5 Ways to Make Your Résumé Stand Out
- Apr 19, 2016
- 2 min read
Internships are one of the best ways to help you gain hands-on experience in the field of your choice. In a broad major like Strategic Communication, it’s helpful to work in different internships in order to truly find your niche. Once you graduate you will be looking for a job that will suit you, and where you will be an asset to their team. The question is, how do I make my application stand out in a crowd? The answer can be found in your résumé.
When it comes time to fine-tune your résumé, NDSU’s Career Center is your friend. The career center is located on the third floor of Ceres Hall. The staff of the career center will help critique your résumé, set up mock interviews, and help with job searches and grad school preparation. Olivia Scott, NDSU’s Career Specialist, was kind enough to share some helpful tips to make your résumé stand out.
1. “Make sure your resume is tailored to the specific position you are applying for by covering all of the minimum qualifications posted in the job description. Employers want to know you took the time to learn what this position entails, and that you are the best candidate.”
It would be easy for employers to filter out résumés that are addressed to the wrong company – which is not the first time that has happened.
2. “Highlight important and related information with their own sections, like ‘Internship’ or ‘Related Experience’ to let those experiences truly shine.”
How does this experience make you the right fit for this position?
3. “Display how qualified you are by showcasing the transferable skills you have gained through your experiences, so the employer can really see you working in their organization.”
For example, if you work in a field that deals with customer service, and one of your skills is “excellent customer service skills,” be sure to show a brief example of how you have great customer service skills. Don’t just tell, show.
4. “Your resume is similar to a highlight reel on a sports station, it demonstrates the best of your strengths but doesn’t have time to show in detail all of your past experiences.”
If they would like to know more about your strengths, be sure to prepare for those questions in a potential interview!
5. “Make it easy for the employer to read through quickly, be sure it has balance and is aesthetically pleasing without any errors.”
A résumé is best to be kept at one full page. If you do choose to write more, make it two full pages so that it is, as Olivia states, aesthetically pleasing.
A special thank you to Olivia Scott for providing some helpful hints for building and perfecting résumés. The career center, as stated before, is an excellent resource for preparing for internships and potential careers. A well-written and prepared résumé could help you land that job you’ve been dreaming about. Book an appointment with the career center today to get ready for the next step!
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