Whether you’re still enrolled in school or you’ve just walked the stage, creating a well-written student resume can be the foundation for your professional success. In this guide, we provide student resume examples and expert tips to create a compelling document that highlights your academic achievements and career potential. Learn how to identify and find the best opportunities for students.
How To Create a Student Resume
Crafting an entry-level resume might sound like a tedious task, but it’s not as hard as it may seem. Start with a solid outline of your:
- Contact information
- Profile summary
- Key skills
- Education and relevant coursework
- Professional and/or volunteer experience
Before you begin typing up your document, collect all the information you need. It helps to make a page of notes to reference as you fill out each section. This allows you to gather your thoughts and determine the best way to organize information.
Student resume templates
Beyond including all the appropriate content, take a strategic approach to writing your resume. There are plenty of ways you can optimize your student resume that will help put you at the top of the consideration list.
For example, instead of creating one resume to submit to multiple employers, customize your document to the specific requirements of each position. Study the job posting and incorporate terms and phrases (keywords) into your profile, skills list, and any experience sections. Learn how to perfect your student resume today with our comprehensive guide.
What Can You Do? Common Jobs for Students and Recent Graduates
About half of all college students are also employed, and across every industry, you can find entry-level jobs or internships suitable for current students and recent graduates alike. Organizations are constantly on the lookout for early-career professionals to fill assistant, intern, and specialist roles. Here are a few examples of some common entry-level positions.
- Content writer: Does writing come easy to you? If so, you could get a job as a content writer. These wordsmiths create written content for things like websites, blogs, and marketing campaigns. They use their skills to inform and persuade audiences. Companies hire these writers to create content that engages the target audience and improves their online presence.
- Data entry clerk: If you’re all about the details and have a knack for organization, data entry may be the perfect fit. This role involves tasks like verifying information, inputting data into computer systems, and maintaining records. Data entry clerks make sure office databases are up-to-date and error-free, enabling organizations to make accurate data-driven decisions.
- Financial analyst intern: Are you majoring in finance or otherwise good with numbers? Consider an internship for this high-demand occupation. Interns get practical experience analyzing data, creating financial models, and conducting market research. They assist finance professionals with evaluating investment opportunities and preparing reports using the latest financial strategies.
- Graphic design intern: Immerse yourself in a creative, collaborative setting with a graphic design internship. These interns work side by side with experienced designers to create visual art for advertisements, printed materials, and website content. This is a great opportunity for artists who want a glimpse into the day-to-day of professional graphic designers.
- Patient care assistant: Students interested in a medical career can get first-hand experience working with patients as a care assistant. These health care professionals provide direct care, assisting with things like activities of daily living, vital sign monitoring, and emotional support. They work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.
Where Can You Work? The Best Employers for Students and Recent Graduates
Every year, Forbes collects data on the top employers for new graduates. We’ve studied the list for you and pulled together a diverse list of companies with the highest scores. From aerospace to health care, these organizations offer some of the best working environments for early-career professionals.
- Ally Financial: A leading financial services company, Ally Financial offers entry-level professionals valuable experience working in areas like banking, finance, customer service, technology, and operations. The company values innovation, customer-centric solutions, and employee development. Browse the company’s job board to launch your career in the financial sector.
- General Mills: This renowned consumer foods company has a rich history of producing popular brands like Cheerios and Yoplait. As an entry-level professional, joining its team offers an opportunity to contribute to innovative food products, sustainability initiatives, and global outreach. Use the search engine on the General Mills career page to review job openings.
- Google: This global tech giant offers entry-level professionals a chance to be at the forefront of innovation. Joining Google often means working on cutting-edge projects, collaborating with top talent, and shaping the future of technology. Head over to Google’s website to browse multiple internships across a range of departments and hundreds of job openings around the globe.
- Mayo Clinic: A renowned health care organization, it has hundreds of opportunities to contribute to patient care, research, and medical advancements. Working at Mayo can give you the chance to learn from top medical experts and provide excellent health care. Discover how you can make a difference in the medical field with an entry-level job at Mayo Clinic.
- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): This pioneer of space exploration and scientific research engages in groundbreaking missions with the latest technology. The organization offers the Pathways Internship Program, a multi-semester experience with a track to full-time employment after graduation. Visit NASA’s website to explore all entry-level positions.
