READING AND WRITING

7 Steps for Creating a Resume as a Student

Employers generally look at a large number of applications for each job opportunity, spending only a short amount of
time looking at each resume. The easier your resume is to scan, the better you can hold someone's attention and encourage
them to consider your application seriously. Follow these stepsto write your student resume:
1. Decide on a format for your student resume
Resumes should fit onto one page and have clear headers that alert the reader to the essential information.
Most recruiters and hiring managers will focus their attention on the following resume sections:
Name and contact information
Education and achievements
Employment history
Relevant skills and experiences
The best resume formats are well organized with only the most relevant information and should make efficient use of
blank space to avoid clutter. To achieve an easy-to-read resume, choose a simple layout that allows you to showcase the
qualifications most relevant to the job posting. If your resume has a large amount of blank space, consider including
additional sections that could be helpful for employers, like relevant awards and achievements or professional interests.
When crafting your university student resume, tailor the content to the requirements of the position and highlight the
strengths and aspects of your education that employers will find most valuable. By highlighting your best attributes and
showcasing your accomplishments, you can leave a lasting impression as a strong candidate.
2. Include resume contact information
The first thing potential employers should see on your resume is a header at the top that includes your name, contact
information and a link to your professional profile or website if you have one. In this section, you should include:
First and last name
City and province
Current phone number
Current and professional email address
Your name should be the largest heading on the page, with your contact details in a smaller font directly underneath it.
Here's an example of what your contact information section might look like:
April Jackson
512 Wide Avenue • Toronto, Ontario
[email protected] • 555-102-1512 • aprilsmith.portfolio.net
3. Write an objective or summary statement
This statement also called a career summary, resume objective or objective statement, is usually composed of one to two
sentences that sum up your short-term professional goals and why you're seeking employment. Your objective statement
should be brief and focus specifically on your current career-related experience and your developed skills. Keep this
section under 50 words.
Here's an example of an objective statement:
“Recent graduate of a well-ranked literature program with extensive high-level coursework and experience in editing and
proofreading for academic and business writing. Skilled at applying multiple style guides (APA, MLA, AP, Chicago) and
seeking a position that involves regular use of these skills.”
This example is under 50 words, provides only essential details about the applicant and showcases the candidate's relevant
skills and potential value to the company.
4. Include an education section
Your education section is where you'll demonstrate to employers that you're learning skills you can apply on the job.
Consider featuring it as one of the first sections on your resume.
Even if what you're studying may seem unrelated to the professional world, your commitment to education can
demonstrate a will to improve and showcases a strong work ethic. Take this opportunity to list relevant coursework
you've completed, your academic grade average and key areas of study. Your education section should include:
The name and location of your school
The degree you are pursuing (if applicable)
Your field(s) of study
Graduation year (if applicable)
Your academic grade average (Note: You may not want to include this if it's not above 80%)
Any relevant honours or academic recognition, coursework, activities or other achievements obtained during your
education
Here are two examples:
The University of Toronto, 2011–2015
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
3.7 GPA
Dean's list in 2014, 2015
Ryerson University (September 2016– 2018)

Master of Arts in Communication and Culture

3.6 GPA
Thesis: The rise of social media and its impact on the business world
Member of DECA Ontario: Prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs to be University and career ready
5. Add in work experience
You don't have to limit your experience section to paid jobs. If you're new to the job market and don't have many
professional roles to share, include volunteer positions, internships and extracurricular activities. These experiences can
show you have the required skills to succeed in the job you're applying for. For example, your role as captain of a sports
team demonstrates leadership abilities, while your experience as chair of a student club exhibits organizational skills.
If you have paid job experience or relevant internships, list those first with the name of the company, its location and the
year(s) you interned. Then provide 2–3 bullet points highlighting your achievements with action verbs during your time in
those positions. Include any measurable successes you had with numbers where possible. For example, your
experience section might look something like this:

Appleton Editing Services | May – Aug. 2018

Press Release Editing Intern
Spearheaded a team to edit incoming press releases with short turnaround times
Developed processes for AP style guide approach to deliverables
Coordinated with the team to implement editing guidelines, which reduced the time to publish by 20%
6. List relevant skills
When an employer reviews your resume, they want to understand why you'd make a valuable addition to their team.
Listing your skills is a way to communicate your ability to succeed in the role. Include a combination of hard skills (i.e.,
skills you learned through education and experience like software programs or foreign languages) and soft skills (i.e.,
personality traits and skills you can apply to any job like problem-solving and time management).

If you're having trouble identifying skills to include, ask yourself the following questions:
What accomplishments and successes have you achieved? What traits, skills or abilities helped you do it?
What skills do your friends, family, or classmates think you have?
What skills or traits do professionals in the field you're applying to often have? Do you also possess those skills?
Here's an example of what a computer scientist may list on their resume under the skills section:

Programming languages: Java, JavaScript, PHP, C++, Python, CSS, HTML, SQL
Additional skills: Highly organized, problem solver, great with time management
7. Proofread your resume
Proofread your resume before uploading it online and sending it to your potential employer to correct any typos or
awkward phrasing. Read your resume aloud multiple times to make sure that each section flows well.
Here is an example of a university student's resume, based on the steps above:
Hannah Miller
100 University Street, Toronto, ON, M1A 3B1
917-555-1234
[email protected]

OBJECTIVE
I am a creative and highly motivated student seeking a part-time internship where I can share my knowledge of digital
advertising to help your organization improve profitability and grow my industry experience.

EDUCATION
Ontario University of Art and Design
Major: Advertising
Expected Graduation Date: May 2022
Academic Grade Average: 87%
Relevant coursework: Media Planning, Psychology in Advertising, Communication Law
Clubs: Ad Club, Student Newspaper, Students for Environmental Action (SEA)
EXPERIENCE
Grey Media Agency | Toronto, Ontario
Digital Advertising Intern, May 2018 – August 2018

Served as lead advertising intern as part of a summer-long apprenticeship program

Assisted in building, launching and managing Google AdWords campaigns for leading clients
Successfully grew client ad spend return-on-investment more than 30% quarter over quarter
Student Newspaper | Vancouver, British Columbia
Advertising Sales Representative, August 2017 – Present

Act as the primary point of contact for a subset of publication advertisers

Scout new advertiser opportunities and build relationships with local businesses
Helped newspaper increase annual ad sales by nearly 20% from 2017 to 2018

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Team leadership
Verbal and written communication
Time management
Problem-solving
Adobe Creative Suite
Google AdWords Certified
Fluency in English and French

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Elected Ad Club chair for 2017–2018 school year
Awarded 2017 Best Student Advertising Campaign in the retail category
Maintained Dean's List status Fall 2016 through Spring 2018