How to write a resume for a summer job

It can sometimes feel like a rather daunting task if you’ve never written a resume before. Depending on how much work experience you have and what areas that experience falls in, resumes can end up being too long or short, too clunky, not outlined effectively, and even fall short of the information you need to sell yourself the right way. And the fact is, whether you’re pursuing a part-time retail job to make extra money or you’re going after your dream career as a nurse, a resume is equally essential in all scenarios. 

Suppose you’re a college student needing a summer job, but you don’t have a resume ready to go. In that case, it can feel like a challenging thing to do, particularly when you may not necessarily have a lot of hands-on work experience that relates to the job. However, you can still craft a great resume with a few key things.

One of the best things you can do when writing a summer job resume is to lead with your qualifications. Create a list of all the skills you possess relevant to the job, and make it a point to highlight things that make you stand out. Below that, you can include any relevant work information, but don’t worry if the jobs you’ve had don’t directly relate to the job you’re after. Qualifications can also include attributes that you think make you a great employee, and they don’t just have to be specific skills. 

Think about how some of the work you’ve done is relevant to certain aspects of the role and highlight those things. That way, the hiring manager will see that you’ve taken the time to think about how your work experience (however much that may be) ties into the role. This will make your resume seem more personalized and tailored to this specific job.

You’ll also want to include any certifications, volunteer work, or even specific work you’ve done in your college career that pertain to the role. Highlighting the education you’ve received will go a long way in making it known that you’re qualified beyond just hands-on work experience. 

A good resume should also be laid out in a concise, easy-to-read manner, so make sure that when you include any experience or education, you try and get your point across in a short and straightforward way. You don’t want someone to read too much or comb through a resume that’s much too long. Keep it simple, and you’ll stand out much more quickly.

At the end of the day, getting a great summer job requires a great resume. If you can craft one that highlights your skills and experience and emphasizes that you’re a reliable, thoughtful potential employee, you’ll be one step closer to getting the work you want. And ultimately, you never know where that summer job will lead you, so put the effort in to put your best foot forward early. You’ll be glad you did. 

— Article by Sean Kelly. In addition to being an analyst researching the latest industry trends for College Recruiter, Sean Kelly also co-founded a nonprofit local news publication in Savannah, GA called The Savannahian.