Where Should You Look for Work? Student and Recent Graduate Job Boards
You can easily bring your student or internship resume to any large job board like LinkedIn or ZipRecruiter. However, there are also special websites dedicated to helping students and graduates find paid positions and internships. Explore some of the sites below to find companies actively looking to hire entry-level professionals fresh out of school.
AfterCollege
Founded by a group of Stanford University students, AfterCollege is on a mission to help every college student and recent grad find the right career path. Partnered with Jobcase, a vast workforce empowerment community, the company prioritizes students and their success.
AfterCollege facilitates job and internship discovery with the promise of safeguarding student data. You can search its online career board by job title, keyword, and location.
Alumni Central
Alumni Central is part of College Central Network, Inc. (CCN), a company providing technology solutions and services to postsecondary educational institutions and their students. The company partners with colleges across the country to provide job postings and a library of podcasts and videos.
Simply create a CCN account and log in to access the database. Alumni Central has more than 2.7 million registered employers and over 500,000 jobs and internships across the U.S.
CampusCareerCenter
Yet another website that caters to entry-level job seekers is CampusCareerCenter. Recent graduates and current students will find a range of resources, including job listings, career advice, and tools for transitioning into the professional world.
The company hosts over 30 well-known employers, from Deloitte to the U.S. government. Although there are fewer job listings available on this website, you’ll find work opportunities with some of the top organizations in the world.
CollegeGrad
Created specifically for the college graduate, CollegeGrad assists early-career professionals with a range of resources and job listings. You can browse job openings by level, title, industry, and location and search for entry-level careers or internships.
The company also has its own mobile app for both iOS and Android, making it easy to keep track of current postings. You can also set up alerts with push notifications or explore the map feature and find jobs near you.
College Recruiter
This online job board is tailored to college students and recent graduates searching for internships and entry-level positions. Employers posting to this website are looking to hire college students specifically.
College Recruiter also offers a collection of articles for new job seekers, offering advice on job searching and career development. You can make a seamless transition from academia to the workforce with College Recruiter.
CoolWorks
This unique job board was created for those seeking adventure and seasonal employment opportunities. It focuses on jobs in picturesque locations, such as national parks, resorts, and remote destinations.
If you’re looking for something a little bit out of the box and unconventional after years of schooling, CoolWorks.com provides an exciting way to combine work and exploration. Browse nearly 500 unique job opportunities and housing options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Writing a Student Resume
Should you put your GPA on your resume?-
Whether a GPA is necessary or appropriate for your entry-level or internship resume depends on your score and the position you’re applying for. Do some research on the expectations in the field because some industries do value GPAs for early-career professionals.
Although fewer employers are looking to GPAs during the hiring process, a score of 3.5 to 4.0 can show you’re a high-performing applicant. At the very least, it can help you stand out from other candidates.
How long is a student resume?-
Most student resumes should only be about one page long, with the focus being quality over quantity. Just because you could fill three pages with academic and extracurricular achievements doesn’t mean you should. Multi-page resumes are usually only used for senior-level jobs and government positions.
Hiring managers only take a few moments to scan resumes, so a one-page document is often best. Potential employers only need the key takeaways from your background. If you want more space to explain yourself, a cover letter is the perfect place to do that.
How do I write a resume with no experience?-
Just because you lack paid work experience doesn’t mean you haven’t had any experience at all. You can pull from participation in school, clubs, and sports teams to highlight communication, leadership, and collaboration skills. Personal projects and freelancing can demonstrate self-motivation and initiative — valuable skills to hiring managers.
Instead of having a “Professional Experience” section on your entry-level resume, you can create a general “Experience” section and include “positions” such as sports captain, club leader, blogger, influencer, affiliate marketer, and more. Then, create bullet points under these experiences to detail the relevant tasks performed, measurable outcomes achieved, and skills gained.
What makes a student resume stand out?-
The best way to make your resume stand out is by tailoring it to each job you apply for.
Identify exactly what the employer is looking for by studying the job posting. Next, match up their requirements with your experience, skills, and education. Throughout your resume, use keywords from the job posting and include information from your academic and/or professional background that shows you can meet the needs of the organization.
