on the lookout for certain skills and they’re more likely to hire candidates who have those capabilities that are in demand.
The more relevant skills you have, the bigger advantage you have as it shows you’re a more competent candidate.
7. Additional Resume Sections
There are other resume sections you can use that would be valuable for your employers. Here are a few examples:
- Projects
- Relevant coursework
- Training
- Involvement
Your application should be selling yourself via your skills and time to portray your value.
However, don’t exceed a one-page resume. For all job seekers whether you have up to 5 years of experience or not, you’re better off with a resume that all fits into a single page. These tend to leave a bigger impression as it’s easier to scan for both a human reader and the ATS.
8. Don’t Forget The ATS Keywords
This is one of many things your job document needs, which is part of the ATS resume do’s and don’ts that we’ve listed.
These keywords are used by the hiring manager to filter skilled candidates.
Employers only want to spend time assessing those who are qualified for the job position. They want to know who’s the best match for the company. When you haven’t included any of the things they expect, it’s a sign you haven’t properly read the board description.
If you’re not using any of the ATS resume keywords, you won’t reach your hiring manager.
One way Rezi helps users is with the AI keyword targeting feature.
All you have to do is copy and paste the job description and press the magic button. You’ll be
provided with a list of all the keywords your resume needs!
Resume Examples For Students
Corporate Rotational Graduate Resume (Interviewed by Sony)
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Management Student Resume
Student Technical Assistant Resume
Rezi has 189 ATS resume templates and cover letters to use. Try using them as a starting point and take inspiration from what’s already written rather than trying to create something new from zero. All of our templates are formatted and designed to bypass the resume scanners!
Attach a Cover Letter With Your Resume
We recommend you write a tailored cover letter alongside your ATS resume to maximize your chances of getting hired. It’s a good way to make up for not having all the desirable job requirements. Also, it shows you’re serious about the company and you can show you’re a strong cultural fit by adding personality.
Recruiters will want to see a candidate who is self-driven and motivated to learn. They’re more likely to hire someone who’s curious and genuinely interested in the field they’re applying for.
Rezi’s AI Resume Builder
Writing a powerful student resume doesn’t have to be difficult. At least, not with Rezi.
You can sign up for free and follow our easy step-by-step job application process without having to start from scratch.
Here’s how it works:
And there you have it, a complete online ATS resume :)
Conclusion
Creating a fully customized resume will take some level of commitment. That’s one reason why we suggest you start off by using an AI resume builder or template to save time. Plus, it’s better to start by seeing what’s already worked for others and taking that winning formula for your own application.
Aside from having no experience, you’ll learn as you go and develop your skills from there.
Don’t be too hard on yourself and don’t take it personally if you don’t get that full-time or part-time job you’ve kept on your watchlist. More importantly, don’t give up and keep adapting your job search strategy for the best results.
If you’re looking for career guidance or have any questions about resume writing, comment below – we’d love to help out!
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