Recent College Graduate Resume (Examples for New Grads)

Recent College Graduate Resume (Examples for New Grads) Youre about to prepare a recent college graduate resume.Whether youre diving into data, hurrying into healthcare, or flying into finance, you are ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges of post-grad life.But firstYour college grad resume has to be on fleek.No worries.This recent college graduate resume guide will show you:Recent graduate resume examples better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.How to write a resume for a recent college graduate that gets more interviews.Tips on how to put skills and achievements on a college grad resume.How to describe your experience to get any recent graduate jobs you want.We have resume guides no matter which level of education youve accomplished:Scholarship ResumeHigh School Resume for College ApplicationsInternship Resume for College StudentsFirst Resume with No Work ExperienceGraduate School Resume/CVCollege Freshman ResumeMedical Student CVHigh School Graduate Resume1Whats the Best Format for a College Graduate Resume?Remember cramming before a major exam?Prospective employers skim through resumes just that fast.ButIts a measly 7-second glance per resume, as our HR statistics report shows. Those who dont make it past that first scan must continue their job hunt elsewhere.Use the chronological format.This structure keeps your resume in order like the campus police. HR managers and recruiters across all industries are familiar with this resume layout.Heres how to format a resume for recent college graduates:Start off with a compelling resume objective or resume summary.Document your knowledge in the education resume section.Talk up any experience you may have earned during your studies.List skills and abilities you have which match the job advertisement.Stand out from other applicants by adding extra resume sections.Select good resume fonts to ensure its legible. Use white space and section headings to guide the recruiter easily through your various resume sections.LastlyAs youre fresh out of university, your educat ion is almost always more impressive than your work experience. Place your job history below unless youve had relevant experience during your college years.Dont have any work experience yet?No problem. Just lose that section and go hard on the others.Pro Tip: Save recent college grad resumes in the PDF format. Like an accredited school, the PDF format ensures it is accepted no matter which device the HR staff view it on.Dont think the reverse-chronological format is right for your new graduate resume? There are other options. See our guide: Best Resume Format: What Resume Model to Choose? [+ Resume Format Examples]2Recent College Graduate Resume Objective or Summary?When you prepared an academic paper, causing the reader to snooze was a point in your favor.Not so on a recent college grad resume.Write a heading statement that makes them focus on you like an Adderall.Youve got two options: the resume summary or resume objective.Got experience in your prospective industry from some par t-time work or an internship?Use the resume summary.The summary statement is a short paragraph summing up your experience and skills. Use an accomplishment with numbers to prove your value to them.Heres an example college graduate summary for a data science job:College Graduate Resume Examples: Resume SummaryrightIBM Watson-certified data scientist with 8 months experience from data science internship at private investment banking startup. Achieved 135% investment returns through pioneering new alpha extraction method and modeling relevant financial metrics.wrongI have just finished a data science internship where I learned many new data analysis skills and knowledge. During this time, I studied machine learning, created AI models, assisted with statistical analysis, and designed automated pipelines.Both look pretty impressive, huh?At first.However, in the right example, you give a key win or accomplishment with numbers to back it up. It proves your experience rather than giving a l aundry list of duties.But, what if you have no relevant work experience?Use a resume objective.The objective tells your prospective workplace how your career goals align with their plans. Youll still use relevant skills, experience, and quantifiable achievements.Here are two recent college graduate resume objective statement examples:Recent Graduate Resume Examples: Resume ObjectiverightRecent university graduate with computer science major and data science minor. Created class project utilizing AI to beat 500+ students at determining winners across multiple sports disciplines. Seeking to leverage 3.9 GPA and 80 data science-related classroom hours to obtain the junior data scientist position at Brooklyn Tech.wrongIve just graduated from university with a bachelors degree in computer science. I havent had any paid working experience yet, but I have the will to learn and many classroom hours.Here, the right example briefs them on your background, gives a key achievement, and it even mentions the companys name to let them know you tailored your resume to the job.Now this is an objective thats Magna Cum Laude!Pro Tip: Whether you choose a resume objective or summary, it goes at the top of your new college graduate resume. However, you dont need to write it first. Instead, save writing it for the end, so you have the rest of your resume to inform its creation.Want more advice on writing a career summary or career objective on a college graduate resume template? Check out our guides: Professional Resume Summary Examples [20+ Resume Summary Statement Examples] and General Resume Objective Examples [20+Examples of Great Career Objectives]3Is Your Education Section Underperforming? It Might BeGraduation is your biggest achievement since navigating your way out the birth canal.That meansYour education section is crucially important to get right.Heres how to list education on resumes:College Grad Resume ExamplesEducation Section2019 BS in Computer ScienceCornell Univers ity. Ithaca, NYMinor: Data ScienceRelevant Coursework: Python for Data Science, Research Design and Application for Data and Analysis, Statistics for