resume activity for college students

• 40 Activities To Put On Your Activities Resume For College

By: Author Kelly Clark

Posted on Last updated: September 11, 2023

Categories College

As you get ready to start thinking of college , you may be wondering what else you can put on your resume to impress the admissions offices on your college applications.

A big answer to that question would be school clubs. If you’ve never joined a school club or after school activity before, don’t worry, there is still time. This year can be the year that all changes for you. 

I know it can seem daunting, especially if you go to a big school with a ton of different club options. That’s why I’ll be breaking it all down for you in this post. We’ll talk about what a college resume is and why college admissions like seeing clubs, activities, and experience on your resume.

Why Should You Have a College Resume?

Creating a college resume (also known as a curriculum vitae or CV) is a great way to showcase your achievements, skills, and experiences to potential colleges or employers.

It’s very similar to a traditional resume. It gives college admissions officers an overview of your experience and skills but also highlights your passions and interests.

As a caveat, do not feel like you have to go over the top for this! Stick to your interests, what you know, love, and are most passionate about. Use a personal story to connect with a college representative – this is typically more powerful than professional experience.

Here are some key sections and tips to consider when putting together your college resume:

• Phone number (make sure it has a professional voicemail message)
• Email address (use a professional one, not a nickname or informal address)
• LinkedIn profile (if applicable and professional)
• A brief statement about your career or educational goals.
• List your high school name, location, and graduation date (or expected graduation date).
• Include your GPA if it’s strong (above 3.0).
• Class rank if it is high (in the top 10).
• Any perfect or strong test scores.
• Mention any honors, awards, or relevant coursework.
• Scholarships, academic awards, honors, or any special recognition.
• Clubs, sports teams, student government, volunteer work, or any other activities outside of regular coursework.
• Highlight leadership roles and responsibilities.
• Paid jobs, part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer work.
• Include the organization, your role, and dates of employment.
• Highlight specific accomplishments or responsibilities.
• Technical skills (e.g., programming languages, software proficiency).
• Language proficiency.
• Soft skills (e.g., communication, leadership skills and roles, teamwork).
• Any significant academic or personal projects, research work, or independent studies.
• Relevant certifications or courses completed (e.g., First Aid, CPR, programming courses).
• Any recognition you’ve received that is relevant to your application.
• If you have written articles, presented research, or participated in any public speaking events.
• This can provide insight into your personality and interests outside of academics and extracurriculars.
• Optionally, you can include references or mention that they are available upon request. Be sure to ask permission from your references first.

Use the bullet points above as a resume template/resume example on how to start your own resume.

If you in your freshman year, a good tip is for high school students to write down everything they participate in. Keep a journal too, as you can draw on these experiences as a rising college student to enrich your school applications and even scholarship applications.

Why Are Activities Good For Your Resume

Admission Sight discusses multiple reasons why college admissions like seeing extracurricular activities on your resume. Here are a few of those reasons.

• Shows your personality: Clubs give you a chance to express yourself and colleges like to see how you are going to fit on their campus. By showing off your personality on your resume you are showing them that you’ll make the most of your college experience.
• Shows initiative: Many activities and school clubs require initiative when it comes to things that you’ll do while in the club. From planning events, accepting leadership positions, or speaking up in meetings, these clubs give you those opportunities. Colleges like to hear about those.
• Shows consistency: The majority of these clubs meet on certain days, or a certain amount of times, Joining these gives you practice with consistency. That is a trait that colleges look for because they want to know that you will be consistent with your classes.
• Proves you know how to manage your time wisely: Juggling classes, extracurricular activities, social life, and more is what college is all about. Showing that you can do that in high school will go a long way for admissions officers.

Why does an activities resume for college strengthen your application?

Creating an activities resume for college can be highly beneficial for several reasons:

• Comprehensive Overview : An activities resume provides a concise and organized snapshot of your achievements, skills, and experiences outside of academics. It complements your academic transcript and gives admissions officers a more well-rounded view of who you are.
• Highlighting Strengths and Accomplishments : It allows you to showcase your accomplishments, leadership roles, and involvement in extracurricular activities. This can be particularly important if you have excelled in areas beyond academics.
• Demonstrating Commitment : It shows your dedication and commitment to various pursuits. Long-term involvement in clubs, organizations, or community service projects can demonstrate a strong work ethic and passion for certain interests.
• Differentiation : It helps you stand out from other applicants. A well-crafted activities resume can help distinguish you in a competitive pool of applicants, especially if you have unique or notable accomplishments.
• Illustrating Skills and Talents : Your activities may have helped you develop valuable skills like leadership, teamwork, time management, communication, and problem-solving. These are qualities that colleges value in their students.
• Providing Context for Achievements : Sometimes, accomplishments need context to be fully appreciated. An activities resume allows you to explain the significance of certain achievements or experiences.
• Showcasing Diversity : It allows you to demonstrate a diverse range of interests and talents. This can be important for colleges that value a well-rounded student body.
• Helping with Scholarships and Financial Aid : Some scholarships or financial aid opportunities may require you to submit a resume along with your application. Having one ready can streamline the application process for these opportunities.
• Preparing for Interviews : If you’re asked for an interview as part of the application process, your activities resume can serve as a useful reference point for discussing your accomplishments and experiences.
• Setting Goals and Planning Ahead : The process of creating an activities resume encourages you to reflect on your high school experiences and think about your goals and aspirations. It can be a useful exercise for personal development and future planning.
• Networking and Job Applications : Beyond college applications, having a well-organized activities resume can be useful for internships, job applications, and even scholarship applications in the future.

Overall, an activities resume is a powerful tool that helps you present a holistic picture of yourself as a candidate, showcasing your strengths, interests, and contributions beyond just academic achievements.

What Types Of Activities Are Available To You

There are a multitude of different options when it comes to clubs and activities that you can join. These are the broader categories and down below you’ll find the whole list.

If you don’t see something that you are interested in offered at your school, don’t give up. Talk to an administrator or teacher and see if there is a way to bring your idea to the school you attend.

Here are some types of activities you might list:

• Sports: Different schools have different types of sport offerings. If you enjoy a certain one, see if your school offers it then check out when tryouts are.
• Vocational Clubs: These clubs are focused on different types of careers. They’ll get you started in learning about that field. Then you can determine if that is a career path you want to go down.
• Academic Clubs: If you enjoy a certain subject in school, there may be a club dedicated to it. Talk with your teacher to see if there is, or if it’s possible to start one.
• Service Activities: These clubs are great for you if you enjoy helping others and would like to do it more often.
• Hobbies: This is where clubs can really vary from school to school. Hobby clubs are fun because you know everyone there loves the same thing as you do. For these clubs you’ll definitely want to check to see what’s available, but also don’t be afraid to start your own club. Talk with a teacher or school administrator to get started.

40+ Activities To Put On Your Resume For College

We’ve arrived at the list of activities to put on your resume for college. This is by no means a complete list. However, I did try to put as much variety as I could on here.

If you have other clubs at your school feel free to comment them down below! Any extracurricular activity and relevant experience could be worth adding to your resume.

• Cheerleading

Vocational Clubs

• DECA (a marketing club)
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
• Future Farmers of America (FFA)
• Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA)
• Photography Club
• Newspaper Club
• Architecture Club

Academic Clubs

• National Honor Society
• Mathletes 
• Debate Club
• History Club
• Spelling Bee
• Science Club
• Foreign Language Clubs

Service Activities

• Tutoring Club
• Habitat for Humanity
• Recycling Club
• Community service
• Volunteer experience
• Yearbook Club
• Robotics Club
• Knitting Club
• Fashion Club
• Gaming Club
• Running Club
• Dancing Club
• Cooking Club
• American Sign Language Club
• Gay-Straight Alliance Club
• Model UN Club
• Student Government Association (SGA)
• List any special skills
• Language skills

If you can tie these activities or a specific accomplishment to your field of study, it will strengthen your resume even further.

What You Can Learn From After School Activities That Will Prepare You For College

To really drive this point home, I wanted to share some of the benefits of clubs and how they will prepare you for your college experience.  

What You’re Passionate About

Joining clubs in high school will help you discover what your passions are. You could find a new hobby, a cause that speaks to your soul, and maybe even what you want to major in when you go to college. That’s some big things that you can miss out on by not joining in.

The Importance Of Keeping Up Your Grades

In high school, just like college, your grades obviously come first. If you start failing classes you won’t be able to participate in after-school activities. Therefore, these clubs teach you the importance of keeping up your grades. 

School Isn’t The Whole Experience

Don’t get me wrong, school is extremely important, but the lessons you learn outside of school hold about the same weight as well. There are so many things I learned from getting involved in after-school activities that made my school experience that much better. 

In my opinion, I feel like you are missing out on half of your high school experience by not joining in on clubs and activities. Which is why I’m a huge believer in joining them and putting them on your resume for college. It will make your experience more well-rounded.

Letters of Recommendation

When you participate in extra clubs that interest you, you can build relationships with other adults. These relationships can help open doors for you but they are also additional people to ask for letters of recommendation when you need them.

My Personal Experience With Clubs In High School

When I was in high school I was the girl that couldn’t get enough of the extracurricular activities. I joined academic clubs, vocational clubs, and a few in between.

A lot of the memories I have from high school are from the clubs that I joined. These organizations brought me out of my shell and got me ready for my college experience. They can do that for you too.

Final Thoughts on Creating an Activities Resume For College

Showcasing your activities and how those skills and experience translate to your professional goals and connecting to the college admissions office through personal experience will surely strengthen your college application.

Will you be joining any clubs this year? If so, which ones?

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About the Author

Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.

Website: budding-joy.com

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22 College Student Resumes That Landed Jobs in 2024

College Student

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Writing Your College Student Resume

Companies sometimes require that entry-level candidates have experience, but how do you get experience when even entry-level jobs make it difficult to apply?

Getting that first job or internship can be the most challenging part of your career. Fortunately, as a college student, you’re in a great position to get that first break you need. Once you get your degree, you’ll have the experience employers are seeking, but until then, how can you build an effective resume or write a cover letter as a college student?

After reviewing countless  resume samples , we’ve determined what types employers want to see from college students. Furthermore, we used that knowledge to create  22 college student resume examples to help inspire your resume in 2024 .

College Student Resume Example

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• This lets employers know when you can work full-time. Whatever you do, be honest. Stretching the truth won’t get you any points with employers. It’s better to be upfront and willing to learn a skill rather than try to succeed by the skin of your teeth.
• The golden rule on your college student resume is to lead with your strengths. If you’ve got a relevant internship, add it. If you’ve done any related class projects, list them. No matter what you include, make sure to highlight transferable skills.

Undergraduate Student Resume

• To impress the recruiter, demonstrate the dedication you have had in your previous posts despite minimal experience.

University Student Resume

• In that case, your university student resume can capitalize on your analytical skills, which helped identify cost-saving opportunities and cut overall expenses by six percent.

College Student No Experience Resume

• Luckily, there are a host of  resume templates  you can use to format your experience well, so long as you adjust based on your qualifications.
• For example, you can add or remove sections based on the amount of work history you have (or don’t have).
• For example, being on the club basketball team may feel irrelevant to business analysis. But by focusing on how you’ve organized practices and led a local volunteer effort, your  college student no experience resume  can point to qualities that might appeal to a thoughtful employer.

