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Writing your first resume after graduating can be a daunting task. Since you’ve spent the last few years at university or college, and potentially don’t have a lot of real-world experience, you might think you don’t have much to include on your graduate resume.
But this isn’t necessarily true. Showcasing experience gained from internships is important, as is highlighting transferable skills you’ve picked up during university projects, casual jobs, internships or work experience, as well as any extracurricular activities.
RELATED: Career advice for graduates and young professionals
Get started with our free resume template below, plus read our general tips for getting your graduate resume format right.
[Your email]
[Your phone number]
[Other relevant details such as your LinkedIn profile]
This should be a few lines that summarise your experience to date and what you can offer the employer. Try to make this very concise and unique to your specific skill set and the position you’re applying for. If appropriate, you can subtly inject some of your personality in here too.
Example: Driven and adaptable [area of study] graduate looking to contribute to
a global and reputable company in [graduate role/field]. Skilled in [list skills/applicable technical training].
List your education in reverse chronological order – that is, starting with your most recent qualification – in the following layout:
Date from and to, institution
Subject, grade achieved
Other related awards/achievements
Skills gained and impressive projects completed
Work experience
If you completed any internships or part-time work experience while at university, write about them here. Particularly highlight any skills gained that can be used in the role you are now applying for.
Work experience, internships, volunteer experience, interests/activities
Note any professional work experience or internships as you did with your education, above. Include any relevant volunteering activities you’ve taken part in. If you don’t have any instances to list, reveal a little of your personality and show that you’re a well-rounded individual by writing a short description of your interests that are relevant to the role.
References
Here you can state ‘Available upon request’, meaning the hiring manager can ask you for your references if they make an offer. Don’t provide details of your job referees here, as you’ll want to know beforehand whether the employer will be contacting them, and you’ll have time to prepare your references for that call. Importantly, try not to send out your graduate resume until you have at least two confirmed referees who are willing to provide a good reference. You otherwise run the risk of holding up the job interview process if you are struggling to find someone to vouch for you.
Be concise. One to two pages is sufficient, depending on the extent of your education and experience.
Double check spelling and grammar. Make sure your resume is error-free before submitting your application. Tools like Grammarly are useful, and it’s a good idea to have someone you trust to review your resume as well.
Use keywords. Study the job description and try to use the same keywords and language (without cutting and pasting the exact job description).
Use a professional resume format. Free tools such as Canva have modern design templates that can help make your graduate resume stand out from the pack.
Searching for a graduate job? Explore our open roles or talk to our recruitment consultants today about exciting graduate opportunities in your field.
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