Trying to put together my first Resume

[NikolaeVarius]

As the thread title states, I'm trying to put together my first resume so I can start submitting them for job and internship opportunities. Problem is, I don't feel like I have anything worthwhile to put down. Currently my resume is a half page of menial stuff. The only thing of interest I have on there is that I hold 2 jobs within the school that have no relation to anything. While my bosses would give me awesome recommendations, it just feels empty. I just don't have enough experience in the real world for me to feel like I've done anything worthwhile.

What else should I try to put on a resume and what kind of length should I go for?

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Are you just finishing a degree? I'm curious, it sounds like you and I are in the same boat.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Are you just finishing a degree? I'm curious, it sounds like you and I are in the same boat.

No, Freshman actually . . .

 

[guyver01]

A Standard Resume will contain the following:

Name
Address
Contact Number
Fax Number



OBJECTIVE: What do you hope to get out of the job

EXPERIENCE: List Relevant Working Experience

EDUCATION: self explanatory?

MISC: other topics of relevance. For an IT position... IT familiarity (hardware, software, platforms, etc)

 

[Matthiasa]

Your campus probably has a career center, see them.
The list of what goes on it according to the career center here, include: home and school address, phone number(s), email, objective, skills, experience, education, and personal(interests/activities not related to the others).

 

[guyver01]

As for Email... if you haven't already done so... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ... create a professional sounding email with gmail.

Nothing will get your resume tossed faster than a resume that comes from, or contains as contact info like:
guy_who_licks_his_eyebrows@hotmail.com

make your email JSmith@gmail.com or John.Smith@gmail.com

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Do you think employers prefer contact@[myname].com or [myname]@gmail.com? I suspect it doesn't make much difference once you're above the "stupid address" threshold.

 

[guyver01]

Do you think employers prefer contact@[myname].com or [myname]@gmail.com? I suspect it doesn't make much difference once you're above the "stupid address" threshold.

my original resume (before i moved to colorado) was firstlast@nyc.rr.com

now it's firstlast@gmail.com

I prefer the gmail because i can get it no matter what provider.

i think once you're past the "stupid kiddie address" part... the host doesn't matter much.

 

[KillerCharlie]

It's really hard to get an internship as a freshman or sophomore - I was in the same situation. I didn't really have any substance to my resume.

I think the best thing you can do is find a professor that'll let you work with him and do research. That'll get your foot in the door which will be huge.

 

[Rumpltzer]

Getting that first internship is tough. I'd follow KillerCharlie's advice as soon as possible. Get yourself something on campus with a prof. It's something that you can dress up on paper, and it says so much more than working retail, grocery or fast food.

Don't give up. I got an internship with AT&T Technologies (pre-Lucent Technologies, pre-Alcatel... I'm showing my age!) after my freshman year! I sent out over 80 cover letters and resumes, got two interviews, and I got only one offer... but I only needed one job! Once you have one internship, getting the next one is easy.

I gotta tell you, though.... as a college freshman I already knew a programming language, and that's what AT&T had me doing during that first summer. I also had two summers of internship at a lab from when I was in high school (it was a thing through a local military base for high school kids). Plan ahead!

If you can't pick up an internship this summer, plan ahead for next summer. Try to get something going this summer that will set you apart from your peers. Find a local whatever and tell them that you'll work for free for whatever time you might have; you just need something to help you fill out your resume a little. Definitely get with a prof, do at least enough work to learn something from the experience so you can talk about it during an interview. You might even find something that you enjoy through the experience.

By the time I finished four years of undergrad, I had done four summer interships. I picked up one more during the summer when I switched schools from masters to PhD. My resume was two pages long when I was done with my PhD; no fluff!

Plan ahead!

Good luck.

 

[KillerCharlie]

Like I said, anything gets your foot in the door. I probably sent out 50 resumes after my sophomore year and didn't get a single interview. I ended up doing research with a professor over the summer.

The next year, I got interviewed by every aerospace company you can think of - Boeing, Northrop, Lockheed, Rolls-Royce, etc.

For now, don't worry too much about it - yours probably doesn't look any worse than anyone else's your age.

 

[silverpig]

1. Don't bother with an "objective" section. This part should be in the cover letter which you should definitely include.

2. Don't worry too much if you don't have work experience yet. That's what this is for. Do you have hobbies? Play sports? Active in the community? Volunteer? Even if you volunteer once a month, put it down.

3. Working with a prof this year is a great suggestion. Picking a slightly easier project and rocking it is better than not doing so well on an ambitious project. This can be your work experience for next year's resume.

 

[grrl]

As for Email... if you haven't already done so... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ... create a professional sounding email with gmail.

Nothing will get your resume tossed faster than a resume that comes from, or contains as contact info like:
guy_who_licks_his_eyebrows@hotmail.com

make your email JSmith@gmail.com or John.Smith@gmail.com

Good point, I've seen some ridiculous email addresses on resumes of people who have worked for over ten years - they should really know better.

As for the OP's original question, the worst thing you can do is obviously pad the resume. Since you are only a freshman you aren't expected to have much if any relevant experience, so just note what your two job descriptions were.

 

[duragezic]

Internships are good but I'd probably just concentrate on my studies and try for the internship after sophmore year.

For your resume, your objective, education, and work experience should take up 2/3 or so. At this point, I'd maybe mention some classes in your education section. I'm sure most people doing hiring have an idea but you could be ahead or behind in the schedule, so if they see you at least have some knowledge of something, it might be enough. Work experience, even unrelated, is good to list as it shows you have time management, work with others, etc.

If you have done any significant projects, especially team projects, list those. I actually made a small section "Project Experience" for my resume while in college.

Lastly, a small section on skills is good. For example, a programming language you are familiar with, software packages (i.e. Matlab or whatever), soldering, etc.

Honestly in the end it won't be huge, but it'll fit most of the page and be sufficient for your level.