Current College Student Resume

• A reverse-chronological format is still the most accepted, but if you want to highlight your skills, try using a functional format instead.
• Adding relevant metrics shows that you know what matters to your employer and you’ve positively impacted your previous workplace.

College Student for Internship Resume

• That’s okay—you can weave in other things, like projects and part-time jobs. Of course, if you do have internship or job experience, put that at the top.
• It’s as easy as checking the  job description . Then just list your relevant abilities according to what matches the keywords listed by the employer.

College Student Assistant Medical Laboratory Technician Resume Example

• Do you have a unique interest related to science? Are you involved in a sport? Do you volunteer? All of these hobbies are great additions to your resume.
• If you’ve just graduated, you can bulk up your education section.
• Feel free to add any college awards you won and your GPA (if it’s higher than 3.5).

College Student HR Executive Assistant Resume

• As a rule of thumb, we recommend including one if you’re light on experience or are going through a substantial career change. Otherwise, leave it out in favor of work experience. 
• Good skills to include on an HR executive assistant resume are “talent acquisition,” “conflict resolution,” “legal compliance,” and “compensation/benefits.”
• An even more effective way to breathe life into your skills is to weave them into your work history or project bullet points.

College Student Case Assistant Resume

• Show off your personality using contrasting colors, classic fonts, and well-organized layouts. Our ready-to-build  resume templates  or handy  Google Docs interactive resumes  can help you keep your resume both tasteful and personable.
• If you don’t have certification, then now’s the best time to get it. Better late than never!

College Student Resident Assistant Resume

• Though an objective isn’t required, it can help employers see your skills and experience straight away.
• Just make sure to tailor it for every job you apply for by including the name of the employer, the position you’re seeking, and some matching keyword skills (that are true about you) gleaned from the  job description . 
• You also shouldn’t feel limited by your work experience. If you’ve done any relevant projects or have volunteered, include them! Employers love to see transferrable skills like collaboration, a good work ethic, and organization.

College Student Warehouse Worker Resume

• If you’re struggling to get going, consider using a  resume outline  to help you structure your experience—just don’t forget to fill out all the sections thoroughly!
• While it’s not impossible to land an excellent job without internships or experience, having some kind of work history, even in the form of projects, will allow you to be more picky and skim from the top of warehouse positions.

College Student Teacher Assistant Resume

• Adjusting formatting details, like the layout and header colors, can make your resume pop and reveal a bit about yourself. (Red and pink are bold, daring colors, while blue and green are calming.)
• Adding a  hobbies and interests section to your resume  can also help catch the eye of employers, provided you list hobbies that are relevant to the desired job, such as creative pursuits, volunteering, or research.
• Even if you’ve never had experience as a teacher assistant, you can instill confidence by demonstrating the impact of your communication skills. Did you effectively resolve an issue using negotiation? Write something that added helpful clarity? Show how you used communication to affect others positively!

College Student Biology Lab Technician Resume

• Don’t get too carried away here; after all, it’s still a resume and not a flier for a Wednesday Night Disco. But, one to two colors can be appropriate for all but the most conservative working environments. 
• Numbers can be frustrating to calculate and add to your resume, but trust us when we tell you that they make a world of difference. Hiring managers are consistently more willing to interview people with metrics on their resumes, as they convey job competence and confidence.

College Student English Tutor Resume

• Breaking up each work experience into bullet points can make your resume both easier to read (with fewer blocks of dense text) and easier to write.
• Instead of writing one big chunk of cohesive text, you can focus on pulling out as many highlights about your work history at each job as possible. 
• A project can be anything. Seriously, your final group project from that writing seminar counts, or you could highlight a blog you’ve been working on in your free time.
• Hint: Projects also make great stories to discuss on your college student cover letter .

College Application Resume

• Suppose you’re applying for a Bachelor of Arts in education. Express your passion for teaching and eagerness to advance your knowledge of education theories and practices. Even better, emphasize your long-term ambition to shape future generations through innovative education methods.

College Admission Resume

• Take a leaf from how Brian narrates his stints as a restaurant server, project presenter, and volunteer. Well-described, such experiences paint a picture of a well-rounded character who can take on varied challenges of an engineering program, enhancing their appeal in the eyes of the college admissions committee.

College Freshman Resume

• Use past projects to advantage here even if they’re only a year long. Clearly state how you used skills such as Canva and Microsoft Teams to make specific impacts during this time. Another great addition to your college freshman resume is any work experience under your belt.

Harvard College Resume

• You see reputable (and free) spell checkers like Grammarly? They’re your backstage crew making sure that your Harvard college resume is polished—no typos, grammatical mistakes, or punctuation errors in sight. And getting a friend or family member to take a peek? It’s always a brilliant move.

College Level Resume

• It’s a piece of cake. Maybe you’ve been a superstar nanny or the quickest cashier around. Identify competencies from these gigs, whether communication, time management, or leadership, and then blend them into your work experience. Simply put, connect the dots in your college level resume, and you’re golden.

College Student Academic Highlights Resume

• Say you have some work experience, but it’s not relevant to the job. That’s okay—instead of trying in vain to match the  job description , focus on transferable skills like customer service, organization, event planning, public speaking, and computer literacy.
• If you lack much work history, adding projects, coursework, or volunteer experience is the next best way to showcase your potential. You can also list your involvement in clubs, organizations, or peer mentorship.
• Write them like you’d write work experience by using active verbs and incorporating metrics (numbers).

First Year College Student Resume

• Your time contributing to a project is tangible evidence of your skills and experiences. Depending on what you include, it could showcase your communication and organizational skills or more technical abilities, like your proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Freshman College Student Resume

• Do you love gardening or nature photography? Awesome, it shows you’re inherently passionate about biology. Do you spend your time baking as well? It’s a sign that you know how to follow instructions and observe changes over time—skills that will come in handy as a lab assistant.

Related resume guides

• College Graduate
• Grad School
• Entry level

Before we dive into the difference between a  resume objective  vs. a  resume summary , let’s get some definitions out of the way:

• Resume objective : A statement of your qualifications, interests, and skills that make you a good fit for the role to which you’re applying.
• Resume summary : A summary of your past experience detailing your high-level accomplishments and projects.

When you’re applying for a job or internship as a college student, you likely won’t have extensive work experience. So, we’d recommend including a resume objective instead of a resume summary.

The goal of your resume objective is to set the stage for your resume. It should highlight your skills applicable to the job at hand, and it should be specific for each job to which you’re applying.

Most resume objectives are boring and generic. By taking the time to craft a customized and effective resume objective, you give yourself an edge over other applicants and increase your chances of getting an interview.

Before we dive into the rules for creating a strong resume objective, let’s look at some examples.

Sample college student resume objectives

• “Recent college graduate with a degree in marketing looking for a full-time role where I can utilize my experience in social media and paid advertising to help an up-and-coming brand like Club Z! Inc. spread awareness and acquire more users.”
• “Diligent college student at the University of Pittsburgh who is equally committed to academic excellence (3.8 GPA) and service (student leader at the local food shelter) looking for an opportunity at Unidos as a part-time employee to utilize these talents to improve customer satisfaction.”
• “Recent graduate with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) seeking an opportunity within an established management organization to utilize my organizational and quantitative abilities. Epic seems to have a culture of empowering employees to have ownership over their problems, and that culture fits my work style perfectly.”

You can see that all of these resume objectives specifically mention the company that the student is applying to. Tailoring is the golden rule of resume objectives.

Here are some other rules to make your objective the best it can be:

• Again, take the time to  customize your resume objective for each company to which you’re applying .
• Don’t be afraid to inject your personality. Making an impression will help you stand out among the hundreds of other applicants.
• Keep it to two to three sentences.
• Mention any relevant skills or certifications you have for the role to which you’re applying.

College Student Resume Formats

One of the hardest parts of using a resume maker  as a college student is the blank page. The “getting started” part is overwhelming—you’re unsure what your resume should look like, let alone what should be in it!

When it comes to formatting your resume, the best advice is to keep it  simple . You need to convincingly make the case that you deserve an interview for the role to which you’re applying.

In short, your resume should likely contain the following sections:

• Header: This is your name and job title. Have your job title match the job title to which you’re applying.
• Resume objective: We talked about this above, a quick summary of your skills and what you’re seeking.
• Education: As a college student, this should include your anticipated graduation date, the field of study, and relevant classes.
• Skills: List six to ten technical skills relevant to your career.
• Work experience: If you have any relevant internships or part-time jobs, mention them here.
• Projects: Did you do any side projects that demonstrate your competency? Include them!

Not all of these sections need to be included in your resume.  Your resume should focus on your strengths.

If you don’t have much relevant work experience, you can omit that section in favor of discussing your projects or classwork.

However, no matter what format you choose, there are a few writing guidelines you should adhere to throughout your resume.

Formatting guidelines for your resume

• Keep your resume to one page! Your resume should only extend to a second page when you have 10+ years of experience.
• Avoid any spelling or grammar errors by double-checking your text and having a friend review your resume. Don’t let typos be the reason why you don’t get an interview.
• Break up your work experience into small, consumable bullet points. Nothing is harder to read than a big wall of text.
• Use reverse-chronological order to keep your most recent experience/projects at the top.
• Don’t include fancy images or graphics. It’s highly likely a computer will read your resume before a human ever does, and images are hard for computers to scan.
• Don’t list more than ten skills on your resume. (We’ll expand on this below.)

Skills to pay the bills

When building your skills section, it can be tempting to list any and every skill you know. You’ll have to resist this temptation.

Before a human reviews your resume, an automated system called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will score your resume based on whether or not it includes the “right” keywords. These filters are largely screening for specific skills.

Doesn’t this mean that you should include as many skills as possible to beat the ATS? Unfortunately, you need to make your resume appealing to both the ATS and a human, and nothing is a bigger red flag to a hiring manager than a candidate with a laundry list of skills!

You’re much better off focusing on  six to ten skills you’re an expert in  than including more that you kind of know. Generally, if you wouldn’t be comfortable being interviewed on a given skill, don’t include it on your resume. 

Work Experience and Projects

In any resume, no matter the career stage, your work experience and projects should take up at least 70 percent of the overall space. These will decide whether you get an interview or not.

Once you have a few years of experience, then the size of your projects section will decrease as the size of your work experience section expands.

If you have an internship relevant to the job you’re applying for, this should be listed in your “work experience” section. As a college student, your work experience can also contain any part-time jobs you had while in school, even if they don’t seem relevant to the position to which you’re applying.

It’s not easy to balance work and school, so having a part-time job demonstrates responsibility and drive.

When talking about your work experience, there are a few key tips you should follow:

• Mention the skills you demonstrated on the job.
• Quantify the impact of your work whenever possible.
• Talk specifically about your role; avoid being too general.
• Use action verbs like “owned” or “led” to highlight your leadership abilities.

Numbers truly speak louder than words, especially on your resume. By providing numerical context around your work, you show your ability to contribute meaningfully to your workplace.

