Careers: Resume-Building Practices for New Grads

By Kaye Liao, Klic Consulting

You worked hard getting good grades in school and made sure that your academic standing is outstanding. School was your number-one priority and besides thevolunteer hours you put-in for credits and perhaps taking part in extracurricular activities, you have never had a real job! Now, you have graduated from high-school or a post-secondary institution, ready to take part in the “workforce” and you are ready to write a resume for the first time in your life... What do you do if you don’t have any work experience? How do you produce a compelling, professional resume that shows that you have the competitive advantage over those who have the work experience? It is possible to get that right-fitting job despite your circumstances and you can still be in the running if you follow the following tips below when constructing your resume:

• Before you start working on that resume template, do your research on what industries, companies and job positions you would like to work in. What are your natural and learned abilities? Write a list of your strengths, goals, and interests.
  
  
• Based on your research and your list, write down all the courses you took in school that you think would be relevant in your job search. For example, if you like working with people, networking and you want to make more than a salary, then maybe a career in sales is for you. It turns out that you have a Psychology degree where you took courses in Social Psychology and Cultural Psychology, plus you took a couple of Marketing courses as electives. These courses are helpful in learning about sales strategies. In sales, you are dealing with the “social” world , where people you meet and work with can come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Marketing is directly related to sales. These courses are important to include in your resume. If you need to fill-in space, you can write a brief description of sales skills acquired by taking the courses.
  
  
• Include in your resume every volunteer experience you have had. From helping to sell muffins at a church bake sale, to dog-sitting for a friend from time-to-time. These are all valid “volunteer work experiences”. Any event that you were a part of, in school or any extra-curricular activities will count.
  
  
• Any computer and technical skills should be included such as creating a website for your online social networking accounts, or setting-up your wireless connection at home, or making online videos. These are valuable technical skills that are expected by many employers.
  
  
• If you know how to write, speak and/or understand another language besides English, do make sure to include your fluency level in your resume.
  
  
• Mention that you have a driver’s license, and a reliable vehicle if you have one, as some jobs require you to travel to see clients.
  
  
• Include your interests and hobbies. If you are involved in sports, do explain your role and commitment to your team. Include any awards and achievements.
  
  
• Include any scholarships, awards, special recognitions and any academic/elective achievements you have been recognized for.
  
  
• Use buzz words such as “accomplished” , “committed”, “effective”, “driven”, and “passionate”.
  
  
• Remember, the employer is always thinking, how would this person contribute to the benefit of the company and the team? They are looking to hire someone who will have the passion, energy and commitment to work, grow and produce profits for the company.

Kay Liao is a Vancouver-based image, career and lifestyle consultant, providing specialized coaching for new high school and post-secondary graduates. She owns and operates KLiC Consulting.