If you are nearing the end of your degree you may be starting to feel a bit of panic around the idea of going out into the “real world” to get a “real job” and act like a “real adult.” It can be a scary time full of change, but it is also a really exciting one as you get to leave study behind and begin life working in a field you had always dreamed of.
To help you get on your way, we have put together a list of five handy tips on how to refresh your resume to help you land your first job.
- Write a career objective. Perfect if you haven’t had much experience, a career objective is your opportunity to briefly introduce yourself and let the reader know what you are currently doing, what your key skills are, what you are looking for and when you are available. Make sure to be concise and confident in the statements you make.
- Emphasize education. As a recent graduate, your education is one of your strongest assets so ensure you highlight this early on in your resume. Go into detail about the university you attended, your graduation date, and any relevant units that you studied. If you have a strong CWA (course weighted average) include that as well.
- Look at your experiences with a fresh perspective. Don’t undersell yourself if your only work experience has been working the checkout at your local grocer, you just need to find ways to make those skills and experiences relevant to the job you are applying for. Use action verbs to describe the tasks you did and how you benefitted the business, e.g. “Demonstrated excellent people skills by attending to customers of all ages.”
- Tailor your resume to the job description. Take the time to go through the job description in detail and pick out any keywords that keep popping up or what skills the employer is looking for in the perfect candidate that you may have and be sure to highlight those skills in your resume and inject those keywords where you can.
- Edit your resume carefully. Make sure you read through your resume with a fine-tooth comb at least twice before submitting it. Check for any spelling or grammatical errors and make sure your formatting is consistent. One mistake could be the difference between getting an interview or not!
If you need more in-depth assistance, be sure to get in touch with the Careers, Employment & Leadership team.