Data Science, Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Applied Machine Learning, Experiments and Causal Inference, ML at Scale.Honors Awards: Deans List (past 5 semesters)As you may have noticed, you need not list the range of dates in your degree program; the year you earned your degree will suffice.Also, skip the GPA on a resume. Unless its super close to a 4.0, itll just hurt your chances while taking up space.Since youre a recent grad, go ham on your education section. Add any honors and awards, minors, publications, and especially any coursework relevant to your job field.Finally, dont add your high school diploma since youve completed university.Pro Tip: If you took part in an externship during your university studies, add that information here in your education section. If its an internship, however, place that in your work experience section, which well talk about now.Got another educational scenario? Check this guide out: Education Resume Section: How to List High School College Education4How to Describe Experience on a Recent Grad ResumeAccording to the NCES, employment rates for those with bachelors degrees and highers in 2017 were lower than they were in 2000. On top of that, there were almost 50% more bachelors degrees awarded in 2017 vs 2000.Needless to say, theres a LOT of competition.How to beat other newly graduated candidates?If you have relevant job experience from before you graduated, such as a college internship, write a work history section to put yourself ahead of other applicants.Dont only list your job responsibilities. Include key accomplishments with numbers to prove your abilities.Here are two college intern resume samples:Entry-Level Experience for Graduate ResumeInternship ExamplesrightData Science InternJanuary 2018December 2018Price Capital, New York, NYKey Qualifications Responsibili tiesPerformed alpha extraction of useful insights from large structured and unstructured data setsEvaluated and analyzed existing and new data sets to generate quantitative fundamental insights or model relevant financial metricsApplied statistical analysis, natural language processing, and machine learning methods to large data sets for data mining, feature engineering, bias correction, and predictionKey AchievementPioneered new alpha extraction method which led to 135% increase in investment returns.wrongData Scientist InternJanuary 2018December 2018Price Capital, New York, NYKey ResponsibilitiesCreated AI models.Assisted with statistical analysis.Designed automated pipelines.Like an assignment without your name on it, the second internship experience is not ready to hand in.Its lacks the oomph of the first example: detailed responsibilities and a numbered achievement.ButWhat if youre writing a new college grad resume without relevant experience?No worries.Talk up your most signif icant duties and achievements to show them your work ethic matches their company values:Recent College Grad Resume ExampleNo Related ExperiencerightBank Teller ConsultantJanuary 2016December 2018Price Capital, New York, NYKey Qualifications ResponsibilitiesRecorded transactions and prepared currency transaction reports.Reconciled cash drawer by proving cash transactions.Assisted clients with AI program to help identify perfect loan products.Key AchievementAdopted ML and AI to increase loan applications and approvals by 250%.Experience as a bank teller seems to have hardly anything to do with our other example of becoming a data analyst. However, pick the responsibilities and achievements you have which are most relevant.No fluff, just the good stuff.If youve done some freelance work or online gigs, add only the most impressive one.And, if you are writing a resume for your first job, just skip the work history section. However, be sure to double down in the other areas if you want to stay in the running!Pro Tip: Use action verbs to begin each job duty and accomplishment. However, dont choose the same tired words that everyone else uses (e.g., responsible for). Use power words to give it some life.Check what else to put in your experience section in our guide Work Experience on a Resume: Job Description Bullets that *Kill* [100+]5How to Put Skills on a College Resume for GraduatesUp till now in your life, youve earned hella skills.ButThey span the spectrum, from financial management to social etiquette. Which skills to add to a recent grad resume template?Not to worry.First, create a simple table or list of skills, like this one below.Include hard and soft skills: hard skills are ones you study and learn (e.g., Microsoft Office), and soft skills are ones you develop during life (e.g., decision making skills).Top 14 Skills for New Graduate ResumesTechnical SkillsEffective Communication SkillsManagement SkillsDecision-Making SkillsMarketing SkillsCreative Thinki ngComputer SkillsWriting SkillsProject Management SkillsActive Listening SkillsProblem Solving SkillsTime Management SkillsAnalytical SkillsCritical Thinking SkillsButDont just add a list of random skills and call it a day.Your resume will receive an immediate suspension.Rather, go back to the job description to figure out the specific skills your company requires.Heres a data analyst job description, for example:You will build and maintain reporting dashboards and management tools to help stakeholders make decisions[1]You will develop and manage systems and data models for new and rapidly-evolving business processes - including our sales funnel, global expansion, member value programming and moreYou will systematically improve our operations by identifying opportunities, deriving business hypotheses on how we might leverage those opportunities, and validating those hypotheses through experimentation[2]Institute data capture systems and processes to help us understand whats going on in our business and in our spaces around the worldCapture holistic data and use that insight to identify creative ways to improve financial and operational performance[3]Reading the job ad thoroughly makes it a breeze to pick the right skills:New College Grad Resume SamplesSkills SectionrightSkilled in making informed decisions from management tools[1]Efficient at identifying unique business opportunities[2]Effective at