A new generation of professionals is getting ready to compete in a tight job market, and having no previous work experience, building your resume can be a difficult task. What to highlight when I haven’t worked before? Is it useful to talk about academic merits?
Joaquín Jiménez, director of The Bonding, shared with some tips so that building your resume -from scratch- is easy and you manage to capture the attention of the recruiter.
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“Many people who are just out of college consider that they do not have any kind of experience because they have participated in activities that are not considered as a job. However, there are previous experiences, in school, or at university, that can be taken as such,” described Jimenez.
Therefore, you can include your extracurricular activities, outstanding research or practices within student groups, laboratories or university radio.
Highlight your achievements during your student days
Candidates can highlight those merits and achievements for which they worked. Phrases such as “I worked to pay for my university”, “I won a scholarship”, “we won as a team in such a sport” or “I went to live abroad to look for something else”, among others, are important and will demonstrate the characteristics of successful people, which is the self-motivation and taking risks to achieve something, describes the expert of The Bonding.
Should you put a photo or not?
It is optional and, in some cases, not necessary. However, it is a positive differential if your resume will be used as a personal marketing tool.
What should the photo look like? Keep in mind that your resume is not the same as any publication on a social network, so do not use ‘selfies’ or personal photos.
Although the image should represent your professionalism, the position and the company you would like to be in, remember that some companies do not have a traditional culture to require the presentation of “suit and tie”. The photo is associated with the type of company you would like to work for.
Pay attention to your profile
Depending on your career goals, highlight and describe your experiences, whether work or personal.
You can use lists or bullet points to highlight your most significant achievements, as well as knowledge and skills.
How to communicate correctly in your resume?
According to Jimenez, in terms of writing style, you can use or tweet as long as you maintain the same tone throughout the structure of your resume. Also, it is best to use verbs that are active, ’empowered’ and that demonstrate achievements, such as “I participated” or “I did”.
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The extension does matter
In general, a Recruiter does not evaluate a resume for more than 5 minutes. Make sure that this document does not exceed two sheets, maximum three in case you have a lot of experience and trajectory.
Unnecessary data
It is not required to include personal details, such as identification number, housing address, neighborhood and among others. “If you are a foreigner, it is important to inform if you have a work visa or not. The rest of the information will be required by the recruiter at the time the hiring process closes.”