Students and Young Adults often face the challenge of writing an eye-catching resume without much paid work experience. Here are our tips for how to write a resume for first-time/ young job seekers.
Think Differently about Experience
This is no time to be humble, start by listing things you’ve done in the community including;
- accomplishments
- leadership roles
- sports teams and clubs
- academic or training courses and projects
- school awards
- volunteer work
What are your Skills & Strengths?
You have skills and knowledge outside of paid work! Ask someone who knows you about what you do well. List things you know how to do:
- Are you an excellent team player who always shows up, or is dependable?
- Do you have experience caring for family members, running a household or keeping a family organized?
- Are you great at talking to people you don’t know?
- Do you like working with your hands and start right away to “just get the work done”?
Get Certified
Will getting a certification like CPR/ First Aid, Safe Food Handling, Smart Serve or another short-term training help you in your search for employment? If so, get started. You can ask an advisor at NEW if you are unsure what would be a good certification course to help you reach your goals.
Use Technology to your Advantage
AI tools and Resume templates can be a good starting point. Get your ideas down, use the tools available to help you organize them. *But be sure to put things in your own words* Don’t rely only on AI to do the work for you. Employers can often tell when a resume is 100% AI content.
NEW has resume templates and tip sheets available on our Resources page.
Everyone needs a support system while they look for work. Don’t forget that NEW is here to help you with your job search.