Wed, Feb 28, 2024 11:30 AM

Resume building changes every year from a design standpoint. College Admissions Officers look for resumes that are short, sweet, and to the point. Nobody wants to search for an answer that should be found easily. When helping your student build their college admissions resume, consider searching for free resume templates and stick to traditional resume formats. Catch a colleges attention for all the right reasons!

Be sure to have your student add any relevant coursework, honors, clubs, sports, activities, and part-time jobs on their resume. By sharing these extracurricular activities, colleges will get a better idea of who your student is both inside and outside the classroom and what they might accomplish at their college. It is important for your son or daughter to convey what they have learned while doing their job, as opposed to just sharing a general job description. The best way to remember any volunteer opportunities or relevant course work is to keep track of all that your student does in high school, from the beginning.

Many colleges are now looking at a student’s digital presence. Do they have a LinkedIn account? If they want to go into business, it may be a good idea to help your student create one ASAP. LinkedIn allows students to showcase their strengths and promote the certifications they have earned which adds to their profile. Encourage your student to add their LinkedIn link to their college resume to help promote the great things they are doing.

2024 Resume Do’s and Don’ts:

Do:
-Include your student’s GPA – both weighted and unweighted
-Highlight any relevant clubs/activities/jobs
-Showcase strengths in numbers and percentages
-Include soft skills
-Use active verbs in the descriptions (ex. organized, lead, etc.)
-No more than 5 bullets per activity
-Include growth measurements and leadership roles
-Be honest and professional
-Include name, phone number, email, address, and LinkedIn link
-Ask teachers or employers to critique the resume and parents – you too!

Don’t:
-Use a flashy resume template
-Use a “career objective”
-Use ChatGPT to create bullets
-Include obvious skills i.e., Microsoft Office
-Use full sentences/punctuation
-Include a profile photo
-Use a non-professional email
-Have grammatical errors

Need any extra help on any aspect of the college process? Scheduling a FREE 15-minute Discovery Zoom Meeting with me today.

Need help with the College Admissions Process, Finding Scholarships, or with Financial Aid?

Schedule your Meeting with Dan Bisig – TODAY!