College Student Resume Examples and Templates
As most college students can attest, it’s tough filling out a resume when you have minimal work experience. That is why college student resumes are slightly different from the resumes you’ll write later in your career. By studying a few examples, and following a good college student resume template, it’s not difficult to write an effective demonstration to persuade employers to hire you after graduation.
Resume Tips for College Students
What should a college student resume look like? As the old saying goes, there are many ways to skin a cat. You can write an effective resume in a thousand different ways. But there are some things college students can emphasize in a resume to help increase their odds of landing an interview.
Contact Details
A complete college student resume should include your name, phone number, email address, and mailing address. Having an amazing resume is worth little if employers can’t use it to reach you.
Resume Objective Statement
You can use a resume objective statement to paint a picture of how your experiences and skills can be applied. For example, a college student might explain how their educational experiences helped them prepare to be successful on the job.
Career Goals
A career goals statement is a short summary of the career path you imagine for yourself. This can be useful when an employer has to determine if your goals align with theirs. Outside of those concerns, it’s often not necessary to include a career goals statement. Alternatively, career goal information can often be placed within a resume objective statement.
Skills List
Employment history is the backbone of a professional resume, and skill lists are the backbone of a college student resume. Between your hard skills and soft skills, you have countless abilities to offer employers.
However, the skills mentioned on your resume should be tailored to match the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a customer service position, you might emphasize your communication abilities more than your organizational skills.
Educational Qualifications
Include your highest level of education and, if applicable, the concentration of your studies. You can also list coursework if its applicable to the position, but it’s otherwise not necessary to include. It’s also unnecessary to list grades, unless you believe they’ll be relevant to the employer.
Employment History
Begin with your most current form of employment and work backwards, listing dates of employment and position titles. College students who lack employment history might include volunteer work, internships, and similar informal work experience. When you lack employment history entirely, you should focus on the development of your skill list.
References
Resumes make plenty of claims. References help back them up. At the bottom of your resume, it’s useful to conclude with one or two references. That portion should include your reference’s name, title, and contact information.
References ideally come from someone who you’ve worked with before, but effective references can be drawn from anyone who can recommend you in a professional capacity. A professor who you’ve closely worked with would be an excellent choice, especially for a recommendation letter.
How to Write a Resume for an Insurance Job or Internship
Consider how you would write a resume for an insurance underwriter, claims adjuster, or insurance agent. In each case, the employer would be searching for slightly different things.
A resume for a claims adjustor might focus on computer proficiency, time management, and knowledge of engineering. An insurance agent resume might focus on soft skills, like active listening skills and patience. And an insurance underwriter resume might focus on analytical skills, a background in math or statistics, or an attention to detail.
Curious about a career in insurance? Take our career planning quiz to see which insurance roles would be right for you.
College Student Resume Template
