1. The Goal
A great resume is your first introduction to a potential employer so make it memorable. Students need to promote their personality, interests and values right from the beginning. Focus on trying to showcase yourself as you would in a 30 second elevator pitch.
2. The Sale
You would never wear sweatpants to a job interview. Neither can your resume.
Consider the design: the font, how much white space to leave between sections, the headlines you choose and how you display them. Also, be hyper vigilant in proofreading for typos or grammatical errors.
Look at multiple samples of resumes specific to the field(s) you are interested in to get an idea of how to make your resume look professional.
Focus on trying to showcase yourself as you would in a 30 second elevator pitch.
3. Short Is Sweet
Students and new grads often worry they don’t have enough experience and “pad” their resumes with unnecessary information. Don’t do it! Respect the intelligence of the reader. They know when you’re writing filler.
Write in bullet points, avoid long sentences and consider two pages as an absolute maximum.
4. Know Your Audience
Don’t create a single resume to send out to everyone. To stand out, cater each resume to specific needs of the position you’re applying for.
Learn about the companies, read their websites, learn their language and use it in your sales pitch (resume).
Cater each resume to specific needs of the position you're applying for.
5. Get (Selectively) Creative
You may not have as much experience as you’d like; neither do most of your peers. That’s why you can focus on other areas of your life that exhibit your best skills.
That summer you led a canoe trip, or the year you volunteered at the hospital could make all the difference in getting you that interview.
While a sports award is worth including to show discipline, tread carefully. Be highly selective when including hobbies and other items of personal history.
This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.