Compare these two descriptions of an internship. Which do you think would be more compelling to a hiring manager?

WRONG – general work experience descriptions

Marketing Science Associates April 2020 – Current, New York NY Digital Marketing Intern

• Created testing plan for Facebook ad copy
• Built key reports for the executive team around KPIs
• Oversaw the creation of the blog for SEO purposes
• Worked closely with clients to understand their product positioning to incorporate into ad copy

RIGHT – specific, quantified descriptions

• Created A/B testing plan for Facebook ad copy, improving ROI by 15%
• Built key reports for the executive team around KPIs such as marketing spend, new leads, revenue generated, and ROI
• Oversaw the creation of the blog for SEO purposes which grew from 1,000 to 5,000 monthly organic visitors
• Worked closely with clients to understand their product positioning to incorporate into ad copy, leading to client satisfaction of 99%

Projects can be anything

If you don’t have much (or any) relevant work experience for your resume, don’t fret. You can still  create a highly effective resume  by showcasing your projects.

As a college student, you’ve likely done a lot of class projects that are relevant to the job or internship you’re looking to get. This is the perfect place to talk about those projects. You can even mention projects you completed outside of class. Talk about your goals, the methods/skills you used, and the project’s outcome.

The key is to include anything that will convince the hiring manager you have the drive, skills, and ability to translate your academic knowledge to the real world and contribute to the roles for which you’re applying.

Here are some potential projects you can work on for different majors:

Project ideas for college students

• Are you a business student? Detail a case study that you analyzed and presented in a class.
• If you’re a marketing student, you can write a short blog post about how you’d improve the paid marketing strategy for a company you admire.
• As a graphic designer, this is a great opportunity to talk about some of the projects in your portfolio.
• If you’re looking for a data analyst role, talk about how you analyzed stock data to determine areas of opportunity.
• As a human resources major, you’ve likely created processes for companies as part of a class, so talk about that.
• Software engineering students complete meaningful coding assignments all the time. Discuss one of those or talk about your side project.
• If you’re looking to break into product management, discuss a hackathon you were part of or create a case study for a feature your favorite product is missing.

Basically, the projects you include on your resume can be just about anything. They simply have to demonstrate you know what is required of the kind of role you’re applying to, and that you can meet those requirements.

Your Education Section

As a college student, it should go without saying that you need to include an education section on your resume.

Here’s what you need to include in your education section no matter what:

• The school you’re currently attending (or recently graduated from). You do not need to include your high school.
• Your graduation date (or expected graduation date). You can give just the month and year.
• The kind of degree you’re working toward (bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, master’s, etc.).
• Your field of study.

Once you include all that, there’s more flexibility. If you have a strong GPA (greater than 3.5), you should include it, too.

If you don’t have much experience yet, then you can add relevant courses or awards to your education section, provided they’re relevant to the job for which you’re applying.

For example, if you’re applying for a role as a data scientist, then it makes sense to include any math, economics, or programming classes you completed.

Here’s an example of an effective education section for a college student looking for a marketing role:

If you received any awards or honors during your time in college, list them here. These can include getting on the Dean’s List, any department-specific awards relevant to your major, or formal recognition for your work or volunteer efforts.

Resume Builder for College Students

There you have it—we’ve discussed the building blocks to help you land a job or internship as a college student!

In summary, here are the keys to making an effective resume as a college student:

• Inject your personality into your resume objective and customize it for each company to which you apply.
• Your resume format should include a header, resume objective, skills section, education, and work/ project experience.
• Include any relevant internships or part-time jobs you’ve had during college and quantify the impact of your work.
• If you don’t have much working experience, include relevant projects you’ve completed either in the classroom or on your own time.
• Your education section is your chance to highlight classes you’ve completed that will convince the hiring manager you have the right tools for the job.

Finding a job or internship as a college student can be incredibly stressful. Building an AI resume  is a huge first step, so pat yourself on the back. After you’re done with the writing, you can  check your resume  against our AI-powered tips to see how your resume matches up.

Just remember, it does get easier after you get some experience first. We can’t wait to see where you’ll go!

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

• Oct 4, 2023

5 Steps for Creating an Outstanding Activity Resume

Updated: Jul 10

When deciding whether to admit you, colleges consider your extracurricular activities. The best way to showcase your activities is with an activity résumé that highlights your talents and strengths. An activity résumé organizes information you will need to complete your college applications. Some colleges invite you to attach an activity résumé to your application. It can also be given to your recommenders and college interviewers. Most scholarship applications require an activity résumé. Colleges want to know how you spend your time.

Here are five steps for creating an outstanding high school activity resume.

1. List Everything

To begin, make a list of everything you have done since the summer before 9th grade. Look around your home and check your computer for records of activities, such as a brochure for a summer camp, or a schedule for virtual club meetings. List activities of all types, including independent work and work performed to help your family at home.

2. Categorize

After you have a list, group similar and related activities together. The most common categories are:

Extracurriculars, such as school clubs, performing and visual arts, writing, academic research, math and science competitions, speech and debate

Volunteer and community service

Summer experiences

Your categories will be unique to you. For example, a student who focuses on music may not have an athletics category and other students might not have a paid work category. It’s not necessary to have every possible type of activity.

3. Prioritize

Prioritize your activities by putting those most important to you highest in order on the list within each category. For example, if you are a member of your school’s robotics team, write about robotics for the school newspaper, and independently research robotics, cluster those activities together near the top of your list under “extracurriculars.” That way, the reader can easily see what is important to you.

4. Describe

Clearly and briefly describe each activity. Here is the type of information to include in your descriptions:

The year in school you participated in the activity stated in descending chronological order—example: 11, 10, 9

The hours per week and the number of weeks per year you participated—example: 6 hours per week/30 weeks per year

Organization name—example: National Honor Society or school newspaper

Your role—example: president, member, volunteer, and specifically what you do

Your role is the most important part of the description. Start with your position—captain, editor, or volunteer. Describe your growth in the activity by noting, for example, that you evolved from newspaper writer in 9, to section editor in 10, and editor in 11. If you received any recognition, such as MVP or Rising Star, add that information to your description.

5. Format and Proofread

Your activity résumé is a visual expression of who you are. It should be aesthetically pleasing and clear. Make life easy for your reader!

You can choose any format you like, either an Excel spreadsheet, a table in Word, or a classic résumé format with headings and bullet points. Whichever format you choose, be sure to use a consistent font and bold all headings. Have a header that includes your name, your school, the city and state where your school is located, and your email address.

Carefully read every line of your résumé. It is easy to make mistakes when you are compressing so much information into a single form. Neatness counts when teachers, interviewers, and colleges read your activity résumé, so proofread it. Finally, when you’re absolutely sure everything is perfect, convert your document to a PDF.

Traditionally, what you do in school, your activities, define you—a scientist, an athlete, a musician. Engagement in activities takes time and energy, but It’s worth the effort for many reasons, not the least of which is the positive impact an activity résumé can have in the college admission process.

At College Choice Counseling®, our counselors and tutors are here to help you with college counseling , college essay and application help , test prep tutoring , and academic subject tutoring .

Reach out to us to discuss how we can help you with your activity résumé!

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Activities Resume: Showcase Your Skills With These Samples

In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to have a standout resume that showcases your skills and experiences. While many job seekers focus solely on their work experience and education, it’s also important to highlight your extracurricular activities and volunteer work. This is where the activities resume comes in.

An activities resume is a document that outlines all of your extracurricular activities, including community service, clubs and organizations, sports, awards, and leadership positions. It provides hiring managers and admissions committees with a more well-rounded view of your skills and experiences, beyond what they can see on your traditional resume or application.

Why an activities resume is important

Having a strong activities resume can set you apart from other applicants and demonstrate your commitment to personal and professional growth. It shows that you are a well-rounded individual who is passionate about learning, giving back to the community, and furthering your interests beyond the classroom or workplace. It’s also a great way to showcase any unique talents or accomplishments that you may have, such as winning a national championship or organizing a successful fundraising event.

Are Activities Resumes Necessary?

When crafting a resume, it’s natural to include your work experience and education. However, adding an “activities resume” can highlight your skills and personal interests, and provide even greater context for your accomplishments.

A. Explanation of Employers’ Expectations

Employers are looking for candidates who not only have strong on-the-job skills, but also have a variety of experiences and interests outside of work. By including an activities section on your resume, you can show employers that you’re a well-rounded individual with diverse abilities and interests.

Additionally, extracurricular activities can demonstrate qualities that translate well in the workplace, such as leadership skills, teamwork, and time management. If you’ve held leadership positions in student clubs or community organizations, for example, you may be more attractive to employers who value these skills.

B. Importance in College Applications

While activities resumes can be important for job seekers, they’re even more essential for college applications. Admissions officers are looking for students who will be active and engaged members of their campus communities, and an activities resume can help demonstrate how you’ll contribute to campus life.

In addition to academic achievements, college applications often ask for information about students’ extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and leadership roles. By creating a comprehensive activities resume, you can showcase all of your experiences and interests in one place, making it easier for admissions officers to get a sense of who you are as a person.

C. Differences and Similarities with Traditional Resumes

While activities resumes share many similarities with traditional resumes, there are some key differences to keep in mind. For example, activities resumes tend to focus more on personal interests and hobbies, whereas traditional resumes prioritize work history and professional achievements.

Additionally, activities resumes may include sections that are unique to this type of document, such as “skills and abilities,” “languages spoken,” and “personal interests.” These sections can help paint a more comprehensive picture of who you are and what you bring to the table.

Ultimately, whether or not you choose to include an activities resume will depend on your individual circumstances and goals. However, for those who want to stand out as well-rounded and interesting candidates, it can be a valuable addition to any job or college application.

Identifying and Selecting Relevant Activities

As you begin crafting your activities resume, it’s important to identify and select the most relevant activities to showcase your skills and strengths. Here are some tips to help you do just that:

A. Types of activities to include

When selecting activities to include on your resume, it’s important to focus on those that demonstrate skills and qualities that align with the positions you are applying for. Some common types of activities to consider including are:

• Leadership roles in clubs or organizations
• Volunteer work in relevant fields
• Internships or part-time jobs related to your field of study
• Athletic or artistic achievements
• Academic honors or research experience

By including activities that are relevant to your desired career path, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have a strong foundation of skills and experience that will make you a valuable asset to their organization.

B. Identifying your strongest skills

Before selecting which activities to showcase on your resume, take the time to identify your strongest skills and how they can be showcased through your extracurricular activities. Consider the following questions:

• What activities have you been most successful in and why?
• What skills have you gained or improved upon through your activities?
• What unique strengths do you offer that set you apart from other candidates?

By identifying your strongest skills, you can ensure that the activities you highlight on your resume are aligned with the type of candidate you want to be perceived as.

C. Highlighting achievements and responsibilities

Finally, when selecting activities to include on your resume, it’s important to highlight your achievements and responsibilities within each activity. Rather than simply listing the activity itself, include specific details about your role and accomplishments. For example, instead of simply listing “member of the debate team,” you might say “debate team captain for two years, leading the team to the state championships in both years.”

