A Guide to Craft an Impressive Resume for Your Next Job

As a new graduate student entering the international job market, creating a standout resume can be a challenging endeavour, especially when you have limited professional experience. However, fear not! With the right strategies and a targeted approach, you can craft a compelling resume that grabs the attention of potential employers and paves the way for a successful career.

Before diving into the nitty-gritty details of resume writing, it's important to understand its purpose. Your resume is a concise summary of your education, skills, experiences, and achievements. Its primary goal is to pique the interest of employers and convince them that you're the right fit for the job. In this blog post, I'll provide you with a comprehensive guide to resume writing, filled with tips and tricks that will help you stand out in the competitive job market. Let's get started!

📝 Choose the Right Resume Format

There are several resume formats to choose from, including chronological, functional, and combination (hybrid).

1. Functional or Skill-based 

• Highlight your skills and qualifications rather than your work history.

• Useful if you're changing careers or have employment gaps.

• Focuses on your transferable or technical skills in research, communication, organization, etc.

2. Chronological 

• This format emphasizes your work history and is ideal if you have a strong, relevant work history.

• Make sure to describe your experience in reverse chronological order.

3. Combined

• A blend of both chronological and functional formats, allowing you to showcase your skills and experiences effectively.

• Ideal if you have developed skills outside of work (school, volunteer work, extracurricular activities).

4. Academic 

• This type of resume is perfect if your career goals are related to academia:

  1. Applications for grants or scholarships.

  2. Applications to graduate programs.

  3. Research or Teaching positions.

• It is often longer as it includes experience, research, publications, awards, conference attendance, etc.

📞 Contact Information

Your resume should begin with your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (highly recommended). Make sure your email address is professional. For people seeking developer roles, always make sure to include a link to your portfolio website and/or GitHub profile link. This gives the recruiter an opportunity to delve deeper into your profile should they choose to do so and know more about your relevant skills and experiences.

📖 Crafting an Engaging Resume Summary

A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or executive summary, is a concise paragraph (usually 3-4 sentences) that highlights your key qualifications, achievements, and career goals. It's suitable for candidates with some work experience who want to showcase their accomplishments and expertise. It also provides an overview of your career goals and what you can bring to the table. Tailor this section to the specific job you're applying for. Some samples are given below:

🎓 Highlight Your Education

Include details about your degree(s), major(s), institution(s), graduation date, and any honours or awards. For recent graduates, this section can carry a bit more weight, so make sure to use it wisely. You can also include relevant courses, projects, or the title of your thesis (if applicable). If you held teaching or research assistantship positions then you can highlight those in this section as well.

🛠️ Showcase Your Relevant Skills

List both hard skills (e.g., programming languages, software proficiency) and soft skills (e.g., communication, teamwork) relevant to the job you're applying for. By emphasizing these skills, you demonstrate to the employer that you possess the qualifications necessary to excel in the role.

For instance, if you're applying for a marketing position, you might showcase skills like "Digital Marketing Strategy", "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" or "Social Media Management" which directly align with the job's demands and enhance your suitability as a candidate. This helps the hiring manager quickly identify your qualifications and suitability for the position.

👨🏽‍💼 Emphasize Relevant Experience

Detail your work experiences, internships, co-op programs, or volunteer work. Focus on accomplishments and quantify your achievements with numbers or percentages wherever possible. Employers appreciate measurable results. For example, "Increased sales by 20% in the first quarter." You can also consider adding sections like certifications, awards, publications, or projects if they are relevant to the job.

🎨 Tailor Your Resume for Each Job Application

Customize your resume for each job application. Highlight the skills and experiences that align with the specific job requirements. This personalized approach helps you stand out as an ideal candidate. A tailored resume doesn't just tell an employer what you've done; it tells them why you're the best fit for their job. It significantly improves your chances of making it past applicant tracking systems and impressing hiring managers.

🔑 Utilize Action Verbs

Begin each bullet point in your resume with strong action verbs such as "achieved," "managed," "developed," or "implemented." By using action verbs, you paint a vivid picture of how you contributed to your previous roles, showcasing your ability to take initiative and make a difference in your work. For example, instead of saying "Responsible for project management," you can use the action verb "Managed project timelines and budgets" which adds clarity and emphasizes your active role in the task.

📄 Layout and Other Tips

• Reserve bold characters for section titles such as your name, personal information, job and education headings.

• Avoid the use of fancy characters or formatting when submitting online application forms. Most ATS software doesn’t recognize fancy formats.

• Adjust margins to maximize the space on the page (no less than ½ inch).

• Align years to the right side of your resume so they are easier to locate.

• Pay close attention to alignment, fonts (no smaller than 10), spelling and spacing - be consistent with names and abbreviations.

• Most Important: Meticulously proofread your resume to eliminate typos and grammatical errors.

• Optional: Add a header on additional pages with your name and telephone number. This helps in case you’re handing over a physical copy of a resume or else you may omit it.

👨🏽‍💻 Seek Help from Your Seniors

If you're uncertain about your resume's quality or need additional guidance, consider reaching out to recent graduates or alumni who have successfully transitioned into their careers. These individuals have firsthand experience navigating the job market and can offer valuable insights, and even review your resume to provide feedback and suggestions. This approach can provide you with valuable connections and enhance your chances of landing your desired job. You can even book a free one-on-one call with me for a resume or LinkedIn profile review. I’m always happy to help my juniors! 😄

💡 My Final Thoughts

Crafting a resume as a new graduate student with limited experience might seem daunting, but remember that every journey begins with a single step. Leverage your education, showcase your projects, and highlight your unique qualities as an international student to stand out in the competitive job market. With persistence and the right approach, you'll be on your way to securing your first job in today’s dynamic professional landscape.

🎁 Additional Resources

• Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, edX - Learning platforms for upskilling.

• CanadaVisa - Insights into the Canadian job market and immigration.

• Jobscan - Optimize your resume for ATS compatibility.

• Novoresume - Professional resume templates.