Creating a job-winning resume is your career’s initial and most important milestone. A resume is a document that allows a recruiter to employ you after learning professional data about you. So how to persuade the recruiter you’re the best candidate for the job despite the lack of experience? Check the tips in the article below.
Follow a Proper Resume Structure
Let’s start with a format. A chronological resume focuses on your accomplishments as a professional in the industry and is the top format to apply. But what if you wish to be wanted right now as a professional without years of waiting to become an actual pro? In this case, we advise you to opt for a functional format. This one focuses on your skills and ‘sells’ your career potential to employers.
How to improve the structure of your first job resume?
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· Find templates and resume samples online. By choosing proper resume examples, you get an opportunity to use a pre-made structure. You’ll learn which sections start your resume and which end it. You’ll also learn which sections make the core of a resume and which can be omitted;
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· Follow the sequence of sections. A standard functional resume will start with Contacts and an Objective or a Summary. The further sections will be Skills, Education, Experience, and Other Sections;
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· Pay attention to the design. How to make a resume for a first job with a proper format? The rules are simple – keep all your margins 1-inch and use formal fonts like Times New Roman or Arial. Also, don’t forget to use 1-1.5 spacing, so your job application doesn’t look cumbersome.
Learn Your Summary and Objective
A resume summary is typically used by job seekers with years of work experience and career achievements. However, for entry-level applications, we advise you to opt for a resume objective. What to write in your resume objective?
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· Tell the recruiter about your career plans. Start your objective with ‘I’m looking for a job position as a (name of the profession)’. If you need special training, add this information to your resume objective as well;
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· Be specific. Mention as many career-related details as you can when it comes to your job search demands. A perfect resume objective for an entry-level specialist will sound as follows: “Seeking the position as a hairdresser in local salons with flexible shift schedules. Trained in hair extentions”
Stay Calm and Show Your Knowledge
You might lack different professional experiences as an entry-level specialist or an industry changer. However, what modern applicants lacks in experience, they might compensate for in the Skills and Education sections. So how to make a resume for a first job with flawless Skills and Education sections?
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· Divide your Skills section into Hard Skills and Soft Skills. List the technical skills you have in the Hard Skills subsection. Your technical skills are the ones you need to enter the field of your career dreams. For instance, technical skills for a teacher will be interpersonal skills and subject knowledge. Meanwhile, technical or soft skills will be secondary but still ones required for the profession. In the case of a teacher, those will be communication skills and self-organization;
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· Mention internships and scholarships in the Education section. Internships and scholarships compensate for the lack of actual work experience. While scholarships show you’ve got enough knowledge, internships show that you’ve already applied it.
How to Make a Resume for a First Job with No Experience
There is no such thing as ‘zero experience.’ You might not have worked for a famous employer, but you have skills to show. When filling in the Experience section, the main rule is never to leave it empty. Even if your experience is slightly related to the current position, list your job responsibilities. By doing so, your chances of winning a job interview are still higher.
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· College projects. Have you done projects directly related to the job positions you’re applying for? Tell the recruiter more about them. Did you organize a charity event while at college? Mention this experience in your event planner resume;
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· Current position. Let’s say you want to apply for the web designer position. Currently, you’re working as a freelance artist. List your artistic skills and job responsibilities, and focus on your programming courses. The idea is to show the recruiter that you already possess the knowledge required for the job.
Never Underestimate the Power of Other Sections
Other Sections are the ending in your resume. You can choose between Volunteering, Hobbies, Other Sections, or Certifications. You can add only one section or all of them; it’s entirely up to you. The main rule is to keep the data in the sections career-related. For instance, you can mention your additional qualification as a specialist in the Certifications section. Or how you like to engage as a teacher in volunteering projects at local schools.
Final Thoughts
Your first resume is an entry ticket to the world of career development and dream jobs. The main trick is to ‘sell’ your skills, knowledge, and experience as an entry-level specialist. How to do it? By following the rules on structure, format, and design. Also, never leave your Experience section empty.
We hope the article was helpful to you. Here you can find more tips. Good luck!