By highlighting your achievements and responsibilities within each activity, you can demonstrate the depth of your skills and experience and leave a lasting impression on potential employers.

By carefully selecting and showcasing your activities, skills, and achievements, you can create an activities resume that effectively showcases your strengths and sets you apart as a top candidate for the positions you’re applying for.

Activities Resume Formatting and Layout

When it comes to showcasing your skills and experiences, the right format and layout can make a significant difference in making your resume stand out.

A. Choosing the right format

There are different resume formats to choose from, including chronological, functional, and hybrid. The choice of format depends on your work experience, career goals, and the industry you are applying to.

• Chronological resumes highlight your work experience in chronological order, starting with the most recent job. This format is ideal for candidates with a consistent work history in the same industry.
• Functional resumes focus on your skills and accomplishments rather than your work experience. This format suits candidates who have gaps in their work history or are changing careers.
• Hybrid resumes combine the elements of chronological and functional formats to create a compelling resume that highlights both your work experience and skills.

When choosing the right format, consider what will best showcase your experiences and match the expectations of the prospective employer.

B. Layout and design tips

Once you have chosen a resume format, it’s essential to present it in a visually appealing layout. Here are some layout and design tips to consider:

• Use legible fonts, preferably between 10-12pt size. Avoid using fancy fonts that may be challenging to read.
• Use bullet points to list your accomplishments, experiences, and skills. This feature will help to break up the text, making it easier to scan for essential information.
• Use white space effectively to ensure that your resume is easy on the eye.
• Use a professional email address on your resume. Your email address should reflect your professional identity and not your personal interests.

C. Do’s and don’ts of formatting

When formatting your resume, it’s essential to be mindful of the following do’s and don’ts:

• Use action verbs to describe your experiences and accomplishments. This feature will make your resume more compelling and engaging.
• Tailor your resume to match the job requirements, making it clear that you are the right fit for the position.
• Use keywords that match the job description to ensure that your resume makes it through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which are used by recruitment agencies and employers to filter out unwanted resumes.

Don’ts

• Do not include irrelevant information, such as your hobbies and interests, unless it’s relevant to the job you are applying for.
• Avoid using images and graphics on your resume. Most ATS systems cannot read images, which may affect your chances of being shortlisted.
• Do not include personal information, such as your age, marital status, or social security number, on your resume.

By following these guidelines, you can create a compelling and visually appealing activities resume that showcases your skills and experiences, ultimately increasing your chances of landing your dream job.

Writing Your Activities Resume

As you create your activities resume, there are a few key elements you should include to make it stand out. One important aspect is your summary statement and objective.

A. Summary Statement and Objective

Your summary statement should be a brief introduction that highlights your experiences, skills, and qualities. This should be no more than 2-3 lines and should intrigue the reader to continue reading your resume.

Your objective statement should clearly state what type of position you’re seeking and what you hope to accomplish by obtaining that position. It’s important to tailor your objective statement to the specific job and organization you’re applying to.

B. Writing Concise and Descriptive Bullet Points

When writing your activities resume, it’s important to use bullet points to make it easy to read and highlight your experiences. Each bullet point should be concise and descriptive, using industry-specific language when possible.

Focus on quantifying your accomplishments, and highlight any awards or recognition you’ve received. By including numbers and measurable results, you’ll make your experiences stand out and show the impact you’ve had.

C. Action Verbs to Use

Action verbs are an effective way to describe your accomplishments and responsibilities in a dynamic and engaging way. Here are some examples of powerful action verbs you can use in your activities resume:

• Accomplished
• Coordinated
• Facilitated
• Implemented
• Strategized

Using strong action verbs will help your activities resume stand out and show your potential employer that you’re a dynamic and accomplished candidate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

In writing an activities resume, there are common mistakes that you should avoid. Here are some of the most significant ones that you need to be aware of:

A. Lack of specificity

An activities resume should be specific and concise. Writing generic statements will not help you stand out among other applicants. For instance, instead of saying that you participated in a volunteer program, mention the specific tasks you did, how many hours you spent doing it, and how it helped the community.

When you’re listing your accomplishments, be sure to include numbers or statistics that support them. Keep in mind that employers want concrete facts and figures, not vague descriptions.

Also, don’t forget to tailor your resume to the position or job you’re applying for. Research the company or organization, and look for skills or qualities that they are looking for in a candidate. Then, highlight how your activities demonstrate that you possess those skills.

B. Including irrelevant information

In an activities resume, it’s important to focus on activities that are relevant to the job or position you’re applying for. Including irrelevant information will only distract the reader and make your resume less effective.

Be selective in the activities that you include in your resume. Choose those that show your skills, accomplishments, and experiences that are transferable to the job you want to land. If you have limited space, prioritize the most relevant and recent activities.

C. Grammatical and typographical errors

Grammatical and typographical errors are unacceptable in a job application. They show that you’re not careful or detail-oriented, which could negatively affect your chances of being hired.

Remember to proofread your work before submitting it. Review it multiple times, and use spell-check and grammar-check tools to ensure that everything is error-free. Also, ask someone else to read your resume and provide feedback. They may catch mistakes that you overlooked.

Final Thoughts

An activities resume is a powerful tool that can showcase your skills and experiences to potential employers. However, it’s crucial to avoid common mistakes such as lack of specificity, inclusion of irrelevant information, and grammatical and typographical errors. By doing so, you’ll create a distinctive and compelling resume that will help you stand out in the job market.

Activities Resume Examples

If you’re looking to showcase your skills and experiences through an activities resume, we’ve got you covered with these sample resumes for high school, college, and job seekers.

A. Sample activities resume for high school student

Name:  Jane Doe

Contact Information:

• Email: janedoe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions about activities resumes:

A. How long should an activities resume be?

An ideal activities resume should be one page long. However, if you have significant experience in multiple activities, it is acceptable to create a two-page resume. Just remember to prioritize your strongest and most relevant activities.

B. What should I include in the summary statement?

Your summary statement should be a brief introduction of yourself that highlights your skills and experience. It should be tailored to the specific position you are applying for, and should include the most relevant information that showcases your qualifications. Keep it concise and impactful.

C. Should I include non-traditional activities?

Yes, including non-traditional activities can be a great way to stand out from the competition. These may include hobbies or interests that demonstrate your leadership, creativity, or passion. However, make sure they are relevant to the position or industry you are interested in and highlight the transferable skills they demonstrate.

Remember, an activities resume is all about showcasing the unique skills and experiences that make you a valuable addition to any team. By highlighting your involvement in various activities and organizations, along with your achievements and transferable skills, you can position yourself as a well-rounded candidate who is capable of excelling in diverse roles.

Activities Resume for Different Life Stages

If you’re looking to showcase your skills, there’s no better way to do it than with an activities resume. Depending on your stage of life, however, the resume may need to look different. Here are some tips for creating an activities resume at different life stages:

A. Preparing activities resume for college applications

Your activities resume can be the key to getting into your dream college. Here are some tips for creating a standout resume:

• Focus on extracurriculars: Colleges want to see that you’re more than just a good student. Showcase your involvement in sports, clubs, volunteering, and other activities.
• Include leadership roles: If you held any leadership positions, make sure they’re highlighted on your resume. This shows that you have initiative and can take on responsibility.
• Don’t forget honors and awards: If you received any honors or awards, be sure to mention them. This can help you stand out from other applicants.

B. Activities resume for job seeker with little experience

If you’re just starting out in your career, your activities resume can help showcase your skills and experience. Here’s what to include:

• Volunteer work: If you don’t have a lot of work experience, volunteer work can demonstrate your work ethic and give you valuable experience.
• Internships: If you completed any internships, list them on your resume to show that you have practical experience.
• Relevant coursework: If you’re applying for a position in a specific field, list any relevant coursework you completed to show that you have an understanding of the industry.

C. Activities resume for career changers

If you’re changing careers, your activities resume can help demonstrate how your skills are transferable. Here’s what to include:

• Relevant skills: Make sure to highlight any skills that are relevant to your new career. For example, if you’re switching from marketing to graphic design, highlight your design skills.
• Continued education: If you’ve taken any courses or earned any certifications relevant to your new career, be sure to mention them.
• Volunteer work: If you’ve done any volunteer work that’s relevant to your new career, highlight it on your resume.

No matter what stage of life you’re in, an activities resume can help you showcase your skills and stand out from the crowd. With these tips, you’ll be able to create a resume that’s tailored to your specific stage of life and career goals.

Showcase Your Skills

When creating an activities resume, it’s essential to showcase not just your experiences, but also your skills. Here are some soft skills you can include in your resume to help you stand out:

A. Soft skills to include in activities resume

• Communication: This includes both written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to actively listen and ask clarifying questions.
• Time management: It’s important to demonstrate that you can organize and prioritize tasks effectively, especially when balancing multiple activities with other commitments.
• Adaptability: This involves being able to handle unexpected changes and challenges, while maintaining a positive attitude and finding solutions.
• Creativity: Whether it’s designing a poster or coming up with innovative solutions to a problem, creativity shows that you can think outside the box.
• Interpersonal skills: This includes the ability to empathize with others, build relationships, and work effectively with diverse groups of people.

In addition to highlighting soft skills, it’s important to illustrate leadership abilities in your activities resume.

B. Demonstrating leadership abilities

Leadership doesn’t just mean being the captain of a team or the president of a club. It can also involve taking initiative, delegating tasks, and motivating others to achieve a common goal. Here are some ways you can demonstrate your leadership abilities:

• Describe a project or event you organized and led from start to finish, highlighting the specific roles you played and the outcome.
• Showcase how you motivated and inspired others to reach their full potential, such as mentoring younger students or leading a team to victory.
• Highlight any awards or recognition you received for your leadership abilities, such as the National Honor Society or Eagle Scout.

Finally, teamwork and collaboration skills are essential in many activities, and demonstrating these skills can set you apart from other applicants.

C. Illustrating teamwork and collaboration skills

When describing your involvement in group activities, it’s important to showcase how you worked cooperatively with others to achieve a shared goal. Here are some tips for illustrating your teamwork and collaboration skills:

• Highlight any successful group projects you worked on, emphasizing your contributions and the group’s achievements.
• Describe how you handled disagreements or conflicts within the group, highlighting your ability to communicate effectively and find common ground.
• Mention any leadership roles you had within the group, such as facilitating meetings or delegating tasks.
• Describe how you supported and encouraged other members of the group, recognizing their strengths and contributions.

The key to showcasing your skills in an activities resume is to provide specific examples and use language that highlights your strengths and accomplishments. By emphasizing your soft skills, leadership abilities, and teamwork and collaboration skills, you’ll stand out from the crowd and impress potential employers and college admissions committees.

Activities vs. Employment History

When it comes to creating a strong resume, knowing the differences between your activities and employment history can be crucial. Here are some things to keep in mind:

A. Differences between activities and employment history

Activities refer to any extracurricular or volunteer work that you have done. This can include internships, clubs, hobbies, or community service. Employment history, on the other hand, refers to any paid work that you have done.

While both can be valuable experiences to include on your resume, they should be presented differently. Employment history should be listed in chronological order, with the most recent experience first. Activities can be listed in any order, depending on which experiences are most relevant to the position you are applying for.

