Resume Tips for New Grads
Graduating this May? It’s time to start thinking about crafting your resume. As graduation quickly approaches, before you know it, you’ll need to start applying for jobs. Crafting an outstanding resume is imperative as you’ll likely be competing for jobs against other fresh graduates. Although graduating is an exciting time, knowing that you’ll be interviewing for your first post-college job can be overwhelming. However, there is no need to worry, you’re not alone in those feelings.
At Horizon Staffing Solutions, a top-rated New York staffing company, we help administrative professionals, teachers, substitute teachers, and paraprofessionals in New York land great jobs daily. We look at dozens of resumes daily and we know what hiring managers are looking for on a resume. We’re here to help you, which is why we are writing this blog on resume tips for new grads!
Resume Tips for New Grads
- Start with a Strong Summary
Your summary should be at the top of your resume along with your contact information. Think of your resume as your elevator pitch. Your resume should be a concise, compelling, and memorable summary of yourself. Since you may not have much work experience yet, you should focus on your skills and what you can bring to the table.
Example: “Dedicated and energetic recent graduate with a passion for education. Experience in classroom support, lesson planning, and working with students through internships and volunteer work. Looking for a paraprofessional or substitute teaching role where I can make a difference on students’ lives”.
- Highlight your Education, Achievements, and Certifications
Your education is one of your biggest assets right now, so make sure to highlight it on your resume! You’ll need to include your degree, major, school you attended, graduation year, relevant coursework, and any certifications such as CPR training or a Teaching Assistant Certification. If you were a part of any societies, earned any honors, or participated in any leadership activities that is relevant to the position you’re applying for, you should also place that information on your resume.
- List Any Internships, Volunteering, and Relevant Experience
No history of a full-time job? No worries! If this is your current situation, employers love to see internships and volunteer work. If you’re an education major looking to become a teacher, they’ll love to see any student teaching experience as well. Any hands-on experience that is relevant to the position you’re applying for should also be listed.
- Highlight Top Skills
In your skills section of your resume, highlight both technical and soft skills. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that give insight into how you work and interact with others. Examples of soft skills includes:
- Adaptability
- Empathy
- Collaboration
- Communication Skills
- Leadership
- Organization
- Time Management
- Conflict Resolution
- Patience
Hard skills on the other hand are skills you develop through specific training or education. These skills are often quantifiable traits. Examples of hard skills include:
- Project Management
- Bookkeeping
- Writing and editing
- Search Engine Optimization
- Copywriting
- Critical Thinking
- Adobe
- Tailor Your Resume for Each Job Posting
You will want to tailor your resume to have relevant experiences and skills based on the job postings requirements. Look for the buzz words throughout the job posting and be sure to plug those words in throughout your resume. This not only helps to align your resume with the hiring managers standards, but it also improves your chances of passing through an applicant tracking system (ATS).
- Keep it Simple, Clean, and Professional
Hiring managers often scan resumes for a quick overview, therefore it’s imperative that your resume is easy to read. In order for a resume to be clean and professional, you should have clear headings, bullet points, and a professional font. Keep your resume concise, stay away from adding too much fluff, and avoid unnecessary graphics. While creating your resume, ensure that it is no longer than two pages. If you can fit all relevant information on to one page, that would be best. However, if it is necessary to have two pages do not make it any longer.
- Write a Strong Cover Letter
Many candidates believe that cover letters are optional or a waste of time. This is why you should write a strong cover letter for each position you’re applying to. Since many candidates don’t provide one, you’ll immediately stand out against your competition. A cover letter is your first personal introduction to the employer that gives them an inside view of who you are.
- Proof Read!
You would be surprised at how many people submit resumes without proof reading! It is critical that you proofread your resume before sending it to a potential employer. Proofreading your resume will help you avoid typos, misspellings, or irrelevant information. If you submit a resume with spelling mistakes or grammatical errors, the employer may think you rushed the application and that your resume was a last-minute effort. Use free online resources to your advantage such as spellcheck or Grammarly to check for any errors. You will also want to look out for repeated words, format mistakes, or any relevant information you forgot to include. While you are perfecting your resume, proofread it in different ways such as on different devices, reading it out loud, printing it out, and reading it backwards. Just a little bit of effort can go a long way!
Final Thoughts
As you’re gearing up to graduate in May, take our tips for new grads into consideration when you are creating your resume. If you’re a new grad looking for a job in education, administration, or paraprofessional roles in New York, Horizon Staffing Solutions is here to help! We specialize in connecting motivated job seekers with amazing opportunities. If you’re ready to apply, send us your resume or check out our current open jobs!