capturing and gaining insight from holistic data[3]wrongTech skills.People skills.Emotional intelligence.Adding skills like our second example is just like taking Underwater Basket Weaving 101Useless.The right example, however, is tailored perfectly for this particular job.Finally, keep the ATS in mind.An applicant tracking system is software which helps larger companies and recruitment firms handle the numerous resumes they receive each day.HR managers scan resumes into the software. Next, they give the program specific resume keywords to search for on those resume s. Then, they receive a score back for each resume based on how well they match the job description.No match, no job!Pro Tip: Soft skills are great, but lean towards going hard in your skills section. Save your cover letter and interview for showing them you have great social skills and problem-solving abilities.Want more tips for writing the skills section for new grad resumes? See our guide: 99 Key Skills for a Resume (All Types of Professional Skills with Examples Included!).6How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Recent Graduate ResumeHeres the thing: every recent uni grad will have these previous sections on their resume.How will you stand out?Include additional resume sections to show youre one of a kind.Here are great extra sections to include on a resume for post-college jobs:College Graduate Resume Samples: Extra SectionsCertificationsMany employers weigh official certificates heavier than even your degree (dont tell your parents). Add relevant ones, such as CompTIA A+ for IT or the Red Cross BLS/CPR certification for medical professions.Volunteer ExperienceVolunteer experience on recent graduate resumes is an awesome way to add work experience when you dont have any paid job history. If you have multiple volunteer positions in your past, choose the most job-appropriate ones.Language SkillsIn this globalized world, proficiency in a second language is more important than ever. Add the language and your skill level in it in a standardized proficiency scale.Hobbies and InterestsAdding your interests, pastimes, passions, and hobbies to a resume is a great way to subtly talk up skill sets.Professional PortfolioNot a resume section, per se, but an impressive addition for certain industries, nonetheless! For example, if youve written on a personal blog, a portfolio of those articles would look great for marketing positions. Add the portfolio URL to your resume contact information section.And speaking of your contact deetsContact InformationYour address o n the resume is core, but here are a few pointers to set it up for success:Your contact info goes at the very top, above your resume summary or objective on a single-column resume, but beside it on a two-column resume.Give them a professional email address. Youre all growed up now, no more sexybae69xxx@yahoo.com.Add relevant social links. LinkedIn is always a good idea, but rarely Facebook or Twitter. Designers can add Behance, while IT pros might add GitHub, for example.Avoid unnecessary or potentially harmful information, such as date of birth, citizenship status, marriage status, or race.Skip the address on the resume unless it is important for local jobs. Check the job ad.Include a branding statement as a subtitle below your name to stand out.Finally, optimize your LinkedIn profile!Weve got a great guide on the best things to include in a resume and a tutorial on resume sections and categories. Check them out!Pro Tip: Your college career advisor may have suggested adding referen ces to a resume. Dont do it. Employers know that references are available upon request, and you can use that precious real estate to include more important items.7How About a Recent College Graduate Cover Letter?A resume without a cover letter is like failing a core classYoull just have to do it over.Always attach a cover letter, as 53% of employers say the resume alone is insufficient.Heres how to write recent college grad cover letters as refreshing as a gap year:Start with a compelling introduction on your job or university intern cover letter.Explain why you are the best candidate for the post-college job position.Add numbered achievements like on your college resume template.Show them youre excited to be a part of this company and their team.Close it out with a powerful call-to-action for the best chance at the job.Also, never write a generic cover letter (if you want the job, at least). Recruiters hate spam.Your recent grad entry-level cover letter is the first impression youl l make on the hiring managerIf theyre not impressed, this college resume is irrelevant.Pro Tip: Before sending everything off, proofread and get a friend to check it all for errors and inconsistencies. Then, check your online presenceyou dont want to be derailed by one stupid frat party photo you forgot to take down!Want to know more cover letter tricks that always work? See these articles: 35+ Best Cover Letter Tips, Advice Guidelines and How to Write a Job-Winning Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps (12+ Examples)Also, don't forget to see a dedicated cover letter example for recent grads: Recent Graduate Cover LetterReady for the interview? Prepare yourself with these guides: 50+ Interview Tips that Work, Interview Questions Answers, and Questions to Ask the Interviewer.Key TakeawayMaking a uni grad resume was easy as a Netflixer, right?Lets sum it all up.Heres how to write a resume for recent college graduates:Use the reverse-chronological format to make it familiar and easy for HR. Begin with an intriguing college grad resume objective or summary.List your educational achievements with relevant coursework and honors.Talk up any experience and internships you have using relevant wins.Document your skills in a list which uses the job ad to pick applicable ones.Include extra college resume sections to stand out from the other new grads.Attach a fascinating recent graduate cover letter to your university resume.Now THIS is a college graduate resume that aces Career Ready 101!Got any questions on how to write a recent grad resume? Not sure how to talk about fresh graduate resume skills or professional achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!