B. Highlighting transferable skills

One of the benefits of including both activities and employment history on your resume is the opportunity to showcase a variety of transferable skills. Transferable skills are talents and abilities that can be applied to a variety of settings and positions.

For example, if you were a volunteer tutor, you likely gained skills such as communication, teaching, and patience. These are all transferable skills that could be relevant to a variety of positions.

By highlighting these transferable skills, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have a diverse range of talents and are capable of adapting to new situations.

C. Combining activities and employment history

When combining activities and employment history on your resume, it’s important to make sure that both are presented in a cohesive and organized manner.

One approach is to use a combination resume format. This format allows you to highlight both your skills and work experiences in one document.

To begin, create a section for each of your work experiences, listing your position, company name, and employment dates. Under each, include a brief summary of your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Next, create a separate section for your activities. Include the name of the activity, the dates you participated, and a brief summary of what you accomplished.

Within each section, highlight any relevant transferable skills you gained from the experience. This will help tie together both your work and activity history and show potential employers how your skills are applicable to the job you are applying for.

Combining activities and employment history on your resume can showcase a diverse range of skills and experiences. When done in a cohesive and organized manner, it can make for a strong and impactful resume.

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What is an Activities Resume for College? Tips and Examples

In This Guide:

What to include on your activities resume, tips and tricks, when not to send an activities resume, example of an activities resume.

Quick Answer: An activities resume for college showcases a student’s hobbies, organizations, and activities, proving to prospective colleges that they are a well-rounded candidate. When crafting one, start with education, including GPA, academic awards, rank and extracurricular activities. Detail volunteer hours, community service, and any part-time jobs held. Use clean fonts, share the resume with recommenders, only mention significant roles, and avoid sending one if specifically asked not to. Finally, there is no set list of activities to include, so take part in opportunities within your community that interests you.

An activities resume for college is an opportunity for students to share what hobbies, organizations, and activities they are involved in. This is important because it’s a chance to prove to your prospective college that you are a well-rounded candidate. Included in this article, you’ll discover:

• Tips and tricks for building the perfect activities resume
• Dos and Don’ts when crafting your activities resume

Upload & Check Your Resume

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

Because recent high school graduates may not have much in the way of employer experience yet, many students rely on an extracurricular activities resume for college . Not sure what’s relevant? Here’s what to include when crafting your resume.

• Start with your education section . Include your school’s name and your graduation date.
• Don’t forget your GPA. Make sure it’s cumulative and weighted.
• Here’s your chance to brag! Include any academic awards, honors, or recognitions.
• If beneficial, add your class rank!
• Include any summer programs, internships, or classes you’ve taken that don’t appear on your transcript.
• What extracurriculars were you involved in? Mention any athletic organizations, clubs, or organizations you were involved in. If you held a leadership position, be sure to include that!
• Detail volunteer hours and community service
• Did you have a part-time job in high school? Include that as well.
• Any special skills that you haven’t mentioned yet, such as another language or proficiency in software such as Photoshop.
• Only mention organizations you played a significant role in.
• Talk about specific lessons learned, or achievements earned to emphasize commitment to your organization.
• Use clean, easy-to-read fonts and formatting.
• Share your activities resume with those you’re seeking a recommendation letter from! It will help them remember your achievements.
• If the university specifically asks you not to
• If the application provides space to discuss extracurricular involvement, use that instead of sending a separate document.

Below is an activities resume for college template. Remember, this is an opportunity to showcase that you are a well-rounded, accomplished candidate.

Savannah Smith 555-555-5555 [email protected]

Green Lake High School Class of 2021

• Class rank: 9 out of 623 students
• Awarded GLHS Math Scholar of the Year Award in 2020

Extra Courses and Internships

• Interned at Mount Joy Veterinary Clinic for the 2019 school year
• Taken part in the Green Lake High Math Camp for three summers
• Interned at the Women In Business Organization in 2020

Volunteering Experience at St. Timothy’s Humane Society (2017-Present)

• Cleaned dog and cat environments daily
• Socialized nervous animals to help them prepare for adoption
• Worked alongside staff to learn about animal behavior and health
• Administered temperament tests and medications
• Incorporated photography and videography for social media
• Fluent in Spanish
• Proficient in Photoshop
• Social Media Management

You may ask what activities on your resume are required for college admission?

The good news is that there is no setlist. Look around for opportunities within your community you can take part in. Getting involved in local organizations that interest you will help you build the perfect extracurricular activities resume for college. Looking for more resources on building the perfect activities resume? Check out our resume builder here .

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11+ Best Student Resume Templates (W/ Examples & Resources)

Writing an impressive resume as a student with no work experience can be a challenging task, often resulting in a generic document that fails to capture your full potential. 

This challenge intensifies in the face of a sea of applicants vying for the same role as you, making it all the more critical to stand out. 

Fortunately, we’re here to solve this problem! 

This article presents a selection of impactful student resume templates and examples that will help transform your raw skills and academic accomplishments into an impressive, attention-grabbing resume. 

Here’s what we’ll cover: 

12 Student Resume Templates

3 student resume examples, 5 other professional resources for students.

Let’s dive in!

#1. Creative Resume Template

The Creative resume template offers a visually appealing and unique design that can greatly benefit students. 

With a modern and innovative layout that leverages eye-catching colors, this template allows students to showcase their skills, experiences, and achievements all on one page. 

The template's artistic element can help you stand out from the crowd and make a memorable impression on potential employers by highlighting your creativity, attention to detail, and ability to think outside the box, all of which are valuable attributes in today's competitive job market.

#2. Basic Resume Template

This resume template comes with a straightforward and clean design that offers numerous benefits to students. 

For starters, it provides a professional and well-organized structure that lets you present your skills, education, and experiences in a concise and effective manner. Not to mention, by positioning the skills section at the top of the resume, this template emphasizes your skills over your work experience (which is something you’re likely lacking).

This template can help any student, regardless of their standing, create a professional-looking resume that showcases their abilities and increases their chances of securing interviews and job opportunities.

#3. Combined Resume Template

Just like the name implies, this template is a perfect blend of two resume formats , namely the functional and the reverse-chronological format . 

This Combined template can arm you with a versatile and effective way to present your skills and professional experiences, as well as any relevant optional sections like certifications and personal projects. 

In a nutshell, the Combined template gives you the flexibility to leverage both the popularity of the chronological format and the impact you can make by emphasizing your skills and abilities. 

So, if you’re not sure which resume format works best for you or if you’re on the fence about a particular template, this stylish and impactful design might just be the choice for you. 

#4. Minimalist Resume Template

Novorésumé's Minimalist resume template offers a sleek and simple design that comes highly recommended for students. 

True to its name, this template aims to highlight only essential elements through clean aesthetics. Specifically, it lets students present their strong points and most noteworthy achievements concisely, eliminating unnecessary clutter. 

With a stylish color palette of pink and gray and a design that puts skills and work experience side by side, there’s no way you can go wrong picking this student resume template. 

#5. Traditional Resume Template

This template’s classic and time-tested design is guaranteed to work wonders for students looking to work in all fields, but especially those aiming for more traditional industries like banking or finance. 

Following a structured design that highlights all key resume sections, such as the resume objective , education, work experience, and skills sections, this template lets you include all your relevant information without your resume spilling over to page two . 

#6. General Resume Template

The General resume template is meant to offer you a versatile and adaptable format to showcase your qualifications, including your awards, your foreign language skills , your education, and much more. 

The header’s blue color is meant to grab recruiters’ attention to two of the most important resume sections–the contact information and the resume summary sections. 

Once you have their attention, you can wow them with other relevant sections such as your skills, work experience, and anything else you deem important. 

Easily customizable and practical to skim through, this resume template can make your application look good even if you don’t put too much effort into it. 

#7. Modern Resume Template

The Modern resume template is a great choice for students who want their resume to look sleek and stylish, and yet professional. 

By incorporating modern elements like horizontal lines and bold blue color, this template is a great choice for practically every field you apply to. 

By using the Modern template, students can present themselves as forward-thinking and professional candidates, increasing their chances of standing out from the competition.

#8. IT Resume Template

If getting into IT is your dream, then this resume template is for you! 

The team at Novorésumé specifically designed the IT resume template to cater to the needs of students in the field. Using a clean and modern layout , this template offers a comprehensive structure that highlights your relevant technical skills, certifications, and education history. 

And, if you have any professional experience in IT, even if it’s through freelance work, internships , or personal projects, this template can surely help you highlight it through the reverse-chronological format - a favorite among recruiters.

#9. Simple Resume Template

Sometimes, a simple resume template can be just the way to let your personality and achievements shine through. 

This is exactly what the Simple resume template does for students. 

With a straightforward and reader-friendly structure that strays away from extravagant design elements and flashy colors, this template aims to let your achievements do the talking. 

So, if your professional journey is already rich in accomplishments or if you’re one of those people who think simplicity is always the right choice, then you just found your match. 

#10. Functional Resume Template

Just like the format it’s named after, the Functional resume template lets you highlight your skills and qualifications upfront, which is perfect if you don’t have enough work experience to list.

What makes this template even more impactful is the minty color that grabs recruiters’ attention, the perfectly aligned sections, and the way it leverages symbols to show your proficiency in say, foreign languages or technical skills . 

#11. Skill-Based Resume Template

The Skill-Based resume template does just what the name implies - it provides students with a valuable format that emphasizes their key skills and competencies. 

This template allows students to highlight their relevant abilities and qualifications, regardless of their work experience . By organizing their resume based on skills rather than professional achievements, students can effectively showcase their strengths and demonstrate their suitability for a particular role. 

This resume template lets you focus on your most marketable skills, making it easier for potential employers to quickly identify your strengths and match them with job requirements.

#12. College Resume Template

Are you a college student looking to land your first gig? Then the College resume template is just what you need. 

Specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of college students, this template offers a comprehensive structure that lets you highlight your academic achievements, extracurricular activities , internships, and relevant coursework.

The College resume template lets you effectively showcase your education, skills, and experiences in a concise manner and contemporary style. The resume’s design is tailored to the specific needs of college students, increasing your chances of impressing potential employers and securing your next entry-level position!

#1. High-School Student Resume

#2. College Freshman Resume

#3. Internship Resume 

Picking the right template for your resume is just a small first step toward landing your first gig. 

There are several other things you’ll need to do during your job hunt , such as networking with the right people, applying for the right positions for you, and continuously honing your skills. 

Here are some resources that are guaranteed to come in handy: 

• Professional Networking | What Is It & Why It Matters . Networking is an excellent way to lay solid career foundations and make professional connections you can even use down the line. This article outlines all the benefits of professional networking and gives you 9 essential tips to get it right.
• 30+ Jobs for Teenagers (Where & How to Look) . These jobs are perfect for students of all ages, from high school freshmen to college seniors, so start digging.
• 101 Essential Skills to Put on a Resume . Without a solid work experience section, your skills section is the most important part of your resume. Do it justice by going through the most essential skills every resume should have in 2024.
• How to List Computer Skills on a Resume . Nowadays, 92% of jobs require digital skills , according to the National Skills Coalition. Since students and younger professionals are more likely to be well-versed in digital skills, it’s good to know how to list such skills in your resume. Learn how with our article!
• How to Write a Cover Letter in 2024 . Cover letters are still an essential part of job applications, so you shouldn’t submit one without attaching a cover letter. If you think writing a cover letter is even harder than creating a resume, though, head over to our dedicated article to become a cover letter pro.

Conclusion 

By now, you should have realized how important it is to find the right student resume template if you want to land your dream job. 

We hope our list meets your preferences and can help you on your career path as effectively as possible! 

For more resources and career advice, make sure to visit our blog ! 

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How to Make an Activities Resume for College Applications

When it’s time to write your college resume, you must list your experiences in a very specific way. The resume is – in essence – an overall snapshot of what you have accomplished during your high school career. The idea is to quickly showcase your activities to make your application stand out from the others and represent who you are in a concise format. A student resume is different from a professional resume. At SCC, we help students craft their resume because the resume is a vital part of every college application. Here are some tips on how to create the resume – what to include, what to leave out, and how to best present yourself to the college admissions office.

What Activities to Include on a Resume

These are the items that should be included on a college application resume, where applicable:

Honors and accomplishments, including academics, sports, music, drama Activities outside of your academic curriculum Community service, work or internships Leadership activities, clubs Athletics, in school or outside of school Religious activities Hobbies and interests Special Accomplishments (such as being 1st clarinet chair or selected as MVP or Chess Team Captain)

How to List Your Activities

You want to have categories for different sets of activities, such as athletics, volunteer/community service, extracurricular activities, summer programs, work/internship experience, to name a few. Within each category, list your activities in the order of importance, which can be defined as the amount of time spent in each activity along with how many years and how recent the activity occurred. With each activity, be sure to list what school year you participated in each activity. Include the average hours/week and weeks/year that you participated.bFor example 4 hours per week, 20 weeks per year. For special accomplishments, note the year in which you received the honor or accomplishment.

How to Write About Each Activity

Keep it concise. The reader has probably a minute, at most, to read or skim your resume. There may be a maximum word count. For example, the Common App gives you 150 characters, including spaces, to describe your activity. Be clear. Every word counts and should mean something, as well as be understandable to the reader, who may not be familiar with this activity. Combine activities if they are one time events, meaning if you have several volunteer activities you did just one time. Examples could include a community clean up for six hours on one day, and a senior center holiday sing-a-long one time for two hours. Consider adding them as bulleted items, under the title “Various Community Service Activities.”

What NOT to Include On Your Resume

These are the items and activities that SHOULD NOT be included on a college application resume:

GPA since colleges will receive transcripts from your high school Classes that are on your transcript, such as orchestra or band (Note: If you have a specific accomplishment in that class then you can include that in your honors and awards section, such as “selected as first chair clarinetist, grade 10” Activities from 8th grade or earlier. A college resume should focus on your freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year only. Note and exception: If you participated in an activity starting in 6th grade and continued through high school then on your resume you can list as the description “Participated since 6th grade”.

Best College Application Resume Tip: Start Making Your Resume Now!

Drafting your resume before applications are due is a great way for you to prepare for the application process. Actually, you should catalog all of your activities starting in 9th grade! That way, when it comes time to write about your activities for the resume, and ultimately in your applications, you have it all in one place and can easily do so. Remember, your resume does not need to be very long; it should never overstate nor exaggerate. It should represent who you are and what you have accomplished and participated in.

A well-written student resume shows a prospective college more about the real you, who you are and what you enjoy. Just be your best self. And get started on your college application resume today!

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Extracurriculars.

73 Awesome Extracurriculars for Impressing Colleges

What’s covered:, how important are extracurriculars in admissions, how do colleges evaluate extracurriculars, should you be well-rounded or specialized, how many extracurriculars do you need.

• Impressive Extracurriculars for College

What you do outside of the classroom is almost as important as what you do in it. Your extracurricular activities will set you apart from other academically qualified college candidates. But which ones are the best for highlighting your talents and strengths?

Below are some impressive extracurricular activities across various categories ranging from STEM to sports that you can add to your resume and boost your chances of admission to your dream school!

Extracurricular activities account for about 30% of a college application. But their impact on your admissions chances is a bit more nuanced than that. Most highly selective colleges use the Academic Index to screen applicants. This metric represents academic factors like grades and test scores. Students must meet the college’s minimum standards before the admissions committee will take a closer look at their application. 

However, colleges receive applications from thousands of students who reach their Academic Index threshold, so how do they make their final decisions? That’s where extracurriculars enter the picture! These activities, along with other qualitative materials, like essays, will make students stand out.

Curious how your Academic Index and extracurriculars will affect your admissions chances? Our free chancing engine takes into account GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your chances of admission at over 1600 colleges across the country. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile.

Not all extracurriculars are created equally. There is a system CollegeVine and admissions committees use to evaluate extracurriculars based on their uniqueness and the level of dedication or skill they demonstrate. Extracurricular activities can be divided into four tiers .

Tier 1 Extracurricular Activities

These are usually rare and demonstrate exceptional talent, achievement, or merit. Winning a prestigious national award, sitting first chair in an all-state orchestra, and starting a nonprofit that gains national attention are examples of tier 1 activities.

Tier 2 Extracurricular Activities

While somewhat more common than tier 1 activities, tier 2 activities still demonstrate exceptional achievement. Admissions committees simply encounter these activities more frequently than they do those in tier 1. For example, you might serve as student body present, make it to state tournaments for tennis, or you could win a local or regional contest.

Tier 3 Extracurricular Activities

These activities are more frequently found on students’ applications, but they’re still worth including since they demonstrate applicants’ interests outside of the classroom. This tier includes smaller leadership positions in school clubs like treasurer or distinctions in a sport like player of the week or junior captain.

Tier 4 Extracurricular Activities

Tier 4 describes the activities that are most commonly seen by admissions committees. Although less impressive than the other tiers, these activities do play a role in helping colleges see what kind of student and person they would be admitting. This tier includes general membership in clubs and organizations, volunteering regularly, or taking music classes or other types of lessons for several years.

The activity itself is less important than your commitment to it. Tier 1 and 2 activities that demonstrate a real passion should be prioritized, but, of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll have more than a couple of those on your resume.

Contrary to popular belief, being well-rounded doesn’t necessarily make you stand out to college admissions officers. It’s a pervasive myth that you need to be well-rounded to get into a good college. In reality, students are more likely to stand out with a well-developed specialty, also known as a spike . This depth, instead of breadth, can showcase your commitment, passion, and potential to contribute uniquely to the college community.

Furthermore, you can enhance your spike with juxtapositional depth. It’s a term that describes the blending of two different specialties into a single activity, which can make you even more memorable to the admissions committee.

For example, if you’re an athlete who loves to write, you might combine these interests by finding a niche in sports journalism, such as starting a column for your high school newspaper. 

Or, if you’re a musician with a passion for helping your community, you could teach music lessons to children at your community center.

Another example could be a student passionate about both software and sports. They could develop an app to track stats for their school’s teams, or they could start a coding club that creates software to help local sports clubs with their logistics.

There isn’t a fixed number of extracurricular activities that an applicant must have on their list. While competitive applicants often have 8-10 activities, this is merely an average, not a requirement. Doing more activities isn’t necessarily better. The impact and tier of the extracurriculars are most important. Additionally, remember that many activities, like sports, are seasonal; you definitely don’t need to be doing 8-10 activities all at once!

Remember, your extracurriculars should showcase your talents, interests, and commitment. If you take on too much, your grades could suffer—as could your mental health. Learning to prioritize certain activities and manage your time is a valuable skill, not only for college applications but also for life beyond high school.

73 Impressive Extracurriculars for College

The following are extracurriculars you could consider joining depending on your interests. Remember, the most impressive extracurriculars are those with juxtapositional depth that connect two of your interests, so if you see something you like in the Medicine and Music category, why not start your own activity and bridge your two interests together!

• International Biology Competition
• Math Olympiad (1st place)
• Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science
• Research Science Institute
• Science Olympiad (president)
• Telluride Association Summer Program
• Hackathon programs (and winning an award)
• Computer science internships
• Robotics programs (and winning an award)
• Creating custom websites for businesses
• Founding a science, technology, engineering, or math club at your school
• Organizing a community-wide STEM fair or event
• Congressional Art Competition
• International Thespian Honor Society
• Juilliard Summer Dance Intensive
• National Art Honor Society (award)
• National YoungArts Week
• Scholastic Art Award
• Teaching art lessons
• Painting a mural for your city
• Organizing a local arts festival or exhibition
• Directing a play or film
• Starting a local art class for children or adults
• Doctors Without Borders high school program (leadership position)
• HOSA – Future Health Professionals
• Medical Explorers
• Medicine-related internship
• Volunteering in a clinic
• Doing research
• Founding a medical science club at your school
• Organizing a health fair in your community
• Launching a public health awareness campaign
• Doors to Diplomacy Competition (award)
• Model Congress (president or award)
• Model UN (president)
• Senate Page Program
• Starting a Junior Statesmen of America chapter
• Volunteering for a political campaign
• Founding a political discussion or debate club at your school
• Starting a blog or podcast that discusses current political issues (and getting a good amount of traction)
• Captain of a competitive sports team
• Coaching a competitive team
• High-ranking, recognized athlete
• Running a half marathon
• Scholar-athlete award programs (usually run by states or districts)
• Founding a new sports team or club at your school
• Organizing a community sports event, like a fun run or charity game
• Launching a fitness or wellness initiative in your community
• Interning at a publication
• NCTE Achievement Award
• Newspaper (editor)
• Publishing your work in a national publication
• Quill and Scroll
• Scholastic Writing Award
• Starting a creative writing club at your school
• Publishing a book or ebook
• Hosting a community poetry reading or writer’s workshop
• All-state band or orchestra
• Demonstrated exceptional skill in a difficult or less common instrument (e.g. oboe)
• Director or leader of a music ensemble, band, or orchestra
• Starting an in- or outside-of-school music group or ensemble
• Tri-M Music Honor Society
• Organizing a community concert or music festival
• Starting a school radio station or podcast featuring student music
• Teaching music lessons to children in your community

Community Service

• Amnesty International (leadership role)
• Key Club (leadership role)
• Mentoring peers or younger students through a formal program
• Starting a nonprofit
• Starting a volunteering club
• Organizing a large-scale fundraising event for a local charity
• Creating a community garden or other environmental project
• Launching a tutoring or mentorship program for younger students.

Looking for more ideas? Check out CollegeVine’s complete list of extracurricular activities.

Remember, colleges are interested in how you’ve demonstrated leadership, initiative, and growth through your extracurricular activities. The more you’ve taken on responsibility or achieved a high level of expertise, the more impressive the activity will be to admissions officers.

Your activities should reflect your genuine interests and the things you’re passionate about. College admissions officers can often tell if an activity is just padding for your resume, and they’re more interested in what you’re truly excited about. It’s okay to explore a variety of activities early in your high school career, but as you progress, try to focus more on the ones that you’re truly passionate about.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

6 Tips for Presenting your Activity Résumé

The activity résumé is a great opportunity for you to explain important activities and accomplishments to admissions committees. By offering concrete information about yourself in a concise form, you seem more real and more interesting to the committees. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your résumé .

Tip 1: Write only about high school accomplishments

Some people get tempted to include winning the spelling bee in junior high school. As with your grades, colleges and universities are only interested in what you have been doing within the last three to four years.

Tip 2: Organize your thoughts and follow the pattern of the résumé

You don’t want your readers to get lost in the résumé. Look at the attached example and notice how activities and interest are organized by categories. Also notice how things that are bolded or underlined are consistent throughout.

Tip 3: Use clear terminology that your audience will understand

Admissions committees may not automatically understand abbreviations or special terminology that your schools (or even yourself) use in everyday vocabulary. Spell out abbreviations and describe activities so that anyone can understand at first glance.

Tip 4: Be clear and concise

Beware: you can overdo your résumé. In some cases, people tend to ramble on about every activity or put in every accomplishment. Try to adhere to this rule of thumb when describing your activities:

• Describe the activity (in one sentence)
• Describe your personal involvement (in one sentence)
• Describe any awards or honors associated (in one sentence)

Tip 5: Remember that résumés do not replace activity sections on applications

Some applicants think that because they completed a résumé, they do not need to fill out the activity or employment sections on the applications. That is not true. Unless the application says that you can attach a résumé in place of filling out the section, then you must do both. If you do both, make a note on the bottom of the activity section and state “please see attached résumé.”

Tip 6: Don’t repeat your essay

Both your activity résumé and your essay give you a chance to highlight your accomplishments. Try not to repeat information. If you spend a lot of time talking about one of your activities in your essay, there is no need to go into great detail about it in your résumé, and vice versa. It’s ok to mention something in both places, but there is no need to go into great detail more than once.

If you follow these simple tips, you will have added a strong component to your application.

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Activities that Help Students and Parents through the College Admissions Process

With an impressive fifteen-year tenure as a member of the Colleges of Distinction qualification and research team, Tyson has extensively toured campuses nationwide and conducted interviews with their staff. This wealth of experience is clearly reflected in the insightful resource articles he contributes to Colleges of Distinction. His written work has been featured on reputable platforms such as Huffington Post, Higher Ed Revolution, and Campus News. His writing has appeared on Huffington Post , Higher Ed Revolution, and ECampusNews.

Notably, he is also the author of “ Reaching Beyond Rankings: How to Use College Evaluation Systems to Find Your Dream School “. Tyson’s multifaceted expertise, blending hands-on campus assessment and extensive writing, underscores his commitment to helping students navigate the complexities of college selection and find their ideal educational fit.

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How Extracurricular Activities Can Transform Your Resume and Boost Life Skills

Introduction.

Syllabus and curriculum are not the only part of education. Being a bookworm and knowing the answers to all the questions is insufficient for a stellar resume. The job market is becoming extremely competitive, and only candidates with the right skills are hired. Recruiters look for candidates who can act instead of just talk. Also, foreign universities look for more than academic excellence in the admission essay. 

So, how can you compete and stand out among hundreds of applicants? For a strong resume, you must pad it with extracurricular activities . Let’s explore the benefits of such co-curricular activities and how they can boost your resume.

What are Extracurricular Activities?

Schools, colleges, and universities offer many programs and cultural activities along with the syllabus. Students are encouraged to participate in these events to show off their skills. While these activities are entirely optional, pursuing them will ensure that you gain practical skills like leadership, time management, teamwork, and planning. These can transform into relevant life skills for your job or application for higher studies. Being a part of professional organizations or clubs and voluntary or community services can all add bonus points to your resume. 

When Should I Include Extracurricular Activities?

Your resume should be created based on the purpose. If you are building your resume for a job offer, you must ensure that it showcases all the skills relevant to the job. On the other hand, if you are creating a resume for applying to a foreign university, you should include details that can convince you that you are a better candidate who can contribute to the university as well. 

When you have industry experience, including that in your resume will highlight your skills, and in that case, extracurricular activities may not even be needed. However, if you are a student or fresher with no relevant experience, these co-curricular activities can boost your resume. Some of the reasons why you must include these on your resume are:

• Highlight your resume with leadership skills
• To demonstrate technical skills
• Explain the knowledge you gained from your other activities

How to Include Extracurricular Activities on Your Resume?

Even though extracurricular activities can elevate your resume, they are not simply blank fillers. Remember that fillers in your resume are frowned upon. Before including extracurricular activities , do some self-reflection to find the right skills to add.

• List out activities in which you have actively contributed in your school or college. Focus on your involvement and the skills you gained. For example, if you have been a part of language clubs, let the employers know that you have language skills. 
• Even though you might have been involved in several activities, include only those that are relevant to your resume. 
• Look at your resume from the employer’s perspective and analyze whether adding such academic activities in universities adds any value. 

Recommended Read – 8 Things to Do as a Student to Make Your Future Self Proud

7 Best Extracurriculars For Ivy League

If you are wondering how to build a strong resume, you can include out-of-class activities that enhance your skills. University experience is more than just getting a degree certificate. The goal should be learning, and sometimes, the extracurriculars may be daunting and add to your burden. However, it can help students build practical skills. Some of the co-curricular activities you can use in your resume are:

#1 Foreign Language

Knowing an additional language is always a resume booster. It can instantly set you apart, especially in multinational companies. For example, many manufacturing companies with factories in China favour resumes with Chinese language skills. Showcasing that you have taken the extra effort to learn something new apart from your curriculum would show universities that you will actively participate in research programs. 

#2 Student Council 

Student bodies in schools and colleges demand your time. When your resume shows that you don’t shy away from such additional responsibilities, it indirectly showcases your time management and organisation skills. Especially if you have headed any such student councils, it can add significant value to your curriculum vitae. If you have been a part of fraternities, sororities, or other type of school club, include those details as well. 

You must include your active participation in sports in your resume. Even if you have industry experience, including this crucial skill will immediately set you apart from the crowd. Involvement in sports highlights your teamwork, dedication, self-improvement, and leadership skills.

#4 Volunteering

Volunteering is essentially doing some job without getting paid. Often, volunteering is done for a social cause, and this shows recruiters that you are willing to do extra work in your free time to give back to the community. It also highlights your eagerness to help out others. It is a significant indicator of personal development. 

#5 Peer Tutoring

Many schools have school tutoring programs that you can join to help out other students. You can also do this as a volunteer in your own free time. This showcases your knowledge in the specific subject and the fact that you share your knowledge to assist others in growing. 

#6 Fundraising

Often, colleges have programs that need funds, and students may be asked to raise funds for them. If you have worked on a school project and needed funds and found ways to raise the money successfully, make sure to include that in your resume. Convincing others to give their money to a cause is not easy, and recruiters will be interested in knowing how your skills helped raise funds. 

Often, hobbies in a resume are considered filler content. However, it is an integral part of the resume that shows your personality to the reader. Creative hobbies like drawing, painting, crocheting, gardening, etc, inculcate many transferrable skills. It also shows employers that you are keen on learning something new.  

When you add extracurricular activities to your profile, be truthful. Just listing activities that you have heard of is not going to help you. Only add the skills and abilities if you have actively participated in the activities and they are suitable for the application. Add these in the right part of the resume and highlight your responsibilities and prominent achievements. Focus on the quality and value that the list adds to your profile instead of the quantity. 

Wondering how to build a strong CV ? Check out Mindler blogs to craft the perfect resume to impress the recruiters. 

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A résumé is a professional document highlighting your skills, education, goals, and experience. Employers will often spend less than 30 seconds looking at each résumé, so yours needs to stand out while clearly demonstrating your qualifications for the job, internship, or other opportunity. 

Get Started

Use these resources curated by the Career Center to help you craft a strong résumé.

Editable Worksheet

Use this worksheet to help you plan and develop your résumé content.

Editable Template in Word

Download this template and tailor your content to specific opportunities.

High School to College Transition

Learn how to transition your résumé format to make it career-ready.

Samples by Career Path

Review three sample résumés from each of our career paths.

• Communication, Arts, and Marketing
• Consulting, Finance, and Business
• Education, Nonprofit, and Social Impact
• Government, Law, and Public Policy
• Healthcare, Nursing, and Counseling
• Science, Technology, and Engineering

Why do you need a strong résumé?

• Your résumé is a tailored document that conveys to a potential employer the skills, experiences, and qualifications you have for a position you are interested in pursuing.
• In most cases, your résumé will be part of every job, internship, or graduate school application you submit.
• Your résumé—along with your cover letter—is what will determine whether you are invited for an interview.
• Your résumé is one of the few parts of the job search process over which you have 100% control. The effort you put into your résumé also sends clues to potential employers about the level of effort you put into your work. If your résumé looks like it was put together quickly with little attention to detail, what message might you be sending? Make sure your résumé is excellent!

Drop-in Sessions

Once you have a draft of your résumé, stop by our office for a 15-minute résumé review.

Get immediate feedback on your résumé as a supplemental resource to drop-ins.

• Content and formatting matter. If you have great content, but your reader can’t easily make sense of it or find it, you won’t get invited for an interview. Likewise, if you have a beautiful document, but don’t articulate your skills and experiences effectively, you won’t get invited for an interview. 
• If you're an advanced graduate student, you may, at times, submit a résumé of no more than 2 pages.
• Learn more about Applicant Tracking Systems here . 
• Use this article to learn how to write a résumé that gets through applicant tracking systems. 
• Your résumé is a dynamic document.  Continue to add to and edit your résumé on a semesterly or annual basis as you gain more experience. If your career interests change, it is recommended you rethink how you convey your experience on your résumé to align with your new field of interest.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, can be used to enhance your résumé. Read our best practices for appropriately leveraging AI in your application materials.

How to Write a Strong Résumé

Start with a blank document or our ATS-friendly, editable template . We don’t recommend using templates from sites such as Pinterest or Canva as they become restrictive when you are trying to adjust formatting later. Then add each of the sections detailed below.

Use this worksheet to help you plan and develop your résumé content. 

1. Contact Information

First, add your contact information at the top of the page

Your name should be large (e.g. 14 pt font or larger)

Your contact information should include your email address, phone number, city, and state (street address is not needed), and a personalized link to your LinkedIn profile.

To personalize your LinkedIn profile link, click on ‘Edit Public Profile & URL’ in the top right corner of your profile page. Edit your custom URL to your name.

Baldwin Eagle

Chestnut Hill, MA | 617-552-XXXX | baldwin@bc.edu | linkedin.com/in/baldwineagle

2. Education

Next, as a current student, your education section should be listed at the top under your contact information.

Information that should be included: 

• Institution name, city, and state
• School or college, including study abroad institutions and graduate schools, where relevant
• Date of graduation (month and year)
• Major, if known
• GPA, if above a 3.0 or if required by an employer

Other optional information:

• Relevant coursework: You can share up to five classes that are relevant to the position to which you are applying. This is a great way to tailor your résumé to a specific position and to show content knowledge that may not be reflected in your major or elsewhere on your résumé.  
• Academic honors or awards: e.g. Dean’s list (with dates) or other academic recognition can be included here
• High school can be included through your second year of college if space permits unless there is a compelling reason to keep it there (e.g. for networking purposes). 

3. Experience

For most students, your experience section(s) will come after Education. An exception would be if the position description calls for key technical skills.

• Keep in mind that your experience is not just your paid experience. It can include jobs, internships, research, volunteer work, leadership, or campus involvement. You can choose how you title your experience section(s). Some ideas include: Relevant Experience, Volunteer Experience, Leadership & Involvement. 
• Since you want your most relevant experience closer to the top of your résumé, consider how you want to represent your various experiences. What experiences are most relevant in terms of skills gained and content learned to the positions to which you are now applying? 
• Within each section, list your experiences in reverse chronological order by end date. 

How to write strong bullet statements for each experience:

Great bullet statements will describe your achievements rather than tasks.

Start each bullet with an action verb, then demonstrate the value you added to your work by stating what you did (Project), how you did it (Action), and why you did it (Result).

• What was the project or task?
• What actions did you take? (think specifically about your individual contributions)
• What was the result or outcome of your contribution?

Cite numbers whenever possible to demonstrate the scope of your work (e.g. number of people supervised, number of children in classroom, size of event, budget you oversaw, etc.).

• Example Action Verbs

4. Additional Sections to Consider

Following are some additional sections you may include on your résumé:

Objective or Summary: For most students, this is unnecessary and simply takes up space. However, if you are looking to enter a field in which you have very limited experience, it can be helpful to include a short objective that articulates what you are seeking and can show that you are applying to a role with intent and purpose. 

Skills/Interests: It is strongly encouraged to include a section on skills such as computer skills, languages, laboratory skills. For most students, this section will appear at the bottom of your résumé, but for students interested in science and technology, see specific tips in the next section. Personal interests such as hobbies can be included if space permits.

Career Field-Specific Résumé Tips

Creative fields.

• When applying for a creative position, such as a graphic designer, web designer, or creative manager, it can be appropriate to have a creative résumé designed in a program like Adobe InDesign.
• While a creative résumé can include graphics and colors, it should still look professional and be easy to read. 
• It’s a good idea to have a traditional version of your résumé along with the creative one. Applicant Tracking Systems cannot always pull information from graphics or heavily designed résumés, so use a traditional résumé when applying for a position online and save your creative résumé to be emailed directly or to give to someone in-person.
• See more information here about how to design a résumé for the creative fields.
• When applying to positions in the federal government, it is appropriate to submit a federal résumé. Federal résumés are generally 2-5 pages in length and include more required information, including U.S. citizenship status, veteran status, the address and contact information for prior employers and supervisors, and specific USAJobs.gov job identification number.
• As the large majority of federal jobs are posted on USAJobs.gov, we recommend using the website’s  résumé builder  for a step-by-step guide to craft your federal résumé.
• List the number of hours worked during clinicals.
• List any non-clinical work or volunteer experiences you have had. This shows the recruiter that you are well rounded.
• It is critical to keep your Nursing résumé to 1 page only.
• Additionally, if you have worked with any data entry system such as EPIC, list it under the skills section.
• Prioritize key technical skills, such as laboratory (e.g. PCR, gel electrophoresis, western blot, etc.) and statistical analysis software (e.g. R, SPSS, STATA, etc.), in the top half of the résumé. This is especially important if the position description explicitly calls for them.
• Include a research experience section that outlines any on- or off-campus research you have been involved with. Be sure to include relevant achievements in the bullet statements.
• If applicable, include a publications section following the citation style most commonly used in that field of research.
• For teaching in the public schools, create a Licensure and Certifications section, just below your Education section. The title and contents of this section depend on the norms for the state in which you are seeking work. For Massachusetts, include your SEI Endorsement; your 51A Mandated Reporter Training; your MTEL results (if you have passed all of them, you do not need to list each one); and any other endorsements or certifications you have achieved. 
• Create a category for Teaching and Related Experience, or break it up between two categories, such as Practicum Experience and Other Teaching Experience.
• Emphasize experiences with children with special needs; with English Language Learners; communicating with parents; using technology in the classroom, including remote teaching; using assessments to modify your teaching and improve student learning; and/or developing curriculum.
• Emphasize positive outcomes for your students - e.g. “collaborated with teachers to design and teach math units with an emphasis on encouraging students to build a strong foundation, explore the topics, and enjoy math.”
• View sample resume one and sample resume two .
• Prioritize key technical skills, such as programming languages (e.g. Python, C++, JavaScript, etc.) and analytical software (e.g. SQL, Spark, Hadoop, etc.), in the top half of the résumé. This is especially important if the position description explicitly calls for them.
• Include a projects section that outlines any personal or group projects you have been involved with to develop your coding skills. Be sure to include relevant achievements in the bullet statements.
• If applicable, include a link to your GitHub in the contact information section.
• In your heading beneath your name, include any theatre-related professional organization memberships such as SAG and AFTRA.
• For actors, include your physical description—height, weight, hair and eye color, and vocal range. Actors should also include a color 8 x 10 headshot with their resume. Singers should specify their notes.
• Column One: Name of play or movie.
• Column Two: Role you played.
• Column Three: Name and location of the theatre, the director’s name. You can save space by abbreviating "director" to Dir."

Action Verbs and Keywords

Can one word make a difference? Yes! Strong action verbs provide power and direction, so start each line of your résumé with an action verb instead of more passive words. Use keywords to make sure your résumé gets noticed. 

Management Skills

• administered
• consolidated
• coordinated
• prioritized
• recommended
• strengthened

Communication Skills

• corresponded
• interpreted

Clerical or Detailed Skills

• implemented
• systematized

Research Skills

• interviewed
• investigated

Technical Skills

Teaching skills.

• communicated
• facilitated

Financial Skills

Creative skills.

• conceptualized
• established
• illustrated
• revitalized

Helping Skills

• demonstrated
• familiarized
• rehabilitated
• represented

Keyword Strategies

• When you’re applying for a position, be sure to include keywords or skills from the job listing in your résumé.
• Browse online job listings in your field. Words that appear consistently in a variety of ads are your "key" words. Company pages on LinkedIn are another good resource.
• Talk to professionals in your industry.
• Include at least four industry- or job-specific keywords in your résumé. The ideal number is 12.

Keyword Examples*

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: Award-winning corporate controller with more than ten years’ experience in two $500 million corporations. Impressive record implementing financial record database architecture that saved over $2 million annually. Proficient in Oracle, Prism, Red Brick, and SAP systems, as well as MS Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and FrontPage.

SKILLS Languages: C, SQL, C++, Assembler, Pascal Software: Oracle Developer 2000, Informix NewEra, FoxPro OS: UNIX, Windows NT/95/3.11, MS-DOS RDBMS: Oracle7, Informix 7

*Pam Dixon,  Job Searching Online for Dummies

Résumé FAQs

What are the exceptions to the “one-page résumé” rule.

Undergraduate students should keep their résumé to one page, although there are some career fields for which a two-page résumé is acceptable (e.g. teaching and federal government). Longer résumé (up to two pages) are acceptable for graduate school applications as well. 

What is an applicant tracking system? How do I know if a company is using one?

Because companies receive so many résumés for each job, applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen résumés electronically are commonly used. Over 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS while 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on them ( Jobscan ). Given that so many companies use this technology, assume that your résumé will be screened by an ATS and create an ATS-friendly résumé.

The ATS will screen your résumé and cover letter for keywords that match the job description, so make sure to use keywords from the job description in your résumé and your cover letter.

What will make my résumé stand out to employers?

• Putting keywords on your résumé that match the job description (as long as they make sense). 
• Making sure your résumé is readable, neat, and free of typos and spelling or grammatical errors.
• Dividing your experience into Relevant Experience and Additional Experience with Relevant coming first.
• Using bullet points rather than blocks of text to describe your experiences. Start each bullet point with a strong action verb, and show the result or purpose of what you did in each bullet point.
• Using numbers to quantify achievements when possible (e.g. served over 100 customers per day during a three-hour shift).
• Having a well-rounded variety of experiences and activities.

Should I use a résumé template?

While it might be tempting to use a résumé template from sites such as Pinterest or Canva because it is predesigned, it is best to stay away from résumé templates and create a Word document from scratch. Résumé templates are often not compatible with ATS and could render your résumé unreadable by many employers. See our editable résumé template for ATS-friendly formatting. 

You should avoid using graphics and colors in your résumé unless you are applying for a creative position, such as a graphic designer, web designer, or creative manager. For these roles it may be appropriate to have a creative résumé designed in a program like Adobe InDesign, however you should still avoid using a template. See more information here about how to design a résumé for the creative fields.

Can ChatGPT write my résumé? How should I use it?

ChatGPT and other AI tools can be used to enhance your résumé, but should not be used to write one for you! AI should not replace your own creativity and perspective and the results generated are meant to provide suggestions rather than to be copied and pasted word-for-word. Think of these ChatGPT résumé prompts as a supplement to your own ideas and insights, not a replacement.

When using AI to help with your application documents, submit prompts that are specific to the role for which you are applying. This will help you create materials that are tailored to the position and demonstrate your relevant skills and experience.

Just like any other writing, edit and proofread anything generated by AI before submitting. Make sure the content flows well, the wording is typo- and error-free, and the metrics are accurate. You should be able to speak to every bullet point on your résumé if asked about it in an interview.

Should I include things I did in high school on my résumé?

Yes, you may include extracurricular activities, sports, jobs, internships, and volunteer roles on your résumé up through your second year in college or until you start replacing your high school involvement with activities you are involved in at Boston College. You may still keep work experiences from high school on your résumé if you have space and/or they are relevant to your future career interests.

What document format should I use when applying for jobs online?

There are pros and cons to submitting your résumé either as a PDF or Microsoft Word document. Read more here . Either way, follow the format instructions on the employer’s website or in the job description, if they provide them.

Should I include my pronouns on my résumé?

Some people choose to put their personal pronouns at the top of their résumé after their name. This is entirely optional. Do what feels most comfortable for you.

What is a CV? How is it different from a résumé?

A curriculum vitae (CV) contains significantly more information and is more detailed than a standard résumé. Unlike the one-page rule for résumés, there is no page limit for a CV. The CV includes your career history as well as your education, awards, special honors, grants or scholarships, research or academic projects, and publications. You might also include professional references, coursework, fieldwork, descriptions of dissertations, and a personal profile that lists your relevant skills and attributes. 

Check out the Ultimate Guide to Writing a CV  and a video overview of putting together your first CV .

Is there a difference between an undergraduate CV versus a graduate CV?

There are no formatting differences between an undergraduate and graduate CV except that a graduate CV might be longer because graduate students typically have more experience.

When would I use a CV? When would I use a résumé?

CV’s are primarily used when applying for faculty positions in higher education or high-level positions in the sciences. CV’s are also often used in countries other than the U.S., but they can vary by country so make sure to research each country’s specific guidelines ( Interstride’s country insights can be helpful here). Résumés are used when applying for most other types of positions in the U.S.

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